Texas State head men's basketball coach Dennis Nutt is known as one very positive person. The kind of guy who sees the cup half full and not half empty.
On the court, that attitude has translated into the Bobcats advancing to the Southland Conference every season. The Bobcats nine-straight appearances in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Southland Conference Tournament, including five straight since Nutt became the head coach, is the longest current streak by an SLC school.
The 'Cats have finished at or better than .500 every season in SLC play since Nutt's arrival. The 2004-05 squad posted a 14-14 record and 8-8 in Southland Conference play finishing in a tie for sixth place in the league. The 2003-04 team was 13-15 but finished in a four-way tie for fourth place in the SLC. A year earlier, the Bobcats were 17-12 overall and posted a fourth-place finish in the league race with an 11-9 Southland Conference record.
Nutt is known for his vast knowledge of the game as well as experience as a collegiate professional player and was an easy choice for Texas State in April of 2000.
"I love someone that has a zest and enthusiasm for life, and he lights it up," said the late Jim Wacker, former Director of Athletics at Texas State. "It's real. It's nothing phony. He loves coaching, he loves young people and he has a great basketball background.
Nutt was an assistant coach at Arkansas State before becoming the 13th men's hoop coach in Texas State history.
Nutt worked for his brother Dickey at Arkansas State for five years, helping turn the program around. The Indians were ranked No. 300 out of 315 Division I basketball teams when the Nutts arrived. After five years, Arkansas State had gone from last in the conference to first, earning a pair of Sun Belt Conference Championships and a berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Nutt had a standout career at TCU, playing for the Horned Frogs from 1981-85. He was selected to the All-Time Southwest Conference Team after being voted First-Team All-Southwest Conference in 1984 and 1985. He was a two-time team MVP, as well, and ranked third nationally in free throw shooting percentage, making 92 percent of his attempts as a senior. He completed his degree from TCU in 1986.
Nutt continued playing in the CBA in LaCrosse and Sioux Falls before signing with the Dallas Mavericks where he played for two seasons.
Nutt worked as a graduate assistant coach at Texas A&M for one season before taking one more shot at playing professional basketball. He signed with Real Madrid in Spain where he spent one season playing for George Karl in the European Basketball Association.
Following his playing career, Nutt returned to coaching. He spent for years as an assistant coach at Westark Community College in Fort Smith, Ark., helping the school to a 65-26 record from 1991-95. Westark was the Bi-State East Conference champions in 1992.
Now, Nutt begins his sixth season as the head coach of the Bobcats. His overall record is 69-72 (.489) while his five-year Southland Conference record stands at 47-45 (.511)
"I said this when I took the job and it remains true today," Nutt said. "This is a dream come true for me. I have prepared all my life for this opportunity and I am grateful Texas State has given me the chance to do it."
In addition to brother Dickey at Arkansas State, Dennis Nutt has two other brothers involved in coaching. Houston is the head football coach at the University of Arkansas while Danny is an assistant on the Razorback football coaching staff. The Nutts have been the subject of a Sports Illustrated feature called "You've Got to be Nutts."
Nutt is married to the former Vicki Hughes, a 1986 TCU graduate. The couple has twin girls, Marcy and Myca, who are 13.
