Trying to build a little buzz

Buzz Peterson's career as a head basketball coach has come full circle.

He was re-introduced yesterday at the Broyhill Conference Center as the coach at Appalachian State -- where he started as an assistant in 1987 and returned as a first-time head coach in 1996.

Peterson, the director of player personnel for the Charlotte Bobcats the last two seasons, said that the reason for his return to coaching and to Appalachian is simple.

"I'm going back to what I love -- coaching basketball," said Peterson, whose resume also includes stops at Tulsa, Tennessee and Coastal Carolina.

Jan Peterson said that there's no doubt about her husband's desire to coach again.

"We had talked a lot over the last couple of years about how he missed coaching," she said. "He was offered a job last year (at Toledo), and he's had a couple of other chances, but he didn't feel those were right. He felt this was the right one."

Peterson was hired April 29 to replace his friend and former assistant Houston Fancher, who was fired March 16 after nine seasons as Appalachian's coach.

The process wasn't simple. Peterson was sensitive to Fancher's departure, he struggled with the idea of uprooting his family from the Charlotte area, and he became frustrated with the negotiating and hiring process. He announced April 9 that he would not take the job.

"After he said ‘No' we could all see the sadness in his eyes and face," Jan Peterson said. "I think he just needed us to say, ‘It's OK, and we'll support you.' This is what he's called to do … and this felt right to him. He's excited, and we're excited for him."

Peterson will receive an annual salary of $177,500, not including potential incentive bonuses tied to items such as athletics success and academic performance.

Peterson, who coached Appalachian to records of 79-39 overall and 47-12 in the Southern Conference in his four previous seasons, announced that he will retain Matt McMahon, and introduced new staff member Jamie Kachmarik.

McMahon played for Peterson at Appalachian and was an assistant under Peterson at Tennessee.

Kachmarik has been an assistant at Coastal Carolina under Peterson and at William & Mary. He also has had a busy few weeks, with his home in North Myrtle Beach damaged by wildfires and he and his wife expecting their second child three weeks from now. Kachmarik's first job was at Ohio State, where he became acquainted with Appalachian basketball in 2000 when Peterson coached the team to an NCAA Tournament appearance against the Buckeyes.

McMahon, the associate head coach at Appalachian the last five seasons, credited Appalachian's players for enduring the hiring process.

A.J. Highsmith and Donald Sims, two of 12 players who will return next season on a team that will have all five starters back, said that it was a long wait but that all players are comfortable with the choice of Peterson.

"It was tough, I'm not going to sugar-coat it, but Coach McMahon helped us through that," said Sims, a starting guard.

Highsmith, a guard from Winston-Salem who graduated Sunday but will play next season while working on a master's degree, said: "There was some frustration at times, but we just had to trust that we would get the guy that was best for Appalachian. You try to tune out rumors and stuff that you were reading and seeing on the news. When we finally heard it was official, and we went down to the Holmes Center and met (Peterson), it was just a sigh of relief and a burden was lifted.

"He has a name that everyone is familiar with and we know the success he had from when he was here before. And Coach McMahon actually played for him so he was able to tell us about his coaching style and helped us be comfortable with him. That helped the transition a lot."

Sims said he's glad that the team isn't getting an unknown coach.

"For him to have the background he has, it is exciting for us," Sims said. "He played at North Carolina for Coach Dean Smith, was a roommate of Michael Jordan, and he won a championship here and coached at Tennessee. I think the best part is that he's very familiar with Appalachian."

Charlie Cobb, Appalachian's athletics director, wanted Peterson early on. Other candidates were interviewed after Peterson announced he would not take the job, but Cobb said that no one other than Peterson was offered the job.

He, too, wanted a coach with a name familiar to Appalachian and college basketball.

"The last two months there have been more conversations about Appalachian basketball than have occurred in a while," Cobb said. "Buzz brings a different level of expectations among our fan base, and I think our kids are responding to that."

Cobb and Peterson said they want to ignite interest in the program, which has been overshadowed in recent years by ASU's football program and its three national titles under Coach Jerry Moore, who has become an icon for ASU athletics.

"Jerry has become Appalachian, if you will," Cobb said. "I think Buzz has that same type of personality and credibility."

Cobb said that attendance for ASU basketball has been stagnant, and that the goal is to create excitement in basketball in the community and among students comparable to football.

"That's a challenge," Peterson said. "That's something that Charlie and I have talked about… You've got to get out there and sell the product. That's what I've got to do. I've got to get my face in front of these students. This is their team."

■ Tommy Bowman can be reached at 727-7320 or at tbowman@wsjournal.com.

The Peterson file

• Full name: Robert Bower Peterson Jr.

• Age: 45

• Hometown: Asheville

• Education: University of North Carolina

• Current position: Head basketball coach, Appalachian State University

• Previous positions: Director of player personnel, Charlotte Bobcats; head coach at Coastal Carolina, Tennessee, Tulsa and Appalachian State

• Major accomplishments: Played on UNC's 1982 national-championship team…. Southern Conference coach of the year (1997-98) at Appalachian…. Led Tulsa to the NIT championship in 2001.