Wainwright: Heck of a time to be DePaul coach

Posted November 16, 2009 10:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

Two weeks ago, Jerry Wainwright took the microphone in front of a basketball-savvy luncheon crowd at Harry Caray's and killed.

He joked about his tenuous job (and life) status after DePaul lost all 18 of its Big East regular-season games last year.

"They've got a list of guys succeeding me," said Wainwright, who also claimed there's a coaching hot-seat Web site named after him.

"My wife's got a list, too."

The 62-year-old poked fun at his gaunt and wrinkled countenance - a face that gained character with each on-court loss as well as the painful off-season decision to dismiss his three loyal assistants (one of whom was his son Scott).

"I came over in a cab and I got in the cab and the guy said, 'Anybody ever tell you you look like Jerry Wainwright?' " he said. "I didn't want to argue with him and I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'Boy, that must really (make you mad).' "

Then Wainwright hit the appreciative crowd with the clincher.

"This may not be the best time to be Jerry Wainwright, but it's a heck of a time to be the coach at DePaul," he said. "We have an opportunity to be one of the better stories of the year."

That part, by the way, Wainwright believes with his whole daily-Mass-attending heart.

Since Wainwright brought in assistant coaches Tracy Webster, David Booth and Billy Garrett to the little school under the "L," things have been moving and shaking like McGrath Arena when the trains rumble past.

"It's been great," said Webster, whose previous stops were at Illinois and Kentucky. "It's just been a continuation (from my former jobs). People may say, 'Oh, you're not driving a Jaguar anymore.' But guess what? I'm still driving a nice Escalade, you know what I mean?

"It's still a good situation. Our staff, we just get in and work."

Apparently so.

When DePaul held its "Blue Madness" celebration to kick off the start of practice in October, several of the nation's finest recruits (an age range that went all the way down to all-world Simeon freshman Jabari Parker) showed up to take in the action.

During the NCAA's early signing period that started Wednesday, DePaul hauled in 6-foot-4 point guard Brandon Young (Baltimore), 6-5 shooting guard Moses Morgan (Las Vegas) and 6-10 forward Walter Pitchford (Richmond, Ind.).

Rivals.com lists Morgan, the son of former Indiana standout Winston Morgan, as the Class of 2010s No. 138 player. He spurned offers from Indiana, Michigan and Marquette, among others, in favor of DePaul.

Young, rated No. 147 by Rivals, also turned down a list of suitors that featured Marquette.

Wainwright lauded his new assistants for making the evaluations and showing the tenacity to land the trio that everyone expects to jump into the rotation right away.

"There was a lot of confidence, I think, developed in the program when this staff arrived," Wainwright said. "Those guys all gave up something to come here - and I'm probably not perceived as the best risk.

"But they believed in the school and the league and the direction. Most of all, I think they believed in the players that are here."

Ah, the current players.

With today's opener against Columbia finally at hand (8 p.m., Allstate Arena), the 9-24 overall record and the 0-18 Big East slate finally are wiped clean.

The Demons have just 10 scholarship players on the roster, but senior point guard Will Walker and junior big man Mac Koshwal lead a group that's near to Wainwright's heart.

"I don't know if I've ever enjoyed the start of workouts from start to finish - it's been a long time since I enjoyed it as much as this," he said. "You'd like to think there's a real focus and, I guess, commitment to being the best they can be. I really like our team."

Wainwright never mentioned DAR Tucker, last year's leading scorer (18.5 ppg) who left with two years of eligibility remaining, but it's clear Tucker's ball-consuming style should be a thing of the past.

"I honestly do believe we'll stand the test of time," he said. "We'll be a feel-good team that plays really hard and that people will enjoy watching.

"I think that's because this team understands playing the right way a little bit more than some of the other teams we've had."

Blue Demons at a glance Coach: Jerry Wainwright (52-72, fifth year at DePaul, 238-216, 15th year overall) 2008-09 record: 9-24 (0-18 Big East, 16th) How season ended: Lost to Providence in Big East tournament quarterfinal. Starters returning/lost: 2/3 Projected starters PF Devin Hill 6-9 200 Soph. Added strength in off-season; could be the most improved Demon SF Eric Wallace 6-6 215 Soph. Ohio State transfer offers remarkable athleticism and willingness to rebound and defend C Mac Koshwal* 6-10 255 Jr. After taking his name out of NBA draft, he added 15 pounds and more of a face-up game SG Mike Stovall 6-5 200 Jr. Sprained his ankle in Bradley scrimmage, but should be good to go for opener PG Will Walker* 6-0 190 Sr. Demons' best shooter also takes over the majority of the ballhandling duties *-denotes returning starter Reserves PG Michael Bizoukas 6-1 175 Soph. Energy guy benefited from last year's baptism by fire PG Jeremiah Kelly 6-1 170 Soph. No. 3 returning scorer at 4.3 ppg; showed well at Big East tournament SF Mario Stula 6-7 210 Jr. Pure standstill shooter is another Demon who picked up the pace at Big East tournament C Krys Faber 6-11 260 Soph. His rate of improvement will have an effect on DePaul's rate of improvement C Kene Obi 7-2 275 Soph. Looking for 10 good minutes per game; strong upper body but needs to add power in legs F Tony Freeland 6-6 200 Fr. Enrolling and joining team after fall quarter exams end this week; coaches love his energy G Ryan Siggins 6-5 210 Fr. Recruited walk-on was two-time all-Greater Catholic League choice in Cincinnati G Nate Rogers 6-1 185 Fr. Walk-on from St. Joseph HS won the Blue Madness dunk contest G Joe Belcaster 6-2 160 Fr. Walk-on from Morton High School G Jimmy Drew 6-4 210 Jr. Walk-on transfer from SEMO, where he started 15 games in 2007-08 and averaged 4.2 points with 27 3s. 2009-10 schedule Today COLUMBIA 8 p.m. Nov. 20 vs. Northern Iowa* 12 p.m. Nov. 21 vs. East Carolina/Tennessee* 2:30 p.m. or Nov. 22 vs. East Carolina/Tennessee* 5 p.m. Nov. 23 vs. BC/Purdue/St. Joe's/SDSU TBA Nov. 28 DETROIT 1 p.m. Dec. 2 ALABAMA STATE 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Vanderbilt 3 p.m. Dec. 10 vs. Mississippi State** 5:30 p.m. Dec. 13 UIC 5 p.m. Dec. 16 AMERICAN 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 TEXAS STATE 1 p.m. Dec. 22 at Florida Gulf Coast 6:05 p.m. Dec. 28 at Pittsburgh 6 p.m. Jan. 3 GEORGETOWN 1 p.m. Jan. 6 at Villanova 7 p.m. Jan. 14 PROVIDENCE 8 p.m. Jan. 17 at St. John's 1 p.m. Jan. 20 MARQUETTE 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at Notre Dame 1 p.m. Jan. 26 WEST VIRGINIA 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 SYRACUSE 1 p.m. Feb. 3 at Marquette 6 p.m. Feb. 6 at Connecticut 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at Seton Hall 11 a.m. Feb. 16 RUTGERS 8 p.m. Feb. 20 LOUISVILLE 1 p.m. Feb. 24 at Cincinnati 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at Rutgers 3 p.m. March 2 USF 6:30 p.m. March 5 St. John's 7:30 p.m. March 9-13 Big East tournament *--Paradise Jam at U.S. Virgin Islands. **--SEC/Big East Invitational at Tampa, Fla.

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