It’s the end of an era. The Bucky Ball ship has sailed all the way to College Station, and our basketball team is in need of a new captain. On April 9, Former Lipscomb head coach Lennie Acuff was hired as Samford’s 30th head basketball coach.
Although he’s only been hired for a week, Acuff has hit the ground running.
“It’s drinking out of a firehose,” Acuff said. “You’re trying to recruit, trying to retain the guys who are here, trying to hire staff, trying to find somewhere to live, but other than that I don’t have a thing going on.”
Juggling all these different hats is nothing new for Acuff.
“It’s been hectic, but it’s a ‘get to’, not ‘have to’. I’ve really enjoyed being here, everyone I’ve met since I’ve been here has been so friendly,” Acuff said.
At the introductory press conference, Athletic Director Martin Newton listed his criteria for the head coaching position.
“Firstly, he embraces and understood the Christian mission of this university. Second, someone that can do the job, a proven winner a long time of success. And third, somebody that wanted this job,” Newton said.
So, now that Acuff is getting settled in, let’s go through how he meets the criteria. Firstly, Acuff is a man of faith and believes that the basketball program and the entire athletics program is an extension of the school.
“I don’t think we should compromise what the school stands for to win games,” Acuff said.
He seeks to create a culture defined by inclusivity, diversity, open-mindedness and one that never apologizes for its faith.
“Basketball is great, but it’s a terrible god,” Acuff said.
Secondly, Newton listed that the new coach must be a champion. Victory has surrounded Acuff everywhere he goes. Hailing from Huntsville, Alabama, Coach Acuff has been coaching at the collegiate level for 35 years. He most recently brought his Lipscomb Bisons to March Madness, as well as having three 20-win seasons in a row. He holds 12 conference championships, as well as 660 career wins.
Lastly, the new coach must have a strong desire to come specifically to Samford. They have to want it. Acuff has described working as the head coach at Samford as his dream job.
“Everything about Samford is something I wanted to be a part of,” Acuff said.
Acuff coached at University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) from 1997 to 2019, making him extremely familiar with the area.
“Some of the best players I had at UAH were from just over the mountain,” Acuff said. “They were Hoover, Vestavia, Homewood kids, so I know all the high school coaches around here.”
Additionally, this job is a family affair for Acuff. His son, Will Acuff, will join him on staff as a coach, and his daughter also lives in the Birmingham area. Being an Alabama native, it has been comforting for him to be here again.
“It’s just good to be back home,” Acuff said.
The hiring of Coach Acuff was a perfect time to highlight the University’s strategic plan: “Fidelitas: Faith and Future”. The list of virtues for this plan noted athletic success as one of the highest institutional goals of the university.
“At Samford, we are not afraid to say in the same breath that we are simultaneously committed to academic excellence within our Christ-centered program, and we want to win at the highest level,” University President Dr. Beck Taylor stated at the opening press conference.
Coach Acuff is extremely thankful for the opportunity to be here at Samford.
“You don’t ever want to get numb to the blessings in your life,” Acuff said. “You want to make sure that every single day, you take time to be grateful and thankful.”
