Purnell's Days Numbered, DePaul to Target Howland

[NYWarrior]

BC also survived a 1978-1979 point shaving scandal.

Wikipedia entry here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978%E2%80%9379_Boston_College_basketball_point_shaving_scandal

Sports Illustrated story here:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1124224/1/index.htm

As for the football program, it survived a similar scandal in 1996.
SI article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1009060/1/index.htm

Henry Hill.

BC, Betting Central.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Until DePaul makes changes at the top (Athletic Director), the school will continue to suffer.

[NYWarrior]

If I'm Howland, I make sure the commitment to basketball starts at the top.

If the University Prez is not onboard, I wait it out.  

Marquette was not relevant again until Fr. Wild bought in, brought in a real AD, and put $$ toward the program.

Howland will be 57 starting next season, figure he has one more go-round on the coaching carousel. Considering his remarkable pedigree as a program builder and coach -- why would he choose DePaul?  Maybe he will, but first things first at DPU -- fix the issue at AD and demonstrate an institutional commitment to playing at an elite level.

[Galway Eagle]

Howland will be 57 starting next season, figure he has one more go-round on the coaching carousel. Considering his remarkable pedigree as a program builder and coach -- why would he choose DePaul?  Maybe he will, but first things first at DPU -- fix the issue at AD and demonstrate an institutional commitment to playing at an elite level.

Like building a brand new stadium?

[LAZER]

I think Howland can get a much better job than DePaul, why put up with that mess?

[NYWarrior]

Like building a brand new stadium?

That's one element & there are certainly dozens of others yet to be resolved, like the AD and overall program spending.  

[Pakuni]

DePauls biggest problem is they cannot make significant inroads in the sleazy public league. Howland is not going to fix that. I believe he'd be a horrible hire. If Minnesota can grab Pitino's son and Northwestern can get Dukes top assistant, surely DePaul can get a young, fresh coach hungry to prove himself? Howland's best days are behind him. Might as well hire Gene Bartow.

Gulp ... agree totally with PRN here.
Howland is a really good coach, but I don't think he's going to have the patience, desire and energy to deal with the CPL. And no coach ever has, or ever will, succeed consistently at DePaul without recruiting the public league.

[KC_Warrior]

Correct.

That is what DePaul does, it recycles retreads.

And why stop with Howland?  How about Billy Gillespie?  Skip Plosser?  Kevin O'Neill?  Larry Eustachy?

FYI, Skip Prosser has been dead for 7 years now.

[Dawson Rental]

Another retread?

Correct.

That is what DePaul does, it recycles retreads.

And why stop with Howland?  How about Billy Gillespie?  Skip Plosser?  Kevin O'Neill?  Larry Eustachy?

Gentlemen, gentlemen, the retread argument has been debunked.  Must we go there again?

Actually, Howland would be the first hire to qualify as a retread seeing as he was actually let go by his previous employer.

[Dawson Rental]

I think Ben Howland is a bit of a different kind of retread than Purnell was.  Howland certainly knows how to recruit

Purnell was no retread he was hired away from an ACC school where he was having previously unheard of success. 

[Dawson Rental]

I think the biggest problem is that their AD decided to replace fairly successful football and basketball coaches with guys who were worse.

Was that before or after he gloated publicly about ESPN convincing the ACC to offer membership to Pitt and 'Cuse after the Big East turned down ESPN's TV offer?  There's a hot seat watch for you!

[Tugg Speedman]

FYI, Skip Prosser has been dead for 7 years now.

True ... But is he an upgrade over Purnell?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I have a lot of respect for Howland. And I recognize the tools that Depaul has (but seems unable to utilize). I would be curious to see what Howland could do with Depaul

[GoldenWarrior11]

Does anyone really think the new arena will help the program?  I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I'm just honestly curious.

[Dawson Rental]

Does anyone really think the new arena will help the program?  I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I'm just honestly curious.

Not while Lenti-Ponsetto allocates a large chunk of the Big East cash and most of her time and attention to the non-revenue programs.

[Jay Bee]

Howland would be interesting.

He essentially had to sit out this year to collect $$$ from UCLA based on the somewhat unique terms of his termination. He may be scouting this season and be prepared to elevate the Blue Demons (to second to last or so).

[KC_Warrior]

True ... But is he an upgrade over Purnell?

One could make that argument, yes.

[ChicosBailBonds]

via Tim Ring, sports anchor from Phoenix, who graduated from DePaul.

Hearing that DePaul's Oliver Purnell's days are winding down and the school will target former UCLA coach Ben Howland as his replacement.

https://twitter.com/timring3TV/status/438392111503663104

Based on what I heard 2 weeks ago at a UCLA game, I'd say this rumor has a lot of truth to it.  We shall see, but out of the mouths of babes to my ears...

[Dawson Rental]

Didn't DePaul try to get Howland last time, and get laughed at?  Or was it Jamie Dixon?

[NavinRJohnson]

Correct.

That is what DePaul does, it recycles retreads.

And why stop with Howland?  How about Billy Gillespie?  Skip Plosser?  Kevin O'Neill?  Larry Eustachy?

Yeah, this is just silly. UCLA isn't exactly struggling this year either, and that's not because of Alford. Top 3 are all guys Howland left behind. Only 2 freshmen really making any kind of meaningful contributions to a team that's having a pretty decent year.

DePaul (and consequenty the rest of he conference) would be lucky to get such a retread. He'll get better offers.

[sailwi]

I read the DU board from time to time to cheer myself up from this season and they are delusional in who the candidates would be if Purnell gets fired.  They aren't getting Howland, Pearl etc., they need a KO or Crean type that we hired back in the day.  They need someone with energy that in addition to recruiting and coaching will be a salesman for the program, they are so far down they need more than an x and o coach.  BTW they need to can the AD.I admire the 5 fans left who post on their board, it reminds me every day to thank KO for resurrecting us from oblivion 20+ years ago.

[79Warrior]

Not while Lenti-Ponsetto allocates a large chunk of the Big East cash and most of her time and attention to the non-revenue programs.

She is the problem. The AD should be fired and replaced, then get a new coach. She has done NOTHING to improve that program and should be tossed out.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yeah, this is just silly. UCLA isn't exactly struggling this year either, and that's not because of Alford. Top 3 are all guys Howland left behind. Only 2 freshmen really making any kind of meaningful contributions to a team that's having a pretty decent year.

DePaul (and consequenty the rest of he conference) would be lucky to get such a retread. He'll get better offers.

UCLA won the Pac 12 title last year as well.  People forget this.  The problem is that they had Shabazz last year, a McD's player that had to get his touches, etc.  In my view, he made them much less of a team than this year's squad.  Addition by subtraction.

[Avenue Commons]

DePaul should have gone after Chris Collins two years ago.

[MarquetteDano]

Since we r talking about coaching changes....

Bruce Pearl's show cause expires after this season. Boston College is rumored to be interested. I really think the addition of Pitt and SU will help that athletic department.

How do you feel that RPI has the ACC ranked fifth, and Sagarin has them ranked fifth?

Just wondering your reaction since it seemed that you were saying the ACC was the greatest league ever assembled the world over.