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According to Independent Newspapers (RI)'s Bill Koch, Rhode Island assistant Preston Murphy has officially accepted Boston College's offer to become the Eagles' third assistant men's basketball coach.
#URI associate head coach Preston Murphy has officially accepted an offer to become an assistant at Boston College, per a source. #Rams
— Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) April 19, 2014
Murphy accepted Boston College's offer in principle Thursday, weighed options after #URI counteroffer. Notified #Rams of news this morning.
— Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) April 19, 2014
Interestingly, Rhode Island's counter-offer included a new three-year deal with a raise of $65,000 a year as well as language that could have allowed Murphy to succeed head coach Dan Hurley in Kingston.
#URI offered Preston Murphy raise, three-year deal that would have taken his salary from $135K to nearly $200K, source tells @IndependentRI.
— Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) April 19, 2014
#Rams counter offer also included language that could have allowed Murphy to succeed Dan Hurley as head coach or financial settlement. #URI
— Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) April 19, 2014
I don't think Hurley is long for the URI job. It seems like it's only a matter of time before the Seton Hall job opens up and Hurley bolts Kingston for his alma mater. Murphy could always head back to URI at some point to take the Rams head coaching position when it opens up, but BC will cross that bridge when it gets there. I do find it interesting that Murphy turns down what amounts to a coach-in-waiting arrangement at Rhode Island for the BC gig. Money talks though.
Murphy will sign multi-year deal with Boston College for an annual salary in the $250K range, per source with knowledge of the negotiations.
— Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) April 19, 2014
It's great to see BC making a sizable investment to upgrade the coaching staff. Based on URI's efforts to keep Murphy on the Rams staff, all indications are that BC added another solid assistant coach to the fold.