By

No, I wasn't at all surprised he left.

Yes, I was very surprised it was for Virginia Tech.

I figured something was up when Williams was unreachable for the better part of the week. That's not like him. I was preparing for some of the bigger jobs to open because Auburn, South Florida and Virginia Tech just didn't make sense.

Virginia Tech was a stunner because it never fit what I perceived to be his needs. But then again, Williams is a very competitive, driven guy who apparently believes he can make something happen at an ACC bottom-feeder.

If it's a lifestyle thing, I can't argue with him. Blacksburg is a pretty place. I've been there many times and it seems like a nice place to live, especially after this brutal Milwaukee winter. But once I got stranded near there by a 22-inch snowstorm while trying to get to UW-Whitewater's national championship football game. Again, I don't think Williams cares if it rains, shines, whatever, he's that hyper-focused. But if his family wanted a change, more power to him.

I saw a little bit of a change in him this year. Even though former AD Larry Williams was out of his way, he seemed restless, discontented, at times. It's very possible he wanted to get out while the getting was good if he believed he could go no further at Marquette. But Virginia Tech makes it look he was jumping just to jump because there is nothing about the Virginia Tech basketball program that remotely compares to what he had at Marquette.