Purnell to DePaul

[SM#24]

I'm kind of surprised by this.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/news/story?id=5059657

[The_Mack_Pack]

And I didn't think Depaul could be any dumber...

[boozehound]

I guess they figured that if Dayton's current underachieving coach wasn't interested then they would go for Dayton's previous underachieving coach.

Interesting that after all the talk about paying big bucks for a good coach they go and get Oliver Freaking Purnell from Clemson. That guy has like 2 NCAA tournament appearances in the last 10 years.

[bigdiggins]

I guess they figured that if Dayton's current underachieving coach wasn't interested then they would go for Dayton's previous underachieving coach.

Interesting that after all the talk about paying big bucks for a good coach they go and get Oliver Freaking Purnell from Clemson. That guy has like 2 NCAA tournament appearances in the last 10 years.

Actually he has three in the last three years and 6 overall. Heck I'll give him 7 and let him take credit for the midget's first tourney appearance. Now, he has never won a game in any of those appearances.

Actually from Depaul's standpoint not a bad hire. Purnell has proven at both Dayton and Clemson the ability to take a program from complete crap to above average. If he can do that over the next 6 years or so @ Depaul they will be in a position to bring a good coach at that point and Ollie can move on to the next complete crap program.

[JimCoker]

Oliver Purnell???!?!?! Are you freaking kidding me???? What a loser of a choice. Maybe Tony Yates wasn't available!!! There are coaches in the Reading youth program VYO more qualified. Wow.

[xnatic03]

I agree that this is actually a decent hire. The guy has proven at all of his previous stops that he can build a program back to respectability when it's in the absolute crapper. Dayton was horrific at the end of the O'Brien days and he brought them back to decency. He's not going to take them over the top by any means, but he will get them back to decency.

[Xman95]

I'm guessing Ollie had to jump at the bigger contract now. Expectations will be higher for next season's Clemson team and Purnell has never really been able to do much more than get to the dance. He's the poster coach for one-and-dones. Had he stayed at Clemson and crapped his pants in the tourney AGAIN, the chances of a team offering more $$$ start to drop.

Purnell gets a program so far, then the growth stops. There had to be some internal fear that he wouldn't live up to expectations so the time to go was now.

[xnatic03]

His teams remind me a lot of Prosser/Gaudio teams.....great early in the season, and they wear down as the season goes on. By March, they look pathetic and get bounced early in the tournament.

[Retire33]

Any chance Clemson now looks toward Kelsey?

[MD Muskie]

Actually he has three in the last three years and 6 overall. Heck I'll give him 7 and let him take credit for the midget's first tourney appearance. Now, he has never won a game in any of those appearances.

Actually from Depaul's standpoint not a bad hire. Purnell has proven at both Dayton and Clemson the ability to take a program from complete crap to above average. If he can do that over the next 6 years or so @ Depaul they will be in a position to bring a good coach at that point and Ollie can move on to the next complete crap program.

Is he even going to get 6 years there? Depaul is the doormat of the Big East and their brass is practically expecting a turnaround overnight because of the insane sense of belongingment (yes i made that up). He'll be lucky if last 4 years there.

[LA Muskie]

I have no idea if he's the right choice for DePaul, but I've always liked Purnell. If I had a teenage boy, he's one of the few coaches with whom I'd be willing to entrust my child. He seems to do it the right way, even if that doesn't necessarily translate into success at the top level.

[Xman95]

Any chance Clemson now looks toward Kelsey?

I don't think so. They'll probably go for someone who already has head coaching experience. However, that could open up something else for Kelsey.

Example: Mooney from Richmond goes to Clemson. Now Richmond could look to Kelsey.

I think Pat is going to have to take that second-level job before getting offered a big gig like Clemson. Very few top programs are willing to turn things over to a guy without experience. Of course X has done it a couple times, but I think those are special situations.

I wonder if Clemson is going to be willing to raid Dayton once again. Any chance they look to Gregory? Personally, I wouldn't. But he seems to have a pretty good rep in the college hoops world and maybe they look into it. That would be a very good thing for Dayton!

[LutherRackleyRulez]

Related articles.....



Greenville SC online.....


http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20100406/SPORTS/100406001/1025/SPORTS0101/Clemson-sets-3-p.m.-news-conference--Purnell-headed-to-DePaul




Chicago Tribune....


http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/04/clemson-coach-purnell-at-depaul-on-monday.html

[Xman95]

I have no idea if he's the right choice for DePaul, but I've always liked Purnell. If I had a teenage boy, he's one of the few coaches with whom I'd be willing to entrust my child. He seems to do it the right way, even if that doesn't necessarily translate into success at the top level.

I would entrust my child to any coach at Xavier. More to the point, I would entrust my child to Xavier.:D

Actually, I agree with you on Purnell. He does seem like one of the good ones. That being said, if a kid is looking for a program with National Championship hopes - hell, even Sweet 16 hopes - then Ollie is not the guy you want to play for.

You know, I actually think we saw two coaches last night who do right by their players. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach K as a person and Brad Stevens strikes me as a good guy. Can't say any parent should be upset if their kid plays for either of those guys.

[xavierj]

I think Kelsey will wait and see what the lakers and nets or going to do. Jeezel when did pat start to walk on water?

[Xman95]

By the way, Ollie just put this suit up for sale on Ebay if anyone's interested.

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/harveypurnell.jpg

[Xman95]

I think Kelsey will wait and see what the lakers and nets or going to do. Jeezel when did pat start to walk on water?

That's why I said I thought he was going to have to take a second-level job first. The Charlotte gig is probably a perfect fit if they offer.

[MADXSTER]

http://statsheet.com/mcb/teams/clemson/coaches

I'm surprised he's leaving. Purnell has the highest winning percentage of all coaches since 1921.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/teams/clemson/recruiting

Recent recruiting shows that he picked up 2009 Rivals #21 6'9" PF Milton Jennings, #42 6'6" SF Noel Johnson, #86 6'7" PF Devin Booker, and 2008 Rivals #65 7'0" C Catalin Baciu

Must be $$

[Retire33]

I think Kelsey will wait and see what the lakers and nets or going to do. Jeezel when did pat start to walk on water?

Clemson is a mid-level ACC team that takes GREAT recruiting to succeed with UNC, Duke, Wake, NCST, USC, and GT recruiting in your backyard.

I do agree Kelsey would be a big reach at this point but who's to say he wouldn't be more successful than some of the candidates listed (including two of OP's assistants and Billy Gilespe).

[xubrew]

put me in the camp that thinks this is a decent hire for depaul.

i'm also in the camp that thinks this is an awful move for purnell.

i honestly think reggie theus would have been the better choice, though, but purnell isn't bad.

[LA Muskie]

I would entrust my child to any coach at Xavier. More to the point, I would entrust my child to Xavier.:D
I would too. It wasn't an exhaustive list. I was just saying that Purnell would be among the coaches with whom I could entrust a hypothetical teenage son/basketball stud.


You know, I actually think we saw two coaches last night who do right by their players. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach K as a person and Brad Stevens strikes me as a good guy. Can't say any parent should be upset if their kid plays for either of those guys.
Agreed there as well. Other coaches with whom I *think* I would entrust my hypothetical teenage son/basketball stud, in addition to XU (admittedly I haven't done in-depth research into graduation rates, etc.): Coach K, Paul Hewitt, Jay Wright, JTIII, Steve Donahue (now at BC), Matt Painter, Scott Drew, Jeff Capel, Bill Self, Rick Barnes, Mike Montgomery, Johnny Dawkins, Kevin Stallings, Phil Martelli, Chris Mooney, Fran Dunphy, Mark Few, Dana Altman, Brad Stevens, Brad Brownell, Tommy Amaker.

[DC Muskie]

put me in the camp that thinks this is a decent hire for depaul.

i'm also in the camp that thinks this is an awful move for purnell.

i honestly think reggie theus would have been the better choice, though, but purnell isn't bad.

Purnell is a decent coach.

DePaul is an awful program.

Reggie Theus is an awful coach.

DePaul should thank it's lucky stars they didn't hire Theus.

[xubrew]

Purnell is a decent coach.

DePaul is an awful program.

Reggie Theus is an awful coach.

DePaul should thank it's lucky stars they didn't hire Theus.

why do you think he's an awful coach?? in his only two years as a head coach, he took over a team that was in much worse shape than depaul (five wins in two years, or something like that), and took them to the ncaa tournament with 20+ wins in just his second season. new mexico state is still a wac frontrunner because of theus. he also played a big role in recruiting a final four team at louisville. if you put him in chicago, which is a fertile recruiting ground, i think he'd do pretty well.

i don't watch the nba, so if he screwed up the kings (i think it was) then i could see why people would think he sucked. he did great in college, though.

[smileyy]

i'm also in the camp that thinks this is an awful move for purnell.


Uh? The guy got 7 years at probably 2M+, a year or two before he's on the hot seat at Clemson for lack of tournament success. How is that a bad move?

[Mrs. Garrett]

Much better to get Purnell than Theus. Theus' best coaching was done at Deering High, where he bolted after some success and was replaced by Dick Butkus.

Oh yeah Theus also had a girl on that team.

[DC Muskie]

why do you think he's an awful coach?? in his only two years as a head coach, he took over a team that was in much worse shape than depaul (five wins in two years, or something like that), and took them to the ncaa tournament with 20+ wins in just his second season. new mexico state is still a wac frontrunner because of theus. he also played a big role in recruiting a final four team at louisville. if you put him in chicago, which is a fertile recruiting ground, i think he'd do pretty well.

i don't watch the nba, so if he screwed up the kings (i think it was) then i could see why people would think he sucked. he did great in college, though.

I think you give Theus way too much credit. I swear if I keep reading what so-and-so would do in the Chicago area, I might go nuts.

NMSU had 6 wins the year before. The year before that they won 13 games. Lou Henson was basically dying. So good work Theus getting that team to sweep Boise State.

He stayed for two years before the Gamblers gave him the Kings job. And then they canned him. The guy is basically walking around saying he worked for Rick Pitino and Hang Time.

By the way, you know who else helped recruit that Final Four team in Louisville?

Mick Cronin.

Wonder how he'd do in Chicago with all that talent.

[xubrew]

Uh? The guy got 7 years at probably 2M+, a year or two before he's on the hot seat at Clemson for lack of tournament success. How is that a bad move?

you'll have to forgive me. i didn't realize he wasn't planning on having any tournament success at clemson.

in all seriousness, wasn't this past recruiting class at clemson one of the best they've had in quite some time?? it just looked like things were really about to fall into place for them and i'm surprised that he's bolting for a program that, among other things, has a home areana that's more difficult for them and their fans to get to as many of their away games. i think depaul has potential. they have a fairly centrally located alumni base in a city that loves basketball and produces a ton of high school talent. it's just that clemson had potential too. in fact, clemson went beyond having potential to be good. they appeared to be good already and on the doorstep of becoming better.



I swear if I keep reading what so-and-so would do in the Chicago area, I might go nuts.

oh well. i'm sure purnell will do great there. after all, he's in the chicago area now so he should be able to do fantastic.

[DC Muskie]

Has Purnell ever recruited the Chicago area? I know he recruits a lot up here, landing a DeMatha kid every once in awhile. He's go Horace Grant's kid at Clemson, which he chose over DePaul actually.

[xubrew]

Has Purnell ever recruited the Chicago area? I know he recruits a lot up here, landing a DeMatha kid every once in awhile. He's go Horace Grant's kid at Clemson, which he chose over DePaul actually.

damned if i know. i just wanted to see if you'd go nuts.

[xnatic03]

I dont' care how good his recruiting class was coming in. The man has proven he can re-invigorate a program, but he cannot win in the NCAA tournament. He wasn't going to win a game in the tourney at Clemson.

[smileyy]

I dont' care how good his recruiting class was coming in. The man has proven he can re-invigorate a program, but he cannot win in the NCAA tournament. He wasn't going to win a game in the tourney at Clemson.

At the very least, if I were him, I wouldn't want to stake future paychecks on making that happen. With DePaul, he's got $15M in the bank without having to win those games.

I think I saw that he only paid a 250K buyout? I doubt Clemson was going to guarantee him for 14.75M.