Jabir told his fellow coaches at 2:30 p.m. of his decision and informed his players at 3 p.m. About 10 minutes after stepping out of that meeting, Jabir told the Dayton Daily News, “I just explained to them how tired I am and how much they deserve and I didn’t feel I could give them what they deserve. I’ve just been emotionally drained and physically I’ve been a little concerned about my heart. I’ve just not been myself the last couple of years. I needed time to figure out what’s best for me and my family. It was the best job I ever had. It was the best people I’ve ever been around.”
There wasn’t one single moment that convinced Jabir now was the time to step down.
“It’s everything,” he said. “I’ve had heart problems in the past. I have had a pacemaker and defibrillator for 11 or 12 years. I almost died. It was 2001 or 2003. I’m fine. My cardiologist says I’m fine. I’ve just had some scares. It’s just time to regroup and re-energize.”
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The program’s all-time leader in wins, Jabir led the Flyers to their first Elite Eight in 2015.
However, Jabir said, “It’s funny. The Elite Eight run was awesome. But it also created expectations and pressure. It’s been ongoing for a couple of years. I haven’t been myself. My kids have been worried about me. I’ve been thinking about it and fighting it and struggling to overcome the feelings. I just wasn’t myself anymore and not happy.”
Jabir’s tenure ends with a record of 252-155. His Flyers teams made six straight NCAA tournament appearances, a streak that ended last season.
“Our amazing players and the program deserve the very best from their head coach and I feel at this time, I can’t give them that,” he said in the press release. “I want to catch my breath and spend time with my family.
“I look forward to returning to coaching someday. I will be cheering on the Flyers this season along with the best fans in the country.”
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