Commentary

Kevin Mouton stands silently, arms crossed as he keeps watch over the Oregon State men’s basketball team’s practice on Tuesday.

The voices heard ringing through Gill Coliseum came from his two assistant coaches, Brian Loyd and Jerome Francis.

At first, it’s hard to believe that this quiet man is the interim coach of the Beavers. Then he spots something he doesn’t like.

Practice comes to a screeching halt as Mouton gives a quick blast of his whistle, followed by a short, to the point, talk. Then it’s right back to work.

There’s no doubt this is Mouton’s team now.

He’s not afraid to let everyone know it. His first order of business after taking over for Jay John on Sunday was dismissing C.J. Giles from the team. Giles, a transfer who left Kansas after a few incidents, had already been disciplined for missing practices and a weight workout this season.

Mouton has a vision for the direction of the program and Giles wasn’t a part of it. Mouton hinted at possible additional changes, but his main task is coaching the Beavers through the remainder of their Pacific-10 Conference schedule.

Meanwhile, athletic director Bob De Carolis has some time to look for a coach, to probe interest and turn over a few stones.

Then again, he might not have to look too far for his next hire.

While Mouton’s lack of experience as a head coach might have Oregon State a little gun-shy, it shouldn’t be an eliminating factor.

Mouton has been coach of the Beavers, after all. He took over for one game in 2005 after John suffered a hypertensive episode in Seattle.

Arizona State came to Corvallis and Mouton had the Beavers ready, sending a rotation of David Lucas, Kyle Jeffers and Jim Hanchett out to push Ike Diogu away from his comfort zone near the basket. The plan worked and the Beavers pulled away for an 88-66 win.

The Beavers pushed the ball up and down the court on offense against the Sun Devils that night and Mouton plans to give the same look this season.

The players have spent the first few practices under Mouton getting ready to run. Calvin Hampton described the work as ultra-intense.

“It was a whole new level for a lot of us guys, but we’re starting to get used to it,” Hampton said. “We’ve just got to get the kinks out as far as like turning over the ball, playing at high speed and not turning the ball over.”

“I’m really excited about it. You always get excited about different things. He just brings a new philosophy, a run-and-gun type of offense where we can get up and down the court and there’s not so much half court.”

All roles are on the table. A starter may find more bench time.

Mouton will go with the players who give the team the best chance in a tough conference.

“It’s almost like the first two practices of the year because those first two practices, everybody is trying to fight for playing time and starting positions,” Seth Tarver said. “So it’s basically the same thing (now). Everyone is busting their butts out there and just doing what you can to give him confidence in you now.”

Mouton doesn’t scream at the team. He’s so soft-spoken that it can be a strain to hear him during a media interview.

He’s not shy when it comes to coaching.

“Coach Mouton is very well-respected among our team,” Tarver said. “He’s not going to yell at you. You’re basically going to push yourself or you’re not going to play at all.

“He’s always there to encourage you. I like him a lot as a coach. He just pushes you, but he’s not yelling at you a whole lot. He knows that no one likes to be yelled at. He’s not going to have to yell at you. He’ll just put you on the line and you’ll have to run, or you won’t be playing.”

Fine and dandy, but the Beavers still have quite a climb to make just to reach respectability.

There are some good signs. The Beavers gave Washington all it could handle on Saturday, nearly leaving Seattle with a win.

The Beavers played as if there were no pressures weighing them down, as if they never heard the talk of John’s impending departure.

They shot the ball better from the field and the line and played loose until the final moments when a push here and a shove there led to some woofing between the teams and Ts given out.

A win would not have saved John’s job. A split in Washington could have postponed a foregone conclusion.

In the end, the right decision was made.

Now it’s Mouton’s turn.

The transition won’t be easy. Yet he has to soldier on and attempt to patch together a respectable finish. He has to change an ingrained mindset of losing basketball in a matter of days.

If success comes, the future of Oregon State basketball could already be on the Beavers’ bench.

Kevin Hampton is a sports reporter and writes a weekly column for the Corvallis Gazette-Times. He can be reached at kevin.hampton@lee.net