Steve Forbes joins coaching staff

University of Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl announced last week that Steve Forbes joined the basketball staff as an assistant coach. Pearl made the much-anticipated announcement on the heels of a banner signing class in the spring, and after he led the Vols to the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division regular-season title, a 21-7 record and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in just his first season as head coach. Although some bigger names were tossed about during the search for the assistant coach position, left open when former assistant Scott Edgar took the head coaching position at Southeast Missouri last month, it seems that UT basketball fans are in such a state of euphoria when it comes to Pearl, the coach can do no wrong. Forbes appears to be a solid selection however, especially as a recruiter. Pearl outdid himself during the spring signing period, riding the momentum of his breakthrough rookie season as Vols head coach, the former Wisconsin-Milwaukee mentor inked what most experts deemed the third best recruiting class in the United States, a class that could safely be billed as the best—in terms of national rankings—in program history. Forbes has gained the reputation in his long coaching career as an ace recruiter. “I have known Steve for more than 20 years,” Pearl said. “We’ve been trying to find a way to work together for a long time. “Last year we talked about coming to Tennessee but he had just got settled in at Texas A&M. Steve is a great professional. He’s solid and experienced in all areas including recruiting and coaching.” Forbes came to Tennessee after spending the last two seasons at Texas A&M. There, he helped turn the Aggies from a team which had posted a 7-21 record the previous season and hadn’t received a postseason invitation in 11 years, to a program that has averaged more than 21 wins during the last two seasons and advanced to postseason play in each of his two years. Picked to finish last in the Big 12 Conference prior to the 2004-05 season, the Aggies won their first 11 games and went on to a 21-10 record and made an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament. In 2005-‘06 Texas A&M advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987 while recording a 22-9 record, the third-most wins in school history. The Aggies defeated Syracuse in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual Final Four participant LSU on a last-second shot. Texas A&M’s recruiting also benefitted from Forbes’ experience, as each of the Aggies’ two recruiting classes during his time in College Station were ranked among the top 10 in the nation. Before joining the coaching staff at Texas A&M, Forbes coached at Illinois State (2003-04) and spent three years at Louisiana Tech (2000-03) where he helped sign two nationally-ranked recruiting classes, including a top 10 class in 2003. In 2002 the Bulldogs posted a 22-10 record and went 2-1 in the National Invitation Tournament, their first postseason tournament in 10 years. In 1998, Forbes joined the Idaho coaching staff as an assistant coach before a promotion to associate head coach for the 1998-99 season. In his first season in Moscow, Idaho, the Vandals improved to 16-11 on the season while they signed a nationally ranked recruiting class. Forbes compiled a 68-28 record in three years (1995-98) as head coach at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan. During his three seasons competing in the Jayhawk Conference, the Cougars produced three All-Americas, finished the season with a national ranking two times and earned victories over 15 nationally-ranked teams. In 1995-96 Forbes led the Cougars to a Jayhawk Conference Western Division title with a 29-4 record. Prior to being elevated to the head coaching post at Barton, Forbes spent two seasons (1993-95) as an assistant coach for the Cougars.