Hire Some ‘Fire’: Boston College Wants Coach Who Will Revitalize Program

With the recent firing of former head coach Al Skinner, the search has begun for Boston College and its athletic director, Gene DeFilippo, to find a replacement.

DeFilippo has wasted no time in beginning the process, as sources have already concluded he has met and interviewed with two potential candidates, while also receiving permission to speak with two more.

During a news conference on Tuesday, DeFilippo made it clear that the shrinking fanbase and lack of energy was the reason a coaching change was needed.

He said he wants a coach who will work hard, can instate an aggressive style of play, and can relate well to the players on the team, the alumni, and the fans.

So, with that being said, who does Gene DeFilippo look to for the energy and passion that can revitalize the Boston College men’s basketball program?

Eagles’ fans instantly say, Bruce Pearl, the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers. However, despite efforts by the fans, which include a “Bring Bruce Pearl to BC” blog and the #BringBrucePearl2BC Twitter trend that has been floating around, DeFilippo has said Pearl is not a candidate at the present time.

At this moment, Eagles’ fans have to realize that even if Bruce Pearl was a candidate for the head coaching position, it would probably still take a miracle to pull him out of Tennessee, where success and hype for basketball has been steadily building since he began his tenure there.

So, who has Gene DeFilippo been speaking to?

As of Thursday morning, sources have said that DeFilippo has met and spoken with Cornell’s Steve Donahue and Fairfield’s Ed Cooley in separate off-campus interviews.

Donahue led Cornell to a 29-5 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament this past season, including a run to the Sweet 16 that earned the school its first-ever NCAA Tournament victories.

Cooley, on the other hand, had Fairfield playing well this past season, finishing at 23-11 overall with a bid into the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), where they lost in the Quarterfinals to Creighton.

Boston College has also received permission to speak with Northeastern head coach Bill Coen, who was an assistant under Skinner for eight seasons before getting the job at Northeastern.

Richmond’s Chris Mooney was also expected to speak with DeFilippo, but according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch , a possible extension at Richmond might be in the works for Mooney, who guided the Spiders to the NCAA Tournament this past season.

Harvard’s Tommy Amaker is also believed to be on BC’s radar. Amaker guided Harvard to a CIT postseason berth, as well as a victory over the Eagles in early December.

The time is now for Boston College to look to kick-start their program. Skinner is their all-time winningest coach, but change seemed necessary.

Junior center Josh Southern reportedly told the Boston Herald that some of the younger Eagles’ players are “considering” transferring, but junior-to-be Reggie Jackson is said to be remaining with the program.

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