Deacs' Battle weighing offer to coach at Providence

By: Dan Collins | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: April 08, 2011

By Dan Collins

JOURNAL REPORTER

Jeff Battle, an assistant men's basketball coach at Wake Forest, is considering an offer to join the staff at Providence and said Friday that he expects to make a decision over the weekend.

Ed Cooley, named the head coach at Providence on March 22, is a close friend whom Battle has known for more than 15 years.

“It’s a tough decision, it really is,’’ Battle said. “The reason it is is the guy at Providence is my best friend, so it’s a personal thing.

“That’s what makes it difficult. If I didn’t know him as well as I do, it wouldn’t be as hard of a decision to make.’’

Battle has been an assistant coach at Wake Forest for 10 seasons for three head coaches -- Skip Prosser, Dino Gaudio and Jeff Bzdelik. That’s the longest uninterrupted stretch for an assistant coach at Wake Forest since the ACC was formed before the 1953-54 season.

Ernie Nestor was an assistant for 14 seasons over two different stretches, working under Carl Tacy from the 1979-80 season through 1984-85 and under Dave Odom from the 1993-94 season through 2000-01.

Battle said a decision to leave Wake Forest would not be a reflection of his relationship with Bzdelik, who succeeded Gaudio before the 2010-11 season. The Deacons experienced one of the most dismal seasons in school history, finishing 8-24 overall and 1-15 in ACC play.

“Oh no, no, no, no,’’ Battle said. “No, that has nothing to do with it at all. I’m happy as heck at Wake Forest. That has nothing, nothing, nothing to do with it.

“If that was the case I wouldn’t be as torn as I am. That has absolutely nothing to do with it. (Bzdelik) is great.’’

One major consideration is the well-being of his son Jordan, who is a high school junior in Winston-Salem.