Scott Drew was only the head coach at Valpo for one year.
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Scott Drew was only the head coach at Valpo for one year.
Yes, but he was on his father's staff for a long time as the coach in waiting. The religious angle is a big deal with the Drews. Scott took the Baylor job because they practically begged him to. Someone had to clean up the mess after the Dave Bliss scandal. I thought he would have been a great choice for Marquette when Crean left, but then he got a rep as slimy at Baylor.
Both Adam Zagoria and Roy Schmidt reporting on Twitter that the job is basically Ben Howland's to turn down.
Had heard that from a few people early on, and those two are about as credible sources as you will find. (Three if you count Bulls-Eye as two people).
Howland is a good coach and I'm sure he would win there, but as someone said above, that isn't the answer. You need someone to come in with their hair on fire and light the place up. Howland will recruit and coach, but you need to rebuild that fan base in a hurry, and winning will take time.
Along with Hurley, I would look at Andy Toole, Steve Masiello, and Brad Underwood.
The problem with Howland is also how he would likely play. Yes, he showed the ability to play up-tempo at UCLA, but I think that was largely in response to criticism from their fanbase. If he takes over DePaul, he'll likely slow it down and try to win grind-it-out games. It will work, I'm sure he'll win some with it, but it won't be appealing to the eyes. It will take at least 2-3 years before he can really start winning there, I'd imagine, and watching a losing slow-down program won't win many new fans. He'd be a terrible hire. Maybe not the kind that would set the program back like Wainwright and Purnell did, but more likely the kind that would just have the program stagnating for a decade.
Many wanted Howland the coach at Marquette. This would be a solid hire for DePaul.
In Howland's last year he won the Pac 12 title and went to NCAA tourney. Also took team to final fours.
I think there were some issues beyond wins and losses that resulted in him getting let go at UCLA.
It sure won't hurt the conference is DePaul becomes a decent team in the future.
I am having a discussion with my buddy on how Depaul is not committed to their men's basketball program. He is citing the new stadium to show that they are. Can someone recount the story how someone was talking to a Depaul administrator and how they refuse to do it the Marquette way?
Yeah, you have to look at Howland's record and wonder why he doesn't have a job. I got the definite impression when he was in the hunt last year that a lot of people did not like him. Maybe that does not matter so much when you are trying to turn a program around, but I was glad we did not hire him.
He burned a ton of recruiting bridges and the SI story gave the impression that he ran a thuggish, lawless program. Stories from guys like Carlino and Holiday have destroyed his reputation.
Howland can coach basketball, but he ran an abysmal program and allowed his players to be terrorized by their teammates. He just seems like a terrible person that not only recruits a number of low character kids but doesn't enforce any rules when they do drugs, physically assault each other, or urinate on their teammates' belongings. If DePaul hires him, they deserve exactly the type of despicable program they will get.
I have said that where Depaul has gotten into trouble was not really the AD's fault, but a lack of commitment from the administration. People do not understand how close MU came to having the very same problem. When Hank was quietly pushed upstairs to allow Rick Majerus to become coach, he was not pleased, but because he was a great man he went with very little push back. The problems came when Rick realized the landscape had changed and he needed a much bigger budget. He went to Hank, the AD at the time who did not see any reason Rick " couldn't do things the way we had always done them". Rick was not able to get top assistants, was not able to recruit other than Chicago and Wisc., Chicago was locked up at that time with DePaul and Lou Henson at Illinois getting most of the top talent. When Rick left the administration would not pay for a top coach( although supposedly there were many interested), we ended up with the piano player. Without a change at the top we would never have been able to bounce back and we might now be the equivalent of Loyola Chicago.
The administration at DePaul, MIGHT now be changing, but rest assured they knew they were not giving the AD the needed funds to compete in top men's basketball. So for those that say she has been a train wreck I can only say that if the administration thought they had given her the proper support they would have gotten rid of her a long time ago. I will reprint a post I made a long time ago as to what some reasons may have been for their lack of concern. I do believe that the support from the administration may be changing, so the pressure may now start to build.
I agree that is where she should put her time and effort into and be judged by, unless as is the case here her bosses do not provide the assets needed to do that job. The administration knows they are not allowing her to be successful in that area and for whatever reason they are ok with that decision. Depaul does not need basketball as a marketing tool, they are the largest Catholic university in the country, they are quite content being very well regarded and very well connected in the Chicago area. Where MU has always had an outsiders view from the Milwaukee powers and has been subjected to UW alums being in control of the city that is not the case for Depaul. U of I is just another university in Chicago not as well connected as Depaul alums or at best on equal terms, all this is to say that basketball is no where near as important to Depaul as it is to MU, and Depaul Administrations will not pay the dollars needed to be good and they know that and understand that they are sacrificing Jean to that extent.
I know WarriorO'Malley knows what is going on at a DePaul. If that is how the DePaul admins feel, they shouldn't be in the BIG EAST. They should be in the MVC or Horizon.
Doesn't matter what you are talking about, quite honestly. Most of the "people" you cited have no real clue as to if Howland is the right choice or not. I gave an appropriate analogy. If you do not understand that, that is your problem. I could care less who wanted Howland and who did not Only those involved in the process (your disregarded) matter.
Howland isn't out at UCLA because he didn't win. He's out because he ran a terrible program and fostered a vicious culture of terror. Ask Matt Carlino if Marquette should have hired Ben Howland. The reason no one has hired him is because no one wants to play for him.
He would probably win some at DePaul but he would be an awful hire and would have been an awful hire here.
WindyCityBasketball @WndyCtyBsktball 12m12 minutes ago
Have heard DePaul may be moving off of Ben Howland now and pursuing Bobby Hurley.
Lord I hope so.
I'm sure most people on here saw this earlier today, but I'll post for those who didn't:
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanESPN · 10h 10 hours ago
Names expected to be in equation for DePaul: Ty Corbin, Ben Howland, Bryce Drew, source told ESPN. D-2 coach Linc Darner darkhorse candidate
DePaul also considering Buffalo coach Bobby Hurley, source told ESPN.
Totally random, but a response to Goodman's tweet that I found hilarious:
Drew Mayhew @remaxkingston 10h10 hours ago
@GoodmanESPN What is a Linc Darner? #dpubb
Info on Darner
.As a collegiate player, Darner was a four-year letterman for coach Gene Keady at Purdue University, where the Boilermakers went 82-42 in his career (1990-94) and earned three NCAA Tournament bids. He was the first player under Keady to be named a team captain twice, and was a teammate of future NBA #1 draft pick Glenn Robinson, and current Purdue head coach Matt Painter. In 1991, following his freshman year at Purdue, Darner played in the United States Olympic Festival where he helped the North team to a gold medal.
Darner has been a very successful coach at the D2 level. I think he would be considered an up and comer, but DePaul is probably above his level right now. I think if DePaul goes with Bryce Drew, Darner would be a natural at Valpo.
Ben Howland being linked to Mississippi State job.
Schmidt brothers confirm:
Have been told by a source who would surely know that Bobby Hurley is now DePaul's top target for the HC opening there.
So did Howland decide to go elsewhere? Maybe this explains why Rick Ray was abruptly let go yesterday.
It funny nbcsports.com is first to report on many things. Who knew.
"@thekapman: What I’m hearing on coaching front: DePaul likes Bryce Drew a lot, also considering Dave Leitao again, Howland closing in on deal at Miss St"
RT @GoodmanESPN: Ben Howland has reached a verbal agreement to become the Mississippi State coach,
Roy Schmidt:
OK--let's cut thru the BS--I don't know if Bobby Hurley gets the DePaul job but I DO know he is definitely interested.
Ex-DePaul Player Stephen Howard has Ideas to Fix DePaul...seems like a smart dude, but don't agree with him...
http://chicago.suntimes.com/colleges...eas-fix-depaul
MU grad and Sun-Times columnist on DePaul coaching situation...
http://chicago.suntimes.com/colleges...stay-fans-dont