DePaul is expected to hire Tony Stubblefield as its next men’s basketball head coach
Tony Stubblefield is expected to be named DePaul’s new men’s basketball head coach.
DePaul is expected to hire Oregon associate coach Tony Stubblefield as its next men’s basketball head coach, Joe Henricksen of the Chicago Sun-Times first reported on Wednesday.
DePaul and Stubblefield have reportedly agreed to a five-year contract, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported on Thursday.
Stubblefield has spent the last 11 years with Oregon, working with Dana Altman to build a successful program in the last decade. In those 11 years, the Ducks made the NCAA Tournament seven times and reached the Final Four in 2017.
Stubblefield is known as a prominent recruiter and has vast relationships throughout the basketball world. He has helped recruit several five-star players to Oregon and has assembled four recruiting classes that were ranked among the top 12 nationally — 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
In 2014, however, three Oregon players — Dominic Artis, Damyean Dotson and Brandon Austin — were part of a rape investigation that detalied an extensive and graphic police report. The case was later dropped. All three players were dismissed from Oregon. Stubblefield later admitted to recruiting these players and having a close relationship with them.
“It was a very stressful situation because I was very involved in recruiting those kids,” Stubblefield said in 2017. “For me, it was very personal. This was more than basketball. This was way bigger than basketball.”
Prior to coming to Oregon, the 51-year-old college coach spent four years as an assistant at the University of Cincinnati, serving as the Bearcats’ recruiting coordinator from 2006-10. In those four years, he worked for head coach Mick Cronin, who just led UCLA to the 2021 Final Four.
He also spent six years as an assistant coach at New Mexico State, at one point serving as an interim coach while head coach Lou Henson dealt with health issues. In 14 games, the Aggies went 2-12 during Stubblefield’s tenure.
DePaul has been searching for a new head coach after firing Dave Leitao on March 15. The Blue Demons have not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2004 and have only recorded two winning seasons in the last 16 years.
DePaul was initially targeting New York Knicks assistant coach Kenny Payne, and The DePaulia reported on Saturday that President A. Gabriel Esteban, chief of staff Steve Stoute and athletic director DeWayne Peevy met with Payne in Milwaukee on Friday to discuss a potential deal.
But several reports emerged since then that Payne decided to stay in New York, forcing DePaul to turn in a different direction.
The Blue Demons have also seen six players — Darious Hall, Kobe Elvis, Pauly Paulicap, Oscar Lopez, Keon Edwards and Ray Salnave — enter the transfer portal since the season ended. A new coach will have to rebuild the roster for next season, which still features three recruits that are coming to DePaul: Kok Yat, Ahamad Bynum and Brett Hardt Jr.
As part of building his new staff at DePaul, Stubblefield is expected to keep assistant coach Tim Anderson, a source confirmed to The DePaulia.
Jeff • Apr 3, 2021 at 8:41 pm
I didn’t like the decision to hire Peavy as AD. He wasn’t qualified. Now this extremely uninspired coaching hire does nothing to change my mind on AD Peavy and only reenforces doubt.
Fire Peevy • Apr 2, 2021 at 8:54 pm
This is truly an embarrassment,! Porter Moser turns us down and goes to Oklahoma for 24million….DePaul is a laughing stock! Moser along with other coaches know this is a job where coaches come to die, no practice facility, 100 students in the student section, off campus arena, no more than 2000 season ticket holders and zero money from men’s basketball alum! There’s a reason Bobby Hurley turned down the job and DePaul was forced to hire a washed up coach Dave Leiato! Illinois will continue to win, Loyola has sister Jean and will hire a winning coach, UIC will stay competitive in their league and DePaul will continue to be in the basement of the BIG EAST! When will the BE make the decision to part ways with DePaul and bring in a powerhouse..???? I cancelled my season tickets when Leiato was rehired and have no intentions of giving DePaul a penny anytime soon! I agree that Peevy is a fraud and just collecting an warranted pay check! Peevy and Esteban will be gone,! I hope Lawrence Kreymer continues to do his job and investigate!, The athletic department has been a joke for years and the cover ups under JLP are endless, firing her brother for abuse to his players, women’s tennis coach, assistant golf coach…. all fired for Title IX violations, rape cover ups, staff abuse by Peter Tombasco, Karen Loiacono, Greg Greenwell and many more! This is not DePauls mission!!!!!!!
Peevy Sucks! • Apr 2, 2021 at 2:16 pm
People within Kentucky’s Athletic Department warned us Peevy was a low-responsibility Asst. AD with a fancy title. (They have countless Asst./Assoc. AD’s.) They told us Peevy didn’t have any powers or influence at Kentucky. They told us Peevy didn’t know ANYONE! They told us Peevy simply scheduled hotel rooms for teams – well, underlings did. Peevy just hired a 51-year-old who has never been a permanent head coach. Can you believe the ? show at DePaul? Just when you thought we hit rock bottom, this drunken DePaul program dumps $5 MM + in the pockets of a 51-year-old assistant who has a lifetime head- coaching record of 0-0. ( Illinois doesn’t count!)
The only shining light at DePaul is this superstar sports writer for the DePaulia, Lawrence Kreymer. This young man is going to be a HUGE name in 10 years. Remember that name folks. Get his autograph now!
Outside of that, Peevy proved what we already knew: He’s a fraud! Peevy proved he doesn’t know anyone and couldn’t even get one legitimate coach to take the poison pill.
Kermit76 • Apr 2, 2021 at 2:12 pm
I canceled my season tickets today.
Way to draw me in Depaul.
Disappointed fan • Apr 2, 2021 at 7:48 am
WOW!!!! This is the “Dream Big” coach hire Peevy preached at his press conference? As if DePaul already has n’t had their fair share of rape allegations covered up in the past ,they hire a coach that recruited players aware of their characters. I hope Peevy has the Title IX office on speed dial, oh wait, the Title IX director, Kathryn Statz was part of the rape charges against Cleveland Melvin and helped cover it up at the direction of her boss Jeanne Ponsetto! Shame on Dr. Esteban and the Trustees for approving this hire! I will no longer purchase season tickets or give a dime to DePaul!!!! I give it a year before DePaul is slapped with another NCAA violation !
Michael Wedeven • Apr 2, 2021 at 7:29 am
While not overwhelmed with excitement for this hire, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. This program is soooo down that I hope he is the man who can build it back to relevancy….but we shall see. My hope is now that the human trainwreck known as JLP is out of the decision making process, actual thought and research was put into this search….but this is DePaul, so that is not the norm. All I can say is that my patience is really at it’s end and I want progress and results NOW. IF this hire does not work out, then I am DONE with DePaul basketball….and this is someone who went to DePaul because of the exposure to the basketball team. I wish Coach Stubblefield all the best and ask him to run this program in a manner that will make all DePaul PROUD! Go Demons!!!