Bill Herrion's imprint on East Carolina can't
be judged by his overall record. That measurement is a misleading gauge of
the contribution the Pirates coach made to the bigger picture of ECU
basketball.
At a school short on memorable hoops moments,
arguably the best occurred with Herrion at the helm.
Prior to his arrival, East Carolina had never
beaten a top ten club, a feat that Herrion accomplished twice in Greenville.
A significant home court advantage was a rare occurrence during the
pre-Herrion days but became an overwhelming theme throughout his tenure.
"I'm proud of what we've done," Herrion said
following the Pirates' 77-66 win over Southern Miss last Wednesday. "What
we've done, we've had some great wins in this conference since we've been in
it, and for most nights we've been very competitive.
"I've said this so many times before. There
are some nights where that's as about as good as we can do, is just play our
tails off and we come up short. That might be as good as we can do, given
what we're in right here."
That's a fairly accurate analysis given the
talent Herrion routinely put on the floor. Throughout the Pirates' existence
in Conference USA, there have been very few occasions when the better foe
was draped in purple and gold.
When the playing field was level, East
Carolina typically held the advantage on the scoreboard. But the inability
to significantly close the talent gap with conference foes consistently kept
the Pirates among the bottom four in one of the nation's toughest leagues —
and essentially cost Herrion his job.
"I'm sure what it is it's probably not enough
wins," Herrion said. "I would guess that's what it is.
"I think we run the program in a first class
manner. Our kids play hard. Our kids aren't on the front page of the paper
every day. Most of our kids graduate. If you meet any of our kids outside of
the gym, they're just good kids. They handle themselves the right way.
That's the only way I would want it to be."
The fact is, though, it could have been much
better had Herrion retained the players he recruited to East Carolina at a
higher rate. The Pirates lost too much talent prematurely during his stint
on the job, which no doubt is a big factor in the team's poor record this
season.
Both Keith Foster and Charles Bronson, for
example, would have been key contributors on a frontcourt that lacks depth
and bulk. But academics prevented both from ever seeing the floor.
Belton Rivers and Frank Robinson could have
provided the experienced backcourt depth the Pirates needed earlier this
year. In their case, it was on-the-court issues that essentially led to
transfers.
(It has been speculated that Herrion was
sometimes unable to relate with players and was subject to the occasional
locker room meltdown, and Rivers and Robinson were casualties as a result.)
Even so, any blemishes that occurred
shouldn't offset the strides the program made during Herrion's reign.
If nothing else, Herrion generated a higher
level of excitement surrounding the program and fueled the notion that ECU
basketball can move beyond the days when it was viewed as a diversion
demanding little investment and hardly any returns.
Herrion's enthusiasm and tough approach —
along with C-USA inclusion — increased the importance of hoops in
Greenville. The Pirates were more competitive against higher-level opponents
than at any previous time in the program's history.
But that doesn't mean Pirates athletics
director Terry Holland jumped the gun by dismissing Herrion. Though not a
widely popular decision, the primary objective of an AD isn't to cater to
public opinion.
If there is anyone on the planet qualified to
make decisions regarding a basketball program, it has to be Holland. Very
few possess the unique combination of experience playing and coaching the
game at the Division I level, as well as a successful track record as an
administrator of a major program.
If Holland thinks the basketball program
needs new direction, it's a sound bet he's operating on more than just a
hunch. Athletic directors are paid relatively handsome salaries to make
difficult decisions and aren't afforded the wiggle room to make mistakes
with revenue sports.
The task now for Holland is to find the right
captain to navigate ECU basketball into smoother waters.
Someone in the mold of Cliff Ellis or Matt
Doherty would seem to make the most sense. Both are sound strategists, solid
recruiters, and bring instant name recognition to a school with little
basketball identity.
Their strong ties to the ACC also would put
East Carolina a step closer towards scheduling the well-respected regional
opponents Holland has targeted. That goes without mentioning the message
such a hire would send to the Big East and Atlantic 10.
Another possible route is a high-profile
assistant or a successful head coach at a school in a smaller conference.
Steve Robinson and Greg Marshall immediately come to mind.
Regardless, Holland's selection will inherit
a program with a more established hardwood history than it had six years
ago.
More than anything, that is the mark Herrion
left on ECU hoops.