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Brey takes Irish job 'This is one you've got to do,' says Delaware coach
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Notre Dame didn't waste any time in offering Mike Brey the job as its basketball coach, and Brey didn't hesitate in accepting. Brey, 99-52 in five years at Delaware, received a standing ovation Friday when he was introduced as the new Irish coach. "I think I can give you 15 great years, after that, I think I'm going to have to re-evaluate," Brey said. Brey replaces Matt Doherty, who left Tuesday for North Carolina after just one year at Notre Dame. Brey, who interviewed for the job last year, said he has felt for a long time Notre Dame would be an ideal spot. He attended and taught at a Catholic high school and was a Duke assistant. "I just felt the last couple of years that I'm trained to do the job here. This would be a place I'd love to do it for a long time," he said. The Irish, who lost in the NIT final last season, are expected to vie for an NCAA berth this season. Troy Murphy, a first-team All-American and Big East player of the year, skipped the NBA draft. Starters Harold Swanagan, David Graves, and Matt Carroll also return and the Irish add Ryan Humphrey, a transfer from Oklahoma who helped the Sooners advance to the NCAA regional semifinals a year ago.
Brey said although its the middle of recruiting his first priority is to stay in town and get to know the players. Murphy was glad Bray said he's not going on the road to recruit right away. "That made us feel good," Murphy said. Humphrey said the players are happy the search is over. "I wish coach Doherty the best, but now it's coach Brey's team, and it's time to move on." Brey met with a three-member committee from Notre Dame on Thursday night in Washington. He returned home to Newark, Del., where he got a call after midnight and accepted immediately, The Wilmington (Del.) News Journal reported on its Web site. "This is one you've got to do," Brey told the newspaper, which reported he received a seven-year contract. Brey had just signed a five-year contract extension at Delaware after guiding the Blue Hens to their third consecutive 20-victory season and the school's first NIT bid. Brey, 41, helped Duke to six Final Fours over an eight-year span.
"What a perfect fit! Mike has the background that is totally suited for the level of success that Notre Dame wants and deserves," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. "He and his family will be absolutely terrific in representing Notre Dame." Asked if he'd ever consider leaving Notre Dame for Krzyzewski's job, Brey said he wouldn't want to follow a legend. He said the Irish job is more appealing. "I really want to find my niche, where it hasn't been done all together yet and do something," he said. The Rev. Edward A. Malloy, university president, said believes Brey is a good fit. "In our conversation with coach Brey, he indicated over and over again that he has the passion and drive to succeed here, but also to do it the Notre Dame way," Malloy said. Athletic director Kevin White said Brey was the only person offered the job, denying reports that Notre Dame first offered Oregon coach Ernie Kent the position. "We only offered the job to one person," White said. Fighting Irish spokesman John Heisler said Brey and one other coaching candidate met Thursday night with the Rev. Edward A. Malloy, Notre Dame's president; Patrick F. McCartan, chairman of the board of trustees; and Nathan Hatch, the university's provost. Heisler would not identify the other candidate, though Kent was in Washington to meeting with Notre Dame officials. Kent said he was never actually offered the job, even though he discussed contract figures. "I needed to be as honest with them as I possibly could. I didn't want to put them in a position to allow them to offer me the job and me say no," Kent said.
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