Lennie Acuff introduced as Samford men’s basketball coach

HOMEWOOD, Ala. (WBRC) - The Lennie Acuff era is underway at Samford University. Acuff, who led Lipscomb to the NCAA Tournament last year, was introduced to the Samford community on Tuesday morning, April 15.

“This is Samford. The reason we have a chance to be successful is the commitment of the administration, and everything you see in this building. But it’s going to be a lot more about the people in the buildings. That’s what matters,” Acuff said.

Acuff is a Huntsville native who spent 22 years as the head coach at The University of Alabama at Huntsville.

The Bulldogs’ new head coach was quick to praise the program’s last head coach, Bucky McMillan. Acuff also made it clear that success under his program will look different than it did under McMillan’s.

“I will not try to be Bucky. That’s not my job. That’s not it at all. My job is to try and keep Samford men’s basketball at the top of the Southern Conference. That’s what it is. I can’t be Bucky and I’m not going to try,” said Acuff.

Under McMillan, the Bulldogs ended a 24-year NCAA Tournament drought.

Acuff’s head coaching career began in 1990 at Belhaven. Thirty-five years later, Acuff is the head men’s basketball coach at Samford.

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