CHICAGO — DePaul reached a deal Thursday with Oregon assistant Tony Stubblefield to take over as the Blue Demons men’s basketball head coach, according to sources.
Stubblefield, 51, has been on Dana Altman’s staff for 11 seasons, including this season as an associate coach. DePaul will be his first head coaching job.
CBS Sports reported he signed a five-year deal.
He replaces Dave Leitao, who was fired after going 69-112 in six seasons of his second stint with DePaul.
Stubblefield has helped bring top-15 recruiting classes to Oregon and coached in eight NCAA Tournaments with the Ducks. He previously spent four seasons as a Cincinnati assistant.
He previously worked on Lou Henson’s staff at New Mexico State for six seasons, filling in as interim head coach when Henson battled health issues during the 2004-05 season.
Stubblefield worked as an assistant at Texas-Arlington and Texas-San Antonio after beginning his career at University of Nebraska-Omaha, his alma mater.
DePaul had attempted to lure Kenny Payne from the New York Knicks, but the deal fell through at the last minute, according to sources.
Stubblefield will be tasked with revitalizing the Blue Demons, who haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2004.
The Blue Demons completed a 5-14 season with a second-round loss to Connecticut in the Big East tournament.
This is the first major hire for athletic director DeWayne Peevy, who was hired in August after spending 12 years in Kentucky’s athletic department.