Busting Brackets
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Wichita State Basketball: 5 potential candidates to replace Gregg Marshall

By Benjamin Zacher

Feb 6, 2020; Wichita, Kansas, USA; Wichita State Shockers mascot WuShock pumps up the crowd during the second half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Charles Koch Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2020; Wichita, Kansas, USA; Wichita State Shockers mascot WuShock pumps up the crowd during the second half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Charles Koch Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Wichita State Basketball
Wichita State Basketball (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images) /

Isaac Brown

  • HC experience: Wichita State (interim head coach, 2020-present)
  • Last position: Wichita State (assistant coach, 2014-2020)

The timing of Marshall’s dismissal makes it difficult to poach a coach from another program, meaning it would be logical and sensical for Wichita State to hire from within. Isaac Brown, Marshall’s assistant for the past six years, has been tabbed as the interim head coach for this season – and he will have an opportunity to prove why he may be the safe and obvious hire moving forward.

Brown arrived to Wichita in the summer of 2014 and assisted the Shockers in going 157-49 during that span.  His development of the Shocker frontcourt was instrumental to Wichita State’s success throughout those six seasons.

In their final three seasons in the Missouri Valley Conference and their first year in the AAC, Wichita State led both conferences in rebound margin in those four straight seasons (2014-15 to 2017-18), ranking second nationally in the final two years.

That final season featured a frontcourt comprised of Rashard Kelly, Shaq Morris, and Rauno Nurger – a trio that was key in outrebounding 31 of their 33 opponents that year.  That team spent the entirety of the season in the national rankings as well, climbing as high as no. 3 before entering the NCAA Tournament as a 4-seed.

Although Brown has never had a head coaching job until now, he has had an extensive and impressive track record as an assistant coach, dating back to Pearl River Community College in 1997.  His stops since then include South Alabama, Arkansas, Arkansas State, and Louisiana Tech.

While Brown mainly developed the big men at Wichita State, he was responsible for coaching the wings and guards while under current Florida head coach Mike White at Louisiana Tech.  His leadership produced four all-conference players, including C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Kenneth Smith.

Any place Brown has gone has immediately emerged as an extremely successful program.  His single-season at Arkansas State – where he was associate head coach – produced a 17-14 season where the Red Wolves went undefeated (13-0) at home and won the Sun Belt Conference West Division title.

His time at South Alabama included the best turnaround in the nation in 2006, when, after three-straight losing seasons, the Jaguars went 24-7 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998.

Brown is the logical and safe choice for Wichita State, and – depending on how he does this season –  I would be shocked if his interim title is not removed sometime this year.  While he lacks head coaching experience, his resume as an assistant is outstanding, and he should be able to continue the successful Shocker culture that Wichita State has enjoyed recently – sans Marshall.