FaIllinois Basketball Coaching Search Thread

[ralaw]

Weber just stayed too long and the program has become stale because of it. He also isn't that great at developing talent. However, I still say the guys you mentioned aren't elite level talents either.

BTW, between all of the Chicago Bulls talk and Illinois sports talk I'm tired of talking Illinois sports....you , Senser and Fedex get on my nerves.

:dtrain:

[FirstTimer]

Weber just stayed too long and the program has become stale because of it. He also isn't that great at developing talent. However, I still say the guys you mentioned aren't elite level talents either.

BTW, between all of the Chicago Bulls talk and Illinois sports talk I'm tired of talking Illinois sports....you , Senser and Fedex get on my nerves.

:dtrain:

Well when was the last time Illinois consistantly pulled elite in state talent? Ever?

Weber had Eric Gordon committed at one point, then he left for (at the time) poop dick Indiana.

Dee Brown was a 5* kid.

...?

[Senser81]

I'm talking about the elite Chicago talent. Obviously a school like Illinois could recruit marginal Chicago talent that probably should be at a lower level D1 school, but these are your role players. When I guy like Jabari Parker (who is the best player in highschool basketball) stays in Illinois is when things will turn. However, I really don't see the elite Chicago talent wanting to go to Illinois or DePaul for obvious reasons.

I don't know how much of that elite Chicago talent can get into a Big10 school. No way Derrick Rose gets in to Illinois. I remember a few years back DePaul tried to go the "inner-city" route under Jerry Wainwright, and it was a total mess.

Illinois is in a tough position because they still have to maintain academic standards, which obviously isn't the case at schools like Memphis and Kentucky. That said, there is no reason for Illinois not to contend for the Big10 title every year.

[spiker]

Come on. You're talking about U of I like its Notre Dame, Northwestern, Stanford, or an Ivy League school. U of I makes exceptions for its athletes.

[FirstTimer]

That said, there is no reason for Illinois not to contend for the Big10 title every year.

Exactly.

Come on. You're talking about U of I like its Notre Dame, Northwestern, Stanford, or an Ivy League school. U of I makes exceptions for its athletes.

So do those schools too. Especially ND, however I don't even think Illinois was a finalist for Rose or even chasing him that hard because they knew he couldn't qualify. Illinois draws a line a lot sooner than most other schools. Especially the SEC.

To me the issue with Illinois is never "talent" on the roster. They usually have some really solid pieces to work with at worst. If there is a competant/good coach they will be better than they were with Weber. If they get a great coach I think they could be either comparable to or just below what MSU is under Izzo or Motta is at OSU.

Right or wrong Illinois is a great job. Loyal fan base, fertile recruiting area, great school/financial support. There aren't a ton of better jobs nationwide from a "Big school" perspective. IMO it could make an argument for being a Top 20ish job in CBB. Illinois has everything needed from a logistical standpoint to be a perennial Top 20 school ranking wise and Sweet 16 quality team with some deeper runs here and there

[spiker]

Outside of Vandy, the SEC has standards to speak of? I'm pretty sure you can major in finger painting at Kentucky.

[FirstTimer]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/11496105-419/butlers-brad-stevens-denies-contact-with-illinois-for-coaching-vacancy.html

[FirstTimer]

@ Mike Thomas.

Was going to contact Frank Martin.....was trying to hold off uSC.......ends up not being able to do so and Martin takes the uSC job.

[Senser81]

@ Mike Thomas.

Was going to contact Frank Martin.....was trying to hold off uSC.......ends up not being able to do so and Martin takes the uSC job.

Its kind of a multi-step problem. First, a lot of money was committed to Zook and Weber, who are no longer with the program. The article mentioned that money may be a concern, which is frightening. Second, the hiring of Mike Thomas as AD might be a huge problem. Its odd to hire an AD with no contacts to either a head football coach candidate or a head basketball coach candidate, and then within his first year you have the AD replacing both positions.

Based on past history, I thought Illinois could make a good basketball hire since they had been able to lure quality coaches like Lon Kruger and Bill Self (and even Weber to an extent...he was supposed to be Purdue's next coach). I guess I was wrong. It will be a shock if they can get a quality coach, like a Majerus.

[Sportsbuck]

John Groce is the talk right now... while not the minority candidate they are looking for, he's a great coach and would be an excellent hire IMO.

[FirstTimer]

Groce isn't a *pop* hire which IMO is what Illinois needed.

Mike Thomas may be the worst AD I can think of.

[Mogriffjr]

Supposedly people are not happy with this potential hire of groce...