Temple’s courting of Fran Dunphy is getting all the atttention these days, but Penn isn’t the only Ivy whose coaching situation has been in the news lately. A move across town by Dunphy could start a chain reaction with a couple of other Ivy school potentially involved. Meanwhile, one coach in the league has thrown his hat into the ring for at least one other job, another coach’s job security was assured for the time being, and a third Ivy coach turned down an opportunity elsewhere to stay put.
The Dunphy domino effect
If Temple hires Dunphy as expected, Penn athletic director Steve Bilsky will find himself once again interviewing potential replacements like he did two years ago when it appeared Dunphy was returning to his alma mater. With Fran McCaffery and possibly Fran O’Hanlon opting to remain at their current jobs, the two most obvious replacements would be off the board. At that point, Brown coach Glen Miller and Cornell coach Steve Donahue both become probable candidates. And if Bilsky taps either of them, then another Ivy school finds itself looking for a new head coach.
Miller also looking at Nutmeg State openings
Glen Miller might have his choice of jobs, should he opt to leave Brown this spring. In addition to likely being one of the leading candidates for the Penn job should Dunphy bolt, the Connecticut resident has been mentioned in connection in a pair of vacant head coaching jobs in his home state. FOXSports.com’s Jeff Goodman went as far as tab Miller the frontrunner for the Hartford position, though Brian Koonz of the Danbury News-Times broke the news that no interview has taken place yet between Miller and Hartford. Additionally, Fairfield eyed Miller as a potential replacement for Tim O’Toole two years ago when it it looked NCAA violations would result in O’Toole’s dismissal. Now that he is actually gone, however, Mike Puma of the Connecticut Post claims Miller’s candidacy has been damaged by his unimpressive record (22-33) the last two seasons at Brown.
Sullivan reportedly will be back
Despite rumors of his impending dismissal back in early March, multiple sources now say Harvard coach Frank Sullivan isn’t going to be let go at this point. The fact that nothing has happened on that front and it’s now nearly April would seem to support this. Sullivan reportedly will get at least another season to make a case for an extension, however the upcoming campaign is looking like a real challenge. His program is graduating Matt Stehle and Mike Beal, and if Brian Cusworth sticks to his plan of playing the first semester, Harvard won’t have its big man for at least ten Ivy games, depending on the schedule. With a young Ivy League that figures to be much improved, Sullivan and his staff will have their work cut out for them in what is looking like a make-or-break season.
Joe Jones turns down Rutgers assistant job
When Fred Hill was hired to replace Gary Waters at Rutgers, Hill approached his former fellow assistant at Villanova, Joe Jones, about joining his staff. But the Bergen Record reported that Jones declined the offer, opting to stay put as the head coach at Columbia. The upcoming season is now a critical one for Jones at Columbia. His Class of 2008 has panned out well, but if the program is going to contend during their time in Morningside Heights, Jones need to go at least .500 in the league in 2006-07. Another year like this one and the Rutgers assistant job might start looking pretty good.
