Maryland Assistant Coaching Target Jimmy Patsos Remaining at Loyola?

Well, guess it was all for naught: Jimmy Patsos, formerly considered to be a lock for Maryland's open assistant coaching position, doesn't appear to be headed for College Park, at least not anytime soon. Rumors abound on message boards, and ESPN980 in DC purportedly also reported that Patsos will be staying at Loyola for the time being. That's far from a guarantee, but it's enough to cast a long, long shadow of doubt.

If it's true, I'm a little torn on the decision, partially because I had so convinced myself that Patsos would be good for the program for a variety of reasons. Honestly, he did make a lot of sense for the position, so him not ending up in it, whether it's Maryland's decision or his, isn't ideal. Then again, a lot of people make sense for this position, not just Patsos, so it could end up with some positive consequences in the long run. (One of which, albeit maybe not positive, is that we can't quite trust Steve Yanda all that much again).

We can't assume truth yet without more official word from at least one party, but at this point it seems more likely than not that Patsos will be at Loyola. If that's the case, we'll go back to the drawing board for the potential candidates; a majority now seem unlikely, and it's my bet that the eventual hire will be a mid-major guy.

My horse in the race is Bino Ransom, if he can be had. A Baltimore native that currently coaches at Xavier, he landed Jordan Latham last year and is heading the recruitment of a few Baltimore-area players this year. He's a highly-regarded recruiter, and finding those that also know their way around Charm City - who's tense relationship with UMD is well-known despite Keith Booth's presence - isn't easy.

The other emerging favorite is more local and perhaps more realistic: Chris Caputo, the top assistant at George Mason. A New York City native, he has recruiting connections both in the Big Apple and in the DMV. He's well-known for his hard work on the trail; Dave Telep once mentioned on Twitter (can't find the tweet now) that he was one of the hardest-working coaches in CBB. Combined with Ehsan, he'd be formidable; my question has to do with his ability to handle being an RC at a program that consistently goes after top talent, one that I surely can't answer.

Of course, there are other possibilities: Dino Gaudio, maybe, or a Rob Ehsan promotion. But the longer those go on without happening, the less likely they appear, at least to the untrained eye. Do you have any awesome ideas for a potential #1 assistant?