Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 7, 1990 TAG: 9006070215
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Cox
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Radford University's top assistant basketball coach said Wednesday he hopes eventually to join his parents in the field of higher education and will leave coaching July 1 to pursue a doctorate at Virginia Tech.
"When I'm 60 and looking back, I might miss coaching," he said. "But I don't want to look back and miss not having my Ph.D. Both my parents are educators and have their doctorates; I want mine."
Franklin, 35, had been the top assistant since Oliver Purnell took over as coach two seasons ago.
"I'm going to miss him," Purnell said. "Whatever success we've had or will have, he'll be a part of."
Franklin is resigning after the signing of what is considered the best recruiting class of the Purnell era. Franklin was instrumental in signing 6-foot-9 Dragan Skoko of Yugoslavia, 6-7 Jose Ortiz of Puerto Rico and 6-6 Don Burgess of Harrisonburg among this year's recruits.
Franklin said he realized there may be an impression that he was leaving under pressure.
"People are always going to talk," he said. "I think the program is going nowhere but up at Radford. Oliver and I are still the best of friends.
"This was totally my decision and [any appearance to the contrary] couldn't be farther from the truth."
Purnell said there was no pressure on Franklin.
"Absolutely not," Purnell said.
Franklin said timing as much as anything affected his decision.
"I've been thinking about this for 10 years. The time is right now, and it won't always be. We have a 1 1/2-year-old son [Trevor], and my wife Nancy has a great job as a systems engineer with a telecommunications firm. Tech is 12 miles away.
"This may be my only chance to go to school and not be poor."
The position will not be advertised until it becomes open July 1.
"I have a couple of people in mind," Purnell said. "I'd like to move to get it filled as quickly as possible."
by CNB