Okay, let's look at previous OHIO MBB vacancies and see how quickly they were filled.

--June 23, 2008: Tim O'Shea resigns from OHIO to accept HC position at Bryant University.

--June 27, 2008: After the position was vacant for only four days, John Groce was named the HC at OHIO.

...

--March 28, 2012--John Groce resigns from OHIO to accept HC position at Illinois.

--April 3, 2012--Six days following Groce's resignation, Jim Christian is named HC at OHIO.

...

--April 3, 2014--Exactly two years to the day after accepting the OHIO position, Jim Christian resigns from OHIO to accept the Boston College HC position.

--April 6, 2014--Three days after the supposedly surprising resignation of Jim Christian, Saul Phillips is named OHIO head coach.

...

So, we have had three previous vacancies in just over a decade, now experiencing a fourth. The length of time the position was vacant was always less than a week, with a four-day, a six-day, and a three-day lapse in time. I would imagine that each of those three moves came somewhat as a surprise to the Athletic Department, though I think everybody knew that Groce was a hot commodity. I still thought he would stick around an additional year.

This time, it's not a surprise. Jim Schaus may have known this position was going to be vacant for up to a year. There's no telling when he made the decision on Saul. So, when caught off-guard, Schaus filled the position almost immediately. Should we expect to know of OHIO's new head coach by this time next week?

It could depend if we're looking at an assistant/head coach from a team involved in a post-season tourney. I think the new coach will be named by the Final Four.

You need to look at those dates... The vacancy coming before Cleveland this time I think will necessitate a longer search. At least... Weren't Saul and Christian hired after meeting at the final four?

It's a 10 hour drive to Stony Brook. I expect the announcement at halftime of the ladies game..

So you think they're driving back and forth from Athens to Long Island to discuss this? ;)

My guess is JS called coach Boals and told him if he wanted the job he would have to drive all the way back to Athens to earn a decent contract, given their history. Maybe they'll meet in Cleveland tonight and do a press conference at halfcourt of the Q?

I just disagree strongly on this. I'm not sure who the administrator is who suggested such a thing but not only is there no real precedent for such a thing, it would also be in poor taste.

JS is probably just waiting until Akron's season is over!   

+2. Would be totally classless.

This might be, but JS marches to his own drum.

Time to Fire up Flightaware.com

I am still at a loss as to how this is classless. Coach Phillips would have been told the news yesterday, which would have been the least surprising thing that has happened all year. His contract was over, he wasn't fired. The whole thing makes it a seamless transition and again in the words of my old colleague (MAC administrator) the university looks like it is in charge and making a bold, confident move. It would have been a different story if Coach Phillips had another year or two on his contract. In that case there would have been some kind of suspense as to what might play out. However, this is not the case .

Honestly I'm not sure, I would almost assume they would do an initial interview at the coaches location and then fly him to Athens to see the campus and area. I would assume they would just fly him into our airport, but who knows they may just do airlines into Columbus.