It's hard to imagine that at least Demoff can't smell BS when it is thrown out. And Snead has been around the block a few times even at his age.
If a potential HC is too timid to speak his mind in front the guys he'll have to work with, then move on.
Don't think for a minute that Snead especially doesn't know the guys he messed up on. He knows where they have some real issues; and if a candidate just wants to sugar coat things, well, I doubt they'd be interested.
I can't be sure of this, of course. But if Demofff gets this wrong, I doubt he'll be around to do it again. So I imagine he's going to be pretty pragmatic.