I agree that DP bailed, and it's fair to say he left because he realized it would not be an easy task to make this program competitive in the top tier of the conference, even with the Well move happening.
I disagree about DP moving the bar. DP's recruiting connections allowed him to rectify an awful roster he inherited in his first year (on a limited recruiting window) in the worst facilities in D1, but he failed in following up with an improved season in year 2. Even with the disappointing regular season, this program still got 2 wins in a BSCT (including an upset over the top seed) which is something that has never happened here before.
Not buying the talent level being subpar to what we saw before his arrival. Top to bottom DP's roster was more athletic than anything we saw in the waning years of the Katz/Laird era. The issue was that they did not play well as a team until the last month of the season. The biggest disappointment about DP leaving is not seeing if that would have carried over into next season.
Given the current dynamic of D1 athletics, the expectation of having a coach here for the "long haul" is a thing of the past. If we have a coach here for the long haul, then it means the program is mired in mediocrity. Barring a past connection to this program (alum), it is hard to set that as a realistic expectation. Nothing connects a coach/program to the local community more than winning does so I think the "local ties" angle is overblown. I want a coach that can come in, be successful, and then be poached for a higher profile position in 2-4 years, otherwise it's just more of the same underachievement for this program.