Purnell leaves for DePaul
by DrB on Apr 6, 2010 1:53 AM EDT
in Clemson Basketball
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PrintI have learned that DePaul has hired Clemson head coach Oliver Purnell and has agreed to a 7 year contract with him in excess of 15 million dollars when you add in the buyout of his Clemson contract. He was on campus today and and will be introduced in a press conference at 1:30 Tuesday on DePaul's campus.
Purnell has been the head coach at Clemson since 2003 and while he has made Clemson competitive and has taken them to the NCAA Tournament 3 times, he is 0-6 in his career in NCAA games. He has no ties to the Chicago area and the jury is out on whether or not he can recruit players from this area to rebuild a program that was 1-35 the past two seasons in Big East play.
Via Greg Wallace earlier this evening.
Three Chicago sources - WeAreDePaul.com, an independent Internet site affiliated with the Scout.com network, ChicagoNow.com and WBBM-TV, Chicago's CBS affiliate - reported that Clemson coach Oliver Purnell was on DePaul's Chicago campus Monday, where he met with members of the Blue Devils' administration about their vacant men's basketball job. WeAreDePaul.com reported that DePaul has "zeroed in" on Purnell, who has spent the past seven years at Clemson, recording a 138-90 record, including 20-win campaigns the last four years and three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Clemson finished the season with an 86-78 NCAA Tournament loss to Missouri, its third first-round loss in as many years.
Much too late for me to have much reaction, but it is surprising nonetheless. Perhaps OP agrees with those who said he plateaued here, but Clemson's AD was giving him the new practice facility as far as our sources have said. I'd go get Stevens from Butler in a heartbeat if I were TDP. However at this hour I'm just as sleepy as he is 24/7.
Edit: Greg Wallace amends his story, Purnell gone.
Morning Edit: An interesting note from Larry Williams
-- Late last night, Purnell informed TDP he was leaving. We believe Purnell allowed for a counteroffer, but apparently that counteroffer did not come close to what DePaul offered him ($2 million plus). We believe that whatever counteroffer Clemson presented Purnell came after Clemson ran cost-of-living comparisons between Clemson and Chicago, and then arrived at a figure it deemed competitive with DePaul's.
-- Even though Purnell was happy that the administration was meeting his demands regarding the practice facility, we do think he had grown tired of some other aspects of dealing with the higher-ups at Clemson. He had told people close to him that the only way to get things done here was to apply leverage in the form of talks with other schools. Even before his departure to DePaul, he had not been shy about listening to potential suitors. We think his talks with Georgia last year were more serious than was let on. He was also close to leaving for LSU several years ago. Maybe the money DePaul was offering, coupled with the rich recruiting base in the Chicago area, presented enough motivation for him to leave this time.
-- Purnell is reasonable, good-natured and far from the most thin-skinned coach we've come across. But we do think the criticism he faced for the one-and-done NCAA Tournament futility bothered him. It wasn't long ago that simply getting to the NCAA Tournament was a major feat, and we're not sure Purnell felt totally embraced by the folks here
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Is it too crazy for us to get Brad Stevens?
Don’t put that idea in my head. I want this to happen so bad.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
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Evan Lysacek: 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist ♥
PLEASE GOD
but when TDP wakes up next week, somebody else will have hired him. TDP will do an ‘exhaustive’ search and end up hiring the team waterboy as head coach.
by DrB on Apr 6, 2010 2:09 AM EDT up reply actions
I can't go to sleep now!
And I have an 8 AM! It would make my life if they hired Brad. I’d feel bad for Butler for about 2 seconds and then it would be party time! And their going to the lottery system for student tickets. I’m going to have to go to a lot of soccer games. Better start going to the baseball games too. To prepare.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
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Evan Lysacek: 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist ♥
Well you wont hear anything tonight
unless TNet has a meltdown and you like to watch a trainwreck, no need to stay up.
YOU SHOULD be going to the baseball games ALREADY ClemsonGirl!!!
by DrB on Apr 6, 2010 2:16 AM EDT up reply actions
I know.
But they just haven’t been at good times. I was going to go Saturday but I wanted to see the Butler game because as you can tell I love their coach and therefore them. And the middle of the week usually doesn’t work for my friends and I hate going alone.
And now you’ve put ideas in my head and I’m too excited. I blame you. :)
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
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Evan Lysacek: 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist ♥
by ClemsonGirl on Apr 6, 2010 2:27 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I doubt hes going anywhere
Why would he?
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
A girl can dream can't she?
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
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Evan Lysacek: 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist ♥
OP's Epitaph at Clemson
He made a difference by recruiting solid ACC talent at a school where that has been difficult historically. His up and down style has been entertaining and resulted in unparalled success during the regular season. My mother could outcoach him in a halfcourt game.
by sarasotatiger on Apr 6, 2010 8:35 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I guess if it was going to happen this is the best time for it
Clemson only has one recruit coming in next year, and he isn’t a marquee guy.
Pipe dream would be to take Brad Stevens off of Butler’s hands, but I don’t think it’s possible. I just hope whoever we bring in can coach x’s and o’s and is able to bring in Damien Leonard in the 2011 class.
And why isn't it possible?
There’s a Facebook group and everything!
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
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Evan Lysacek: 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist ♥
Actually now 2.
People need to learn to consolidate their efforts. It’s the only way we’ll get anything done.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
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Evan Lysacek: 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist ♥
I say it isn't possible because
at Bulter he can win conference championships every year until a top 10 job in the country comes along for him to take. if he comes to Clemson he will have a tough time winning conference championships with Duke and UNC being top 5 programs.
I was joking.
Although someday a Facebook group will take over the world. Just watch.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
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Evan Lysacek: 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist ♥
You should.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
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Evan Lysacek: 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist ♥
Well, I guess T-net is now happy.
Be carefull for what you wish, because it just might happen.
There is something in these Hills!
Ben Jacobson and Brad Stevens are at the top of the list...
but both are probably not swayable.
Other than that, I’m interested in going after a great assistant coach from a marquee school. Someone like Joe Dooley from Kansas, who is known as an x’s and o’s guy as well as one of the best recruiters in the country.
Early mentions
Shaka Smart, Ken McDonald (W Ky) and Brad Stevens. No one has been contacted
by DrB on Apr 6, 2010 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I could not be happier
What’s better ??
Choice A – Mediocrity and unable to win any important games in March for the next 5 years
Choice B – Having 2-3 down years where we can see the program moving in a positive direction.. and once the program is solid again.. WINNING 1-2 games in the Big dance.
I will take Choice B every time. As a CU alumn that was in school in 97.. seeing us get to a sweet 16 and be 30 seconds away from the Elite 8 is a memory i will always cherish.
I bet you they go with an assistant who they will be able to get for about $1m a year or less.
You can foget about the guy from Butler, because he will command more than they offered Purnell to stay. Who knows why he left? Maybe TDP decided Purnell had gotten them as far as he could take them, so he made a counter-offer he knew Purnell would not accept.
There is something in these Hills!
So are you saying that
Tubby Smith and/or Jeff Capel are out of Clemson’s price range?
Tubby wants out of Minnesota. Capel should want out of Oklahoma. Oklahoma is having players leave the program left and right.
No i'm not, i'm just wise to TDP's tactics
He’s got a guy picked out, goes and interviews, and then takes him. He wont bother with a long search cuz he has to get back to his nap.
Seriously, Clemson couldn’t afford a big name on just the AD budget alone, even though basketball here makes us about 3 million. They could throw IPTAY money at him in large quantities though.
it is amazing
We’re an ACC school and we have NEVER been able to get a big time coach to come here. We have historically gone young in football (Danny, Tommy W, Tommy B, Dabo) and a couple of them have worked out, but why is it so hard for the AD’s office to pony up some cash and bring a big time guy in here ?
Obviously, Rick B has a great hire.. but then we whiffed about as bad as you can whiff on Larry S.. OP gave us about exactly what you should expect from OP.. he neither exceeded expectations nor did he underperform based on his track record.. I guess we can be proud that we werent’ embarassingly bad while he was here.
If i had to bet.. i don’t think we’ll go the current assistant coach route.. we haven’t really done that in YEARS
Bill Foster came from Charlotte
Cliff Ellis came from S Alabama
Rick Barnes came from Providence
Larry POS – came from 1 year at Wyoming, but was a Barnes Assistant
OP – came from Dayton
Okay, with that being the case
If we believe that we will go with a current head coach, and assuming that Stevens and Jacobson won’t leave their schools, Jeff Capel would be my number 1 choice.
Reasons:
1. He might want to get out of Oklahoma (Current player Tiny Gallon is being investigated by the NCAA, Mason-Griffin left the program)
2. He is from North Carolina and coached in Virginia, so he knows the east coast.
3. He is a very good recruiter (i.e. – Blake Griffin, Willie Warren)
DePaul building a new arena?
The Finkl & Sons site is located on the east bank of The Chicago River at Southport Ave, and Cortland Street within steps of DePaul’s main campus and due to its heavy industrial use over the past 100 years the site is believed to be to contaminated for many real estate re adaptations. So it seems the current thinking is that instead of removing all the over-sized foundations so closely positioned by the rivers edge that it might be far simpler and safer to just remove all the top soil, pave over the site and any possible contamination.
“If DePaul builds an arena near campus it is over. They are the biggest sleeping giant in college basketball. A new arena will make that one of the best jobs in the country,” said ESPN analyst and former Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps.
“That is the only job I ever wanted after I left Notre Dame. I spent 6 hours with DePaul’s AD back in 1997 after Joey Meyer left and I had people in the city of Chicago who were ready to help me get the program back on track,” Phelps told me. “Imagine an on campus arena packed with 8,000 fans and a great student section wearing DePaul blue shirts with a Demon on them and the pitchfork in bright red. We could call the student section Digger’s Demons. I love Chicago and I know that program can be turned around.”
Link
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/david-kaplan-chicago-sports/2010/03/news-and-notes.html
TDP's statement
"Oliver Purnell is to be commended for his outstanding contributions to our basketball program, athletic department and University community over the last seven years.
"He is one of the most respected coaches in college basketball and one of the most respected people on this campus and we hate to see him leave.
"When he came to Clemson we had not been to a postseason tournament in four consecutive years. Now we join National Champion Duke as the only ACC schools to play in the NCAA Tournament each of the last three years. We have had a winning record in the ACC three consecutive years, a first in our history, and won at least 20 games four consecutive years, another first.
"Oliver did things the right way, he never cut corners and he was professional in every undertaking. The interest in our program from a regional and national standpoint has reached previously unattainable heights. That was apparent when ESPN College Gameday came to our campus this year.
"He recruited student-athletes with high character. His graduation rate for his first four classes (that entered from 2003-04 through 2006-07) will be 78 percent when the current seniors graduate in a few weeks.
"Additionally, Oliver and Vicky have made a major contribution to the University and Clemson community. He just received a national honor from the NABC for his Coaches vs. Cancer events.
"Because of his work, our program is on solid footing and we feel we will attract an outstanding coach to lead this program in the future. We will begin our search immediately."
This is big.
I’ve been saying it for awhile, but he is the missing piece that can put Clemson over the top. He is a GREAT shooter, with good ball handling, and excellent athletic ability. He is everything Clemson has been missing from a wing player for years.
We have hope.. and hope is a good thing
First off — think of all the talent that the ACC is losing
Scheyer, Vasquez, Aminu, Landesberg, Has Favors said he’s for sure going to the draft yet ?? Yes UNC has a ton of talent coming in.. and they will be back, but the middle of the ACC is wide open. Assuming Nolan Smith and Singler come back.. Duke is clearly the favorite again.. especially getting Seth Curry on the court next year.
We have —
PG – Stitt and Young
SG – Noel and Tanner
SF – Milton
PF – Devin and M Thornton (unless he bails)
C – Grant
We have 8 with “some” talent.. this will be a team that HAS to play together. It will require a coach that runs an actual offense and a guarantee all of our gimmicky defense stops. This team will have to play hard nosed half court M to M def.. We just need a guy that can develop the extremely raw freshman talent that comes back next year.
I agree with that
You can win with a collection of “some” talent if those players learn to play together, know their roles, and work hard on defense.
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