Atlantic 10 Coaching Changes in the 2017 Offseason
VCU: (Will Wade left for LSU)
The new head coach: Mike Rhoades (Rice)
Rumored candidates: Mike Rhoades, Jamion Christian, King Rice, Jeremy Ballard, LeVelle Moton, Tom Crean
Fitting candidate(s) in my opinion (in no particular order): Mike Rhoades, Jamion Christian, King Rice
How VCU did - VCU just needed to hire a coach who had some familiarity with their infrastructure and not mess up a well-established program. The Rams from Richmond, VA made a good choice in going with Rhoades and look primed to keep the 21st best recruiting class for next season intact. (Can we get VCU vs. LSU at the Maui Invitational next season?)
The effect on URI - VCU should be expected to remain among the top contenders in the conference, assuming that they maintain their recruiting class of 2017.
UMASS: (Derek Kellogg was fired)
The new head coach: Matt McCall
Rumored candidates: Micah Shrewsberry, Pat Kelsey, John Becker, Pat Skerry, King Rice, Tim Cluess, Bill Coen, Joe Dooley, James Jones, Zach Spiker, Chris Caputo, Matt McCall
Fitting candidate(s) in my opinion (in no particular order): Micah Shrewsberry, King Rice, Pat Kelsey, Bill Coen, Chris Caputo
How UMASS did - UMASS needed to hire a coach that could keep all of the young talent they have on their team in Amherst, MA, while still bringing in more talent in the future. McCall seems like the type of head coach to do just that, after his success at Chattanooga and his past with Florida.
The effect on URI - UMASS could be a force again, sooner rather than later. The Minutemen have loads of talent, they just needed the right coach to bring it all together. Time will tell if McCall is ready for this "promotion" to a better conference.
GW: (Technically makes it on this list of Atlantic 10 coaching changes since Joseph was being used as an interim head coach in the 2016-2017 season)
The new head coach: Maurice Joseph (GW)
Rumored candidates: Maurice Joseph, Joe Dooley
Fitting candidate(s) in my opinion (in no particular order): Maurice Joseph, Joe Dooley
How GW did - Maurice Joseph proved his worth in his first season at the helm. GW beat Dayton on their senior night and they are doing well in the CBI tournament.
The effect on URI - GW is likely to be a team in the middle of the pack that possesses the ability to jump into the top portion of the conference standings, as Joseph continues to learn and grow.
Duquesne: (Jim Ferry was fired)
The new head coach: Keith Dambrot
Rumored candidates: King Rice, Brandin Knight, Matt Driscoll, Mark Gottfried, Mike Rice, Bruiser Flint, John Becker, Dane Fife, James Whitford, Keith Dambrot
Fitting candidate(s) in my opinion (in no particular order): King Rice, Kermit Davis, Mark Gottfried, Keith Dambrot
How Duquesne did - I think the Dukes really needed to bring in a high-level coach like King Rice or Kermit Davis or bring in a big name like Mark Gottfried to change their program. Overall, they did very well, considering how many candidates they talked to. Dambrot is a solid choice for a program that needs a lot of help.
The effect on URI - Duquesne will not be on the level of URI for at least a few more seasons.
Dayton: (Archie Miller left for Indiana)
The new head coach: Anthony Grant
Rumored candidates: John Groce, Anthony Grant, Kevin Kuwik, Dane Fife, Greg Paulus, Jeff Boals, James Whitford, Ron Hunter, Tom Crean, Pat Kelsey, Tom Ostrom, John Brannen, Dan Muller
Fitting candidate(s) in my opinion (in no particular order): King Rice, Joe Dooley, Anthony Grant
How Dayton did - Pretty much anyone that Dayton brought in was bound to be a downgrade to what Archie Miller has done in his tenure with the Flyers. Dayton's projected roster for next season needed the lead and direction of Archie Miller but Anthony Grant is a decent alternative.
The effect on URI - The Rhode Island Rams path to the Atlantic 10 regular season championship and the conference tournament title just became easier. Dayton will still contend with the players that they have but Archie Miller is a massive loss.
Clearly, the Atlantic 10 has been flipped on its head from a coaching standpoint and the 2017 offseason has been filled with this very declaration from athletic directors in this conference;
