2018 Off Season Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#1      
Reflect on the past season, Speculate on the next season


-----------------------------------------
Known 2018-19 Illini schedule-

Georgetown at Illinois in Nov. (Gavitt Games)
Maui Invitational Nov. 19-21
UNLV at Illinois on Dec. 8th
 
Last edited by a moderator:
#2      
A lot of IF guys can improve, but I’m cautiously optimistic as to how this freshman class improves to their sophomore year. A lot of hard workers that, I think, are perfect for a guy like Kipper to be getting better around.
 
#4      
I'm seriously laughing about people saying this is a tournament team next year. We will loose a few guys and right now we get Ayo who as most know I am not as high on as some people. We have zero improvement in the bigs next season. It is very strange. Sure we COULD get some transfers and maybe sneak into a few recruitments, but this isn't a tourney team without serious help down low.
 
#5      

haasi

New York
I'm seriously laughing about people saying this is a tournament team next year. We will loose a few guys and right now we get Ayo who as most know I am not as high on as some people. We have zero improvement in the bigs next season. It is very strange. Sure we COULD get some transfers and maybe sneak into a few recruitments, but this isn't a tourney team without serious help down low.

I think what you've articulated is actually pretty close to consensus. Not sure too many people think we're a tourney team next year without some very serious recruiting wins/talent upgrades.
 
#7      

Deleted member 631370

D
Guest
I'm seriously laughing about people saying this is a tournament team next year. We will loose a few guys and right now we get Ayo who as most know I am not as high on as some people. We have zero improvement in the bigs next season. It is very strange. Sure we COULD get some transfers and maybe sneak into a few recruitments, but this isn't a tourney team without serious help down low.


Yeah, there's certainly some Kool-Aid going around, but I do think most are fairly realistic.

I think we'll probably be anywhere from 8 to 11 in the preseason B1G standings.
 
#9      
ILLINI ended up exactly where MOST should have thought to begin with.

BU can coach, as is with any other coach TALENT trumps all- INCLUDING Coaching!

Hold over scholarships better go to GREAT use, or else whats the point?

Uniforms will need an overhaul, NO ZIG ZAGS please? These are junior highish at best.

Tejon shoots like 1500 shots at least daily, Smith figures a way to KNOW he belongs without sulking and pouting about play. Kipper gets PISSED and stays that way, Black dials up beast mode for the senior year. ILLINI figure a way to get Okoro to reclass for one of the scholly's and gets a decommitted Top 50 to take another to go with Ayo.

Otherwise I am expecting a boring off season, full of meanless speculation, useless interviews, boring functions/presser/appearance's and an overall lack of interest from a fan base that deserves far more than we have gotten in the past 10 years as far as winning goes!
 
#11      
Speaking as only one person, from my seats in the Assembly Hall, on no occasions did I ever see MS pout or sulk. There are times when he looked unhappy with his play but that is not remotely the same thing.
 
#13      

foby

Bonnaroo Land
I have been awakened by the realism here. We will not go to the tournament. We will be lucky to win a game. The sky will definitely fall on Champaign sometime in early August causing a catastrophic event the likes of which the world has never seen (Glad I live far away). I must go find a therapist now. Thank you.
 
#14      

mattcoldagelli

The Transfer Portal
I'm seriously laughing about people saying this is a tournament team next year. We will loose a few guys and right now we get Ayo who as most know I am not as high on as some people. We have zero improvement in the bigs next season. It is very strange. Sure we COULD get some transfers and maybe sneak into a few recruitments, but this isn't a tourney team without serious help down low.

We have no idea what the roster looks like for next year.
 
#15      
I'm seriously laughing about people saying this is a tournament team next year.

I wouldn't be too harsh on the optimistic folks, but yeah, it's hard to take away any positives from this season, and certainly not enough to envision getting to the dance.

Thing that concerns me the most is that I didn't see Underwood get his system installed. Just looking at some stats, we were 257th in possessions per game in Groce's last season, and only went from 70 to 73. We even look slow. And we foul like crazy. Never seen so much fouling by an Illini team. I get that he wants guys to be aggressive, but this is crazy. Very little seems to click yet for this group.

Add to that an imbalanced roster, only two BIG caliber players (three with Ayo), and a culture that's been losing for years now, and it's really hard to see when this will get turned around.

My guess is slowly, but no matter the pace, we're a long way away. :(
 
#18      

BananaShampoo

Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
I saw a team this year that by all statistical probability "won" 17 or 18 games this year even with a ton of underclassmen minutes. It's not crazy to think that with another year of practice and maturity and the "sophomore leap", plus adding a top 30 player that we might win 20+ games next year, which could very well make it a tournament team depending on how all shakes out.

Sent from my XT1526 using Tapatalk
 
#20      

foby

Bonnaroo Land
Not saying it is exactly the same, but this season was similar to OK St the year before BU.

TF Freshman - 12.5 Pts, 1.8 Reb, 3.1 Ast
JE Freshman - 12.9 Pts, 4.4 Reb, 4.9 Ast
KN Soph - 10.0 Pts, 4.2 Reb
JC Soph - 8.2 Pts, 4.0 Reb

I think we will see marked improvement and consistency in their games.

If we add a B1G ready Big, I can see a year like that BU year at OKSt. We have talent, depth, and a lot of experience if one or none transfer.


Just an observation, so tear it apart if you will. Plan B is that we win no games, disaster, yada yada.
 
#21      

I Bomb

Stylin' and Profilin'
Need to see what the staff pulls off in recruiting. I'm one who believes that Illinois could have looked majorly different even with just (1) of the right player added to the mix. We have a ton of guards and a couple of non-threatening bigs. Add someone, and get consistency and improvement from the rest, and I think it's a tourney-capable team. And hit the treadmills.
 
#22      

ILL in IA

Iowa City
I really don't see this team being as bad as some are making it sound. Forget the record, and look at how we played and how we got beat. I think we are an average at best big man away from a big step forward next year. Sure we don't know where that average at best big is going to come from, but I think we find that guy. Having that big changes sever guys roles to better suit their skill sets. With that, we just need to keep the key parts from transferring out.
 
#23      

foby

Bonnaroo Land
Need to see what the staff pulls off in recruiting. I'm one who believes that Illinois could have looked majorly different even with just (1) of the right player added to the mix. We have a ton of guards and a couple of non-threatening bigs. Add someone, and get consistency and improvement from the rest, and I think it's a tourney-capable team. And hit the treadmills.

I was one who thought it was not a huge deal that we lost Tilmon. I was wrong.
 
#24      

PJD86

Texas
I don't see how we aren't better next year, the question I guess is how much better

I'll wait until the roster is set. My prediction of 17 wins this year certainly didn't hit so who knows.

Lets shock some people
 
#25      

JFGsCoffeeMug

BU:1 Trash cans:0
Chicago
I don't see how we aren't better next year, the question I guess is how much better

I'll wait until the roster is set. My prediction of 17 wins this year certainly didn't hit so who knows.

Lets shock some people

We also need to account for how much better our opponents will be next year. Keeping pace won't get it done. We need to make a bigger jump than everyone else in order to become truly competitive.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.