New UIC men's basketball head coach Rob Ehsan is bringing new energy, style to Flames
CHICAGO (CBS) — Rob Ehsan is in his first year at UIC and is also bringing a new energy to some expectations.
Ehsan, who is taking over for the fired Luke Yaklich, is a former head coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and spent the last four years as an assistant at Standford University.
He aims to turn things around for the Flames.
"We have all the foundational pieces to build a championship program," he said. "I think for me, when I took the job, it was really about can we go somewhere and go big, do something big, and win on a national level. And I've said it to everybody. Our goal is to win big, build the program starting now to be very successful."
Ehsan's energy transfers to the court, where he wants his team to play an up-tempo style.
"The way we want to play, fast and furious a little bit, I think it'll be exciting for the fans, it'll be a great style for everybody, for us to be successful," Ehsan said.
"Oh, I love it. I'm a fast-paced guy," said Guard Joshua Reaves. "I believe a lot of other guards are as well on this roster. Our bigs like to play fast, and, you know, I feel like we're going to run down a lot of teams."
Reeves is one of 11 new players on the roster this season, joining two returning starters. Ehsan admits it was a bit of a challenge to bring it all together, especially in the new college basketball world of NIL and the transfer portal.
"I might be able to be the general manager of the Bulls when I retire," he said. "When you think about how NIL, the transfer portal, essentially every year is free agency. So there can be a 30 for 30 on the first 8 weeks of my job. Just seriously, players going, players leaving. Trying to find the right fit, who does well. Putting all the pieces together. My staff did an incredible job."
As Rob Ehsan tries to build something here at UIC, he said one of the most important parts of the process is filling these seats at CreditUnion1 Arena.
"The number one challenge is we need butts in the seats here, and winning is a part of that. But we got a good thing going. We're going to play a style that I think fans appreciate … if we can get 8000 people in here, somewhat consistently, this is going to be one of the best mid-major places in the country," Ehsan said.
Ashleen Bracey has led the UIC women's program to a great turnaround, winning 37 games in her first two seasons after the Flames had won just 11 games in the four years before she arrived. That's part of the reason Ehsan believes they can be competitive quickly.
"There's no reason why we can't. We have the support of the administration. Women's basketball has done an amazing job with coach Bracey going into her third year. We have a great facility, practice facility, academics. I mean we have all the have all the pieces," he said.
When asked how he would describe a first successful season, Ehsan said that as long as he is coaching, they're going for a championship every year.
Ehsan is known as a high-level recruiter. When asked if it means the same thing in the new era of paying players and NIL, he said in the end, it's all about building relationships and developing good people.
