Bzdelik Appears Headed To Wake Forest

Barring something apocalyptic it appears that Jeff Bzdelik will be the new head basketball coach at Wake Forest. In fact OSG is ready to project that Bzdelik will get the job.

Those who condemn the move will tell you that Bzdelik doesn't fit the criteria of post season success that got Dino Gaudio fired and it does hurt Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman's credibility for the move.

Gaudio post season record in 3 years at Wake 1-5. Bzdelik's at Air Force & Colorado 0-5 in conference tournaments and 0-1 in the NCAA's. Ok, Bzdelik gets a break with a 3-1 NIT record.

Deacon fans are barbecuing Wellman in the Wake Forest message boards on the potential move. Its falling on deaf ears.

Jeff Bzdelik is Ron Wellman's man and he doesn't care what you think of the hire, that includes the media. If Wellman wants to hire a coach with 3 straight losing seasons to replace one that had 3 straight winning seasons that's his choice. Talk about losing the press conference that will be a laugher.

Bzdelik does have NBA credentials, won at a school that has no basketball tradition when head coach at Air Force and was just beginning the breathe some life into a flat-lined Colorado program that was among the worst of the worst. Bzdelik can coach but his post season numbers contradict what Ron Wellman publicly stated as to why he canned Dino Gaudio.

Then again, Ron Wellman is the A.D. that gave Jim Grobe a shot of taking over perhaps the worst Division 1-A football program in the country and look what Grobe has done since.

I believe Ron Wellman can spot great coaching talent but hiring Jeff Bzdelik is as tough a sell as their can be. One that Deac fans are very reluctant to buy.

Photo Courtesy: University of Colorado Athletics

Post Season Woes Get Dino Gaudio Fired At Wake Forest

Dino Gaudio was fired by Wake Forest because his teams couldn't get it done in the post season. The Deamon Deacons were terrific in January, awful in March. The last 3 years the Deacs are 1-5 in the post season.

"That's a 3-year pattern that needed to be addressed." Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman said in announcing the coaching change at Wake.

So now the Wake Forest has joined the coaching carousel. The same cast of characters that Clemson is pursuing will be mentioned I'm sure. Wellman has a list but wouldn't reveal whose on it.

My guess is that Wake Forest will hire from within again. There are some influential people at Wake that like current assistant coach Rusty LaRue. Its not known if LaRue is on that list Wellman has or if the lack of head coaching experience will hurt him in the process.

LaRue was a outstanding quarterback for the Deacs and a 3-point bomber for Wake's back to back ACC Championship teams in 1995 and 1996. His only head coaching experience was on the high school level before joining the Wake Forest staff before the 2009-10 season.

The ACC coaching carousel keeps on spinning.

Dino Gaudio photo courtesy: Raleigh News Observer

Rusty LaRue photo courtesy: wakeforestsports.com

Gaudio is a Goner...

**BREAKING NEWS***

Sometimes things happen in the coaching world and you just shake your head. Today is one of those days. Wake Forest has parted ways with its head coach, Dino Gaudio, for undetermined reasons. The announcement, set to come at 4:30pm in the afternoon.

More from the Winston-Salem Journal RIGHT HERE

Gaudio, who took over after the unfortunate passing of Skip Prosser was 61-31 in 3 years with Wake. The Demon Deacons have been in the NCAA Tournament the past 2 of those seasons.

((What happened to Dino?//Courtesy: Chuck Burton/AP))

While they didn't finish strong this past season, the timing of this announcement is to say the least; odd. The AD apparently wasn't happy with the way that the team finished, losing early in the NCAA's each of the past 2 seasons.

Granted Wake is one of the better ACC teams, but somebody may be looking at all of this in the wrong light. Yeah, they are good...but at this point, most of the "Hot" coaches have already made their move. Making things worse, they'll be now competing with Clemson, who is now also in the market for a new coach.

We'll have more on this as we go, in the meantime, here is a story from WXII-TV, when Gaudio got the job: Thanks WXII/You Tube: