When new Penn State head coach [autotag]Mike Rhoades[/autotag] was tasked with building a coaching staff to guide the program forward, the new head coach tapped into the roots of Penn State’s past to provide some assistance. [autotag]Joe Crispin[/autotag], one of the standouts from Penn State’s NCAA tournament team in 2001 that advanced to the Sweet 16 with an upset of North Carolina, was named an assistant coach for Rhoades following a run as the head coach of Division 3 Rowan University.
The hiring of Crispin was well-received by many Penn State basketball fans, as well it should. The Nittany Lions lost another former player as an assistant coach when Adam Fisher accepted a job opportunity to be the head coach at Temple, so adding Crispin to the staff ensures there will continue to be a bit of a Penn State legacy on the staff to help move the program forward with its offense.
Here are some of the best pictures of Crispin’s playing days for the Nittany Lions, with the hope of similar memories being captured in the seasons to come with this new staff.