When Penn Hills native Scott Edgar took his turn at trying to revive the moribund Duquesne University men's basketball program, it looked as though the school had found a solution to its losing ways.
It was supposed to be the start of a feel-good story that involved a proven winner returning to his roots. Edgar has recruited, signed or coached 17 professional players during a 25-year coaching career.
But, as others had done before and since his departure, Edgar, the highly successful former Murray State coach with an impressive resume that also included a trip to the Final Four on Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson's staff, failed miserably.
Duquesne fired him in 1998 following a three-year record of 29-55.Fast forward to nearly a decade later.
After serving as an assistant coach at Texas Christian, Alabama-Birmingham and Tennessee, where he spent the past season, Edgar, 50, has landed his third head coaching job -- this time at Southeast Missouri State, which, like Murray State, is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.
"It's got a beautiful facility, and there is a good fan base," said Edgar, who formally was named April 13 to succeed longtime Southeast Missouri State coach Gary Garner, who struggled to a 7-20 record last season.
"It's in a perfect recruiting area, an area that I've successfully recruited, except for my years at Duquesne and at TCU, where I wasn't a recruiter. I'm right in the middle of a talent-rich territory: Western Tennessee, Southeast Missouri -- Memphis, in particular -- and Arkansas.
"That's why I think this is a great head coaching position for me."
Edgar similarly gushed with optimism upon returning to his birthplace when he was hired by Duquesne in 1996 after taking Murray State to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance only weeks earlier.
While he was forced out several years later amid a wave of uncertainty, he has remained confident he'd receive another chance.
"The day it happened eight years ago," Edgar said, reflecting on his departure from Duquesne, "a good friend of mine, my pastor, Jay Passavant (at North Way Christian Community Church in Wexford), asked me if I understood what this means: 'In the flesh.'
"I said, 'No.'
"He said, 'This means one door is closed and, if you remain faithful, a better door will open.' (In other words), you've got to count your blessings with joy, and you have to count your trials with joy. We've always held on to that. My family and I have hung on to that statement."
Edgar broke into coaching in 1978 as an assistant at New Mexico Military Institute. Three years later, he made the jump to NCAA Division I, joining Richardson at Tulsa, where the Golden Hurricane won the 1981 National Invitation Tournament championship, and following him to Arkansas.
The next step for Edgar, a graduate of Pitt-Johnstown, was his first stop in the Ohio Valley Conference, as head coach at Murray State, the league's marquee program.
In four seasons, his teams compiled a 79-40 mark, including 56-16 in the OVC. He led the Racers to two NCAA Tournament appearances and one trip to the NIT, and twice he was named conference coach of the year, which ultimately earned him a jump to the Atlantic 10 Conference as coach of Duquesne.
"My goal now is to do what I did at Murray State, to be a great mid-major program," Edgar said. "We can be regionally dominant and nationally competitive. It's a great fit for me." | 