Scott Pera promoted to Rice head coach

Rice is staying in house for their next head coach, promoting assistant Scott Pera to the position on Thursday. Pera had been on Mike Rhoades‘ staff since 2014 and had previous stints at Penn and for six years under Herb Sendek at Arizona State.

This is the first collegiate head coaching job for Pera, but he got his start at the high school level. In eleven years as a head coach in both Pennsylvania and California, Pera amassed an overall record of 258-65. He coached James Harden at Artesia High School in Lakewood, CA, and later recruited Harden to Arizona State.

Pera will look to maintain the success that the Owls program enjoyed under Rhoades. Last season saw the Owls win 21 games and make a trip to the CBI Quarterfinals. Rhoades was hired as the head coach at VCU last week.