Foggy Notion
- San Francisco
I do not think Groce had much of a choice early on, as he had to replace 3 1/2 classes from the get go, once he took over Illinois. The continuous reliance on transfers (including 5th yr) four years into his tenure, and inability to recruit a top-100 PG or C in his first 4 recruiting classes is more of a problem though. We should have been further along recruiting wise as far as talent/roster, but it is what it is. Hopefully the 2017 class is great start towards a better program.
I agree with most of what you said, but I don't see the continuous reliance on transfers, except to plug up wholes that are otherwise impossible to fill, like the lack of seniors on the this year's team due to an empty recruiting class from the prior administration. We don't have any transfers sitting out this year, unless you count Thorne, but that is a medical redshirt.
Most teams these days rely on transfers, partly because transfers are so common that they suffer attrition themselves. I don't see it as much of a problem. It is another tool to be used at a coach's discretion. As with freshmen, some transfers work out, and others don't. It happens at every program.