By Andrew Robinson
Collegian Staff Writer
Ed DeChellis isn’t interested in comparing coaches’ contracts.
He is interested in building on his success at Penn State.
“I’m not a big demands guy or ‘here’s what I want, here’s what I need,’ ” DeChellis said at Media Day on Monday. “I want to be here at Penn State. I love it here, I think we’ve got things going and that was really it for me.”
DeChellis was given a three-year contract extension on Oct. 1 after a season where he was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and led the Nittany Lions to an NIT Championship. The coach said athletic director Tim Curley approached him last spring about starting the extension process.
The extension provides security, not only for DeChellis, but the current players and recruits. Freshman Bill Edwards said with knowing the coach will be around, he can focus on basketball and school.
“That’s a lot of reassurance because a lot of schools, the coach can’t promise you that he’ll be around the next couple years,” Edwards said. “A lot of people transfer due to that, but we found out that coach is going to be around for a long time and that makes me feel comfortable. I’m going to grow up as a player under the same system.”
Associate coach Kurt Kanaskie said the current players felt DeChellis was going to be around for the rest of their careers, even though he hadn’t officially signed an extension. DeChellis said the job security would be important in recruiting, letting prospects know the staff would stay at the university….
via DeChellis extension brings security – The Daily Collegian Online.