Cuonzo Martin is recruiting him and it's not to Cal. I'm not sure if it's to Illinois, but it's not to Cal.
... And you know this "how?"
Cuonzo Martin is recruiting him and it's not to Cal. I'm not sure if it's to Illinois, but it's not to Cal.
I understand this thought process, but I can't emphasize enough how much of a cancer it has been on Illinois athletics not realizing its VAST inherent potential. RG was cheap as hell, and he ran Illinois athletics like a mom 'n' pop shop, and our results showed it: we might succeed in the short term from time to time, but we never grew. We never showed any inclination of wanting to be OSU or Michigan, and we should have.
Mike Thomas, for all of his faults, pushed the needle in the right direction on this. He probably overpaid for both Groce and Beckman, but it sent an important message: he wanted Illinois to be viewed as a big money school. A school with deep pockets that was committed to being big time in sports. Problem was, apparently, he didn't have the charisma or likability to get donors on board, and that was probably part of his ultimate demise. I believe Whitman has made the final step in this. With the Lovie hire, he showed not only a very impressive commitment to investing heavily in athletics but also in being able to get donors on board to pony up that cash.
I'm optimistic the days of "when have we ever spent money like that?" are long, long over.
I'd have to agree with you. On the business/branding side of things, I really liked the direction Thomas was headed. Ultimately, where he failed was in the two most important functions of his job, which are hiring coaches and selling the program to donors. That's probably because he apparently just wasn't a very personable guy and had a management style that didn't really help him out when trying to convince good coaches to come over.
It kind of makes you wonder how he succeeded at Cincinnati.
Cuonzo Martin wants the Illinois job. He'll bring Charlie Moore with him.
You can't compare HS to college. So really you're just saying his three years are leaps and bounds ahead of Groce's, which I don't think is true. Groce coached at a mid-major not a low major like Keatts, and Groce had significant tourney success for a mid-major.
Keatts can prove his coaching acumen by winning more games in the CAA, or winning in the tournament. But for a program like Illinois it shouldn't be enough - he needs to be successful at a higher level before coaching here.
Please no more quoting single game ATS as support for a high level coaching candidate. If you have to go there, he's not experienced enough for this job.
Also, a small uptick in talent and game experience can give you a better shot at winning a game or 2 in the tourney and improving your coaching resume even more. I'd be very surprised to see UNCW win a game in the tourney
I didn't mean for that to be a dig or a negative against Keatts the candidate. I just meant it as a hurdle with regards to his resume. If he sticks at UNCW, it's going to require a major upset to advance in the NCAAs. Thats just a matter of talent, not coaching.
There is no point in posting single game ATS records no matter the context. That in no way indicates anything. Bucknell beat Kansas back in the day, so I believe low majors should always be competitive with blue bloods.
A good CAA record is great, and he can't coach for higher level programs while he's still at UNCW, so I get it. But the level of risk is crazy for a jump to UI. IMO Keatts would get roasted by B1G coaches. They might be tougher than the HS coaches he faced.
I think people need to realize that the Illinois job now is a better job than it was five years ago. When Groce was hired.
The institutional chaos that reigned at the top eschelons of the University is over. We have a chancellor and president and have been scandal-free for a reasonable period of time.
We have a young, up-and-comer as AD who is popular and seems to have a ton of job security. He's already made a big splash hire in football. Everyone who meets him comes away impressed.
The basketball facilities have just completed renovation.
The BTN money is just getting bigger and bigger.
Unlike at the end of the Weber era, the fanbase is generally united in their apathy. There's none of the rancor that existed at the end of Weber's tenure. Any new hire can be pretty sure that all the fans will be behind him.
Nobody outside the program will be scratching their heads at the firing. No one like Tom Izzo is going to be standing up and criticizing the firing of the previous head coach. No one is going to claim the new AD didn't give Groce a chance.
What may have been out-sized fan expectations after 04-05 have been reset to Illinois' more traditional mindset of wanting conference championships and Sweet Sixteens with the occasional Final Four run.
That's a good question but it's probably a sliding scale depending on how good your results are, experience, recruiting, etc.
1. Other P5
2. Big East
3. A-10, AAC
4. MVC, WCC, Mountain West
Anything after that has a lot of variables I think. I'm probably not thinking of other deserving conferences.
I don't think anyone can argue that Keatts has a great 3 year start to D1 coaching career. The question for ADs, is if that is enough to determine that he will succeed at your school.
Yes, you are correct in that Collins was the lead recruiter and was largely responsible for the Chicago pipeline we had going at that time. He was also a player under Henson at New Mexico State when Henson took them to the Final Four.
I think many CPL coaches were upset when Henson retired and Collins wasn't named as his successor. That hurt Kruger's ability to recruit Chicago and may still be a factor to this day.
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Can't wait for the rumor mill to get pumping! It's rough arguing the same guys over and over - I'll resume lurking and spare everyone else!
Haha. I think most people on this thread are very close in thoughts. The more I think about it, the more I believe Keatts won't be coming here anyways. I think he'll end up somewhere more "East Coast" and I think he'd be viewed at too high a risk for JW. Just my 2 cents.
Yes, you are correct in that Collins was the lead recruiter and was largely responsible for the Chicago pipeline we had going at that time. He was also a player under Henson at New Mexico State when Henson took them to the Final Four.
I think many CPL coaches were upset when Henson retired and Collins wasn't named as his successor. That hurt Kruger's ability to recruit Chicago and may still be a factor to this day.
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I think a lot of us from the early Henson era thought he was a good enough coach. I always remember what was said by friends of mine at the Sigma Chi house where Steve Lanter lived. Lanter said that Henson was a good practice coach but a terrible game coach. Especially when it was a close game. If Henson called a time out during a close game he would often stand there and say nothing - sounded like an anxiety attack. Still, I would love to have a version of Henson now versus what we do have.
Keats to NC State? Makes sense considering he's already working in the area, but its probably not what their fans want.
I feel like someone like Mick Cronin is far more realistic than we might think. Yes he's getting paid north of 2 mil a year and he's from Cincinnati. But that conference is kind of a mess. I could see him wanting the stability and prestige of the B1G.
One of these schools is 1 of 15 schools with 2 or more NCAA championships & it isn't us. I think many outside of this board would consider NCState the better job even before the 8 years of suck.
... And you know this "how?"
Why wouldn't he be a fit here? Just curious.
Based on what? Who are the "many outside this board"?
I'm honestly curious, because besides the celebration of Jim Valvano I have never heard NC State discussed as more than a regional draw.
PM me I cannot say why here