Redbird’s, Pedon adds Walter Offutt as assistant coach

Posted on March 25, 2022
Prior to his time in Toledo, Offutt spent a season at Ball State as the Director of Basketball Operations in 2016-2017, before beginning his coaching career at Chattanooga later in 2017 as an assistant. (Illinois State Athletics)

By Jake Fogal

BLOOMINGTON-Walter Offutt is the first man to join newly acquired head coach of the Illinois State men’s basketball team Ryan Pedon’s coaching staff. Offutt comes from the University of Toledo, where he has worked as an assistant for the rockets since 2019.

Pedon and Offutt worked together at the University of Illinois in 2014 and 2015, as Offutt was a graduate assistant at the time.

“My wife and I are extremely excited and thankful to be a part of Redbird Nation,” said Offutt.

“I was quickly attracted to the opportunity to join Coach Pedon and an athletic department that is passionate about winning and sustaining success. I look forward to helping our student-athletes build upon the program’s rich tradition and getting ISU back to a standard of excellence in the Missouri Valley Conference.”

Prior to his time in Toledo, Offutt spent a season at Ball State as the Director of Basketball Operations in 2016-2017, before beginning his coaching career at Chattanooga later in 2017 as an assistant.

“Walter has a high-energy personality, and that has translated into his coaching career,” said Pedon.

“I’ve known Walter since he was a player, and I worked with him when he was a graduate assistant at Illinois. He is a culture-changer. He impacts people around him, and he has a magnetic personality that can affect the program on a daily basis with his energy and enthusiasm.”

The Indianapolis native played college ball at both the Ohio State University and the University of Ohio.

Jake Fogal can be reached at [email protected].

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