Commentary: UD's new coach deserves chance to shape staff his way

Sports
By Doug Harris
April 14, 2011
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I wasn’t covering the University of Dayton during the coaching transition from Oliver Purnell to Brain Gregory, but I can’t imagine there being as much angst among UD fans as there has been since Archie Miller was named to replace Gregory.

Miller has gotten many of the Flyer Faithful all aflutter for, among other things, not retaining assistant Cornell Mann, who maybe could have kept recruits LaDontae Henton and Percy Gibson in the fold. But as much as I like Mann, every coach has a right to hire a staff that fits his personality and vision.

Gregory cleaned house when he arrived, passing up a Purnell assistant named Shaka Smart who would have loved to stick around. Even if that ends up costing the Flyers two recruits, I still think you hire the staff that you believe can get you where you want to go.

Miller’s first hire was Kevin Kuwik, who exudes character. The former Ohio State video coordinator served one tour of duty in Iraq and has been on a crusade to change commercial airline legislation after his girlfriend was killed in a commuter plane crash in Buffalo two years ago.

That move by Miller has drawn praise from ESPN.com’s Andy Katz:

“Archie Miller’s decision to hire Kevin Kuwik as an assistant at Dayton will go down as one of his best during his career as a head coach. ... Few will work harder. Dayton got better the moment Kuwik got the job.”

Contact this writer at (937) 225-2125 or dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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About the Author

Doug Harris