Rutgers basketball: Who will replace Eddie Jordan?

Four months into his term as new Rutgers Athletic Director, Patt Dobbs is once again on the head coaching search. This time for the men’s basketball team, as Head Coach Eddie Jordan was fired following a putrid 7-25 (1-17, Big Ten) 2015-16 season. Jordan’s time in Piscataway was a rough three years filled with embarrassing losses and horrible coaching.

Many remember Jordan, a former Rutgers player himself, was hired in 2013 to replace then coach Mike Rice, after a abuse scandal, which saw Rice abusing players verbally and physically became public. Hiring Jordan was met with minor success both in their last year in the American Athletic Conference (AAC), and the programs first two years in the Big Ten; posting a .299 winning percentage.

Many Rutgers Students were expecting the school to part ways with Jordan due to the lack of success, laving Dobbs to once again search for a suitable and respectable replacement. Hobbs has been down this road before as the interim Athletic Director of in state rival Seton Hall during the 2010-11 academic year. Replacing both men’s and women’s coaches Bobby Gonzalez and Phyllis Mangina. Because of these two moves, Seton Hall is once again a must watch team in basketball; as both men’s and women’s teams are looked at as a sleepers in the NCAA tournament.

The easiest part of this task, firing Jordan is finish, now the tougher task of finding his replacement has begun. But who, might you ask can come in and change around a program that is looked to be a doormat in the Big Ten? That’s a good question. here are some valuable suggestions of possible coaching hires.

Several names have popped up in recent weeks as candidates to take over as the Scarlet Knights head coach. Jay Williams is one of the few candidates to come to mind as a great replacement, the Plainfield, NJ native was a prospect coming out of St. Joseph – Metuchen, who ended up playing at Duke. Williams had a bright NBA future ahead of him but a tragic motorcycle accident cut it short. He currently works as an ESPN college basketball analyst, with ties to one of the top high school basketball programs in the state, and plays for a Hall of Fame coach in Coach Krzyzewski. He has great recruiting ties and basketball knowledge.

Another name on the list is Kevin Boyle, the head coach of Montverde Academy in Orlando. He was the architect around the success of St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth. A New Jersey native, his contemporaries all agree that Boyle has the attributes to run a successful program at Rutgers. The only thing people wonder is will Dobbs give him a call about a big opportunity to come home.

Then there’s Mike Lonergan, the head coach at George Washington University. During his five seasons at GWU, he’s led the Colonials to three 20+ winning season. They currently 23-10 and in the NIT tournament following a 5th place finish in a very competitive Atlantic 10 Conference. The question remains will Rutgers reach out and give him a call on this opening, a chance to coach in one of the biggest basketball conferences in the nation.

Whoever, Rutgers chooses to replace Jordan, one thing is clear they want a winner. But it all starts with the coach and they type of program he’s going to run; and being able to recruit top players in state. Rutgers students and alum have full faith in Dobbs to choose a great replacement. After all, this is the same man who hired Chris Ash to become the new football head coach. Which looking to be the right choice.