Former KU, UT men’s basketball assistant Howard joins Southern Illinois coaching staff

Former Kansas and Texas assistant men’s basketball coach Jerrance Howard has been named to a similar position at Southern Illinois, SIU coach Bryan Mullins announced Wednesday.

“We are excited to welcome Jerrance and his family to our program. Jerrance has an infectious personality and will bring tremendous energy and experience to our staff,” Mullins said in a news release Wednesday announcing the hire of Howard.

“His winning background will have an immediate impact on our culture and his ability to form relationships and develop players is what separates him from so many coaches,” Mullins added.

Howard most recently spent one season at Texas where he worked during the 2021-22 season. He resigned his post on Chris Beard’s UT staff in August of 2022.

A Texas athletic department official said at the time Howard was leaving to pursue “other professional opportunities.”

Howard worked on Bill Self’s coaching staff at Kansas for eight seasons prior to joining Beard’s first UT staff (for the 2021-22 season). The Austin American-Statesman reported in August Howard “has been pursuing other opportunities.”

“I am humbled and blessed to be a part of coach Mullins’ staff. I have always been a huge fan of his as a player and as a coach,” Howard said Wednesday in a release. “There are some very special connections with this program that I have. I am beyond excited to officially be a part of this program while continuing the tradition and history of Saluki basketball. I can’t wait to get to work and help bring championships back to Carbondale.”

Prior to joining Self’s coaching staff at Kansas, Howard worked as an assistant for former KU coach Larry Brown for one year (2012-13) at SMU. He spent five years (2007-12) as an assistant at the University of Illinois, his alma mater.

Howard began his coaching career as an administrative assistant under Billy Gillespie for three years at Texas A&M (2004-07). At the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, Howard joined Gillespie’s staff at Kentucky in an operations role. He was hired as an assistant coach at Illinois in September 2007.

A native of Peoria, Illinois, he was a four-year letter winner at the University of Illinois from 2001-04. He earned his bachelor’s degree in speech communication from the University of Illinois in 2004. Howard and his wife, Jessica, have two children, Jerrance Jr. and Jaya.