EUGENE, Ore. — If there's anyone who can relate to Mark Helfrich today, it's probably Ernie Kent. The former Oregon Ducks basketball coach, now in his third season at Washington State, knows what it's like to be a victim of your own success.
Helfrich was fired Tuesday night, just two seasons removed from a national title game appearance and just six years after he discovered—and then helped develop—the best player in program history. The Ducks finished 4–8 overall and 2–7 in Pac-12 play this season, their first losing campaign since 2004, when Oregon went 5–6 under longtime coach Mike Bellotti.