Associate head coach Tom Herrion gets a nice story in the Trib.

Dixon and athletic director Steve Pederson recognized how valuable he had become when Herrion’s name surfaced last spring for vacancies at Marist and James Madison. Pitt quickly promoted him to associate head coach. Herrion, who lives in the North suburbs with wife Leslie and son, Robert, 3, said he will be patient for another head-coaching position.

“It’s not the end all, be all, to be a head coach again,” he said. “We love it here. … I’ve gained perspective, having gone through some different things in my career.

“I feel like if I do my job to the best of my ability, good things are going to happen. When I was younger, it was ‘How fast can I be a head coach?’ Now you appreciate things differently. I’m comfortable and happy being an assistant.”

But it might not last. Herrion is likely to follow in the footsteps of past Dixon assistants who became head coaches, including Barry Rohrssen, Joe Lombardi and Rice. As a relatively young assistant — he turned 41 in November — with head-coaching success at a mid-major, Herrion’s name will likely surface again.

“I think he’d like to be a head coach again,” said Gillen, who works as a TV analyst. “But it would have to be the right opportunity.”

The question is what is the right opportunity? His time at the College of Charleston had a bit to do with not being the right fit. Maybe I’m rationalizing because it would be great for Pitt to keep him as long as possible, but he might be better served by waiting for a shot at a major opening rather than somewhere in the mid-major ranks. He’s a recruiter of talent. That’s how he made his name, and where he excelled. At CofC, one of the issues was that to get the talent, he took a chance on character and academics and it blew-up on him. At a major conference program — even one that isn’t too good — it is still easier to recruit good talent that does not carry as much baggage.

I’m not a big fan of Bill Plaschke. The LA Times columnist tends to grate on me, and not just for his shrill, self-righteous “Shame on you ____” schtick on Around the Horn. Of course, here’s a lengthy feature he did on Coach Jamie Dixon and still missing his youngest sister.

It is the story of a North Hollywood kid who, having spent his life searching the world for basketball fulfillment, is finally reaching it with strength from home.

Meet Jamie Dixon, family guy.

Home is where parents Jim and Marge — whom he still phones every day — gave him the work ethic to lead Pitt to the top after a career spent bouncing around the bottom, playing professionally in four minor leagues in four countries, serving as an assistant coach for five teams.

Not counting the time he taught basketball to 10-year-old girls in New Zealand.

“You know how you always think of your children as kids?” said father Jim, a screenwriter. “Not my son. He’s a real man.”

And mercifully, nothing about moving West, despite playing up the whole LA connection.