DePaul Blue Demons fires Dave Leitao after 5 straight last-place finishes

DePaulhave fired head coach Dave Leitao, the school announced Monday.

"After evaluating where our men's basketball program is currently and where we envision it to be moving forward, a decision was made to make a change in the head coaching position," athletic director DeWayne Peevy said in a statement.

Leitao had been in charge of the program since 2015, his second stint as the head coach of the Blue Demons after three years as the head coach from 2002 to '05.

DePaul has finished last in the Big East in each of the past five seasons, going 5-14 overall and 2-13 in the Big East this season. There was some promise during the 2018-19 season, when the Blue Demons finished 19-17 overall, but that was as good as it got under Leitao. In his other five seasons at the helm, DePaul won a combined 14 Big East games.

Leitao signed an extension last spring through 2024, but since then Peevy was hired as AD, and Leitao's extension included no buyout.

In his statement, Peevy said the program will conduct a national search for Leitao's replacement.

Loyola Chicagohead coach Porter Moser is likely the favorite for the job, given his local ties, Final Four appearance in 2018 and success so far this season. Other names linked to the job in recent months includeNew York Knicksassistant coach Kenny Payne, a longtime Kentuckyassistant; Arizona Statehead coach Bobby Hurley; and Cleveland Statehead coach Dennis Gates.