PC’s Davis Feeling the Heat?

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

Friar fans are talking. They are talking to each other and anyone who will listen about the state of the program and whether or not Keno Davis is the right man for the job at PC.

These are difficult times for those associated with Providence College men’s basketball. The Friars are (14-13) overall but just (3-11) in the Big East Conference. This comes after a season which saw PC go (12-19) in 2009-2010 and just (4-14) in the Big East.

Those numbers would be easier to swallow if there was reason for hope in the future. And while Keno Davis remains an optimist about his program’s future, it is hard to buy into that optimism with Big East Player of the Year candidate Marshon Brooks about to graduate.

Davis has been at Providence for 3 years and has five years remaining on his contract which is said to be in the neighborhood of 1 million dollars per season. And while some might suggest that this is why no change will be forthcoming this offseason, don’t be fooled by the numbers.

The guaranteed portion of the contract may be far short of that million dollar mark and close to a half million per season. Thus, cutting the ties now would probably cost the school somewhere between 2-3 million dollars at most. It’s a number that the school could afford to absorb if they do, indeed, feel that it is time for a change.

There are rumblings on Smith Hill that some officials at PC are unhappy with the job that Davis has done and, more importantly, do not believe that he is the right man to lead their program into the future.

It’s a difficult stance to take for a couple of reasons. First, you could argue that 3 years is not enough to truly decide whether or not Davis can succeed here. This feeling can be reconciled by seeing the lack of discipline the team plays with on both ends of the floor. Their defensive effort has been subpar at best over the last few seasons and their shot selection on offense leaves a lot to be desired. And with the way the DePaul and Cincinnati games ended this past week, it did nothing to inspire confidence in his leadership.

The other thing that makes parting ways with Davis difficult is that he seems to genuinely be a nice man. However, as was the case with Pete Carroll who coached the Patriots from 1997-1999, the evidence is suggesting that maybe he isn’t the best man for this job meaning that standing pat may simply be delaying the inevitable.

Some Friar fans are upset with Athletic Director Bob Driscoll for hiring Keno Davis. Fair point, but the delays in courting Jim Larranaga and Rick Pitino put PC in a bit of a bind. Some of that was within Driscoll’s control while some of it was not.

You could also argue that Driscoll should have let Tim Welsh stay on 1 more year to coach that veteran 2008-2009 squad which Davis led to the NIT. But that's all in the past.

If Driscoll and school President Father Shanley do decide to make a change, the process for finding a new head coach must change from the last time around.

First, Driscoll must do his homework by getting out to see as many coaching candidates in action as possible. What he and the school also need to do is stop paying $50,000 to a Texas consulting firm to give them names of candidates and utilize the brilliant and connected people in their own backyard like former Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese.

Who are some of the hot names out there, you ask? Start with Tommy Amaker who’s just up route 95 at Harvard. Amaker has proven to be a great recruiter and had a successful stint at Seton Hall which is a program similar to PC in the Big East.

Saint Mary’s Randy Bennett is probably a reach but there’s no arguing his resume’ of success.

What about former URI and Boston College coach Al Skinner?

There are other names like Fairfield’s Ed Cooley or Vermont’s Mike Lonergan but neither has led a program in a major conference in the Big East making them a question mark like Davis.

It could be a very interesting offseason for the PC Friars.