history:
1969-70: montana football does great. swarthout coach. undefeated seasons. football reigns at montana. then (per Wikipedia):
Continued success was expected, but a disappointing season in 1971 was followed by a work-study scandal that eventually led to Swarthout's resignation. In 1972, a federal grand jury returned a 32-count indictment charging five university officials and coaches (including Swarthout) with conspiring to illegally use federal-aid money by using some of the funds to pay for fictitious jobs for athletes.[6] Though Swarthout was found innocent, the charges hurt recruiting and the student-body government decided to withdraw financial support for athletic programs.
montana football languishes for 15 years.
1972: jud heathcote hired as head basketball coach. builds a winning program. 1974-75, takes montana to ncaa tournament, where montana defeats utah state and comes within three points of upsetting defending and evenutal champion ucla in john wooden's last year as coach. program begins a successful 25-year run, producing dozens of great players, and several coaches who go on to success at other schools. basketball mania reigns at montana.
1986: don read is hired as head coach. revives montana football excellence, sets the program off on a 25-year run of sustained excellence, replacing basketball as the dominant program at montana. football reigns at montana.
2012: scandal strikes the football program. not even wikipedia can yet fill in the deatils.
2006: wayne tinkle is hired as head coach. after a stumble his second year, he turns the program around, culminating in three straight 20-win seasons, and two trips to the ncaa tournament. tinkle becomes acknowledged as probably the best recuriter in the history of the basketball program. despite relying on mostly out-of-state players, the program appears to be squeaky clean. interest in basketball intensifies at montana.
does history repeat itself? does montana once again become a basketball school?
1969-70: montana football does great. swarthout coach. undefeated seasons. football reigns at montana. then (per Wikipedia):
Continued success was expected, but a disappointing season in 1971 was followed by a work-study scandal that eventually led to Swarthout's resignation. In 1972, a federal grand jury returned a 32-count indictment charging five university officials and coaches (including Swarthout) with conspiring to illegally use federal-aid money by using some of the funds to pay for fictitious jobs for athletes.[6] Though Swarthout was found innocent, the charges hurt recruiting and the student-body government decided to withdraw financial support for athletic programs.
montana football languishes for 15 years.
1972: jud heathcote hired as head basketball coach. builds a winning program. 1974-75, takes montana to ncaa tournament, where montana defeats utah state and comes within three points of upsetting defending and evenutal champion ucla in john wooden's last year as coach. program begins a successful 25-year run, producing dozens of great players, and several coaches who go on to success at other schools. basketball mania reigns at montana.
1986: don read is hired as head coach. revives montana football excellence, sets the program off on a 25-year run of sustained excellence, replacing basketball as the dominant program at montana. football reigns at montana.
2012: scandal strikes the football program. not even wikipedia can yet fill in the deatils.
2006: wayne tinkle is hired as head coach. after a stumble his second year, he turns the program around, culminating in three straight 20-win seasons, and two trips to the ncaa tournament. tinkle becomes acknowledged as probably the best recuriter in the history of the basketball program. despite relying on mostly out-of-state players, the program appears to be squeaky clean. interest in basketball intensifies at montana.
does history repeat itself? does montana once again become a basketball school?
