What Ex-PSU Basketball coach Keith Urgo Fordham hiring means for Pat Chambers

Keith Urgo, former Pat Chambers’ head assistant coach of PSU Basketball, has signed on with new Fordham coach Kyle Neptune, according to Adam Zagoria.

Since Pat Chambers’ surprise firing in October, questions about his staff lingered.

When Micah Shrewsberry was hired as the next head coach, it seemed likely that many of Chambers’ top assistants would be looking for new jobs.  News trickeled in as interim head coach Jim Ferry, who with Pat Chambers was rumored for the Fordham head coach job, signed on to be the next head coach at UMBC.

Shrewsberry announced he was bringing back former PSU alumni Talor Battle and Nick Colella.  Today, it was announced Keith Urgo, who finished his 10th season with Penn State, will be an assistant coach with the Fordham Rams (and new grad transfer Trent Buttrick).

Urgo, rumored to be in the mix for last year’s interim position, was a key recruiter for the Nittany Lions.  The Washington D.C. native was part of the coaching staff that ESPN ranked #7 in the nation among high major programs for their ability to develop talent.

Urgo is very close with Chambers and was likely holding out to see if Pat would get a job somewhere.

Friday’s news likely means Pat won’t be coaching in 2021-2022.

There are very few openings left at the division 1 level.   Some, like UC Riverside and Portland State, seem unlikely due to very different recruting footprints.  Other east coast options like Central Connecticut State, Central Michigan, Delaware State, UNC Greensboro, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Bethune-Cookman all seem rather unlikely at this late point.  Remember, however, that Pat was hired in July (2011) by Penn State, so anything is possible.