By Steve DiMiceli
Don't worry. I'm not going to hand out grades or determine whether or not Jim Ferry's first week on the job has been a success. I'm not down with sensationalism. However, there is a lot to talk about one week later on the bluff.
The Staff Is Complete
Jim Ferry has brought one of the most experienced coaching staffs to Duquesne in quite some time. New associate head coach Brian Nash has 5 years of D- I head coaching experience at St Francis (NY). He was unsuccessful in his stint, but he has a number strong assistant coaching jobs on his resume. Starting at Sacred Heart, he went on to coach at St Bonaventure under Jim Baron for 6 years, at Siena for 1 and then on to Seton Hall before being hired as a head coach. John Rhodes quit a D-III head coaching job at Ohio Northern to join the Duquesne staff. He was a star center for the Ohio Bobcats in the mid 80's and currently ranks 4th all time in field goal percentage, 5th in blocks and 11th in rebounds. He has coached as an assistant at his alma mater, UNF, Northeastern and for two years at St. Bonaventure. He and Nash will be reunited at Duquesne having worked together in the past. Rich Glesmann is the new boy on the staff. He followed Ferry from LIU. He was promoted from director of basketball operations in '05-06 and has been an assistant since.
After 4 years of mostly prep assistants with no college experience, I welcome a set of coaches who come from the D-I ranks. Having two former head coaches excites me a little. We have guys who know how to teach the college game to college kids. Hopefully, they are all well connected and can recruit in multiple markets.
The Coach is Nice Guy
The recurring assessment that we've heard about Jim Ferry is he is a nice guy. I spoke with him personally and I would agree with anyone who said he came across as friendly and engaging. I'd like to throw out another adjective to describe him: genuine. He didn't seem like a phony trying to kiss the boosters and the media's collective ass. He seemed like a guy who was interested in what I had to say and was grateful for the welcome he received.
Now, nice can be a double edged sword. He seems like a no nonsense type and he comes across as a man of integrity and honor. While this will play well to certain families and recruits, values will only get you so far with most kids and in a lot of cases, you might be at a disadvantage. Not many other coaches are going to play by the rules. Ferry is going to have to find a way to play to the high character, high talent kids. Problem is, those guys end up at Duke but, if he can win the right way at Duquesne, they'll build a statue of him.
One Commit Out, One in Limbo
Cincinnati guard Willie Moore decided to cut ties with Duquesne University after asking for his release. Unfortunately, Jim Ferry never got the chance to speak with him in person before Moore ended his commitment and decided to move on. Moore could be looking at BCS offers very soon and may have been underrated by Duquesne fans. Ferry did get a chance to meet with center Donovon Jack and his family over the weekend and by all accounts, the Jack's were impressed with Ferry. However, Jack hasn't decided whether he'll honor his commitment or reopen his recruitment. I've heard absolutely nothing about Bryan Harris and his verbal is clearly a soft one having visited a few schools since Ron Everhart was fired.
Recruiting is wide open at this point. It remains to be seen what the new staff will cobble together over the next few weeks. While they need not force anything, they will have to find the point guard of both the present and the future along with depth across the board. I'm not expecting a blast of talent from this class, but some nice role players who can contribute down the road would make 2012 a success.
