BUNCH OF STUFF: SO YOU WANT TO BE A COLLEGE COACH?

 

Powhatan High School all-state wideout BEN 

WHITVER said he de-committed to James Madison U., 

“due to recent coaching changes,” and announced 

Saturday (Dec. 27) he will attend Penn State instead.

JMU named ex-Florida coach BILLY NAPIER to 

replace UCLA-bound BOB CHESNEY Dec. 4, a day 

after Whitver actually signed a NIL contract to play for 

the Dukes. More than three weeks later he changed his 

mind (officially, that is), then taking fewer than 24 hours 

to join the Nittany Lions of new coach MATT 

CAMPBELL.

Not that anyone was all that surprised. Although he 

committed to JMU prior to the start of his senior season, 

Whitver had been a frequent visitor to Penn State in 2024 

when JAMES FRANKLIN, now at Virginia Tech, was 

in charge.

Franklin reportedly made an offer to Whitver but, before 

details could be finalized, he was fired five games into the 

2025 campaign … and Campbell wasted little time 

making the 6-1, 195 pounder the same deal.

According to an article that appeared on-line in 

ON3.com, Whitver describe the opportunity to go to one 

of his dream schools as “surreal.” 

DESPITE A ringing endorsement from just about 

everyone, including the players, assistant ANTHONY 

POINDEXTER once again was by-passed by Penn State 

in its search for a new defensive coordinator. You might 

recall Franklin did likewise five years ago, leading the 

two-time All-American at Virginia to become a candidate 

for head coach at his alma mater which instead opted for 

Clemson OC TONY ELLIOTT.

This time it was Campbell who Monday (Dec, 30) 

announced D’ANTON LYNN, coming from Southern 

California, would be State’s next DC. Unlike Poindexter, 

Lynn is an alumnus, playing in the secondary (cornerback 

primarily) for the Nittany Lions from 2008 through 2011.

Sentiment for Poindexter overflowed after State’s 22-10 

win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl in which he 

served as interim DC. In his sixth year in Happy Valley, 

the native of Lynchburg spent 11 seasons at UVA (2002-

2013) before going to the University of Connecticut 

(2014-2016) then to Purdue (2017-2020).

BOY, HAS the NIL payments made things even tougher 

for coaches … I mean, beyond having to recruit their 

players just to keep them from entering the transfer 

portal, or what?

We were reminded – again – watching VCU against St. 

Bonaventure a few days ago.

With 6-11, 235-pound transfer LAZAR DJOCKOVIC

 scoring 15 points in the first half, the Rams clearly were 

the better team. But that’s when his teammates decided to 

protect their considerable investment in themselves … 

and stopped going to Djockovic.

He barely touched the ball from shortly before 

intermission until well into the second half … and St. 

Bonaventure led by as many as 11 before bowing 89-82. 

Djockovic finished with a career-high 26 points but the 

difference in this one was a suddenly-effective defense 

that limited the visitors to five points over the six minutes. 

(And that included a three-point field goal at the buzzer.)

SPEAKING OF so-what-else-is-new? …. the Rams got 

no help from game officials who allowed the Bonnies all 

kinds of leeway in possession of the ball.

Pushing off with one hand while driving to the basket 

proved effective, especially when the nen in charge of the 

game let just about anything go. It was like the Bonnies 

were coached to do it, after realizing they could get away 

with it over and over again.

But, the real question was, how did 6-8 FRANK 

MITCHEL keep getting away with lowering a shoulder 

into his defender, usually Djockovic, on the way to the 

basket … and not drawing a foul?

At 270-plus pounds, Michell has all the finesse of a big, 

bruising, brute of a hockey enforcer whose only job is to 

hit and hurt opposing players, Oh, that explains it. From 

Toronto, he played hockey until switching to hoops 

exclusively as an 18 year old.

A junior, Mitchell came to St. Bonaventure this year by 

way of (in order) Toronto’s Humber College, Minnesota 

and Canisius. He leads the Atlantic 10 in rebounding with 

a runaway 5.2 per game. 

QUESTION: Why would anyone want to coach 

basketball? … Notre Dame’s MICAH 

SHREWSBERRY must be asking himself after 

completely losing it over a terrible call at the end of 

Friday’s 72-71 loss to California.

With time running out and the Irish leading by three, 

Cal’s DAI DAI AMES hit an off-balance prayer of a trey 

from in front of the home-team’s bench to ostensibly tie 

the game.

At first the ACC game officials waived off the fie;d goal, 

saying Dai Dai was fouled before he shot the ball. But 

after Cal coach MARK MADSEN came rushing onto the 

floor, pleading they had made mistake …. the officials 

changed the call, ruling Dai Dai had been fouled in the 

act.

SHOT GOOD … and Dai Dai did good again, completing 

the four-point play for the lead.

Only problem was … good, old Dai Dai wasn’t fouled in 

the act of shooting. The entire sequence was on ESPN’s 

Sports Center. Check it out, N one touched Dai Dai.

Anyhow, Notre Dame missed a three-pointer (during 

which there might have been contact, bit no call) at the 

final buzzer. Game over.

And Shrewsberry lost it. Suddenly, in full gallop, he went 

after the official who was exiting between the basket and 

the visitors’ bench.

Fortunately, there were many people around the official 

(who was not identified … then) and Shrewsberry, who 

looked to be as large as Mitchell, didn’t get close enough 

to do any physical damage.

He’ll be fined, suspended or both by the ACC … when 

the officials deserve punishment, too.

Until next time ...