Ramblers tap Valentine to replace Moser
Former assistant coach expected to be formally named next week
Loyola isn’t looking far or taking long to find a replacement for Porter Moser.
Drew Valentine, a four-year Ramblers assistant, is in discussion to become the men’s basketball head coach, according to a source. A deal is being finalized, and a news conference announcing the decision is expected early next week.
Moser on Friday accepted the head coaching job at Oklahoma, leaving a Loyola program he built into a robust midmajor over the course of a decade. Valentine was in his first season on staff when the Ramblers advanced to the Final Four in 2018 and was considered Moser’s top assistant this season for their Sweet 16 run.
Moser appointed Valentine as the team’s “defensive coordinator,” and the Ramblers owned the best defense in the nation for most of the season.
“We bounce ideas off each other,” Moser said during the NCAA Tournament. “Drew’s always got good suggestions at timeouts. He’s got a great mind and a great energy for the game, a really good defensive mind.”
Valentine, who played at Oakland University, is the older brother of Bulls guard and former Michigan State star Denzel Valentine. He was a graduate manager at Michigan State under Tom Izzo, where he absorbed coaching techniques from the Hall of Famer and was part of two deep NCAA Tournament runs.
Valentine is the son of longtime Michigan high school coach Carlton Valentine.
“My dad preached to us, ‘Don’t worry about scoring. Worry about winning,’ “Valentine recently told the Tribune.
Valentine is a favorite among players, having recruited many on the current roster, and has a passion for coaching.
“I’m still 29 and in my fourth Sweet 16,” he said during the tournament, “but my foot is on the floor,