The Illinois Coaching Search

[Second and Chalmers]

To be clear, two of Michael Porter Sr's daughters play for Mizzou's women's bball team. The whole family is from Columbia.

Mizzou was always going to be destination #1 if anything took them away from Seattle. Where they only moved last year to advance the two Michael's basketball interests with decades-old family friend Romar.

Quite how else this could have played out remains unclear.

 

[FatGreg]

He has a top 50 brother a year younger FWIW.

Yep. Johntay Porter - #32 in 2018. So a one year rental of a top-5 NBA draft pick followed by 2-3 years of a borderline 5-star combo forward.

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

We don't know that. Yet.

He did sign a LOI, but will be let out of it because of Romar getting fired. If you are Cuonzo why hire his dad if you don't get him and his brother? I think it was well known that they were a package deal, which is why Romar hired him in the first place.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

He did sign a LOI, but will be let out of it because of Romar getting fired. If you are Cuonzo why hire his dad if you don't get him and his brother? I think it was well known that they were a package deal, which is why Romar hired him in the first place.

No, we don't know whether Cuonzo induced the Romar firing. That's the part that's unclear.

And just for the record, Porter Jr. never signed and LOI so they don't need to bother with the formality of a release.

 

[FatGreg]

Michael Porter, Jontay Porter, Charlie Moore, Mark Smith and Jeremiah Tilmon would be a beyond belief coup for a totally dead Mizzou program.

We're not there yet, but wow.

Yep. Mizzou has a couple of talented players on the team already. Cuonzo was also in deep with several top 2018 west coast kids. They could easily finish top 3 or 4 in the B12 the next couple of years and then start really recruiting like crazy. This could turn out to be a real bummer.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

Porter was the only reason Romar had any chance of keeping his job, for those who are unfamiliar with the situation.

He was on the hot seat anyway, but losing the Porters would have been an insta-fire situation, if that is in fact the order in which things occurred.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

They could easily finish top 3 or 4 in the B12 the next couple of years

Are you breaking conference realignment news!?

 

[GBPillini]

No, we don't know whether Cuonzo induced the Romar firing. That's the part that's unclear.

And just for the record, Porter Jr. never signed and LOI so they don't need to bother with the formality of a release.

Per the tweet on the front page it looks like he actually did. I'm sure he will be released from it though.

 

[madcrazeeballa]

Here we go what? He is going to pull in Michael Porter Senior and his two sons. Plus likely Charlie Moore. I'm not saying that I wanted Martin, never have. BUT Whitman hopefully has his sights on someone that's a great hire otherwise not hiring Martin may cause us to kick ourselves in the future.

Getting recruits is great. Coaching them is a different story. Ivan Rabb says hello.

 

[EJ33]

Cuonzo failing forward in a major way. From getting stomped in the NIT by a lesser UC school to $3.5M for his resume, and now he's got the #1 recruit headed his way. Wow.

 

[redwingillini11]

Just block Tilmon to Miznoz. Its standard procedure. No one will care, especially if Martin starts stealing all these recruits from other schools.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

Getting recruits is great. Coaching them is a different story. Ivan Rabb says hello.

This is undeniably true.

But if the Porters and Cuonzo were a package available to Illinois (a set of facts which are NOT in evidence and which there is considerable reason to doubt), that changes the calculus to some extent. It just does.

 

[Deleted member 236589]

Yep. Johntay Porter - #32 in 2018. So a one year rental of a top-5 NBA draft pick followed by 2-3 years of a borderline 5-star combo forward.

Would have been nice.....

Along with our own borderline five star center that will be no longer and a recruit from Edwardsville that is becoming a pipe dream. We still have a full bank account though.

 

[Illinifanforlife]

Why are you guys freaking out over Martin to Mizzou bringing the #1 recruit? We all knew Martin could bring in recruits, we also know the man has trouble with Xs and Os. Just because you get talent doesn't mean you'll win. I'd still rather have a Keatts or Bennett for the long term and I think we'd win more right away. Don't sweat it!

 

[TheFameProtector]

1 player for 1 year is not worth hiring the wrong head coach for.

Exactly. We all saw what happened with LSU and Ben Simmons. Or, heck, Washington and Fultz. Just because a player is great doesn't mean the coach will be able to put it together to create a top tier team.

Give me a coach with a highly effective system (even if it's boring!) rather than someone who might be able to recruit top-tier talent consistently.

Or, get someone who can do both and we'll never need a coaching search thread again! FWIW, might gut tells me Archie is the man that can do both over the long haul.

 

[GBPillini]

This is undeniably true.

But if the Porters and Cuonzo were a package available to Illinois (a set of facts which are NOT in evidence and which there is considerable reason to doubt), that changes the calculus to some extent. It just does.

I disagree. It's incredibly short-sighted. You don't hire a coach that can't coach for 1 recruit for 1 year and 1 top 50 recruit.

 

[Deleted member 236589]

This is undeniably true.

But if the Porters and Cuonzo were a package available to Illinois (a set of facts which are NOT in evidence and which there is considerable reason to doubt), that changes the calculus to some extent. It just does.

More than to just some extent.....It's a deal that you have you make. You're most likely keeping your own top 10 class, actually elevating it and you're locking down top recruiting classes for the foreseeable future. If Whitman knew this was a package and passed.....Just call Groce back, keep Walker and let's cut our losses.

 

[GBPillini]

More than to just some extent.....It's a deal that you have you make. You're most likely keeping your own top 10 class, actually elevating it and you're locking down top recruiting classes for the foreseeable future. If Whitman knew this was a package and passed.....Just call Groce back, keep Walker and let's cut our losses.

The panic that Missiouri hiring a 2nd tier coach has had on this board is unbelievable. Step back from the ledge people. At least let Whitman make the hire before we jump.

 

[helppitch]

To all you Martin hating geniuses, these dominos are exactly what I saw happening. He's a very likeable guy. Gene Chizik went 2-10 at Iowa State for one year before he took the helm at Auburn to a title. Players win championships before coaches do. Even coack K has deviated from his older style and deferred to the blue chippers he brings in.

And what happened to Chizak after he road Cam Newton to the national championship?
As for Porter, if he indeed is the no. 1 player in the nation, he is one & done, probably. Martin has had the talent, but still has had mediocre results.

 

[ILLHangOut]

1 player for 1 year is not worth hiring the wrong head coach for.

+1

I admit I'm feeling a bit jealous of the talent windfall projected for Mizzou, but both Porter/Romar and Cuanzzou have shown that big time talent =/= big time winning.

 

[hooraybeer]

More than to just some extent.....It's a deal that you have you make. You're most likely keeping your own top 10 class, actually elevating it and you're locking down top recruiting classes for the foreseeable future. If Whitman knew this was a package and passed.....Just call Groce back, keep Walker and let's cut our losses.

:smash:

 

[Deleted member 236589]

Why are you guys freaking out over Martin to Mizzou bringing the #1 recruit? We all knew Martin could bring in recruits, we also know the man has trouble with Xs and Os. Just because you get talent doesn't mean you'll win. I'd still rather have a Keatts or Bennett for the long term and I think we'd win more right away. Don't sweat it!

How do we know he has trouble with X's and O's?

 

[Second and Chalmers]

And what happened to Chizak after he road Cam Newton to the national championship?

The actual head coach of that team, Gus Malzahn, led them to a second national title game which they very nearly won.

Solid point, bad example.

 

[illiniguy24]

How do we know he has trouble with X's and O's?

Game film


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[RichBradIllini]

More than to just some extent.....It's a deal that you have you make. You're most likely keeping your own top 10 class, actually elevating it and you're locking down top recruiting classes for the foreseeable future. If Whitman knew this was a package and passed.....Just call Groce back, keep Walker and let's cut our losses.