Boston College Coaching Candidate Profile: Ed Cooley
Boston College fired head coach Jim Christian on Monday after seven seasons with the Eagles. As the coaching search begins, we will break down each potential candidate, from the realistic to the reaches. To start the series, we will begin with Ed Cooley.
Name: Ed Cooley
Age: 51
Born and Raised: Providence, Rhode Island
Playing Career: Stonehill College
Previous Experience: Assistant at UMass Dartmouth, Stonehill, Rhode Island and Boston College. Head coach at Fairfield and Providence (2011-present)
Connections to Boston College: Assistant head coach under Al Skinner
Pros: Cooley is a northeast coach, who knows the area well. He has been one of the best recruiters in New England, consistently bringing in excellent recruiting classes and some elite recruits to the Friars. He would bring BC recruiting to a whole other level. He knows Boston College well, including the limitations that the school could bring, but would bring a "name" to the coaching position, along with a rather solid resume to boot.
Cons: He has had some success with Providence, but he hasn't been enormously successful. The Friars are only two games above .500 in league play during his tenure. Certainly Cooley is more successful than any coach BC has had recently, but is he the "winner" that Patrick Kraft wants.
Other Factors: There quite a few question marks that would need to be answered before Ed Cooley would ever consider coming back to Boston College. First and foremost, it is believed that he was extremely upset how his mentor Al Skinner was treated when he was unceremoniously fired. Does Cooley still hold a grudge, or has the passage of time and the fact that administration has moved on help ease the hurt feelings? (Also Al Skinner has been on campus, and honored at BC, as Martin Jarmond helped mend the relationship).
The bigger issue with Cooley is his job at Providence. The city is his home and he has built the program in his vision. The Friars are currently a better program than Boston College, and it will take some work to get him to leave that job. But Cooley has kind of plateaued with PC, not making the tournament in since 2017-18. Would he want a change of scenery?
Odds of Becoming BC Head Coach: Low. There are a quite a few hurdles that the Eagles will have to clear before Cooley would even consider the job. He is certainly a good fit for the position, but it seems doubtful he would leave Providence for this position.
