Kent earns a shot to turn things around.

Byline: Bob Clark The Register-Guard

It wasn't a close call, Bill Moos said.

It was the decision he expected, Ernie Kent said later.

So why did it take two days of meetings between the director of athletics and the basketball coach before reporters were called to the Casanova Center on Tuesday for the announcement that Kent would be back for a 10th season?

In essence, for Moos to receive assurance from Kent, and a select group of players, that he was correctly analyzing the situation in the program that, he said, he had become very involved with in the recently completed season.

`I'm not happy with our production the last couple of years and especially this year,' Moos said in summing up his reason to stay the course with Kent. `But there's been a great amount of accomplishment here under Ernie Kent and in my opinion, he deserves another year.'

What Moos didn't do, however, was institute the rollover clause in Kent's contract, to extend the length of it beyond the 2010 season. Moos said he held off on that additional vote of confidence because `I have an obligation financially for our program. If there was need to to make a change down the road, this will enable us to do that with a smaller buyout.'

It would have cost the Ducks about $3 million to let Kent go now.

`It shouldn't hurt him in recruiting,' Moos added of four years still remaining on the contract, with his scholarships already filled for next season.

Kent seemed accepting of not receiving the usually automatic extension, stating that `I would fully expect him to do exactly what he did. That's OK.

`Does that put any added pressure on us as a staff or a program? The pressure was going to be on us anyhow.'

Under Kent, Oregon has compiled a 164-112 record, with three appearances in the NCAA Tournament and two more in the NIT, both of which saw the Ducks advance to the semifinals in New York.

His past two teams, however, have failed to make the postseason with records of 14-13 and 15-18, and despite higher preseason expectations, finished tied for ninth in the Pac-10 and seventh this year.

`It wasn't as if we were horrible,' Kent said. `We're still not where we need to be, and I'm well aware of that. It's my job to get us there.'

Moos said his expectations for the Ducks next season would be a finish in the first division of the conference, which would likely mean being in contention for an NCAA berth.

`Yes, I do believe that's where we should be' on a regular basis, Moos said.

While he acknowledged the possibility of his decision not being universally applauded, Moos said `I don't want fans to give up on somebody who's been a proven winner. You need only look to the years prior to Ernie being here and there were some mediocre ball clubs. Some say this was a mediocre team this year. This program is not mediocre.

`We were all disappointed and frustrated with this year's performance, but what I have to (base) my decision on is the health of the program. There are questions I had to discuss with Ernie. The bottom line is I was comfortable with his answers.'

Moos said he also listened to `people in my circle of trust,' and kept UO President Dave Frohnmayer `in the loop' on the process, but was alone in making the decision.

Before doing so, he spoke with four players, after informing Kent of his desire to do so to make sure the coach didn't feel `it was behind his back.' Moos selected the players, and while declining to identify them by name said they were `key players. And they are players that there have been rumors about defections' from the program.

Moos said `every one of them supported Ernie. Every one of them said he wanted Ernie to remain as long as they were here.'

Kent said he wasn't aware of which players met with his boss, but was obviously appreciative of the support.

`If there's a point in time where I would lose the respect and backing of my players, that would be a tremendous hurt for me,' Kent said. `I felt confident with (Moos) talking to any of our players.'

Moos said he, and Frohnmayer, have received considerable input from the public on Kent, which he described as split `about 50-50' between support of or opposition to the coach.

There is some concern about the issue of the coach's future clouding Oregon's plan to soon move ahead with a new basketball arena, but Moos said that `is in an investment in the future. If we go ahead, it's going to be a part of Oregon for the next hundred years. Many, many coaches will benefit from that arena.'

What also seemed to argue the strongest for Kent's retention was the look back over the entire tenure of the former Oregon player directing the program, and he assured reporters he still has `that excitement, that passion' for the job that he did when hired.

`For us, it's full steam ahead with what we want to do with this basketball team,' Kent said.

Winning, as it did with three 20-win seasons and subsequent NCAA appearances in a span of four years, and NIT berths the year before and after that, would probably be a good idea for the Ducks next year, or it will be very difficult for Kent to be offered another season.

`This program has had success,' Moos said. `If we were finishing nine years of mediocrity, we would be here talking about a change. The standards we are expecting to be working under were established by Ernie. Sometimes, people have short memories.

`At the same time, one of my mottoes since I came here is to invest in our success and not become complacent and not wander into apathy of any type. I don't believe that has happened.'

CAPTION(S):

Oregon men's basketball coach Ernie Kent was retained to coach the Ducks next season despite two consecutive disappointing seasons with a highly touted recruiting class. Wayne Eastburn / The Register-Guard UO athletics director Bill Moos said he consulted others but said he made the decision to keep Ernie Kent on his own. `If we were finishing nine years of mediocrity, we would be here talking about a change. The standards we are expecting to be working under were established by Ernie. Sometimes, people have short memories." BILL MOOS UO DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS