Coaching Carousal: And Then There Was One

Brown Gets an Agel...
Sorry, the spelling was just too close to resist...according to an ESPN news release, Brown University hired Assistant Coach Jesse Agel to replace departed (to Oregon) HC Craig Robinson. Agel has been an assistant at Brown for the past two seasons (Robinson's tenure at Brown) and for the preceding 17 years, at Vermont. Agel is clearly familiar with New England basketball.

Last Man Standing...
Andrew Skwara over at Rivals reports that Alcorn State filled their coaching vacancy (Larry Smith to replace fired Sam West) on May 8^th, a vacancy the Braves managed to fill (with one of their legendary players no less) in just over a month (36 days). With Alcorn State and Brown "off the board", fellow SWAC member, the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State, stand alone as the only D1 program without a head coach. Prospects (according to Skwara) include several career assistant coaches, Larry Reynolds, Harvey Wardell and Sean Woods.

About the Assistant Coaches...
Brett Gunning, a long time assistant to Coach Jay Wright, will most likely be with the Wildcats another season. Gunning was linked with the HC opening at Marist and again with an assistant job with the Carolina Bobcats before he apparently decided to stay on the Mainline another season. Pittsburgh's Orlando Antigua left the Panthers for a spot on John Calipari's staff at Memphis.

By the Numbers...
There were a total of 42 vacancies this season (roughly mid October 2007 to June 2008), down from 60 vacancies in 2007-08. Those 42 openings represent a 12.3% vacancy rate, also down from about 17.8% last season. 64.3% (27) of the vacancies were initiated by the administration, 31% (13) were fired outright, 9.5% (4) had contracts not extended and 23.8% (10) resigned after evaluation meetings with their respective ADs. For those who initiated their own departures, most (10 or 23.8% of the total) resigned to take another head coaching position. Four (9.5%) retired while one (Bobby Jones of St. Francis) abruptly resigned. The division was even clearer this season than last. Virtually all employer-initiated separations occured before the Championship Game was played (April 7 this year). Virtually all employee-initiated resignations (most to take another head coaching job) occured after Selection Sunday. Note that Bobby Knight's late season retirement was not the only one to occur during the season...Detroit's Perry Watson took a medical leave on January 7 that became a retroactive retirement at season's end. Detroit's vacancy was also the longest of the season, 95 days.