People focus too much on short-term success. A mid-major coach wins a few games with a good group of upperclassmen and he is a "hot coach," for example Alford or Lowery at SIU a few years ago. And if a guy hasn't had great success short-term everyone deems him crap.
But every job is different. Different circumstances, different challenges, different values, ect... A coach's success at one school doesn't guarantee success at another, and previous success doesn't guarantee success here (Ferentz had a losing record at Maine). We need to look at skills and fit. The question is can the coach win here, what he did somewhere else is useful information, but not dispostive.
I'm skeptical a wining power conference coach will come here. If we can get one that fits great. If not, Keno has some positives. First, he has spent two years learning the ropes in the most urban, dirty, competitive, and talented conference. You don't survive in the Big East unless you can recruit players and make recruiting connections. Keno has received a crash course on Big Conference basketball. That learning is useful. His most recent class is "national" and he signed a Top 50 player out of NY. That suggests he can recruit. He is also doing this at one of the traditionally worst, smallest, and least competitive Big East Basketball schools (they are like the PSU of the Big 10),
I think people are undervaluing what two years of Big East experience does for Keno. Keno isn't naive, coaching in the Big East he realizes he can't win with some magic "system," I think Keno realizes you win with horses. Keno will come in here, make connections, and try to get Top 100 players. Look at his staff, it is built to recruit. Keno will come to Iowa with a gameplan and hit the ground running. His 2 years at Providence will have helped him develop the plan. This doesn't even touch upon the fact that Keno will have a familiarity with Iowa, a connection with Iowa City, AAU coaches, and what-not that will help him market the program from the minute he gets here.
