The search for the PC Friars next basketball coach

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The news broke of Ed Cooley leaving Friartown after 12 years on Monday. 

“I will say the real estate listing this morning, that was a curve ball I don’t think anyone saw coming,” Kevin McNamara, of the Kevinmcsports Hour on WPRO, told ABC 6 News. 

Friars fans feeling left in the dark that a popular coach like Cooley would turn to a program like Georgetown. 

“It’s glaring, you know, you’re a celebrity in Rhode Island there’s no two ways about it, doubly or triply so for Ed Cooley because he just knows everybody, he’s like the mayor,” McNamara said. 

But now the program has the biggest task ahead: who will lead the Friars next, after Cooley has made such an impact? 

“It’s impossible to replace an Ed Cooley package, I think it’s possible to replace the Ed Cooley as a coach, however he brought a unique set of qualities,” McNamara continued. 

He said Providence College didn’t want to lose that, and did what they could to counter the Georgetown offer. 

“They definitely offered coach Cooley an extension on his contract, my guess is it was more money for his assistant coaches pool, be honest with you, Providence does everything at a really high level,” said McNamara. 

The salary at Georgetown tops Cooley’s current annual paycheck, offering him around $6 million annually, McNamara told ABC 6. 

“That would make Ed Cooley one of the top ten to 15 coaches paid in the country,” said McNamara.

But who is next? McNamara said to look out for names like: Speedy Claxton (Hofstra), Micah Shrewsbury (Penn State), Tommy Amaker (Harvard), and James Jones (Yale). 

But another name also stands out, “There’s definitely some names out there who would fit that profile, I’m really high on Kim English, he’s the head coach at George Mason.”