Jeff Lebo is resigning as East Carolina‘s head coach just six games into his eighth season at the school. Assistant coach Michael Perry will serve as the Pirates’ interim coach for the remainder of the season.
Lebo had success early at ECU, going to three CITs in his first four years and won the whole thing in 2013. But since the program joined The American (AAC) in 2014, the team has failed to finish with a winning record and has not done better than a tie for 7th in the league.
East Carolina is going to be a tough job for whoever steps in as Lebo’s successor, whether it’s Perry or an outside hire. The Pirates could win some games in Conference USA, but the program has a long way to go to be any sort of threat in a power conference. Especially when the recruiting base is right in the epicenter of “ACC Country.”
For Lebo, the 51-year-old should be in demand for mid-major programs this offseason if he is interested in continuing to coach. The former UNC guard has 19+ years of head coaching experience, though he is yet to lead a team to the NCAA Tournament.
