I don't think so at all. This is what we're used to and expecting. We have to win to attract top talent consistently. We'll see.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2017)
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I don't think so at all. This is what we're used to and expecting. We have to win to attract top talent consistently. We'll see.
So what does that mean???
mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Today is the day Brad Underwood finally became Pres- uh, Illinois head basketball coach.
IlliniDent
- Chicago, IL
By most reports we lost to GA and VT due to location. That's something that can be very hard to overcome
Location should be one of the first things talked about as you build the relationship. If Nolley didn't want to be around here, we shouldn't have wasted so many resources.
Welp, sucks to suck.
Deleted member 631370
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That requires the kid to be honest with the staff. If he told them location wasn't a factor when it really was, you can't blame the staff. This kid seems to want as much attention as possible, so it doesn't seem implausible that he was telling the staff what he thought they wanted to hear so he could keep getting attention.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
The timing of the FBI arrests & press conference feels like when Comey announced 2 weeks before the election that the FBI was reopening the investigation into Clinton's emails.
Even though Comey later said they didn't find anything, enough doubt was sown that it likely affected the final outcome.
Similarly here, the arrest of an Asst Coach that BU recently hired and had worked with for several years at 3 different schools, just 2 weeks before many of our top targets were making their decisions, likely gave our competitors a strong closing argument that BU himself might get pulled into the scandal--even if that ultimately ends up not being true.
So given this last minute, outside intervening factor, these recruiting losses may not accurately reflect the ability of our staff to recruit, nor the perceived value of our Program to future prospects.
We just need to get on the court--the true level playing field.
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The timing of the FBI arrests & press conference feels like when Comey announced 2 weeks before the election that the FBI was reopening the investigation into Clinton's emails.
Even though Comey later said they didn't find anything, enough doubt was sown that it likely affected the final outcome.
Similarly here, the arrest of an Asst Coach that BU recently hired and had worked with for several years at 3 different schools, just 2 weeks before many of our top targets were making their decisions, likely gave our competitors a strong closing argument that BU himself might get pulled into the scandal--even if that ultimately ends up not being true.
So given this last minute, outside intervening factor, these recruiting losses may not accurately reflect the ability of our staff to recruit, nor the perceived value of our Program to future prospects.
We just need to get on the court--the true level playing field.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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But Cash said Nolley was a lock...and I was chastised for not buying it 100% and saying I'll wait until signing day to be excited because it was Cash. Maybe Cash had info, and that's cool. But we shouldn't bash folks that have no need to buy into everything hook line and sinker only to be let down.
I think it's pretty clear that aside from getting a kid to buy in who has looked at UI as a dream school (Smith) or a kid with tight connections (Chin/Ayo hopefully), it's going to be tough to sell our program until there's something to sell. We have been irrelevant for 12 years. BUt hopefully, the results on the court this fall will give the staff something to help get kids to buy into - a system that works, a system that's exciting and competitive, a system where they'll develop.
This is a rebuild and we have to be patient...and for pete's sake, we need to stop being so thirsty following 17 year old kids every move and word.
I'm looking forward to seeing the product on the court. Let's get out and support BU and the team - and make AH a revered place to play in again. I'd rather see our fans put their efforts into making AH a home court advantage again than tweeting and drooling over recruits that seem to use us for our enthusiasm and then toss us to the curb.
I think it's pretty clear that aside from getting a kid to buy in who has looked at UI as a dream school (Smith) or a kid with tight connections (Chin/Ayo hopefully), it's going to be tough to sell our program until there's something to sell. We have been irrelevant for 12 years. BUt hopefully, the results on the court this fall will give the staff something to help get kids to buy into - a system that works, a system that's exciting and competitive, a system where they'll develop.
This is a rebuild and we have to be patient...and for pete's sake, we need to stop being so thirsty following 17 year old kids every move and word.
I'm looking forward to seeing the product on the court. Let's get out and support BU and the team - and make AH a revered place to play in again. I'd rather see our fans put their efforts into making AH a home court advantage again than tweeting and drooling over recruits that seem to use us for our enthusiasm and then toss us to the curb.
Deleted member 631370
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Lorenzo Romar got big fish up until the very end. That guy couldn't coach a lick.
Look at the recruits that Mark Gottfried was getting. He's a terrible coach.
There are tons of truly awful coaches who managed to recruit very well, even when it was blatantly obvious that they couldn't coach. And there are plenty of instances of kids committing to coaches who haven't proven themselves yet. Will Wade is killing it at LSU, for example.
Recruiting is mostly about relationships -- provided, of course, that the school offers an attractive destination for a basketball recruit.
Not surprising. I would expect a review of any recruiting relationships in light of what happened, just to be as safe as humanly possible. Especially given Underwood had ties to someone in trouble. Even the pressure to win, and ambitions a coach has are going to pale in comparison to the repercussion of possible prosecution. For us as fans, the sport may seem the same today, but it's absolutely not. Coaches could (and have!) taken risks wrt sanctions. This is completely different.
That said, it still sucks to see priority targets commit elsewhere. Could be an unusual year for spring signings given what's happening, but like everyone else, I'd much rather see us get some commits now.
Deleted member 631370
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Well, Cash got on his high horse and proclaimed victory, only to melt away when somebody dared to challenge him on it. I suspect we've seen the last of Cash.
I agree with your post. We're going to need to do this the old fashioned way -- win, establish a track record, and then lure in the big time kids. Winning is much easier when you get the horses early on. But, there are probably no shortcuts to pay dirt in this instance.
The good news is, I have full faith that Underwood CAN coach this current team to success this year and next year. Beyond that, we're going to need to reload. And the 2018 class was/is an important first step in doing that. Let's hope we still manage to stag Ayo. If we do that, this class writ large still goes down as a success. If not, ouch.
Deleted member 186590
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This has been one of the worse strings of recruiting losses that I can remember. There will always be some growing pains of a new staff recruiting to a new school that they don't have a track record at yet, but usually that is more of a positive (they haven't lost a game yet!) than a negative. But, they are also learning who they can attract to Illinois and who they should not waste their time on.
I'm still optimistic this staff has good recruiters and will broaden our recruiting base even with some swings and misses here early on.
To state the obvious, Ayo would be a huge domino to fall. To get him to come would certainly put this staff on the map and attract others in this class and in future classes for sure. He's almost become a "must get" if we're going to build on the excitement of a new staff, new facilities, etc.
I'm still optimistic this staff has good recruiters and will broaden our recruiting base even with some swings and misses here early on.
To state the obvious, Ayo would be a huge domino to fall. To get him to come would certainly put this staff on the map and attract others in this class and in future classes for sure. He's almost become a "must get" if we're going to build on the excitement of a new staff, new facilities, etc.
Blackhawks215
- Savannah, GA
It's how the twitter user is choosing to describe the player. After looking at some videos, articles, and the 247/Scout rankings, I can't really tell how good of a player he is. Eval write-ups make him seem like he has good potential but needs time to develop and refine his game.
frozenrope9190
- Aurora, IL
Ah, well. Let's go get the next one.
kcib8130
- Parts Unknown
I don't know how you hold a cloud, but this post is ridiculous.
illinifaninwi
- DeForest, Wisconsin
Elias may very well be commitment number one for this Illini recruiting class.
Could you elaborate on this cloud you speak of? You lost me
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
nailed it....+ 1
DB11Headband
- Chicago Burbs
Ah, yes, the arm chair recruiters and coaches have come out again...
People-our coach hasn't coached a game yet, and his top assistant at his last job just got arrested and charged with a federal crime. Until that is settled and BU shows he can win some games, we are going to lose the majority of these recruiting battles (especially for out-of state recruits with no ties to the program). I thought we had a good chance with Nolley, but it's not the end of the world. We just need that one player to make the plunge, and the rest will follow like lemmings.
TRUST THE PROCESS
Deleted member 29907
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This makes sense since the midwest became home to so many Nordic settlers - perhaps we're on to a new moniker - "The Fighting Nords"
Let's just all be thankful that Ayo is looking at Xavier and not a B1G school.
I, personally, blame Coach Henson for not putting the full court press on Michael Jordan when he started blowing up in 1980. I mean come on, kid couldn't even make his high school team, Illinois could have easily locked him up early.
As far as this universe, I don't think much has changed. Still gotta get Ayo, then who cares who else we get. Get Ayo signed this fall and hope to get better players in the spring after we've had some good results, it really doesn't matter when they actually commit.
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