Is Eric Rud Tech's New Leading Man?

When Michigan Tech head coach Jamie Russell "stepped down" shortly after the Huskies season ended in mid-March, the speculation as to who had big enough balls to take the job was underway.

I mean let's be honest, besides being in the WCHA there isn't a lot going for Tech right now. Under Russell the Huskies were 70-197-37 in eight seasons. I'm no mathematician but that's a little more than 8 wins a season. Considering only one school that made the NCAA tournament this season had less than 20 wins (Western Michigan, 19), it's safe to say that the Huskies haven't been close to sniffing the NCAA tournament in a decade.

A lot of the names being thrown around are pipe dreams. Cary Eades (North Dakota Assistant), Steve Miller (Denver Assistant) and Mel Pearson (Michigan Assistant) aren't leaving three of the top programs in the country even to be the head man at Tech.

The name that keeps coming to the top of discussions is Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) head coach Eric Rud. Formerly an assistant coach at St. Cloud State and before that Colorado College, Rud is currently in his first season with the Gamblers and has guided Green Bay to the second best record currently in the Eastern Conference with a 39-15-4 record. The Gamblers 82 points this season is tied for the second most in the entire league.

Sources that have unbelievable track records of truth in the past have indicated to me that Rud is Tech's man. Secondary sources have said the same. However, I have not been able to confirm this with someone that I feel is close enough to the situation to report it as a done deal yet so keep that in mind. But it certainly seems like a situation where if there is smoke, there is fire.

The Gamblers wrap up their regular season this weekend when they are on the road at Waterloo and Des Moines. Teams with an announcement like this usually like to have a press conference when they bring the coach in and the whole 9 yards. With Green Bay set to start the USHL playoffs soon, an official announcement could be weeks away.

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