Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2017)

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#627      
but did they all say it adamantly?

Was Underwood's original quote in the context of releasing Tilmon from the written commitment? In other words, we nominally could have made him honor the commitment (I know, not really), but if the didn't want to be here, we'd rather have recruits who did want to be here. I can't remember the timing . . . getting old and that was literally at least five or six months ago.

Btw, wasn't "adamantly" the name of that HOF power forward on the mid-80s Pistons? Apologies, I'll show myself out now.
 
#628      

EJ33

San Francisco
I remember the good ole days when we lost recruiting battles to other B1G programs or blue bloods. I can't remember a single loss to Iowa State. I don't think we've ever competed for a recruit with VaTech.
 
#629      
I remember the good ole days when we lost recruiting battles to other B1G programs or blue bloods. I can't remember a single loss to Iowa State. I don't think we've ever competed for a recruit with VaTech.

We've had more than a few recruiting losses to Iowa State. . . in football.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

That's okay, we're now a golf school.
 
#630      

sacraig

The desert
You... you guys know that programs suffering a decade of slow decline take more than one offseason to rebuild, right?

Underwood hasn't coached a single game for us yet. I think it's a bit premature to paint him and his program a failure because a couple of recruits went elsewhere.
 
#631      
I thought Nolley is from Georgia? How are him and Ayo related, besides the fact that they are both good players?

I don't know how they are related besides both are on Illinois wish list & nolley played high school ball at curie which is on the south side of Chicago, but miles away from Morgan park where ago plays.. so both are cps products
 
#632      
I mentioned a few days ago that tht might visit on 10/20.. that might finally be official now
 
#633      
You... you guys know that programs suffering a decade of slow decline take more than one offseason to rebuild, right?

Underwood hasn't coached a single game for us yet. I think it's a bit premature to paint him and his program a failure because a couple of recruits went elsewhere.

You’re correct, and I agree with you, but everything starts with the players. Personally, I’m not as anxious as most here, but as fans I don’t see how we can feel optimistic without some recruiting successes.

I’m not talking about star counts or rankings. The mantra has been this staff doesn’t care about rankings, and they’re going to recruit players that fit their system. That’s great. Let’s get all the 200 and 300 ranked bigs that fit the system. The concern is that they’ve identified players that presumably fit the system, and have failed to land them against modest competition.
 
#634      

sacraig

The desert
You’re correct, and I agree with you, but everything starts with the players. Personally, I’m not as anxious as most here, but as fans I don’t see how we can feel optimistic without some recruiting successes.

I’m not talking about star counts or rankings. The mantra has been this staff doesn’t care about rankings, and they’re going to recruit players that fit their system. That’s great. Let’s get all the 200 and 300 ranked bigs that fit the system. The concern is that they’ve identified players that presumably fit the system, and have failed to land them against modest competition.

Sure, but it's not like Underwood is starting with a bare cupboard. In terms of personnel, I'd argue our team already has more talent that the typical bubble team and just needs some real coaching to play to their potential and end up either on the right side of the bubble or else completely beyond it. I'd be a lot more concerned if we were having trouble recruiting and we had no real talent currently on the roster.
 
#635      
With Castleton and Conditt out of the picture now, staff could do a full-court-press on Bryan Penn-Johnson. I'd be okay with that.
 
#637      

Deleted member 631370

D
Guest
You... you guys know that programs suffering a decade of slow decline take more than one offseason to rebuild, right?

Underwood hasn't coached a single game for us yet. I think it's a bit premature to paint him and his program a failure because a couple of recruits went elsewhere.


No doubt about it that it's premature to paint the staff as a failure. In fact, it's lunacy at this point. Basketball is about winning games, not winning recruiting battles.

Yes, winning recruiting battles is ultimately what helps us win games. But final judgment has to be based on the performance on the court.

All that said......I think there's a valid sense of frustration (or at least there will be if we lose Nolley and/or Ayo) that we seem to need to prove ourselves on the court first before we get recruits, whereas lots of other programs are winning their recruiting battles with brand new coaches.

LSU already has a 5-star and a high 4-star kid committed under Will Wade. NC State has a top-100 kid already for their 2018 class. Indiana has three 4-star kids lined up already. Ohio State has a pair of 4-star kids. The same argument that "Coach needs a year to prove himself on the court before he'll start landing kids" doesn't seem to apply to these schools.

But, this could all become moot by Saturday night.
 
#638      

Deleted member 631370

D
Guest
Can someone tell me why Ayo is considered an Illini lean? I can't recall him or anyone saying anything about the Illini.

I think it's the Chin Coleman connection.

Frankly, the biggest reason we brought in Chin was to win battles like this. If we can't exploit that Irvin connection to reel in Ayo, then I don't know what to say.
 
#639      
No doubt about it that it's premature to paint the staff as a failure. In fact, it's lunacy at this point. Basketball is about winning games, not winning recruiting battles.

Yes, winning recruiting battles is ultimately what helps us win games. But final judgment has to be based on the performance on the court.

All that said......I think there's a valid sense of frustration (or at least there will be if we lose Nolley and/or Ayo) that we seem to need to prove ourselves on the court first before we get recruits, whereas lots of other programs are winning their recruiting battles with brand new coaches.

LSU already has a 5-star and a high 4-star kid committed under Will Wade. NC State has a top-100 kid already for their 2018 class. Indiana has three 4-star kids lined up already. Ohio State has a pair of 4-star kids. The same argument that "Coach needs a year to prove himself on the court before he'll start landing kids" doesn't seem to apply to these schools.

But, this could all become moot by Saturday night.


like watching everyone else open awesome presents on xmas and being last to open yours, we just gotta hope it's something good:thumb:
 
#640      
like watching everyone else open awesome presents on xmas and being last to open yours, we just gotta hope it's something good:thumb:

We've been the kid that doesn't get a present. Just disappointment. Hopefully, this staff turns it around and we get the best present of all.:)
 
#641      

IllFanInMi

I
Guest
We've been the kid that doesn't get a present. Just disappointment. Hopefully, this staff turns it around and we get the best present of all.:)

We've been the kid who gets a wrinkled stocking filled with one dollar scratch offs, and a Cliffmas Booblehead with Cliff Seniors cheesy shades and a Kansas head band.
 
#642      
I think a more charitable interpretation of Underwood's comment is that he wants people who are really excited to be at Illinois (e.g., Frazier).


Good point...it was a good "moment"...raised voice,....finger point ...the volume. Got everyone attention pretty quick.
 
#643      

Smacko

Lexington, KY
With Castleton and Conditt out of the picture now, staff could do a full-court-press on Bryan Penn-Johnson. I'd be okay with that.

BPJ would be significantly better than either of them, but I also think he will be very difficult to get. Him signing in Spring could be good for us though. If we have a good season and show well, it could impress him.
 
#644      
Are we having a group cry?

I'll check back in a few days then....
 
#646      

Deleted member 633632

D
Guest
I still think Nolley is coming here, no inside info, but those tweets from the girls basketball player a few weeks ago is sticking out heavily in my mind where she specifically told Illini fans to not get our hopes up about him coming here and I even think she called him a lair or said he can't be trusted...
 
#647      

pruman91

Paducah, Ky
I still think Nolley is coming here, no inside info, but those tweets from the girls basketball player a few weeks ago is sticking out heavily in my mind where she specifically told Illini fans to not get our hopes up about him coming here and I even think she called him a lair or said he can't be trusted...

Thought her tweets were to a fan of another team about not getting their hopes up...

recruiting is like golf or being married...frustrating at best and will drive you crazy if you let it....BTW, I'm divorced and gave up golf a long time ago...lol

I still think LN , Ayo and THT will be Illini.....hope springs eternal
 
#648      

james81

North Carolina
No doubt about it that it's premature to paint the staff as a failure. In fact, it's lunacy at this point. Basketball is about winning games, not winning recruiting battles.

Yes, winning recruiting battles is ultimately what helps us win games. But final judgment has to be based on the performance on the court.

All that said......I think there's a valid sense of frustration (or at least there will be if we lose Nolley and/or Ayo) that we seem to need to prove ourselves on the court first before we get recruits, whereas lots of other programs are winning their recruiting battles with brand new coaches.

LSU already has a 5-star and a high 4-star kid committed under Will Wade. NC State has a top-100 kid already for their 2018 class. Indiana has three 4-star kids lined up already. Ohio State has a pair of 4-star kids. The same argument that "Coach needs a year to prove himself on the court before he'll start landing kids" doesn't seem to apply to these schools.

But, this could all become moot by Saturday night.

We compete with about 50 schools for recruits. On average, it's not a big deal for a program to get 3 top 150 recruits, with occasional top 50-100 ranked players. However, recruiting cycles depend on openings, contacts, geography, timing. A program can whiff one year and it's not necessarily indicative of anything other than chance. Overall, evaluating a program's recruiting is like evaluating a mutual fund. You don't do it based on the success of one year. Selectively choosing a program on a one-year basis as an example and considering it as a standard to evaluate other programs is misleading.
 
#649      
I definitely not expecting Nolley here. Then the board will freak out, forget about how we got Mark Smith, we won't sign anyone in Nov. we will watch some good basketball again with ups and downs. Sign a couple in the spring.

Then repeat the summer/fall recruiting cycle freak outs.
 
#650      

mattcoldagelli

The Transfer Portal
I am trying to think of a group less well-suited to tackle a task than Loyalty posters trying to divine the meanings of Twitter and Instagram interactions between teens and college students.
 
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