Monday, May 23, 2011

Ed DeChellis to Lolwut

(U mad?)

Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced Monday that Penn State head coach Ed DeChellis is leaving his post at Happy Valley to become the 19th head basketball coach at the Naval Academy. 
"To have one of the most highly respected coaches and educators in the sport join our Navy family is a great day for the program and the Academy," said Gladchuk. "Ed's maturity, integrity, character and accomplishments at Penn State have made him one of the most respected role models in the coaching ranks. His career is all about building programs with educational priorities in place, including graduating every senior that has ever played for him, and in the end achieving team goals that resonate with competing for championships. Ed will make a positive and impactful impression on Navy Basketball in short order."
Basketball Navy is not Football Navy. Football Navy runs a wonky system, rips through the rest of mid-majordom, and frustrates a major team or two along the way to an 8-5 record and bowl appearance. Basketball Navy, well, sucks.

I have theories for the move, none of them very good:

  • DeChellis got tired of waiting for Penn State to get serious about basketball. Maybe, but Penn State's "not serious about basketball" is about three standard deviations to the good side of the bell curve past what Navy can accomplish even with complete and utter dedication.
  • This is as good as things are going to get for Penn State, so best to get out while the getting is good: Penn State will likely be quite awful next year, and DeChellis is on not very thick ice already, despite the NCAA Tournament appearance last year. Better to do the "you can't fire me, I quit" routine when you have some plausible deniability, not after you go 1-17. Still: Navy?
  • DeChellis is married to the sea: Plausible.
  • DeChellis bought a house in Maryland when Greg Williams retired and now he can't back out: Also plausible.
Given the tempo Penn State basketball usually moves, expect DeChellis's replacement to be named sometime in 2013.