How OSU's Terrence Rencher became a college coach thanks to Rodney Terry, Porter Moser
AUSTIN, Texas — Moments before OSU played in the new Moody Center on Tuesday, the Longhorns’ public-address announcer gave a quick shoutout to assistant Terrence Rencher.
The Cowboys’ coach is Texas’ all-time leading scorer.
But there is more to the story.
Rencher credits his coaching journey that led him to Stillwater before last season to interim Texas coach Rodney Terry and OU men's basketball coach Porter Moser.
In 2007, Rencher served as Texas’ academic mentor while wrapping up his degree. He approached head coach Rick Barnes about getting into coaching. Barnes told him he had a staff of coaches who will run their own programs one day. Build a relationship with them.
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Rencher and Terry instantly connected.
“I thought the world of him in terms of the way he carried himself,” Terry said.
Terry initially hooked up Rencher with a job at Sam Houston. But Moser — then an assistant at Saint Louis — called Terry looking for a graduate assistant. Terry recommended Rencher.
Rencher spent a year there under head coach Rick Majerus before stops at Texas State, Tulsa, Sam Houston State, New Mexico, San Diego and Creighton before OSU.
Now, he’s forever grateful to the relationships he built.
“A big-time relationship,” Rencher said.
Rencher said he hopes Terry gets a chance to be Texas’ full-time head coach.
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“Obviously, it goes along with seeing Mike (Boynton)’s opportunity here and (Jerome) Tang’s opportunity at Kansas State,” Rencher said. “Just a brother’s chance to show he can coach at this level. There’s a lot of guys who can. I’m happy he’s getting an opportunity.
“If you ask me, he’s performing at a high level. I hope it works out for him. I hope they continue to climb and succeed and he has a legitimate chance to be the head coach here, because I think he deserves it.”
Rencher also has aspirations of being a head coach one day.
He’s got strong mentors in Terry, Moser and now Boynton who believe in him, too.
“Just really proud of what he’s doing and how he carries himself,” Terry said. “He is a great ambassador for Texas basketball. He’s the all-time leading scorer here, but you’d never know it because he’s so humble and the way he carries himself.”
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Texas basketball legend Terrence Rencher hopes Rodney Terry gets job
