Another one bites the dust as ETSU basketball coach Ed DeChellis will announce his departure to take a coaching job at his alma mater Penn. State.
Coach DeChellis has compiled a 105-93 overall record since he started here seven years ago.
DeChellis led the Bucs to a Southern Conference Championship this season and an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
DeChellis, like former basketball coach Les Robinson found out, may see that the predominately football powerhouse may not be the hoop dream he has hoped for.
Les Robinson made his way to N.C. State after his golden years at ETSU and he never regained the team he had here in Johnson City.
DeChellis will find out the same principle; State College is for the regular Joe not for the Rick Pitino’s.
Schools are usually powerful either in one sport or the other.
Take Duke, Tennessee and UCLA for example.
Duke is a basketball school. They have no football skill whatsoever.
Tennessee has a very strong football program but their men’s basketball is shoddy, remember when they lost to Illinois State in the first round of the NCAA’s several seasons ago. The Bruins have a long basketball history with only an occasional successful football season here and there.
With the Bucs making a remarkable showing against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, excitement is once again in the air about Buc basketball.
Talented freshmen Tim Smith and Brad Nuckles, under good coaching, can win three more SoCon Championships and have a chance at the sweet 16 by the time they are seniors.
Coach DeChellis, I just do not see you finding better talent than you already have right in front of yourself.
My advice to the basketball program is to find a local coach with talent and keep him here.
ETSU needs to concentrate its money in basketball where we have had success.
Like other successful small basketball school programs such as Creighton and Gonzaga, they pool their income into one place and gain national attention through the teams.
Coach, good luck at Penn. State.
We’ll see you in the Dance.

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