Report: Utah State HC Craig Smith To Interview For Minnesota Head Coaching Job

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head basketball coach Craig Smith will reportedly interview for the vacant position for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Craig Smith has strong ties to the state of Minnesota, being born and raised in a small town called Stephen.

Midwest television station KSTP Sports is reporting that Smith will interview for the Minnesota head coaching position in-person.

No. Iowa hoops coach Ben Jacobson interviewed for the #Gophers job over the weekend, sources tell KSTP Sports. We hear at least 1 other in-person interview has already occurred, w/ at least 1 more on the horizon today. Utah St coach Craig Smith is expected to interview in-person.

— KSTPSports (@KSTPSports) March 22, 2021

With the success that Smith has seen in his last two stops has warranted potential jobs at the power-5 level. While under Smith, South Dakota won the Summit League regular season title in 2017 and Smith was named the Coach of the Year. At the NAIA level, Smith was the Division II Coach of the Year in 2007 at Mayville State.

Smith arrived at Utah State in 2018 and has taken the Aggies to the Mountain West Conference Tournament Championship game in three straight seasons, winning two championships.

Along with those three title game appearances, Smith has taken the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in all three seasons under his leadership. It’s unknown when the interview will take place. His name has also been thrown around for the vacant head coaching position at Utah, who fired Larry Krystkowiak after 10 seasons last Tuesday.

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