According to both the Boston Globe and the Herald, BC is set to name their new men's basketball head coach as early as later today. Both papers are reporting that Cornell's Steve Donahue is the favorite to take the top spot.
NESN asks whether BC could successfully lure Butler coach Brad Stevens to the Heights. While BC could easily double or triple Stevens current salary, something tells me that Stevens will be content staying put in Indianapolis. I'm sure this morning Stevens woke up feeling that there is a bit of unfinished business left to do at Butler, considering the Bulldogs came within a last second shot of winning the National Title.
After winning the National Championship last night, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski had similar advice for Stevens:
"Well I think especially in this age of college basketball. You can be in the tournament and you can be really good and you don't have to be like football in a BCS conference.
I would tell him to stay put. They also should pay him more."
Certainly, Stevens won't be without his suitors. And now BC has competition from within the ACC, after Clemson coach Oliver Purnell decided to bolt to DePaul. Purnell's signed a seven-year deal worth more than $15 million. Even though the Blue Demons have gone 1-35 in Big East play the last two seasons, in this case the money was too good to pass up.
My guess is today will go something like this:
Gene privately calls Brad Stevens to gauge his interest. Stevens politely says "thanks, but no thanks. I'd like to stay at Butler." The school schedules a press conference for 3 PM. Steve Donahue is named next coach of the Eagles. (Or is it Cooley? Coen?)
Certainly, DeFilippo wants to put a bow on this coaching search before he leaves for Detroit and the Frozen Four on Thursday. It would also be in the school's best interest to limit the collateral damage at this point. At some point over the weekend, we crossed a tipping point where more coaches have turned down the opportunity to interview with BC than have actually interviewed for the position (Geno Auriemma? Really, buddy?). I don't think this reflects well on the position or the program.
As Coach K alludes to, the college basketball coaching landscape has changed. In a world where your NCAA Tournament bracket only fits on a Legal sized piece of paper, coaches have less incentives to make stops at major conference programs. Doesn't mean being turned down twice by Atlantic 10 coaches stings any less though.