Andy Jensen doesn't blame those who scratch their heads over his first stint of Region IX basketball.

In fact, now that he looks back on it, he's not even sure it was the right decision.

But Jensen didn't hide from his past on Tuesday while interviewing with Casper College boosters and fans as one of three finalists for the open men's basketball coaching position. In fact, his message to them was firm and clear.

"Casper is a destination, not a pit stop," Jensen said.

The fans had reason to be concerned, and Jensen wasn't surprised when questions arose about his past.

Two years ago, his stay at Northwest College in Powell lasted just one season.

His team went 22-11 and made a run in the Region IX tournament, but just like that, it seemed, he was gone - though deciding to leave after fulfilling a one-year contract was more complicated than that.

With his wife, Micah, expecting the couple's fifth child, the two chose to return to Salt Lake City and a familiar doctor.

"On a professional level, in hindsight … it was probably a mistake," said Jensen, the first finalist to go through the interview process. "Coaching is difficult to get into and I may have over-estimated my ability to get back.

"I realize that people will be skeptical … but this is where my family wants to be."

Jensen also quipped that he's not expecting to add any more members to his family.

But there was no joking in the fact that Jensen is ready to get back into a profession in which he's already proven he can be successful.

"I've said from the outset that I've actively sought to be a head coach at the junior-college level," Jensen said. "In college basketball … guys always have one foot out the door instead of focusing on the task at hand. I sought to become a head coach at the junior college level because I see a great opportunity to affect change."

Jensen saw how difficult it was to do that at the Division I level during a five-year stint as an assistant at Weber State, where he played in college.

He even could have stayed there with a new coaching staff if he hadn't been offered the job at Northwest College.

Now he wants to try to bring a cerebral style of basketball - though one he says will be fun to watch - back to Region IX.

"This is the Mt. Everest of all opportunities," he said.

Jensen, who graduated from Weber State in 1999, seems to be a brains-before-brawn style coach, saying he wants "students on the floor."

He compared his offensive style to that of the wishbone in football and described his defensive set as a ghost.

It sounds tricky, and such heady styles may come off as boring, but Jensen is certain T-Birds fans would enjoy watching his team play.

"It's by no means slow," Jensen said. "It can be deliberate, but it's effective and it's efficient. We'll shoot the ball as good or better than anyone in the country and the same thing on the other side of the ball."

It may be a little bit tricky to understand, but the style fooled plenty of teams during his season in Powell.

And if Jensen practices what he preaches, trying to figure out the tricky systems from the stands will be the only reason Casper fans are left scratching their heads.

Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at (307) 266-0578 or eric.schmoldt@trib.com.

COACHING TRACKER

n TUESDAY: Andy Jensen, the first of three finalists, interviewed for the vacant men's basketball coaching position at Casper College.

n NO STEPPING STONE: Jensen, who coached just one season at Northwest College before leaving for personal reasons, assured T-Birds boosters and fans that he would make Casper a long-term stay.

n HE SAID IT: "I realize that people will be skeptical … but this is where my family wants to be." - Jensen.

n UP NEXT: Sheridan College coach Joel Davidson will interview at Casper College today, a process that includes a question-and-answer session with boosters and fans at noon in the T-Bird Gymnasium lobby. University of Wyoming assistant Shaun Vandiver will interview at noon Thursday.