Purnell out

[DemonLS]

DePaul did NOT reach out to Craig Robinson! He is horrible.

[Hall2012]

The more I think about it, the more I think they should just get the biggest name possible. The program can use every bit of hype possible. And how often do we really here about a big name hire totally failing?

Oliver Purnell comes to mind...

[Jet915]

DePaul did NOT reach out to Craig Robinson! He is horrible.

I hope this is true, that would be the worst move ever....

[gofriars08]

DePaul fans, did Derrick Marks just completely fly under the radar for the Purnell staff? Watching the game last night and finding out an all-conference player like him slipped through Chicago and landed in the middle of nowhere in Idaho just blows my mind. I know Chicago is a big area to recruit but how do you let a kid like that slip away? 6-3, 210 pound power guard seems like a no-brainer type of addition for a program like the Demons.

Regarding coaches, my short list would include:

Bryce Drew - great coaching bloodlines, local recruiting, and has coaching experience already. May be tough to convince him to leave Valpo though

Archie Miller - I know it is a long-shot but you gotta at least call this guy IMO. To me he'd be the home run hire

Greg Gard - excellent Xs and Os guy and the lead recruiter for Wisconsin, so he knows the local recruiting area. No experience but working with Bo Ryan gives me confidence

Jeff Boals - excellent recruiter and again a guy on a staff of one of the best coaches in the country (Matta). Matta assistants have a great track record - Brad Stevens, Sean Miller, John Groce, Todd Lickliter

Howland intrigues me but only with the right assistants to pull in local talent. He'll immediately have that team playing tougher and smarter; Purnell's frantic system never really seemed to fit with the rugged Big East style.

[billyjack]

DePaul is going hard after Ben Howland.
Great news.
Interviewing next week

From zagsblog:

http://zagsblog.com/articles/source-dep ... ore-131313

[Jet915]

DePaul is going hard after Ben Howland.
Great news.
Interviewing next week

From zagsblog:

http://zagsblog.com/articles/source-dep ... ore-131313

I like this. Especially if he can get the right assistants who can recruit and have some ties to Chicago.

[MUPanther]

Some will like it others will hate it after the SI story at his time at UCLA.

[billyjack]

DePaul is going hard after Ben Howland.
Great news.
Interviewing next week

From zagsblog:

http://zagsblog.com/articles/source-dep ... ore-131313

I like this. Especially if he can get the right assistants who can recruit and have some ties to Chicago.

Right, and at a minimum, if Howland is hired it shows that DePaul is still a great job and is relevant. DPU and the BE would get some seriously good press in Chicago and nationwide. This would be huge.

[TheZoo]

Bryce Drew - great coaching bloodlines, local recruiting, and has coaching experience already. May be tough to convince him to leave Valpo though

Archie Miller - I know it is a long-shot but you gotta at least call this guy IMO. To me he'd be the home run hire

.

Bryce Drew would be a magnificent pick up for DePaul. He likely knows the Chicago Public School talent pool better than most w/ his proximity at Valpo.

Forget Miller: 1) He wants the Pitt job which could open next year if Dixon doesn't turn it around; 2) Vincentian schools care more about serving the poor than athletics and will not pay him. It sounds pious but St. Johns and DePaul do more service for their metro communities than every other Catholic university w/ a major basketball program combined. I'm not saying they don't care....because the want to win as much as anyone....but their priorities are different. That is why you need a local guy to get local kids. Talent pool in Chicago is there and I think Drew can make this program proud again.

[gavitspeaks]

Forget Miller: 1) He wants the Pitt job which could open next year if Dixon doesn't turn it around; 2) Vincentian schools care more about serving the poor than athletics and will not pay him. It sounds pious but St. Johns and DePaul do more service for their metro communities than every other Catholic university w/ a major basketball program combined. I'm not saying they don't care....because the want to win as much as anyone....but their priorities are different. That is why you need a local guy to get local kids. Talent pool in Chicago is there and I think Drew can make this program proud again.[/quote]



The word is that Dayton and the ACC have been in talks to add them to the conference (minus football I guess. does Dayton have football?). The ACC thinks the Dayton grab gives them Pitt, ND, U of L, and Dayton in this geographic area and increases its footprint in the midwest giving the ACC 4 schools. If this rumor is accurate, it will be tough to get Miller from Dayton to go anywhere whethe rit be DePaul or Pitt or anywhere else.