Scott Sutton Hired to Replace Lamont Evans as Assistant at Oklahoma State

Sound the sirens and throw another log on the smoke signal emanating from Gallagher-Iba Arena, a Sutton has been hired by Mike Boynton to be one of his assistants. Former ORU coach Scott Sutton will join Boynton’s staff to replace Lamont Evans, who was recently fired amid an FBI investigation into bribery and a variety of other wrongdoings.

Multiple sources tell me former ORU Head coach & OSU alum Scott Sutton to be named assistant coach at Oklahoma State later today

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) October 22, 2017

OSU made the hiring official on Sunday.

Welcome home, Cowboy. @thacoachmike has hired Scott Sutton to the #okstate coach staff. #alwaysacowboy #letswork

➡️https://t.co/Cdv28A7422 pic.twitter.com/iq2fdJ1oi0

— Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) October 22, 2017

Scott, who graduated from Oklahoma State and played there from 1992-1994, became an assistant at ORU right out of college and then took over the head coaching job there in 1999. He was recently fired after 18 seasons at the helm following an 8-22 record in 2016-17. It is the only place he has ever coached.

(ORU athletic director Mike) Carter reported that Sutton was fired after he rejected a university proposal.

“He has two years left on his contract, and (the proposal) was for him to stay next year and rebuild the program, and then he would resign at that point,” Carter said. “We would honor the contract for the rest of the term.”

If Sutton had accepted that hideous proposal, it would have been more shocking than his dismissal. He recorded 328 victories as the ORU head coach. The program’s next-highest total: Ken Trickey’s 214. [Tulsa World]

Boynton had recently noted that Keiton Page was taking over some of Evans’ duties but did not insinuate whether that would be a long-term solution. Apparently it will not be.

“I’m thrilled to have a man of Scott Sutton’s pedigree joining our coaching staff,” said Boynton. “The Sutton name certainly means a great deal to our program and the Oklahoma State family, but it’s just as respected nationally.”

As much as I was against the potential of Sean Sutton returning to Stillwater, I think this is a terrific hire for Boynton. He doesn’t get the juice nationally with Scott as he had with Evans (uh … obviously … and maybe for the better), but he gets somebody who has been to three NCAA Tournaments and knows the Oklahoma landscape as well as anyone. Plus there won’t be the grumbling of a potential replacement with Scott like there would be with Sean … I don’t think.

Said Sutton: “I’m beyond excited to join coach Boynton’s coaching staff at Oklahoma State. OSU is a special place for my family, and we are thrilled to come home to Stillwater. I look forward to helping coach Boynton and the Cowboys continue to have great success.”