“Good afternoon Aggie nation – we got our guy!” exclaimed New Mexico State Chancellor Dan Arvizu at the introductory press conference for Jason Hooten, the 28th all-time head coach of the NMSU men’s basketball program.

Arvizu’s opening remarks sounded like there was a weight being lifted off his shoulders. It was warranted, though, as the search for the next men’s basketball head coach had officially come to an end.

Upwards of 200 people gathered in the Pan American Center on Lou Henson Court to welcome in 13-year head coach Jason Hooten. Perhaps the biggest hire since Jerry Kill, Hooten is seen as the last piece of the puzzle to an already prestigious NM State Athletics Program.

To most, though, Hooten is viewed as the ‘savior’ of New Mexico State men’s basketball.

After what was quite possibly the worst season in program history, the Aggie faithful, returning players, and athletics staff alike are beyond excited about what Hooten will bring to the program. This is not regarding just what he brings to the court, but to the program’s esteemed culture.

New Mexico State Athletics Director Mario Moccia emphasized that Hooten’s ability to maintain a strong sense of culture was a massive factor in the hiring process:

“I want to make it clear that an important attribute that we looked for in our new coach was a commitment to build a program modeled on character and integrity that all Aggies can be proud of for what happens both on and off the court,” Moccia said. “…I believe we found the right coach in Jason Hooten.”

Hooten’s ability to take over programs and create a winning culture is highly regarded around the sport. Many analysts around college basketball believe that Hooten is the ‘perfect fit’ for New Mexico State.

A ‘perfect fit’ is an understatement. When you pair a winning coach with a winning program at any level of the game, the sky is the limit.

In his last 13 seasons (starting in 2010-11 season) as the head coach of Sam Houston State, Hooten has finished with a winning record 11 times, currently riding a 10-season streak of winning records. How does New Mexico State fair in these last 13 seasons? They also have 11 winning seasons, breaking an 11-year streak last season. Needless to say, Hooten knows how to win, and New Mexico State is used to winning.

“The athletic department culture here is tremendous,” coach Hooten said when asked about how he plans to fit in with all the success that NMSU Athletics has been seeing recently. “We’ve just got to get the men’s basketball program culture back to match it.”

It isn’t hard to get a feel for what kind of coach and figure Jason Hooten will be for New Mexico State. He deeply cares about his craft and will do whatever it takes to win. His defense-first mindset and impeccable recruiting ability are primed to make the Aggies contenders in their conference for years to come. And lastly, his innate feel for culture building is deeply rooted in his familial values. He knows what is important before anything – family. Let’s hope this translates into a successful rebuilding of this NM State program.