Illinois in a free fall

Illinois coach Bruce Weber said Friday he wasn't going to quit on this team and the players hadn't either. Weber still hasn't stopped coaching. But the team clearly isn't responding to his voice. The complete meltdown at Nebraska was a strong indicator. Illinois is in sudden free fall and it looks like it will be increasingly difficult to stop the slide and avoid a $3.9 million change. If this happens, then first on the list for athletic director Mike Thomas will likely be VCU's Shaka Smart, who would be wise to consider one of the plum jobs in the country. And if this domino falls, then a Valley school should welcome back Weber with open arms.

Andy Katz