UNR coach headed to Stanford

RENO - University of Nevada basketball coach Trent Johnson could be announced as the new coach at Stanford as early as this morning.

Nevada's new athletic director, Cary Groth, has scheduled a press conference to discuss Johnson's future at 8 a.m. today in the Hall of Fame Room in LegacyHall inReno.

Groth told The Associated Press she spoke early Monday with Stanford athletic director Ted Leland, who indicated he would be meeting with staff to discuss the transition before making an announcement.

Sources within the Nevada athletic department said that Johnson went to the Stanford campus on Sunday for an interview and met with the players. He was on campus for more than eight hours.

"There's nothing official at this point," said Jason Houston, Nevada's assistant sports information director. "There's nothing really going on at this point."

Gary Migdol, Stanford sports information director, would neither conform or deny the campus visit.

"There is nothing happening today (Monday)," Migdol said. "We're not confirming anything or discussing any candidates."

However, Leland may have tipped his hand last Friday during a teleconference when he said he would "probably lean toward someone who has some experience at Stanford."

Obviously Johnson fills that requirement, since he was an assistant for three years under Mike Montgomery, who recently signed a four-year, $10-million deal with the Golden State Warriors.

Montgomery was at Stanford for 18 years and led the Cardinal to the Final Four in 1998 and has a career record of 547-244, including eight seasons at Montana..

In the three years that Johnson was at Stanford, the Cardinal compiled a 78-20 record.

"I think one of the great things about this search is that prodigies that Mike Montgomery has produced in the coaching profession and there are six or seven or eight coaches who we know have worked in Monty's system and understand Stanford," Leland said. "They know what it takes to win here, and they've gone out and gotten some head coaching experience. That's a real advantage for us to have these people. We also have a couple of strong candidates on our own staff."

Leland was referring to Tony Fuller and Eric Reveno. Fuller has been a head coach two different times, while Reveno has been an assistant for several years. The other assistant is Russell Turner. All three assistants have contracts through next school year, according to Migdol.

"All the assistants are signed through June of 2005," Migdol said. "From a financial standpoint, it was important for our AD (Leland) to give them an extra year."

Migdol refused to say whether those contracts had a buyout clause or not, or if the new coach would have to retain the current assistants for one year.

Johnson agreed to a new five-year contract worth $450,000 a season with Nevada in March after leading the Wolf Pack to the NCAA tournament's round of 16 for the first time.

Even though Johnson assisted Montgomery for three years, Katz said that Montgomery recommended Reveno or Fuller as his replacement.

Mark Fox, Nevada's associate head coach, would be the logical candidate to replace Johnson. He's been with the Nevada program for four years, and assisted at Washington and Kansas State.