Reassigning - or firing without wasting money - isn't every athletic director's first responsibility after coming into a new position, but on Wednesday Tom Collins took care of the job that many Cardinal basketball fans felt needed to be done.
After a number of losing seasons and other offenses often decried by those in the stands at Worthen Arena, Tim Buckley will not be returning to the court as coach of the men's basketball team, and neither will his three assistant coaches.
Whether or not you agree with Collins' decision to reassign Buckley, the big test will be finding the replacement who will truly push the program to its highest possible achievements.
A primary concern in finding the new head coach should be experience: The person chosen should have a background in coaching Division I basketball - preferably as a head coach at a school comparable to Ball State University or an assistant coach at a school with a more prominent basketball program. The person doesn't necessarily have to have a recognizable name or be the winningest coach in the conference, but knowledge and familiarity with coaching in the big-school environment could determine how much Ball State basketball improves in the coming years.
Also, the new coach should be able to build on the solid team recruited by Buckley. The former coach was able to pull together a strong set of players, he just didn't push them enough to become the best players they could be. So the incoming coach will best serve Ball State by maintaining a focus on individual and team improvement, no matter how many games the team has won or lost.
Collins has requested the university not hire an outside search firm - as it did in the process of hiring Collins himself, among other recent administrative hires - but that will ultimately be President Jo Ann Gora's decision.
She and Collins must consider the current crop of players - from star guard Peyton Stovall to Maurice Acker, the Mid-American Conference freshman of the year, and the rest of the dedicated players on the team - who will continue in the program and have the potential to vastly improve it, especially if given a coach they can work well with. The student-athletes should have a hand, or at least a voice, in choosing the coach they'll be working with in the upcoming years.
However, as long as the person or group searching for the next basketball coach keeps in mind what qualities and characteristics of a coach will build on what Buckley is leaving behind, Cardinal hoops has a bright future - and that's what ultimately matters.
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