A 1996 graduate at Canisius, Husband is synonymous with bringing success to Delaware Avenue.  He won the Manhattan Cup as a player during his senior season, when the Crusaders ended an 11-year title drought and defeated St. Joe’s.  In 2005, at age 26, he was given the opportunity to coach at his alma mater.  In his first season, Canisius won the Manhattan Cup for the first time in 7 seasons.

 

Husband’s sideline energy is stoic, with bursts of intensity.  He doesn’t get lost in the game arguing calls with the officials or wasting emotion over a mistake.  There is no performing for the fans sitting near the bench or across the way, and no conversation with the people at the table.  Husband doesn’t turn to bark at his reserves when a player on the floor misses an assignment.  Instead, he’s fully immersed in the battle unfolding on the hardwood and what his team is doing to control the action. 

 

He learned the game from his father, Kevin, a man whose coaching style was high in expectation and mirrored the uncompromising ways of Bob Knight.  “He was my first coach and pushed me harder than anyone to be my best,” Husband said of his father.  

 

Husband’s coaching style is rooted in toughness.  He demands it.  His teams play with passion, chemistry, and resolve.  In an era of nonstop training, year-round play, summer camps, and extra workouts, Husband continues to succeed with old school values.   His players aren’t kept immersed in the program in the offseason and don’t enter into a new season burned out or overwhelmed.  Instead, the Crusaders take the court every season looking hungry, focused, and ready to compete.  

 

Husband has always given much of the credit to his assistant coaches.  Pat Cullinan was his first assistant coach when he took over the program, before he took the head coach position at St. Mary’s.  Ricotta was also with the team, then in a student-assistant role and today he remains a vital part of the staff.  John Cullinan joined the staff in 2009 and has been part of all but one of Husband’s Manhattan Cup championships.  Stafford Trueheart, a two-time state champion, Federation champion, and 2016 Centercourt MVP – WNY’s Player of the Year, returned home to his alma mater to work under Husband.  

 

The model of consistency at Canisius is so prevalent, that winning on Delaware Avenue is not just the expectation within the program, but also what’s anticipated by those who follow the scene closely, regardless of what’s left in the cupboard at the end of each successful season.

 

“Every year presents a different challenge, it comes down to getting guys to buy-in to what he knows works,” Canisius assistant Ricotta said.

 

So what works?  The simple answer Husband will give you is the basic blueprint to basketball success:  Play hard, stay committed defensively, and share the ball.  But it’s the manifestation of that philosophy that demonstrates the coaching brilliance of Husband & his staff that fans have enjoyed watching for 22 seasons.  

 

A program that wins as consistently as the one Husband has built at Canisius does things consistently.  Players enter the gymnasium dressed in a shirt & tie with their Canisius coat and their energy is all business.  They warm up the same way every time.  When games reach halftime, they run to the locker room as a team (hang onto your papers if you’re sitting at Centercourt when they do it).  If a player hits the floor, two players race over to help him up.  The team stands in unison when timeouts are called, greeting the players that race off the floor to their bench.  When you’re waiting to talk to one of the players after the game, expect him to come out with the rest of the team.  The Crusaders always leave the locker room as a team.  

 

When you watch Canisius basketball, you see a team that’s tough and plays basketball the right way.  You see a team that always comes to compete.  What you don’t see are the things Husband does to shape that.  Heavy preseason conditioning, running hills that challenge the mental and physical toughness of players.  Intense, college style practices that move quickly.  Players talking during drills, creating a high energy environment with an emphasis on competing.  Sprints until a drill is done correctly.  Downtime at a practice on Delaware Avenue is kept to a minimum.  The focus is always on getting better. 

 

Everything at Canisius is earned.  Everyone is replaceable and no player, regardless of talent or potential, is ever led to believe they will play varsity before they’ve earned that opportunity.  Crusader squads are often deep and senior heavy, a roster full of the guys who have bought in and earned their place.  Each player has an important role and embraces it for the greater good.  

When the Crusaders defeated St. Joe’s on February 10th as Jack Cullinan’s baseline jumper swished through the nets at the buzzer, the Canisius student section, known as the Blue Crew, stormed the court and swallowed up the home team in a moment of celebration.  It was the Centercourt ‘Game of the Week’ and we were on hand doing a live broadcast.  Color commentator, Ryan Mountain, suggested a live interview with the hero of the game as Coach Husband was corralling his players out of the celebration and toward the locker room.  As we attempted to hand Cullinan a headset, he hesitated to reach for it, saying he needed to clear it with his coach first.  “After” yelled Husband, gesturing for Cullinan to first head to the locker room.  

 

“I needed to talk to my team about celebrating after a regular season win like that,” Husband said.  “Act like you’ve been there, what are we celebrating?  I could see if we just won a Manhattan Cup Championship.”

 

“His resume speaks for itself. He personally changed my life when he made me understand I’m only as good as the guy next to me,” LaTerrance Reed, the 2015 Centercourt MVP, WNY’s Player of the Year from Canisius said.  “From there, I understood my coach’s goal was to not only have guys buy into culture, but build a brotherhood on and off the court.  His practices are tougher than games, his intensity never drops so it makes you rise to the occasion. Coach is a man of few words, but when he speaks, he means it and every player gets it.  But it’s fun to win, once you understand what he wants from the defensive end and how hard he wants you to play, the intensity, everything else falls in line and it’s just fun.”

 

Sounds tough because he is.  There are high expectations within the program for academics, conduct, and effort, which ultimately leads to success.  Husband is not interested in being friends with his players and doesn’t try to be liked.  Husband’s priorities are making the team better and program success.  There is also a deep sense of connection between the players and an immense amount of pride associated with being part of that program.  Chemistry grows every year when the team travels out of state for a Jesuit Tournament after Christmas.  For the players & the staff, it provides an opportunity to do things together like dining and recreation, building team bonds off the court.