Exerpts from article by Jim Tressolini, 'News-Journal'
In dismissing Monte Ross last week, the University of Delaware announced it would hire a new athletic director before it began the search for a new basketball coach.
the AD job likely won't be filled until April, perhaps even May.
Delaware cannot wait that long to hire a new basketball coach.
The damage done to the basketball program without a coach for that long could last many years, further handcuffing the program and whoever does get the job. And fewer coaches would be inclined to even take the job because of that.
Delaware is already coming off one year in which it had no freshman recruits, thanks to a protracted contract stalemate between Ross and A.D. Ziady that dragged on well past last season. Ziady lost his job in December.
Before losing his job, Ross and his staff had one commitment and were closing in on several others, including a possible transfer or two with immediate eligibility.
Delaware cannot afford to miss out on another recruiting class, which is what will happen if it waits until late April or May to hire a coach, with two busy recruiting evaluation periods looming April 15-17 and April 22-24. That’s why the Final Four has always been prime time for hiring coaches.
In addition, Delaware will risk losing some of the 12 players — 10 of whom were on scholarship — slated to return next season. That does not include sophomore guard Kory Holden, whose announcement last week he would transfer precipitated Ross’ departure. Holden is now getting overtures from Big East, ACC and Atlantic 10 teams.
Current Hens would be more likely to stay should Rafferty or fellow assistants Phil Martelli Jr. and Chris Cheeks remain.
Losing players also affects a school’s NCAA Academic Progress Rate, which Delaware greatly values.
The men's basketball coaching position at Delaware is an appealing job.....Waiting to hire a basketball coach shows a complete failure to understand the sport’s potential value and importance to a university. It also risks losing a strong candidate to someone else, including archrival Drexel, which is also looking.
Delaware apparently had no sense of urgency in hiring a full-time AD, a process that could have started in January.
It must have one in hiring a new basketball coach. Delaware and its basketball fans, starved as they are for a consistent winner, deserve that.