By Zuri Berry, Boston.com staff

With Boston College departing ways with head basketball coach Al Skinner, Director of Athletics Gene DeFilippo noted that "change is good sometimes."

Skinner had been with Boston College since 1997, completing 12 years before mutually agreeing to leave the university, DeFilippo said.

"You know there's a lot of things that you look at when you look at a coach," DeFilippo said. "You look at the recruiting aspects, you look at the interactions between the fans and the players, you look at the number of people coming to the games ... you look at so many things over the course of the whole basketball program that it's not any one thing.

"You know, change is good sometimes," DeFilippo said. "How many basketball coaches have been at their same position for 13 years. Very, very few."

DeFilippo hinted that recruiting played a part in his philosophical differences with Skinner, who is the winningest coach in Boston College history. After discussing the differences, both parties decided to split after a meeting March 24.

Associate head coach Pat Duquette has been named the interim head coach of the Eagles as the university begins its search. Duquette has been a member of Skinner's staff since 1997.