This offseason we are continuing to evaluate the job stability of coaches in different conferences. This week, it is time to look at the Big East. The schools in this conference are all basketball-first schools, which can often lead to higher expectations and shorter leashes for coaches. While many coaches are not currently on the hot seat, we could see a few getting warm by the end of the season.
Big East Basketball Hot Seat
Kyle Neptune, Villanova
The Big East coach with the most to prove this season is Villanova’s Kyle Neptune. For two decades, the Wildcats were the model of consistency under Jay Wright. After his departure two years ago, Villanova has missed the NCAA Tournament both years and has a total record of 35-33. This includes some embarrassing losses to Drexel, Penn, Portland, and DePaul.
Neptune’s problem is not just the results on the court, he has also had problems recruiting. In the class of 2023, Villanova brought in one high school recruit, which was a zero-star recruit. In 2024, they did not bring in any top 50 recruits. Neptune has been focusing on the transfer portal to rebuild his roster, but it has not been working. This year, they have the 90th-ranked transfer class according to 247 Sports, which is not something you want to hear if you are a Wildcats fan. Things are currently looking grim for Neptune at Villanova. If he can find his way into March Madness, his job should be safe. If not, then Villanova may be looking for a new head coach next March.
Hot Seat Status: On Fire
Ed Cooley, Georgetown
It is not often that you find a second-year head coach on the hot seat, but we may be right there with Ed Cooley at Georgetown. After turning Providence into a perennial Big East contender, Cooley took the Georgetown job after the departure of former head coach Patrick Ewing. His first season at Georgetown was a complete disaster. The Hoyas only had 9 wins last season and won two conference games, both to DePaul. This was not due to a lack of talent. Georgetown brought in Supreme Cook and Jayden Epps, who were both highly regarded transfer recruits.
This season, things are not looking great for the Hoyas. Cooley utilized the transfer portal again to try to turn around the program. He brought in star freshman Malik Mack from Harvard. But this won’t be enough to compensate for Cook’s loss and much of the team’s depth. They failed to bring in any high-impact frontcourt transfers. Even though the Big East is a guard-dominant league, it is still important to have big options. This will definitely be something that could hurt Georgetown this season. Because it is only Cooley’s second season at Georgetown, it would be difficult for him to be fired. But, if the team does even worse this year than they did last year, Cooley could be looking for a new job next year.
