2017 Coaching Carousel

[Ubermensch]

I'm not saying hire him for the IL job, but a guy to keep an eye on is Pat Kelsey at Winthrop. Played and coached under Skip Prosser and is doing a great job for the Eagles. He's going to move up sooner rather than later. Remember that name.

 

[Calvin]

Right.

If the Michigan State win on Senior Night was all Whitman needed to see, announce it that night.

Sure, he would have been depantsed by what came after, but not nearly as depantsed as he'll be if he makes the same decision now.

Is someone still saying Groce is going to be extended?!

I would love to take a wager on that.

If Groce still has a future here, I'll know JW believes in unicorns that crap skittles. There's about the same amount of evidence that Groce can get us back to a top-25 / FF team.

As far as timing, it's going to be hard for him to keep his movements quiet, so I would expect an announcement very soon. Maybe not over the weekend, but Monday likely IMO.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

Whitman would not have done it before the end of regular season, it would have shown bias of making his own personal evaluation before having complete information from he entire season.

Huh? The "bias of a personal evaluation" is exactly what he's being paid for, exactly why he is better situated to make this decision than we fans.

He's behind the scenes, he's with the team, he knows what the mood and the culture in the locker room is.

Groce has been twisting in the wind on the hot seat since well before Whitman was hired. If you resolve that he's your guy, you get out and say that, immediately. You give your guy that boost.

Just as an example to show the folly of "complete information from the entire season" being necessary, Whitman publicly announced that Groce would return on March 5 last year, before the final game of the conference regular season.

Here was the quote

"I think it's important today that folks understand that John Groce is going to continue to be our basketball coach," Whitman said. "He's a first-class individual and an excellent leader. He's a student of basketball and leadership and I feel really comfortable with the leadership he's given our guys."

He thought it was important that folks understand that. It WAS important.

That that is no longer something Whitman wishes for folks to understand seems to clearly indicate the decision to me, but we'll see.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

How much does the AD have to do with scheduling a game like this. I have to admit I was concerned once I saw this game. Even with the nostalgia I thought....um ok....

That's 100% Whitman's call. And it is a very strange call.

 

[UofI08]

Not nitpicking, simply an observation of fact.

Look at UNCW's schedule this year and find me 6 non-conference games like those. They lost to Clemson and Middle Tennessee State, and beat East Carolina and St. Bonaventure.

 

[Kathy]

I was on the Fire Webber train far before most people.

That must have been before we learned the correct spelling of his name.

 

[GBPillini]

Look at UNCW's schedule this year and find me 6 non-conference games like those. They lost to Clemson and Middle Tennessee State, and beat East Carolina and St. Bonaventure.

Per Kenpom:
05-06 103 Before Grant
06-07 54 Grant
07-08 68 Grant
08-09 54 Grant

UNC Wilmington:
13-14 280 Before Keatts
14-15 174 Keatts
15-16 83 Keatts
16-17 60 Keatts

 

[TownieMatt]

Whitman publicly announced that Groce would return on March 5 last year, before the final game of the conference regular season.

I think the fact that this hasn't happened is the most telling piece of evidence we have.

 

[FatGreg]

Grant didn't do as bad as it's perceived at Alabama. He actually had three 20+ winning seasons, a conference division title, an NCAA tourney and made it to an NIT final.

Alabama is just a hard place to be a basketball coach despite being in a power 5 conference. The SEC has at least 7 other programs that are traditionally better at hoops than Alabama. The coach that replaced him who took a team to the NBA finals has yet to produce results similar to Grant.

I'm not saying he's my first choice but I don't think Keatts is a more proven option.

Yeah, his rep took a big hit with the way he finished at Alabama, but the results weren't as bad as the narrative suggests. A lot of people thought he was going to set the world on fire, but it turned out he wasn't ready and/or Alabama is a tougher job than everyone suspected.

I don't think he'll be on the Illinois shortlist, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him coaching at a P5 school next year or the year after. Spending the last few years in the NBA hopefully improved his credibility and coaching chops. Not my favorite candidate (moderate risk, poor public perception), but he has some post-hype sleeper appeal.

 

[EJ33]

Kevin Keatts has turned UNC-Wilmington into a potential March Madness giant slayer

What followed was an immediate, complete and ultimately sustained turnaround that not even Keatts was certain could be accomplished. At least, not right away.

 

[Ubermensch]

I think the fact that this hasn't happened is the most telling piece of evidence we have.

I tend to agree. Groce *is* gone, but this should be a signal for folks.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

Grant didn't do as bad as it's perceived at Alabama. He actually had three 20+ winning seasons, a conference division title, an NCAA tourney and made it to an NIT final.

Alabama is just a hard place to be a basketball coach despite being in a power 5 conference. The SEC has at least 7 other programs that are traditionally better at hoops than Alabama. The coach that replaced him who took a team to the NBA finals has yet to produce results similar to Grant.

I'm not saying he's my first choice but I don't think Keatts is a more proven option.

I guess it kinda depends how you interpret "proven".

Maybe Grant needed those growing pains to become a better coach and will be a future star somewhere new. Or maybe he's just an average coach who took full advantage of inheriting an NBA point guard at a solid program.

Maybe Keatts will need those growing pains. Or maybe he's Bill Self and he's never going to fail in his career.

What Grant has "proven" that Keatts hasn't is that major conference failure is something he's capable of. But he's also proven that he's not a totally in over his head Tim Beckman-type.

 

[Thor015]

That's 100% Whitman's call. And it is a very strange call.

Dangit, that wasn't the answer I was hoping for. I think we are sexier than most I guess. Glad the nastaglia is there, having said that I'd like to get back to playing top tier teams in this game.

Though when I went to research who we played in the past there wasn't a good list. Which left me debating whether we have really ever scheduled a good game there.

 

[Greensboro]

There are lots of people afraid of change.

The last coaching search did not go well, but we are in much better shape this time.

1. Facilities have been substantially improved.
2. Non-toxic AD.
3. Better roster (don't have to replace 2.5 classes) and good recruits lined up.
4. Stable administration.

The right hire will keep the class in tact and add to it.

Things will get better.

There is still risk here, not to dismiss the risk of doing nothing, just think you are a bit overconfident in our ability to hire the next coach.

Pt. 3, with the advantage of hindsight, maybe. Groce walked into a situation where the 1/2 class which I assume is Abrams, Egwu, Henry, Shaw, Langford, & Ibby had only just finished there freshman year & there wasn't that much information to suggest the future on that one. 2010 was largely replaced by the class above. 2012 was a bust, but IIRC was just Leonard leaving, so it wasn't like were sitting on a lot of open schoalrships. We had a bunch of seniors that Groce needed to replace with the Hill/Nunn class. Nothing is for certain with 2017 class & as it sets today we have 1 pg returning & 2 Jr bigs who would both be eligible as 5th yr transfers the next year, with only 1 coming in 2017. If we lose the 2017 class our roster is a dumpster fire.

Sure the right coach might keep them, the right coach may also lose them or at least some of them, no promises, Tilmon could decide to play for St. Louis or head to Carolina, Frazier might decide to stay closer to home. But we are very vulnerable to Tilmon going elsewhere & still very thin at bigs.

 

[Deleted member 590820]

I would like to hear Jon Scheyer pitch a 5-star on coming to Illinois over a blue blood...

You mean because he went to Duke he can't sell Illinois? First off you sell YOUR program as a blue blood. You dont acknowledge there is a better place to go than Illinois because there isn't. You don't need to even bring up other programs.
And Tempo 34, haven't the pitchforks been out for 3 years? Mine has. I'm not saying Whitman must hire Scheyer but I think he should be interviewed. I don't care how old he is, this could be thee guy. To not bring him in for an interview would be foolish.

 

[Illiniwek06]

You mean because he went to Duke he can't sell Illinois? First off you sell YOUR program as a blue blood. You dont acknowledge there is a better place to go than Illinois because there isn't. You don't need to even bring up other programs.
And Tempo 34, haven't the pitchforks been out for 3 years? Mine has. I'm not saying Whitman must hire Scheyer but I think he should be interviewed. I don't care how old he is, this could be thee guy. To not bring him in for an interview would be foolish.

Hard pass. How does Scheyer being an assistant at Duke for three years warrant an interview? I hope the people objecting to Keatts' resume (whom I disagree with) will also rightfully object to Scheyer's resume.

 

[skyIdub]

Lot's of good info here today! I'm starting to think the Keatts train is the ticket now. I still think you throw stupid money at Miller. Especially great insight on Keatts from S&C. I'm enjoying the train .gifs!

And with that I offer some insight on how to get off the Keep Groce train....

 

[socalini]

You mean because he went to Duke he can't sell Illinois? First off you sell YOUR program as a blue blood. You dont acknowledge there is a better place to go than Illinois because there isn't. You don't need to even bring up other programs.
And Tempo 34, haven't the pitchforks been out for 3 years? Mine has. I'm not saying Whitman must hire Scheyer but I think he should be interviewed. I don't care how old he is, this could be thee guy. To not bring him in for an interview would be foolish.

Go home Bertha. You're drunk.

 

[Adnarel]

I think the fact that this hasn't happened is the most telling piece of evidence we have.

Bingo. He gawn. You can hear it in this silence.

I am super-grateful we are not pulling an NC State and hamstringing the coach+team before all of the games have been played.

 

[JudsonFTS]

This is such a mischaracterization of the discussion. Nobody denies that, in a perfect world, you'd have a few more years of work to look at on Keatts. But his existing body of work is so impressive that you're not going to get that chance. Somebody is gonna give him a P5 shot in about a month, it'll be us or it won't be.

Yep you have to be bold.

Everyone panned Chris Collins since he only had assistant experience. Yet the Kitties are dancing and we are replacing a failed coach.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

Everyone panned Chris Collins since he only had assistant experience.

Literally no one panned Chris Collins. Everyone saw that as the coup for Northwestern that it was.

Now, many might have panned that hire at Illinois, but lets not rewrite history here.

 

[Burt Toast]

Bo Knows Basketball

Bo did have several (4?) D3 titles, not sure how that compares to Keatts HS titles.

Instead of comparing Keatts career progression to Bo Ryan's, why not just hire the Grinch himself? I bet he's ready to coach again.

Plug in a young quality coach in training (roger Powell?), let Bo bring his mistress, and enjoy the smug genius he proclaims to be. All the while, Roger, Jerrence, Steven Bardo, et al, can learn on the job from a great coach/arrogant SOB!

 

[ILHoff]

Grant didn't do as bad as it's perceived at Alabama. He actually had three 20+ winning seasons, a conference division title, an NCAA tourney and made it to an NIT final.

Alabama is just a hard place to be a basketball coach despite being in a power 5 conference. The SEC has at least 7 other programs that are traditionally better at hoops than Alabama. The coach that replaced him who took a team to the NBA finals has yet to produce results similar to Grant.

I'm not saying he's my first choice but I don't think Keatts is a more proven option.

I like Anthony Grant's resume better than Keatts. In addition to everything Keatts has accomplished Grant also won in the NCAA tournament, beat a couple of P5 schools (including Duke), and developed an NBA player all while at VCU. Additionally he has a taste of P5 head coaching (unfortunately at a program like Alabama) and NBA coaching experience.

 

[KrushCow31]

Why? If Illinois is in the NIT and wins a couple games and the guy Whitman wants is still coaching in the NCAAT, he could quite plausibly still be waiting to make an announcement two weeks from now.

I'll believe Groce is coming back when I hear the words out of Whitman's mouth.

Because of the tiny chance we have of making the NCAA tournament,he won't fire Groce until that has been announced. Has a team ever fired their headcoach days before the tournament? It would be embarrassing.

That said, the earlier it is done the better, since we have to wait a certain amount of days legally after the job has been posted to allow everyone to apply since it's a government job etc.

 

[JudsonFTS]

Literally no one panned Chris Collins. Everyone saw that as the coup for Northwestern that it was.

Now, many might have panned that hire at Illinois, but lets not rewrite history here.

No my post was not precisely worded. He was panned in the Illini search that netted us Groce!