Edgar given the reins

~ Edgar reiterated his beliefs about Southeast being a sleeping giant at Thursday's news conference.

As far as Southeast Missouri State athletic director Don Kaverman is concerned, Scott Edgar distanced himself from the field to become the university's new head men's basketball coach.

"The breadth of his experience, where he's been, the success he's had along the way, the mentors he's worked under, his experience with the postseason, his experience with the OVC," Kaverman said. "All those things added up to him being the clear choice. He won me over."

Edgar, a former Murray State head coach who spent last season as an assistant at Tennessee, was introduced as the Redhawks' coach inside a Show Me Center meeting room Thursday afternoon.

The 50-year-old Edgar, with his wife Elaine and their son, high school sophomore Scott William, seated in the front row, pumped his fist at his new team -- most of the players were in attendance -- as he entered to a standing ovation.

"It's a blessing to be a head coach again, but it's not about me," Edgar said. "It's these guys standing beside me. It's an honor to be their coach.

"It's my obligation to give these young men everything I have, to help them become champions."

When Edgar, one of three finalists for the position along with former Mississippi head coach Rod Barnes and former Missouri assistant Jay Spoonhour, was on campus last week, he referred to Southeast's program as a "sleeping giant."

He did not back away from that comment Thursday.

"I consider this a sleeping giant," Edgar said. "We can be regionally dominant and nationally competitive."

Even though Southeast is coming off a 7-20 season that led to Gary Garner's contract not being renewed after nine years, Edgar said he was impressed last week with his first glance at his new players.

"When I looked at these players last week, I said, 'This team can contend,'" Edgar said. "There will be a point this season where nobody wants to play these guys."

Edgar has helped lead teams to postseason play 17 times as either a head coach or an assistant during 25 years in the college ranks.

Edgar has been a head coach at two schools, and he had by far his most success at Murray State from 1991 to 1995.

The Racers won three Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championships under Edgar, while earning two NCAA tournament berths and one NIT bid. He had a 79-40 record at Murray State, including a 56-16 OVC mark, and he was twice named OVC coach of the year.

Edgar's overall 108-95 record as a head coach is marred by a 29-55 record at Duquesne in his native Pittsburgh from 1995 to 1998.

Edgar spent more than a decade as an assistant under Nolan Richardson at both Arkansas and Tulsa before going to Murray State.

After leaving Duquesne, Edgar was the director of basketball operations for Billy Tubbs at Texas Christian in 1999, and later spent three years as an assistant at Alabama-Birmingham under Mike Anderson, who recently became the head coach at Missouri.

This past season was Edgar's first at Tennessee, which won the Southeastern Conference East Division title and lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

"I wanted to be a head coach again, but only if it was the right place and a good fit," he said. "This is the right place and a good fit."

Edgar, who has recruited, signed or coached 17 professional players, implored Southeast fans to get behind the Redhawks -- and he promised they would not be disappointed by his trademark pressure defense and up-tempo offense.

"We need to fill the building. We need to get some rowdy fans," he said to plenty of laughter. "We need to make it hard for opposing fans to get tickets and make sure they go home with sour faces.

"Buy your tickets now. Buy them early. There will also be a time this year you won't be able to buy a prime ticket. We're going to put an exciting product on the floor."

Edgar said he has candidates in mind to join his coaching staff, and he will meet with all of Garner's assistants -- who are under contract through April 30 -- although he did not promise jobs to any of them.

"I owe it to Southeast Missouri and to the players to put together the best possible staff I can find," said Edgar, who vowed to be extremely visible in the community to build support for his program. "We'll have a championship staff."

Edgar said last week that recruiting has always been one of his major strengths. Although the Redhawks currently have just one available scholarship, at least one or two more are likely to open up.

"There's a lot of players out there. We have to find out what our needs are," Edgar said.

"We'll bring in some players," he added, but then said of the current players: "These guys will be the backbone of next year's team."

Southeast landed two players during the early signing period in November -- point guard Roderick Pearson and forward JaJuan Maxwell, both high school seniors from Raytown, Mo. -- and Edgar said he planned to contact them later Thursday.

Maxwell reportedly still is planning to attend Southeast, but a recent Internet article indicated Pearson might ask to be released from his scholarship.

Edgar said he planned to drive his family back to Knoxville, Tenn., today, then return to Cape Girardeau this weekend. He emphasized that he can't wait to get going.

"I'll be here ASAP," he said. "I have a lot of things to do, but the most important thing is to get to know these guys."

Edgar signed a five-year contract worth $120,000 annually. The contract will automatically be extended by one year for each season in which the Redhawks win the OVC regular-season title or the OVC tournament.

Edgar will also be able to earn additional money annually for reaching certain performance goals, including $2,500 if the team's cumulative grade point average is at least 2.8 at the end of the academic year, $1,000 for being selected OVC coach of the year, $3,000 for winning the OVC regular-season title or for being selected to the postseason NIT and $6,000 for winning the OVC tournament or otherwise being selected to the NCAA tournament.

Also, Edgar would receive $12,000 for advancing to the NCAA field of 32, $25,000 for advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16, $50,000 for advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight or $75,000 for advancing to the NCAA Final Four.

In addition, Edgar will be able to earn money annually if Southeast reaches certain paid season ticket totals above a base of 1,150, with a maximum payout of $7,500 for paid season tickets greater than 1,650.

If Edgar accepts a coaching position at another NCAA institution or within the professional leagues prior to the contract's expiration, he would owe Southeast the remaining base salary of the contract.