If Underwood and company did not go after top 100 players, we would be hearing the Monday morning quarterbacks angst in not recruiting top talent. Essentially, there is no winning with many of you as you all want instant success which is not realistic given the hole that was dug for our program both in basketball and football.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2018)
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I am more guilty than most of treating the variety of different perspectives here as if they're all coming from one person. Heck, let's be honest, I am the single most guilty person of doing that.
But let me assure you that those complaints would not be coming from me.
t7nich
- Central IL
I could see him fitting at the 3, more times than not, with Kipper at the 4.
SampsonRelpenk
- Edwardsville, IL
Not from me. Obviously I'd love to see top 100 commits left and right, but it's clear that is not on the table right now. On the contrary, I would be heartened to see the staff zero in on lower ranked players who they felt fit the system and Underwood's personality to a T, lock them up during fall recruiting, then go balls to the wall for higher ranked guys with mutual interest. I would trust those evaluations so much more than flailing, desperate spring offers and visits like we saw last year. If that's a Year One aberration, fine, but it sure looks like we're headed in that direction again as of now. There's still time to turn that around though!
Deleted member 643761
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Of course, it's about results. So why do you spend so much time talking about tactics and strategy that you couldn't possibly know about in any sort of consequential detail?
At this rate I'll take a commitment from anyone and debate whether or not they'll be Creaned in two seasons.
Nothing worse than getting on here and seeing the same narrative about what it takes to get recruits over and over again. Gurrier, would be a huge get for Illinois! Would make an immediate impact on the court. Don't know what Oregon and Syracuse rosters look like but Illinois' has plenty of playing available for him.
Deleted member 643761
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I don't think that's particularly relevant to my post.
But we landed Tevian after an Arizona offer. Should we have told him not to visit because of course he's going to Arizona?
Look, Groce couldn't close. Underwood's ability is in doubt. We can see the proof.
Was Groce before and Underwood now really bad at discerning a recruit's honest interest in our program? It's a real possibility. But people are valuing Derek Piper (hell, even anonymous message board posters) over actual conversations that are happening between a coach and a player and various people around that player.
It's a fairly common failure of human nature. That portion of knowledge which I possess is superior to the things I don't know.
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
Better buy 2, just to be safe!
The night is darkest before the dawn. This is a consequence of having no actual basketball to talk about since February. The board mood will transform once we see Ayo on the floor, not to mention Jones, Healthy DMW, Improved Kipper, Sophomore Frazier, and Giorgi's dance moves.
sacraig
- The desert
You're assuming that Corey Evans knows everything about every recruit we have contacted. That's a bold assumption. He certainly is more plugged into recruiting than I am, but he is less plugged in than, say... Brad Underwood. Or at least he better be.
sacraig
- The desert
I think that's a pretty big assumption to make, though. The big names get all the reporting. When the staff goes to Peach Jam and watches a big name, that doesn't stop them from also watching, evaluating, and talking to other players there as well, though, and I would be incredibly surprised if the staff didn't have more irons in the fire than has been publicized.
Every year it seems we heard late fall about some clear plan B prospect that pops up on our radar and it turns out we've actually been on him for a while. I don't see why this year would be any different. Given the long time spent in the recruiting and/or coaching realm by each of our staff members, I simply find it unlikely that our staff has not been talking to other recruits in the event that their plan A guys don't work out. They've been in this business long enough to know that is a very risky strategy.
This simply seems like the most plausible scenario here, and in the absence of any real information, we all have to go on what is most probable. I'll (un)happily eat crow if I am proved wrong later.
Deleted member 746094
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I am confused as to how the eligibility would work with Q? If he were to enroll in December he would be immediately eligible, but he would use one of his 4 scholarship years to play Jan/February and God willing March of 2019?
Yes, NCAA does count partial year of playing (Dec-March) as a full year of eligibility used.
if we were to commit and sign this year, general consensus is he would RS the spring semester.
The majority of the illini fans want to see 2 things:
Results on the floor (winning)
Results on the recruiting front (top 50-100 talent on a regular basis)
Also they are tired of hearing the same old song & dance:
It takes time with "fill in the blank new coach"
Give it 2 or 3 years
Wait until 2020.... and then that never comes to fruition.
Results on the floor (winning)
Results on the recruiting front (top 50-100 talent on a regular basis)
Also they are tired of hearing the same old song & dance:
It takes time with "fill in the blank new coach"
Give it 2 or 3 years
Wait until 2020.... and then that never comes to fruition.
Yes, but as much experience the staff has, and as much realization of the risk they have, it did happen last year. That risk did materialize last fall. Hopefully it won't happen this year.
Deleted member 643761
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Much like our football players do. It would be a huge advantage.
That said, I've seen a few people imply that maybe he'd suit up. I hope not, as learning a system over Christmas break doesn't seem like a smooth path to success.
Much may depend on how we do early out of the gate. If the staff feels like we have a chance to challenge for an NCAA birth but we lack frontcourt help, Guerrier may suit up if he ends an Illini.
I assumed Guerrier's interest in us was due to the belief that he would suit up and be recommended to play in the spring.
I think what he was trying to say is that while it appeared that the staff scrambled to fill in with whatever they could get in the spring, it is possible, if not likely, that the staff was in on those players the whole time as plan B guys, but it wasn't as well known because often times, while the pursuit of plan A guys is going on, we don't hear much about the pursuit of plan B guys. (Holy Run-On Sentence, Batman!)
Cliff Levingston and Xavier McDaniel worked pretty well for Wichita State...likely the best pair of forwards period to play together in college. Cliff was listed at 6'8" and Carr an inch shorter, but both were more 3 type players and unstoppable. Don't know if Jones and Guerrier are as tall as listed, but they seem reported to have much of the same skill set as those two. Carr and McDaniel were something to see as I watched them play in the NCAA regional first round. Both were uncanny at 8-10 ft. bank shots off the dribble and super athletic. Love to see what those guys could accomplish along with Shannon and a couple of good, defensive, centers if Kane can be one. The game has changed a lot since then, but quick, athletic forwards can find a way to score....if they can defend well enough to get time on the court. It is a big if, but if things work out and BU can get a good center, OT or Cockburn, even Timme (thee forwards like those could work as well as 3 guards), they would be poised for a rise into to B1G challengers in a year or two and the MSU dunk drills will be stopped. It is a dream, but if Frazier and Ayo were around to play with that crew, it would be a special time again.
Yes, it would be great if Guerrier was good enough to be a plus contributor going into B1G schedule.....but...stop and think about how many kids his age can do that in the toughest conference in college hoops. He reportedly is <190 lbs. and never played against 6'9"+ All-American upper class competition. Steep learning curve. He would get some minutes if he wants to play, but not likely big minutes. Wouldn't I love to be wrong, but getting two newbies in the lineup (along with Oscar) to play big minutes is historically a huge stretch. Nice problem to have and wouldn't we love to have it.
Regardless, this team should be quite interesting to watch this coming season. We are hearing a lot of good things, but since I have lived in Mo. for the past 25 years, you got to show me. Unfortunately, every kid the Illini are recruiting seem to have the same idea.... but BU has got to keep knocking on their doors and sooner or later.........?
Nothing would make me happier than a 6'10" version of Alan Griffin wandering into the picture right about now.
And like, it's fair enough to say that guy's senior HS seasons will bring players to the fore in the way Griffin's did, but you're really playing behind the 8-ball when you're desperate for specific types of players to fill multiple specific positions, as opposed to just having an open scholarship and seeing what pokes out of the bushes.
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