When IU assistant coach Ed Schilling made his rounds to high schools around the state in the middle of the month, he saw many familiar faces.
Relationships not only are a core part of why Schilling has had positive receptions coming back and why he wanted to return, but also his recruiting philosophy as well. His hiring was an important one given Indiana head coach Archie Miller’s “inside-out” approach to recruiting.
“I really enjoyed working with Steve Alford, working with our players at UCLA,” Schilling said. “The relationships there is what made it a little bit difficult, but obviously getting a chance to come home, especially with Archie Miller, he's the finest young coach in the game today, so to be able to lock arms with him made it an easier decision.”
A native of Lebanon, Indiana, Schilling has strong ties to the state both as a player development coach and high school coach.
Schilling graduated from Miami (Ohio) in 1988, then spent the next seven years as an Indiana high school basketball head coach – the first three at Western Boone in Thorntown, Indiana, and the next four at Logansport High School.
After various stops at the professional and collegiate level, he returned to the state in 2009 to become the head coach at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis. He left that school in April 2013 to join Alford’s staff at UCLA, where he spent the previous four seasons before joining Miller’s staff at IU.
Additionally, Schilling’s wife, the former April McDivitt, was an Indiana Miss Basketball winner at Connersville High School in Connersville, Indiana.
“This is home for me,” Schilling said. “As much as I enjoyed 70 and sunny, every day in L.A. at UCLA, there's nothing like being home. When I go out and I'm recruiting the guys here in Indiana, it's like I know every high school, every high school coach and I’m getting to know all the players. But it's home. Not only for me but for my wife and it's just terrific.”
Schilling brings unique perspective to the staff as a former high school and college head coach. Both roles are key parts of the recruiting process for a high school player.
Schilling has developed numerous connections over the course of his nearly 30-year coaching career. The key to developing authentic relationships between the high school and college coach, according to Schilling, starts with how well those players are taken care of.
“Obviously you've got to coach them well, “Schilling said. “(High school coaches) want to see that they do improve. I think that's one of the things, is he going to get better, is he going to have a good experience, is he going to be treated well. That's what I looked for when I was a high school coach was, 'Hey, if he going to be treated well; is he going to have an opportunity here.'”
Miller made it clear in his introductory press conference that his inside-out approach would start inside the state of Indiana and gradually work its way outward.
He already appears to be off a strong start thanks to Schilling’s prior relationships with high school coaches in the state.
“Everybody that I've run into has been super favorable about Coach Miller and I've just been so flattered hearing that, ‘hey, welcome home, coach,’” Schilling said.
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