Boston College Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo has fired men’s basketball head coach Al Skinner, he announced at a press conference today, leaving BC without a head coach in a major sport for the second time in the past 15 months.
DeFilippo said that he and Skinner had agreed to end the coach’s 13-year stay on the Heights last Wednesday, but delayed the announcement so Skinner could pursue other jobs. Skinner interviewed for the opening vacated by Norm Roberts at St. John’s, but no offer has yet been announced.
“Coach Al Skinner and I met last Wednesday and agreed it would be mutually beneficial for us to part ways,” DeFilippo said. “In our meeting, we discussed our philosophical differences and our concern for the future of our basketball program.”
Disagreements between Skinner and DeFilippo about the direction of the program led the athletic director to decide that the program was in need of a change. As opposed to the deliberate style of basketball employed by Skinner, DeFilippo intends to hire a new head coach who will provide a more exciting style of play that can put fans into the seats at Conte Forum on a regular basis.
“Our goal now is to find a coach who shares our vision of Boston College basketball,” DeFilippo said. “We will begin that search immediately.”
The timing of the two sides parting conjures up thoughts of BC’s divorce with football coach Jeff Jagodzinski in January 2009. Jagodzinski was fired for interviewing for the vacant New York Jets head coaching position.
Though he did not directly criticize the only coach he has ever had at the program’s helm, DeFilippo saw issues that needed to be addressed.
“Recruiting, marketing and promotion, seats, [and] players’ identity with the community,” DeFilippo listed.
DeFilippo also appeared tired of Skinner’s style of basketball. The winningest coach in BC history led his teams with a deliberate flex offense that – while effective with the right personnel – struggled to resonate both with this season’s team and fans alike.
“We want a coach who’s going to play very exciting brand of basketball,” DeFilippo said. “We want a team that’s going to dive for loose balls, that’s going to take charges, that’s going to play great defense. A team that’s going to give us everything they have to give while they are out on that floor.”
While Skinner’s teams have had some players who played up the crowd – Reggie Jackson is the closest thing this current team has – inconsistent effort has plagued the Eagles on the way to a 15-16 year that presumably led to Skinner’s tenure with BC. DeFilippo reminisced of past Skinner teams as models the athletic director aims to replicate with his new hire.
“We had a great identification with Craig Smith and Jared Dudley and even Ryan Sidney his first year or two,” DeFilippo said. “I think our student body, fans, and alums identified really well with those players.”
All the current assistant coaches will remain on the staff for the time being, and Pat Duquette was named interim head coach until Skinner’s replacement can be found.
Though he did not announce any candidates for the job, or a timetable for it to be filled, DeFilippo was confident BC was a “terrific job” that could compete with any other open position.