SMU's Matt Doherty
(LISTEN) Southern Methodist University head basketball coach Matt Doherty is the featured guest in the 56th episode of The Passing Game with Fletcher Arritt. Doherty, who is entering his sixth season with the Mustangs, has ten seasons under his belt as a collegiate head coach.
Born in East Meadow, NY, Doherty played his collegiate ball under Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina. As a four-year starter, Doherty helped the Tarheels to a record of 117-21 and the 1982 National Championship. He played briefly in the NBA and worked on Wall Street for several years prior to taking his first collegiate assitant job at Davidson College in 1989. There he coached with his former high school coach, Bob McKillopp.
In 1992, he moved from Davidson to Kansas, where he stayed on staff for seven seasons. Coach Doherty landed his first head coaching job by taking over at Notre Dame in 1999. In just one season, he helped the Irish to a 22-15 record and an NIT Championship appearance. After one season at ND, he moved back to Chapel Hill, NC, where he took over the Tarheel program following the retirement of Bill Guthridge. Doherty garnered a record of 53-43 (23-25 in the ACC) in three seasons with the Heels and resigned his position in the spring of 2003.
He returned to coaching in 2005 by being named head coach at Florida Atlantic (Atlantic Sun Conference). After only one season, he was named head coach at Southern Methodist University (Conference USA), and has been with the Mustangs for the past five seasons.
He had an immediate impact on the program. Off the court he helped generate funds for a new practice facility and renovations to the basketball arena. On the floor, the Mustangs have enjoyed steady improvement, reaching the 20-win plateau in the 2010-2011 season.
Coach Doherty joins Coach Arritt and Brooks Berry in this episode to talk about his experiences playing and coaching at the elite college level. He shares stories from his days with Dean Smith and previews his SMU team. It is an honor to have him as our guest.