Now Groce was a good coach? The way some Illini fans twist themselves up in knots and contort to defend the program is, without a doubt, one of the most entertaining things about this board.
The strategy to competing for Big Ten titles is not to depend on finding diamonds in the rough. We swung and missed on a half dozen top 100 players this cycle. It's a L. Underwood and his staff targeted certain players, who we should assume, he felt were the best fits for his program, and he missed on all of them. Can he potentially salvage it by getting a decent transfer or two? Sure.
But after player B committed elsewhere, it was always, well, as long as we get A (Mac), C, and D, the class will be great! Then C committed elsewhere and it became, well, as long as we get A, D, and E, the class will be great. Then D committed elsewhere and it was like, well, F is better than C anyway, so if we get A, E, and F and the class will be great. Then E and F committed elsewhere and it was well, as long as we get Mac, it's fine. Then he went to UCLA.
Now it's as long as we get some good transfers, it will be fine.
The strawman of "You can't get every kid you want unless you're Duke or Kentucky" is a tired trope. If it makes you feel better, have at it but excuses are like you know what...
EDIT: And this doesn't mean I can't enjoy our current team. This is the recruiting thread.