UTPA's new coach brings unique approach to program

EDINBURG — A large, stuffed penguin named P-Diddy is an avid follower of the University of Texas-Pan American men’s basketball team these days.

He attends practices and games as a reminder of camaraderie. New Broncs coach Ryan Marks showed the team the film “March of the Penguins” as a way to stress team work. The film follows the co-operation of penguins in order to ensure the survival of their offspring.

In Marks’ world a stuffed penguin is a perfect learning tool. It also fits his personality and sense of humor.

“I don’t know if it’s quirky,” Charlotte Bobcats assistant Herb Brown, who has known Marks for eight years and is the brother of legendary NBA coach Larry Brown. “He wanted to show them the importance of team work, the importance of trusting one another and the importance of playing together. That translates to winning. Sometime you do what you can to motivate these players.”

This might be the season the Broncs need all the motivation they can receive. They have so precious few with extensive Division I experience. The team was outplayed in their first exhibition game against Division-II St Edward’s University but managed to win their second exhibition contest against Texas A&M-International.

When UTPA opens the regular season Saturday, Marks faces the challenge of his career. He must resurrect a once proud program that has struggled to gain any traction for years. He will need a sense of humor to not only get him through the season but to keep the team’s sprits high.

“I think people have an impression on appearance and what a coach should be,” Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond said. “Guys like Ryan do nothing but find a way to be successful. I think it will happen (at UTPA) also. I am going to be surprised if it doesn’t”

Hammond has known Marks since he was an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers in the early 1990s and Marks was a video assistant for the team.

Hammond said Marks is well aware of the challenges he faces. No recent coach has had sustained success. Previous coach Tom Schuberth had only one winning season in three years. Bob Hoffman, who coached the Broncs from 1999-2004, had only one season above .500 during that period.

Hammond and Brown point to Marks’ success at his previous stops. He was told he could not turn around D-III Southern Vermont and did. Some thought it was too challenging to turn around D-II St. Edward’s but Marks managed it.

So why not at the D-I level?

“There were a number of different things that I heard from the people I’m close to and from people I casually know,” Marks said. “Some are skeptical about this program being consistently successful. Fortunately, I’ve been through two similar scenarios already.”

So far, junior guard Nick Weiermiller likes what he sees from the new coach.

“I guess you can say he is a little more laid back,” Weiermiller said. “He just really lets you play and tries to keep everything positive.”

Peter Rasmussen covers UTPA athletics for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.