Frazer joins Griz as DeCuire finalizes coaching staff

Who could have guessed, sitting in a locker room in Chico, Calif. 15 years ago, that if you looked around the room at the 2010-11 Wildcat team there would be three future D-I assistant coaches?

There was first-year assistant coach Chris Cobb, fresh off a season at San Francisco State that opened his coaching career. And there was a sharp-shooting guard in Jay Flores, who would later follow his former assistant from sunny California up to the unknown of Montana.

On the staff with Cobb was a fellow first-year assistant coach Ryan Frazer. Frazer has had a winding journey since then, but that Wildcat connection has led him to Montana to join head coach Travis DeCuire's staff for the 2025-26 season.

"We've always tried to hire people we know. Whether it's the guys on the staff have a relationship or I do, I think you know what you're getting in terms of personality and authenticity," DeCuire said. "Ryan has a very good relationship with the staff having worked with (Chris) Cobb while (Jay) Flores was playing."

Frazer met Cobb as a fellow coach and then met Flores as a player. He was first introduced to DeCuire at Cobb's wedding. He has known some of the staff for 15 years and has been watching from afar as the Grizzlies have racked up a program record 226 wins over the last 11 seasons.

"The familiarity of the staff was the reason I even considered it," Frazer said of his jump to the D-I level. "There was a lot of peace about the situation, and then when I got to have some time with Coach DeCuire by myself and my family met him, that really made it feel like home."

He joins Montana after serving as head coach at Pasadena City College for the past three years. Frazer had a lot of success as the mentor of the Lancers, taking a 1-26 team the year before arrived and turning them into a 22-9 squad in his final season.

Montana is replacing three coaching positions with two people this offseason, making it important to get the right fits. Frazer and fellow incoming assistant coach Rachi Wortham both have the head coaching experience that will help DeCuire and the rest of his staff navigate the most change they've experienced in their 11 years together.

"As a head coach at the junior college level, he took on responsibilities that a lot of assistant coaches have never had," DeCuire said. "It's really powerful bringing both Rachi and him from being head coaches. The direction of college basketball and how you operate, how you recruit, the day-to-day process is very similar."

DeCuire and Cobb will be entering their 12^th season together at Montana, while Flores is entering year 10. As a staff, they have been to three NCAA Tournaments together under DeCuire's leadership and have never had a losing season.

The consistency of success, and the consistency in the staff, attracted Frazer to the role.

"I think the one thing that's been shown is just consistency not only with wins but also with the staff," Frazer said. "Once I got here and learned about the department, it seems like a lot of people have been here for a long time, so I felt very comfortable in the fact that there are systems in place and a process they are doing that clearly works. I wanted to learn and grow and felt this would be a great place to do it."

One of the strengths of the Montana program under DeCuire has been its consistency. At the same time, a fresh perspective is always a welcome thing. DeCuire's other offseason hire, Rachi Wortham, has been with the program in a previous stint.

In Frazer, DeCuire is bringing a brand-new voice into the locker room.

"I think it's just a fresh perspective," DeCuire said. "He's done his own thing, and he's had his own experiences with other coaches, and I think sometimes fresh opinions are good and healthy in a program that has had pretty much the same three guys for so long. I think it's healthy to have a fresh perspective."

Frazer has served as a head coach since 2018. Prior to PCC, he was the head coach at MiraCosta College for three seasons, compiling a 44-44 record. In addition to his one season at Chico State, he also served as an assistant coach at Cal State Dominguez Hills and Antelope Valley College.

Montana has long held a connection with the state of California, and Frazer should only deepen that connection with his experience across the state.

"We've had a lot of success with guys that have been Division II coaches, Junior College coaches here because they can multi-task and they understand the value of doing more than just X's and O's and player development and recruiting," DeCuire said. "That's very important here at the University of Montana."

For Frazer, the biggest adjustment will be finding home in his new role, particularly as part of a staff that has spent so much time together. He said that his ability to be himself is a strength, and that it should help him get adjusted quickly.

He said that he tries to "live in the details" when it comes to preparing, whether that is for a game, a practice, or any team event.

"There is an adjustment to some things, but I think the best piece that I've got from my time as a head coach is when to push, when to back off, and trying to find ways to be helpful," Frazer said. "This staff has a lot of synergy. I'm the only person who has not worked with everyone, so just kind of trying to find my voice but also no task is too big.

"When you come from that head coaching spot you are kind of delegating, now you're being delegated to so it will just be getting used to that adjustment."

University of Montana Athletics

Frazer joins Griz as DeCuire finalizes coaching staff

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