Fire Leitao and/or DePaul Athletic Director??

[NovaBall]

How does DePaul's talent stack up against Norfolk state?

I think 90% of women's high school coaches in Alaska could take this DePaul team and beat Norfolk state by a dozen. Leitao is a bad coach.

2 things he's already made a HUGE difference with...

defensive rebounds. Last year they gave up 35.5% offensive rebounds to the other teams. Think about that. Last year they only got 64.5% of all missed shots. That's horrible(was #332 in the country). This year that number is down to only 29.5%(still can get better- but already #153).

2pt%. Last year teams shot 52.7% from 2 pt range. every year of the Purnell era they gave up over 50% from 2 pt range. This year so far, that number is 45.9%. That's just a huge difference....

But the teams they have played this year stink. Let's see how those numbers stack up in February.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I don't think Leitao or JLP are the right fits for DePaul moving forward, but I'm at least prepared to give Leitao the benefit of the doubt. While DePaul has shown zero inclination to properly build, support and/or maintain its men's basketball program, I do think that they are better off now than a season ago under Purnell. Let's see how the team fares once they're in Big East play - then we can see how much difference there is with the on court product.

[NovaBall]

An obviously I don't think they are going to fire him tomorrow (although they should). But this idea of giving this guy time to further destroy the program is faulty thinking.

[Xudash]

Nothing is acceptable with DePaul until and unless they blow out their current AD and create a culture that is based on hard work and winning.

For the love of God, and I have had one or five cocktails this evening - imported Venezuelan rum with Cubans while watching a Nor-easter coming into Ponte Vedra Beach this evening (how is that for proof of clarity) - this should have been settled firmly by the BE Presidents already: DePaul, you have too much to offer this conference. Get an athletic admin. with a clue and hire a dynamic coach that can bring you back, and do all that while you have a real chance to make a statement with a new facility, and in freakin Chicago at that.

Let the status quo continue with your current approach and you simply become - frankly, you're already there - the FORDHAM of the Big East. Fordham is a great academic school, but its brand suffers as soon as its athletics enters the picture.

Fix it already. Does your AD have photos on certain Trustees or the President?

[OmahaGuy]

Can't we all just chill on Leitao and give it a rest until after this season?!?! People need to quit overreacting and jumping to conclusions 5 games in. I know, it wasn't that splashy hire but he still must be given at least a fighting chance. Let's see what he and his Blue Demons can do for this season.

[Xudash]

Can't we all just chill on Leitao and give it a rest until after this season?!?! People need to quit overreacting and jumping to conclusions 5 games in. I know, it wasn't that splashy hire but he still must be given at least a fighting chance. Let's see what he and his Blue Demons can do for this season.

No problem. But, and I think you understand this already, EVERYONE - from the President to the AD to the Head Coach and his staff - have to be on the same page. The AD at DePaul is a bona fide idiot. If not an idiot, then a bona fide loser. Fine: give him this year, but the chain of management remains an issue, unless the miracle you are "wishing" for comes true.

[stever20]

How does DePaul's talent stack up against Norfolk state?

I think 90% of women's high school coaches in Alaska could take this DePaul team and beat Norfolk state by a dozen. Leitao is a bad coach.

2 things he's already made a HUGE difference with...

defensive rebounds. Last year they gave up 35.5% offensive rebounds to the other teams. Think about that. Last year they only got 64.5% of all missed shots. That's horrible(was #332 in the country). This year that number is down to only 29.5%(still can get better- but already #153).

2pt%. Last year teams shot 52.7% from 2 pt range. every year of the Purnell era they gave up over 50% from 2 pt range. This year so far, that number is 45.9%. That's just a huge difference....

But the teams they have played this year stink. Let's see how those numbers stack up in February.

but lets compare last years MTE tournament to this years MTE tournament..
this year-
DePaul plays-
South Carolina 19-47 from 2pt range(.404), .410 off reb(16/39)
Florida St 22-36 from 2 pt range(.611), .345 off reb (10/29)
Norfolk St 12-30 from 2 pt range(.400), .278 off reb (10/36)
so total they were 53-113 from 2 pt range(.469). Off reb 36/104 34.6%.

last year-
Colorado 21-40 from 2 pt range (.525), .250 off reb(8/32)
Ohio 28-40 from 2 pt range(.700), .367 off reb(11/30)
Loyola Marymount 20-35 from 2 pt range(.571), .423 off reb(11/26)
so total they were 69-115 from 2 pt range(.600). Off reb 30/88(34.1%)

so rebounding a smidge worse, but look at the 2 point shooting. You won't win any games giving up 60% shooting from 2 pt range.

And I would say quite frankly- South Carolina and FSU are light years better than Colorado(finished 101 last year) and Ohio(finished 235 last year). And Norfolk St right with Loyola Marymount(#291 last year).

[DemonLS]

NovaBall,

You seriously need a new frickin' hobby besides bashing DePaul.

No one is firing Leitao.
Yes, the AD probably should be fired. However, she is dealing with a serious medical condition so it will have to be her own decision.
DePaul's talent is average at best.
The Florida State and South Carolina losses are not bad losses.....you may want to check RPIs on those teams.
I am predicting that DePaul will have another losing season so no need to over-analyze every game.

When DePaul starts recruiting 4 and 5-star player, then you will hear from us.

You may want to focus on getting your VERY talented basketball team past the 2nd round this year. I could coach that team to the Elite 8!!!

[NovaBall]

How does depaul's talent stack up against Norfolk state?


Also, jay wright has made his bones with 3 and 4 star talent. He didn't have any five stars in his roster from fisher back in 2007 until Brunson this yr. Guys like darrun hilliard, dante cunningham, etc, are all 100+ rated recruits, and even scottie reynolds and randy foye were only ranked in the 50-75 range. His only 5 star recruits have been Jason Fraser, kyle Lowry, corey fisher and jalen Brunson. Guys like stokes, jvp, ochefu, Ray, yarou, etc.., were that next tier of player. james bell, Shane Clark, Dwayne Anderson, will Sheridan, mike nardi, archi, josh hart, kris Jenkins, phil booth, Reggie redding, none of these guys were highly rated recruits.

Btw, Jay could realistically catch depaul in career tournament wins by next yr. that's right, this coach that you think sucks somehow has almost caught depaul and their five decades of tradition in tournament wins.

Yup, bash a coach who has been to a final four, another elite 8, and some sweet 16's while defending Dave Leitao losing to penn state, South Carolina, fsu, and struggling against western Michigan and Norfolk. And feel free to come back to reality whenever you get a chance.



And jay's first team at nova was no more talented than this year's DePaul team, yet they managed 19 wins and a nit trip...

[stever20]

Florida St and South Carolina could both make the tourney this year you idiot. Neither one is a bad loss by any stretch of the imagination. Just stop calling those 2 games bad losses.

Also- 5 years before Wright took over at Villanova- they went 95-64 with 2 NCAA and 2 NIT appearances. Last 5 years for DePaul they went 54-105. You can't compare the 2 situations at all whatsoever. Any one with a scintilla of a brain knows that.