DePaul becomes the first high-major gig to open, with Oliver Purnell being forced out after five seasons of irrelevance.
The once-proud program -- one that went to the NCAA tournament nine times in the 1980s and has been to a pair of Final Fours -- hasn't been to the tourney since 2004.
Departed: Purnell. He was a surprise hire when he left Clemson in 2010, back when DePaul athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto gave him a seven-year deal worth $14 million. Purnell was never able to make the program relevant, and he departs with a 54-105 mark in five seasons and two years remaining on his contract.
Program situation: Let's be honest: DePaul hasn't truly been relevant since the days of Ray and Joey Meyer. Pat Kennedy wasn't able to win, neither were Jerry Wainwright and Purnell, and Dave Leitao had only modest success (one NCAA appearance in three years) before departing for Virginia. It's a decent job, especially with a new arena being built soon and also the abundance of talent in the area. But whoever takes this one will have a major rebuilding job on their hands.
Realistic candidates
Ben Howland: The former UCLA coach was mentioned as a possibility a few years ago when this job popped open, but now he's in a different situation. He wants back in, and has experience and a track record in the Big East (even though the league has changed) from his Pittsburgh days. The question is whether Howland, 57, could get it -- and also whether he'd wait around for something more attractive to open.