The quest for Rich Herrin’s replacement began fittingly enough on Easter weekend.

SIUC Athletic Director Jim Hart has begun his first search for a men’s basketball coach since taking over the position in 1988. And Hart’s search will be much like children searching for the Easter egg filled with the ultimate prize on Easter morning.

Herrin leaves the program in good shape compared to what it was when he came 13 years ago. The squad loses seniors Shane Hawkins and Rashad Tucker but returns a solid nucleus in senior Monte Jenkins and juniors Chris Thunell and Derrick Tilmon. SIUC struggled to a 14-16 record this season, but the Salukis have a good start to build on for next season.

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Now Hart must get down to serious business and soon. Watching the head coach leave during the most important recruiting period of the year is bad enough without compounding the problem by waiting until June to name a new coach.

First, let’s get to the coaching possibilities. Many names have floated around since the time Herrin’s future as coach was first called into question last July.

Centralia’s Rick Moss has already thrown his name into the hat. For critics who have grown weary of the talk of hiring another high school head coach, Moss is not the answer. But Moss, who helped lead Centralia to the Class AA state tournament in March, is not your ordinary high school coach after spending time under Dr. Tom Davis at the University of Iowa and coaching former Saluki and Hawkeye guard Paul Lusk in the early 1990s.

Other names include two former Herrin assistants Iowa State University assistant Sam Weaver and University of Illinois assistant Robert McCullum. Both would be good choices after proving themselves as quality Division I assistants, much like Illinois State’s Kevin Stallings did under Roy Williams at Kansas.

The biggest name floating around is former Michigan coach Steve Fisher. It might sound silly, but it is not totally out of the question. Fisher was raised in Herrin, and after being fired from Michigan before this season, he has reportedly moved back to the area. Detroit Pistons assistant coach John Hammond, a graduate of nearby Greenville College in 1976, has been mentioned as well.

These are just a few of the names, but there are others who deserve a look. If Stallings leaves Illinois State, former North Carolina star and Redbird assistant King Rice could be available. Like Stallings, Rice has learned under a successful system. He also has recruiting ties that could only benefit the program.

Regardless of who gets the job, money will be an issue. In Fisher’s case, it may be the biggest deciding factor. Rich Herrin made $102,000 this year, and while that is definitely not chicken scratch, Fisher made much more than that at Michigan.

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Money will even be an issue for the Division I assistants looking at SIUC. That puts the pressure on Hart, who has said he cannot go much above the $100,000 mark. But the question becomes, how badly does the Athletic Department want success? Illinois State made that sacrifice, and SIUC will need to do the same if it wants to take the next step.

Hart is the first to admit college basketball has become a business. The harsh reality is you get what you pay for, and the Salukis want to get back to the NCAA Tournament. SIUC can get around that by giving a lower base salary loaded with incentive clauses. The more wins the team has and the more fans pack SIU Arena, the more money the coach makes.

What SIUC needs is a coach that can improve on Herrin’s best qualities. Herrin allowed his players to play their game, and that style fit his championship teams perfectly. But in the past three years, the team needed direction and did not always get it.

Not all of the blame can be put on Herrin. The players play the game, and they’re the ones that either make or miss the shots. What the new coach can do is determine the difference between a good shot and a bad shot and enforce his decision.

Rich Herrin gave SIUC a lot of good memories, but now it is time to move on. Saluki fans are ready to renew the excitement of four years ago, and all they need is for Hart to bring in the right coach. SIUC hopes Christmas comes well before July this year.