Jerry Wainwright's hot seat might be the hottest among very hot hot seats in Division I after the 0-18 regular season Big East campaign of a year ago. The problem goes deeper than the 0-18 mark, as Wainwright has watched one Chicago area recruit after another choose a different program. That, coupled with a thinner roster which almost assures that any improvement will be marginal, makes him something of a lame duck coach...and that can't make his job of winning basketball games in an extremely tough and very deep league any easier. So where's the bright side? It may be in turning the program over to new leadership. Perhaps with a new coach this program can begin to woo some of those local kids - as any BCS affiliated program in the right hands should be doing. For the immediate future, though, it's hard to imagine any scenario that doesn't end with DePaul buried in the basement of this behemoth of leagues.Team Info
Jerry Wainwright, 4th season
'08-'09 Results:
9-24 overall, 1-19 Big East
no postseason
Departing Players:
G Jabari Currie
C Matija Poscic
F Dar Tucker
Returning Players:
G Will Walker (Sr.)F-C Mac Koshwal (Jr.)
F Mario Stula (Jr.)
G Michael Bizoukas (So)
C Krys Faber (So)
F Devin Hill (So)
G Jeremiah Kelly (So)
C Kene Obi (So)
Newcomers:
G Mike Stovall (JUCO)
G-F Eric Wallace (transfer, Ohio State)
G Joe Belcaster
F Tony Freeland
G Nate Rogers
G Ryan Siggins
(Full Roster)
Nonconference Slate: Columbia, @ Northern Iowa, Detroit, Alabama State, @ Vanderbilt, @ Mississippi State, Illinois-Chicago, American, Texas State, Florida Gulf Coast
Big East home-and-home: St. John's, Marquette, Rutgers
Big East Home Opponents: Georgetown, Providence, West Virginia, Syracuse, Louisville, South Florida
Big East Road Opponents: Pittsburgh, Villanova, Notre Dame, Connecticut, Seton Hall, Cincinnati
Coaches' Pick: 16th Big East
Outlook
The Skinny:
They lose the best player (Dar Tucker) from a disastrous season, which is seldom an omen of impending greatness. They do return a talented guard in Will Walker and a big man who can be dominant at times in Mac Koshwal. Some help is on the way, as well. Mike Stovall and Eric Wallace transfer in, and though they seem like roleplayers at best by Big East standards they will shore up the depth a bit. That freshman class isn't on any watch lists, but they do look like a group of kids that could be coached up in time. The nonconference slate is a mixed bag, featuring seven opponents that should be inferior, one relative unknown that may be an NCAA tournament team (Northern Iowa), and two very good SEC teams. The Big East was kind to them in scheduling repeat opponents, but the road schedule is a murderer's row of teams that are excellent, difficult to beat at home, or both. They may well end up a worse team than last year but with a better record.Best Case:
If things go right, they could finish the ooc games at 8-2 by taking down Northern Iowa and winning the games they should. Once Big East play starts, they host five beatable teams (St. John's, Marquette, Rutgers, Providence, and South Florida) so of course the best case counts those as wins. I don't see more than two road wins for them, but they could surprise a better team at home. If they add two wins in the league tournament that would get them to 18-13, 10-11 Big East. In order to make this happen, though, Will Walker will have to have an All-Conference caliber season, Mac Koshwal will have to get his head on straight, the transfers will have to be hidden talents, and someone like Faber, Hill, or Kelly will have to step up in a big way. Even that kind of season may not save Wainwright's job or get them to the NIT.
Worst Case:
If things don't go right, this season could be another disaster. Without a stable Koshwal or good contributions fromt he newcomers they could finish the noncon with as many as five losses. Since the league features several depleted rosters and the schedule is favorable, even the worst possible performance will include a Big East win...but the wrong matchup in the Garden will send them home the first day. This kind of season would leave them at 7-24, 2-17 Big East.
My Best Guess:
11-18 Overall, 3-15 Big East (16th place) plus a loss in round one of the Big East tournament. This will keep them out of the postseason but in the hunt for a new coach.
