What Georgetown fans should expect from new head coach

With the hiring of Ed Cooley on Monday as head coach, Georgetown has finally restored hope and optimism to its beleaguered basketball program.

The former Providence coach is already familiar with the Big East. Cooley earned conference Coach of the Year in 2022—the season the Friars made the Sweet 16. In 12 seasons at Providence, he went 242-153 with seven NCAA Tournament appearances. 

Expectations will be different for Cooley at Georgetown, though. He is taking over a program that is at its nadir (26 wins in three seasons) in a conference that is at its strongest since a realignment a decade ago. 

NCAA Tournament teams Connecticut, Marquette, Xavier and Creighton are powers, and St. John's earlier this week hired Hall of Famer Rick Pitino as head coach. Longtime conference bully Villanova is in a transition but can't be counted out, and Seton Hall and Butler are also trending up after recent coaching changes. 

It won't be easy for Cooley to win immediately, but the Georgetown brand and resources will provide him with a much higher ceiling than he had at Providence. Even during the awful head-coaching tenure of Patrick Ewing, Georgetown recruited well, but the Hoyas struggled to develop and retain players.

It probably will take a few years for Cooley to forge an identity with the program with his own players. If he can tap into the transfer portal, he could elevate Georgetown, which finished 7-25 last season after a 6-25 mark the season before.

Georgetown's lineup last season was a fairly young one. Much of the roster probably will be overhauled, but sophomore Brandon Murray—the Hoyas second-leading scorer—appears to be staying put. He'll give Cooley a solid foundation.

If Georgetown finishes above .500 in 2023-24, it would be a great beginning for the Cooley era. If the Hoyas make the NCAA Tournament or even NIT, it will be exceptional.