DePaul Introduces Tony Stubblefield As New Blue Demons Basketball Coach; He Hopes To Bring Back Tradition Of Success
CHICAGO (CBS/AP) -- The DePaul Blue Demons on Wednesday introduced their new head men's basketball coach, Tony Stubblefield - hoping to bring back the tradition of success for the team.
Stubblefield spent the last 11 years as an assistant for Dana Altman's Oregon Ducks, where he earned a reputation for being a great recruiter – which he said has included Chicago and the Midwest.
His next sales pitch is to DePaul fans.
"Whether you show your support with season tickets, or yelling at the TV, I need all Blue Demons fans to buy into this program. We may have lost you along the way, and I know talk may be cheap right now – but together, we're going to build something special here," Stubblefield said. "I want DePaul to be a team that other teams fear playing, and we will be Chicago's team again."
Stubblefield is the first major hire for DePaul athletic director DeWayne Peevy since he took the job in August after 12 years in Kentucky's athletic department.
He replaces Dave Leitao, who was fired six years into his second tenure last month.
Stubblefield spent the past 11 years on Altman's staff at Oregon and was promoted to associate head coach prior to this past season. Oregon made seven NCAA Tournaments in that span, with a Final Four appearance in 2017 and a Sweet 16 run this year.
Stubblefield helped assemble recruiting classes that included Troy Brown Jr., Louis King and Bol Bol. The Ducks lost to USC in the Sweet 16 on Sunday.
Stubblefield was also Cincinnati's recruiting coordinator from 2006 to 2010. He spent six years at New Mexico State, serving as interim coach when Lou Henson missed the 2004-05 season due to health reasons.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
