Jeremy Luther looks to lead Runnin’ Bulldog reformation

Seen here on the sideline as Gardner-Webb visited Duke, Jeremy Luther now helms Runnin’ Bulldogs after he was named as Tim Craft’s successor Wednesday. (Photo by Gardner-Webb University)

By Jacob Conley (@gwujake)

Gardner-Webb conducted a national search for its next head coach, but in the end, did not have to look that far to find one.

Jeremy Luther, who had been Tim Craft’s assistant for the past 11 seasons in Boiling Springs, was named as his replacement at a press conference on campus Wednesday.

“We did not give Jeremy Luther this job because it was the comfortable choice or the easy choice,” Gardner-Webb president Dr. William Downs said. “Jeremy Luther earned this job because he is the right man to lead Gardner-Webb basketball into a new era.”

“In my flesh, I got angry that I could not just slide in and have the job,” Luther admitted. “I started questioning God why it was taking so long. But now looking back on it, I’m thankful for the process. It really strengthened my faith.”

According to athletic director Dr. Andrew Goodrich, there was a deep pool of qualified candidates who were interviewed for the position, but Luther stood out from the group.

“We had candidates from all over the country that wanted to be the next head basketball coach at Gardner-Webb University, from the SEC to the ACC,” Goodrich said. “Coach Luther has the full complement of skill, ability, experience and passion. He was able to articulate a plan to build on the tremendous foundation left by Tim Craft and he is going to have success immediately.”

For his part, Craft also feels as if Luther is ready to take the reigns of the GWU program.

“Jeremy Luther is the perfect fit to lead GW to future success,” Craft, now at Western Carolina, said. “He is a man of faith and family. He was vital to every decision we made at G-W over the last 11 seasons. He is an outstanding recruiter, relationship builder, teacher and has a long history of helping our players maximize their potential. He will be the total package as Gardner-Webb's new head basketball coach.”

Former GWU standout Jose Perez also shared his congratulations to Luther in a tweet Wednesday afternoon:

LETS GOOOOOO!!! FIRST PERSON TO REALLY BELIEVE IN ME WOW WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS FIRST DAY I WALKED ON CAMPUS PROUD FOR YOU AND THE FAM ❤️💯 https://t.co/Np9lwfwxdO

— Jose Perez (@showout_zayy0) March 27, 2024

Before looking forward to the future of GWU basketball, Luther took time to thank Craft for the time they have spent together.

“I would not be where I am at today without Tim Craft,” an emotional Luther said. “We have been friends since high school. My goal was to work as hard as I could to have a great team so Tim would have wonderful opportunities when the time came. Now, after 11 years, it’s my turn. I’ve had opportunities to be a head coach at other places, but I didn’t want that. I wanted to be the head coach at Gardner-Webb University. It’s like a dream come true.”

While Luther and Craft are close friends, their coaching styles are different. While Craft was laid-back and relaxed, Luther admits he has a little bit of Bob Knight in him.

“I wasn’t hired to do things exactly the same way,” he said with a smile. “Tim was stoic. He never let anything bother him. I’ve got a fire in my belly. I get emotional. I told the team that we were going to have fun and that I’m not afraid to flip a chair every once in a while. I’ve seen some things over the years that if we tweak we can finish first or second in the league instead of third or fourth. If we don’t win the league by the time my contract runs out, I will shake Dr. Downs’ hand and resign because I did not hold up my end of the deal.”

So what are Luther’s top priorities on day one as Gardner-Webb’s new head coach?

“Priority number one is to get the staff put together and then start recruiting or re-recruiting,” he said. “We had some great talent coming in. Now we have to get out there and assure them that those offers still stand. Finally, when we hit the court in November, we are going to play fast and we are going to play hard. It’s the most physical team that sets the tone for everyone else. We are going to have a team everyone in this community can be proud of.”

JAKE’S TAKE: Hiring Jeremy Luther was a smart move from the powers that be at my alma mater. Sure, there were plenty of other well-qualified candidates for the job, but Luther is well-loved by his players and the GWU community as a whole. My guess is Luther’s coaching staff will be filled with GWU connections as well. Having someone that is so closely associated with the previous coach is not always a good thing, but in this case, it is. Luther is a strong recruiter and can build on the solid foundation of Coach Craft. If memory serves (I could be wrong), the Runnin’ Bulldogs and Catamounts still have at least one game to play in their home-and-home series. Seeing the two friends square off from opposite sidelines will be worth the price of admission.