DePaul News, Ray Mernagh

DEPAUL’S LIST SHOULD START WITH THESE NAMES

by RAY MERNAGH

If Tracy Webster doesn’t impress Jean Lenti Ponsetto enough to grab the job fulltime at the end of the season, there’s four names the DePaul AD should attempt to speak with first. Before getting to the list let’s agree that the most important aspect of making DePaul viable in the Big East is getting a coach and staff in place that can successfully recruit Chicago. If DePaul can’t recruit Chicago, then they should forget about being in the Big East. Chicago is a rich recruiting ground and these four fellas would have a leg up immediately, plus they’d all probably come for the type of money DePaul is going to pay.

Chris Collins. The Duke assistant knows Chicago and no doubt has a staff filled out in his head should DePaul call him and inquire about his availability. Collins has served under Coach K long enough and is ready for a crack at his own program.

Isiah Thomas. Don’t laugh. The dude is recruiting talent to Florida International. He’ll most certainly be able to recruit Chicago talent — where he’s still a West Side legend — out of the same tough neighborhoods he came up in. Thomas is a gamble for a lot of reasons, but he most certainly has the charisma and message that engages young basketball players. He can get elite recruits, something that DePaul, outside of Wilson Chandler and Dar Tucker (neither from Chicago) hasn’t been able to do for a long time now.

Jerrance Howard. Illinois assistant for the last three years. Has saved Bruce Weber by rolling into the Chi, collecting high-level talent and making all the right connections. Big risk with a potentially huge reward. Very, very young. A Josh Pastner type. Would probably need to hire a vet to be by his side in the mold of a Larry Shyatt at Florida or Tom Herrion at Pitt. Besides being great in Chicago Howard is from Peoria, a city that produces the most amount of basketball talent outside of Chicago in the state of Illinois.

Craig Robinson. First brother-in-law might be able to get it done although he has struggled a bit this year at Oregon State after surprising everybody in his first season. Chicago native who came up in the city and understands the unique basketball culture. Has showed his recruiting chops by going into the NYC area and winning a recruiting battle for Devon Collier.

I’ll even throw in a bonus name, Cuonzo Martin. Head coach at Missouri State in the Missouri Valley now in his second year after spending nine years at Purdue. East Saint Louis native. NBA background and is proving, though it’s early, to have the coaching chops needed at the D-1 level.

There’s five names DePaul should holler at if Tracy Webster doesn’t impress. It’s a good list to start with.

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