John Groce's Illini Coaching Staff - Dustin Ford, Paris Parham, Jamall Walker

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by illbasketfan

I just want to know what guys did J. Howard bring in to help us go from a Tourney team to nothing at all. Parham and Jankovic brought in the most players to the ISU program during the 5 yrs there. So im sure thats not on the roster or box scores that we all seem to be getting our info from. I know alot about majority of the colleges and coaching staffs across the state of IL and I'm sure he will be effective at

Again, please provide the names of the Parham recruits who were major contributors at ISU. Whether Jerrance Howard was or was not a good recruiter is irrelevant to this discussion.

[Kramer116]

Klee tweets it.

[Groundhogday]

On the plus side:

1. Parham gives us credibility and connections in Chicago.
2. I like this hire better than the Coleman option.
3. It appears that Parham was a pretty good high school coach. And he is an experienced college assistant.
4. Parham is likely to stay at Illinois for as long as he is wanted.

Down side:

• I don't know how this can be viewed as anything other than a step down from Isaac Chew in terms of proven high level recruiting.

[TooHot4Tots]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

On the plus side:

1. Parham gives us credibility and connections in Chicago.
2. I like this hire better than the Coleman option.
3. It appears that Parham was a pretty good high school coach. And he is an experienced college assistant.
4. Parham is likely to stay at Illinois for as long as he is wanted.

Down side:

• I don't know how this can be viewed as anything other than a step down from Isaac Chew in terms of proven high level recruiting.

How is it a step down? Its a good pick up for Illinois. He may not be your man but he is good for Groce and the rest of the staff. Solid hire!

[Groundhogday]

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

I don't know how this can be viewed as anything other than a step down from Isaac Chew in terms of proven high level recruiting.

Remind me of the high level recruits Chew has been responsible for signing?

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by TooHot4Tots

How is it a step down? Its a good pick up for Illinois. He may not be your man but he is good for Groce and the rest of the staff. Solid hire!

Well, Groce had the option of hiring Paris back in March and went with Chew as the associate head coach instead. So I guess Groce also thinks more highly of Chew, right?

Parham is a step down because he isn't the proven recruiter that Chew was or a guy with experience running the same kind of system that Groce wants to run.

[Kramer116]

Originally Posted by WesterveltVictoryCigar

Remind me of the high level recruits Chew has been responsible for signing?

I was thinking the same.

Truth is, none of the candidates had signed any high level recruits except for Daniyal Robinson (and none of those really panned out at Iowa State).

[BrooksTaylorFan]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

On the plus side:

1. Parham gives us credibility and connections in Chicago.
2. I like this hire better than the Coleman option.
3. It appears that Parham was a pretty good high school coach. And he is an experienced college assistant.
4. Parham is likely to stay at Illinois for as long as he is wanted.

Down side:

• I don't know how this can be viewed as anything other than a step down from Isaac Chew in terms of proven high level recruiting.

#4 makes me think we got Jay Price 2.0.:laugh:

[illbasketfan]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday;

It would be nice if Parham could even deliver Maverick Morgan type players.

Im pretty sure Jackie Carmichael is and was a better recruit then MM tho the jury is still out on Morgan I don't see much but maybe my mind will change once he gets on campus

[TyinLex]

God: "The sky is blue"
Groundhogday: "Blue is ok, Green is alright, but you should have gone with Red, much, much better"

Have faith my brother!

[Dan]

Simeon coach Robert Smith: "He's the right fit for this job right now. People respect Paris and genuinely want to help him."

Young's Tyrone Slaughter: "(Parham) knows the city, the landscape and the right people. He gets it. "

More Slaughter: "This is actually the first time in a long time Illinois has had someone on staff with legitimate Chicago roots and ties."

Mike Mullins: "I think he's one of the underrated guys in the business. He's one of the few legit candidates that makes sense at Illinois."

http://twitter.com/michaelsobrien

Illini coach John Groce gets it right with hire

"Paris was an outstanding coach, scout, mentor and asset to our program," says Tim Jankovich, the former head coach at Illinois State who is now at SMU. "As a coach, he's the entire package in every area, across the board."

Jankovich, who has a feel for the state of Illinois after coaching at ISU for five years and spending a brief time at Illinois as an assistant under Bill Self, believes Parham is also the perfect fit for the Illinois job.

"It's great to see that in a world where the earth is round and things can be just perfect, that Paris Parham to Illinois was meant to be," says Jankovich. "I really believe Paris was born and raised to be an assistant coach at Illinois. I can't think of a coach with a better background, feel and desire for this particular job than Paris."

Joe Henricksen

[Serious Late]

Originally Posted by illbasketfan

Parham again had many guys in the rotation you all keep going off of last years team but It doesn't matter he's the new assistant at U of I so relax and be ready to start getting in the mix for top guys and not settle for Maverick Morgan type players.

How about trying to make your points without putting down high school kids that want to be here. Maverick Morgan is a solid big with time to still develop, try making a point without making backhanded comments about our current commits.

Paris Parham is a name linked to Illinois since the day Groce was hired. I for one, am excited to see what he will be able to do at Illinois. Welcome, Paris!

[illbasketfan]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Well, Groce had the option of hiring Paris back in March and went with Chew as the associate head coach instead. So I guess Groce also thinks more highly of Chew, right?

Parham is a step down because he isn't the proven recruiter that Chew was or a guy with experience running the same kind of system that Groce wants to run.

Such a riot you are Chew actually knew the guys on staff which is why he got the job. Man this is ridiculous !! I bet If you had Deon thomas this wouldn't be an Issue huh

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by WesterveltVictoryCigar

Remind me of the high level recruits Chew has been responsible for signing?

For starters, Jameel McKay committed to Marquette within days of Chew's defection. He also recruited Isacc Miles, Ivan Aska, Donte Poole and Isaiah Canaan to Murray State (he recruited the core of that very successful mid-major team). If Parham had recruited Nic Moore and a couple of other starters I would say he had more of a proven track record as a recruiter.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by illbasketfan

Such a riot you are Chew actually knew the guys on staff which is why he got the job. Man this is ridiculous !! I bet If you had Deon thomas this wouldn't be an Issue huh

Good lord no. Parham is a MUCH better hire than Deon Thomas (who wasn't seriously considered for the position). Chew got the job for the same reason he got the Missouri and Marquette jobs. The guy is a rising star who will soon be a head coach.

[illiniobserver22]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

On the plus side:

1. Parham gives us credibility and connections in Chicago.
2. I like this hire better than the Coleman option.
3. It appears that Parham was a pretty good high school coach. And he is an experienced college assistant.
4. Parham is likely to stay at Illinois for as long as he is wanted.

Down side:

• I don't know how this can be viewed as anything other than a step down from Isaac Chew in terms of proven high level recruiting.

There aren't a lot of assistant coaches who have a history of successful recruiting in the Chicagoland area anywhere. (Name some with more than 1 or 2 big signings?) Isaac Chew certainly doesn't. Jerrance Howard arguably has the best track record of anyone, and that's despite him not getting in on a majority of the top guys (Davis, Boatright, Thompson, Blackshear, etc.)

And on top of that, Howard had absolutely no recruiting track record prior to his hiring.

Absent a list of guys who have had a ton of recruiting success in Chicago in the past, you have to try to identify a guy with the personality and existing connections to have success and be confident that he will without actually having seen it happen.

I think that's what the Chew and Parham hires were aiming to do.

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

For starters, Jameel McKay committed to Marquette within days of Chew's defection. He also recruited Isacc Miles, Ivan Aska, Donte Poole and Isaiah Canaan to Murray State (he recruited the core of that very successful mid-major team). If Parham had recruited Nic Moore and a couple of other starters I would say he had more of a proven track record as a recruiter.

McKay played at the Juco where Chew used to coach and as you noted he committed days after the hire, so that's a bit of an outlier to say the least.

And certainly none of the MSU guys are close to "high level recruits" that you claimed.

[BrooksTaylorFan]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

For starters, Jameel McKay committed to Marquette within days of Chew's defection. He also recruited Isacc Miles, Ivan Aska, Donte Poole and Isaiah Canaan to Murray State (he recruited the core of that very successful mid-major team). If Parham had recruited Nic Moore and a couple of other starters I would say he had more of a proven track record as a recruiter.

Maybe KBD will commit to us in the next few days like McKay did. That would make us all feel better about Parham. :laugh:

[TooHot4Tots]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Well, Groce had the option of hiring Paris back in March and went with Chew as the associate head coach instead. So I guess Groce also thinks more highly of Chew, right?

Parham is a step down because he isn't the proven recruiter that Chew was or a guy with experience running the same kind of system that Groce wants to run.

Sure if you look at it from Groundhog's eyes. Parham thought he might be in the running for the ISU job with all the rumblings that were going on with Jank. Chew has not done a damn thing and never did squat while here at Illinois.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by illiniobserver22

There aren't a lot of assistant coaches who have a history of successful recruiting in the Chicagoland area anywhere. (Name some with more than 1 or 2 big signings?) Isaac Chew certainly doesn't. Jerrance Howard arguably has the best track record of anyone, and that's despite him not getting in on a majority of the top guys (Davis, Boatright, Thompson, Blackshear, etc.)

And on top of that, Howard had absolutely no recruiting track record prior to his hiring.

Absent a list of guys who have had a ton of recruiting success in Chicago in the past, you have to try to identify a guy with the personality and existing connections to have success and be confident that he will without actually having seen it happen.

I think that's what the Chew and Parham hires were aiming to do.

Personally, I would rather have Jerrance Howard on the staff, though I understand why Groce wanted to make a clean break with the past program. The Chew and Parham hires are quite different. Chew had much stronger connections throughout the midwest and JC ranks, and as associate head coach was brought in to expand our recruiting base. Parham isn't the same kind of salesman, most likely will not be the associate head coach, but can get Groce and Walker connected to everyone in the city.

Parham is a guy who really can coach (I had serious doubts about Coleman in that regard), who will work hard on the recruiting trail and hopefully will set the table for a guy like Groce to close on top recruits.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by WesterveltVictoryCigar

McKay played at the Juco where Chew used to coach and as you noted he committed days after the hire, so that's a bit of an outlier to say the least.

And certainly none of the MSU guys are close to "high level recruits" that you claimed.

The MSU guys were top players who were extremely successful at the mid-major level. That is all you can ask of a mid-major assistant coach.

Obviously Chew built a good relationship with McKay so he followed him to Marquette. That is what you want in a top recruiting assistant, right?

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by TooHot4Tots

Chew has not done a damn thing and never did squat while here at Illinois.

He was only at Illinois for a month. What did you expect him to do in that time? it certainly appears in hindsight that he had us in very good shape to land McKay.

[illbasketfan]

Originally Posted by Serious Late

How about trying to make your points without putting down high school kids that want to be here. Maverick Morgan is a solid big with time to still develop, try making a point without making backhanded comments about our current commits.

Paris Parham is a name linked to Illinois since the day Groce was hired. I for one, am excited to see what he will be able to do at Illinois. Welcome, Paris!

You do have a point and thats my emotions I dont think Maverick Morgan has anything to do with this hes just a kid so I don't have anything against him, I hope he turnes out to be a great student athlete when he gets to campus. I just want this program to return back to the top of the Big ten where it belongs

[BrooksTaylorFan]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

He was only at Illinois for a month. What did you expect him to do in that time? it certainly appears in hindsight that he had us in very good shape to land McKay.

McKay was high on Marquette before Chew left. Landing Chew just made the decision easy for McKay. I think he would have went to Marquette even if Chew was still at Illinois.