Iowa State Assistant Coach in Running for San Deigo Job

The Iowa State Cyclones have turned into a premier men’s basketball program under head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

When he arrived in Ames, taking over for the 2021-22 campaign, he was inheriting a team that went 2-22 in the final year under Steve Prohm. A lot of work was to be done, but he hit the ground running.

Iowa State made the NCAA tournament in its first season at the helm, and he has helped take the program to new heights since. However, he has not been alone on this journey, putting together an incredible staff around him.

One of the premier assistant coaches that he has is JR Blount. He joined the Cyclones staff in Otzelberger's first year with the team and has been a key part of the team’s recruiting process.

San Diego considering JR Blount for head coaching position

Iowa State assistant coach JR Blount talking to players during practice. — Iowa State assistant coach JR Blount, center, is shown during practice before their first round NCAA men’ s basketball tournament game Thursday, March 20, 2025 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He went to school at Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alas, his time in Ames could soon be coming to an end. According to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 on X, Blount is one of three people who are ‘heavily in the mix’ to become the next head coach of the San Diego Toreros.

He is in the running along with Andy Newman, the head coach of the Cal State Northridge Matadors, and Tony Bland, an assistant coach for the Kansas Jayhawks.

Steve Lavin, who was head coach of the program for the past four seasons, will not be returning for the 2026-27 campaign after the team went 12-21 this year.

He looked to have things heading in the right direction after the 2023-24 season, leading the Toreros to an 18-15 record, the first time the team had been over the .500 mark since going 21-15 back in 2018-19.

San Diego took major steps back in the last two seasons, winning only 18 games combined in what ended up being the final two years of Lavin’s tenure with the program.

San Diego is getting close to making a hire and the 3 names heavily in the mix are Cal State Northridge head coach Andy Newman, Kansas assistant Tony Bland (who played at San Diego State) and Iowa State assistant JR Blount, source told @TheFieldOf68.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 9, 2026

Having the opportunity to lead his own program as head coach is something Blount has certainly earned. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2009 after playing four years with the Loyola (IL) Ramblers.

Blount also has stops at Saint Leo University before reaching the Division I level with the Drake Bulldogs. He was the director of basketball operations and assistant coach for four seasons there before moving on to the Colorado State Rams.

He spent three seasons with the Rams as an assistant head coach, playing a key role in recruiting and development. Nico Carvacho was a two-time All-Mountain West Player under his watch, and the best recruiting class in program history during his time there.

Losing Blount would be a huge blow to the Cyclones, but the chance to become a head coach would be too much to pass up.