Buzz Peterson was welcomed with a standing ovation Wednesday as he was introduced as the new men’s basketball coach for the Tennessee Volunteers.
After more than a week of speculation, The University of Tennessee made it official at a press conference at Thompson-Boling Arena, bringing an end to the buzz that has been swarming around Knoxville since former-coach Jerry Green resigned on March 20.
You’ve made a young boy’s dream come true, Peterson said. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have this opportunity.
Peterson, 37, addressed several hot topics right from the start, including the same concerns which surrounded the program just one month ago.
My college coach (Dean Smith) told me one thing, Peterson said. The number one thing he told me was, Buzz, whenever you get a program, you’ve got to have discipline.’ That’s one thing that I will bring to the program.
The Asheville, N.C., native also pointed at several other aspects that will be the top priorities of the team, including 100-percent effort in the classroom and on the court, fundamentals and team unity.
I want (the players) to know me as a person, just like they are, Peterson said. If they’ve got a problem socially, academically or with basketball, I want to be that father-figure where they can come to me and we can talk about it. I think that’s very important.
The new coach shed a little light on his personal life as well, saying my faith in Christ is the number one thing, my family is second and my profession is third.
As a person and as a basketball coach, UT President Wade Gilley eluded that Tennessee has found the perfect choice in a basketball coach.
We got exactly the right person that we wanted, Gilley said. All the criteria were laid out in advance and Buzz Peterson meets that.
This past season, Peterson led the University of Tulsa to a 26-11 record, including the National Invitational Tournament championship, in his only year as head coach of the Golden Hurricane.
Prior to the Tulsa job, Peterson was the head coach at Appalachian State University from 1996-2000 where he compiled a 79-39 record. He also spent time as an assistant coach at various schools, including Appalachian State (’87-’89), East Tennessee State (’89-90), North Carolina State (’90-’93) and Vanderbilt (’93-’96).
Tennessee signed Peterson to a five-year deal with a base salary of $200,000. The total package will be worth around $700,000, which includes radio, television, endorsements and basketball camps.
