Wagner searched far and wide for a head coach to replace the fired Mike Deane. The short list included assistant coaches from schools in Texas, Tennessee and Kentucky.
In the end, they found their man right across the river.
Dan Hurley, the former Seton Hall guard, Rutgers assistant and head coach at St. Benedict’s Prep of Newark, was offered the position late last night, a source told The Post. Barring a last-minute breakdown, sources strongly indicate that the two sides are expected to agree in principle, with a press conference scheduled at the Staten Island school sometime this week.
Hurley, the son of legendary coach Bob Hurley of St. Anthony High School of Jersey City, and brother of former Duke star, Bobby Hurley, led St. Benedict’s this season to a 20-1 record and a No. 4 finish in the USA Today national rankings.
Should Hurley accept the contract, he would take over a program that certainly needs work. The Seahawks struggled this season, finishing 5-26 overall under Deane. They also went just 3-15 in the Northeast Conference, a league that was 30th out of 33 nationally in the Pomeroy College Rankings.
But that’s what made Hurley a more logical decision than Vanderbilt assistant King Rice, or Texas A&M assistant Scott Spinelli, to name a few.
First, Hurley, whose father was named to the 2010 class for the Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend, knows metropolitan area prep basketball inside and out. That could ignite a recruiting coup.
Second, his last name alone should help to create a campus buzz, and perhaps spur attendance.
And third, making a bold move like promoting a high school coach is bound to net the school publicity.
The position is perfect for Hurley, as well. He long has flirted with the idea of making the college jump, and being able to stay local — considering his family ties — makes it a win-win situation. In recent years, Hurley, 37, interviewed with Pittsburgh twice to be an assistant before deciding to stay in New Jersey, and he also turned down an offer to be the head coach at Marist.