Everyone - AD, fans, players, you, me, Hazel himself - knew after the Maryland game his time at Purdue was over not later than the end of the year. It doesn't matter who is more to blame (DH, Burke/admin, assistants, recruiting, etc.), the DH and Purdue marriage wasn't working and there was absolutely going to be a separation. With that being the case, it's almost inconceivable to think that any good could come from having a figurehead as a coach.
Are the assistants really going to care what he says? Are the players paying attention any more? How do the players concentrate on the future when their present situation is a total sham where their leader isn't really their leader? The assistants show up for work every day and have to take orders from a guy they KNOW their ultimate boss (the AD) is cutting bait with. They're practically facing a conflict of interest... continue to follow DH's orders or do what they feel is in the best interest of the program such that they have some possibility of being considered for retention by the new regime. I mean, that is practically toxic any way you look at it. How is there not a benefit from course-correcting that situation?
That's my position. You don't have to share it; that's OK. Back to your final statement though, I don't get how you can maintain it was both a) the wrong move to fire him when they did, and b) irrelevant when they fired him. The very nature of it being irrelevant means it shouldn't really matter to you, but it clearly does.
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