DePaul coach Leitao meets the challenge

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2004 | by Malcolm Moran

Dave Leitao was about to turn 42 years old, and here was a big-time program interested in him. Actually, it was a former big-time program, one with the potential of reaching an elite level. But when DePaul University talked to the Connecticut assistant about its head coaching vacancy in the spring of 2002, the delicately phrased question offered by professional friends and colleagues was whether Leitao fully understood the nature of DePaul's issues.

The more blunt question was whether he had lost his mind.

The Blue Demons had failed to qualify for the Conference USA tournament. Pat Kennedy had decided to resign during a snowy drive home from the final game at Marquette. Ray Meyer, once and forever The Coach, was conspicuous by his absence because of the way his son...