Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#151      

WyattEarp

WyattEarp
WyattEarp
nichi said:
It is interesting that neither one hired an established coach. Both hired assistants with no previous collegiate head coaching experience.
Click to expand...
Honestly I don’t know why more AD’s don’t consider doing that …other than the chorus of collective loud mouths that want a BIG $plash hire. (Or simply wanting a proven commodity at the helm.)
But it has worked out great for them.
 
#152      

Mojoman

Mojoman
Mojoman
nichi said:
Yes, it almost always takes elite talent to produce elite results. Our most successful teams have had multiple NBA players and / or McDonald's All Americans.
Click to expand...

I think people are being realistic here. He is entering year 7. He has won two tournament games total.
We should do better than that as a program no matter who the coach is.
We are not a national power by any means nor is anyone demanding that.

Win two games in a row on first weekend and he probably gets a statue in front of the arena.
 
#153      

HailtotheChief

H
HailtotheChief
Yukon said:
Not talking about skill level or draft position. I'm talking about the heart of the player. That's what I mean by heart and soul. Remember, this was about the make up of the perfect Illini player.
Click to expand...
Ok, I agree with hour point. Not sure why you quoted mine though as our discussion was about lottery level picks.
Either way. Go Illini and I hope Ty develops like some here feel he can. If so maybe he could be the next one. Go Illini
 
#154      

nichi

N
nichi
Mojoman said:
I think people are being realistic here. He is entering year 7. He has won two tournament games total.
We should do better than that as a program no matter who the coach is.
We are not a national power by any means nor is anyone demanding that.

Win two games in a row on first weekend and he probably gets a statue in front of the arena.
Click to expand...
I am being realistic too. Show me an Illini team that made the sweet 16. Even count the 1963 and 1981 teams that got first round byes. All of them featured elite talent -- multiple high school All Americans and / or future NBA players.

It's not surprising Underwood's best team had an NBA player and a dominant college big.
 
#156      

BRucks

BRucks
BRucks
Bquill70 said:
I ignored you after this comment so I won't see your reply I guess but how would firing BU put us back to Groce era? You really think a Groce level coach is the best Josh could do as a replacement? Have you been paying attention to the other coaches he's hired?
Click to expand...
That's been hit and miss. You can't look at only the hits. Didn't Whitman hire Lovie Smith? Nancy Fahey? Daniel Riberio? Mike Poeta? Chris Tamas?
 
#157      

Johnny Lawrence

Johnny Lawrence
Johnny Lawrence
nichi said:
Actually, an EE and an S16 his first 2 at UI. He also inherited 3 McDonald's All Americans, 3 NBA players, a Mr. Basketball, and Lucas Johnson. Frank Williams, Brian Cook, Robert Archibald, Marcus Griffin, Sergio McClain. Plus Cory Bradford, Sean Harrington ...
Click to expand...

Don't forget about his Elite 8 at Tulsa before he got here. He did inherit a stacked team however.
 
#158      

Johnny Lawrence

Johnny Lawrence
Johnny Lawrence
Mojoman said:
I think people are being realistic here. He is entering year 7. He has won two tournament games total.
We should do better than that as a program no matter who the coach is.
We are not a national power by any means nor is anyone demanding that.

Win two games in a row on first weekend and he probably gets a statue in front of the arena.
Click to expand...

The Covid year took away one if his at bats. He goes to the second weekend or beyond in 2020 and that last two season's outcomes don't sting quite so bad.
 
#159      

Sedino

Sedino
Sedino
I really think the biggest step we could take regarding to coaching would be firing Geoff and hiring a coach the specializes in offensive schemes. Doesn’t even have to be an amazing recruiter considering Geoff isn’t exactly a recruiting savant.
 
#160      

Mojoman

Mojoman
Mojoman
Johnny Lawrence said:
The Covid year took away one if his at bats. He goes to the second weekend or beyond in 2020 and that last two season's outcomes don't sting quite so bad.
Click to expand...
That was his best team and best coaching job without question. I was really impressed that year. That team had it all by end of year.


But the record shows he has taken the collar on 7 tournies getting to second weekend.

I hope he breaks through and calms down. 😂
 
#163      

Illini in Italy

Illini in Italy
Illini in Italy
LadyLoyalty said:
Then Underwood should not be complacent based on embarrassing post season results
Click to expand...
Jimmy Fallon Reaction GIF by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
 
#165      

Illini 993

I
Illini 993
I see Illinois in the group behind the top 4-5 blue bloods. I just don't buy the "we can't be one of the top teams, we should just be glad we make the tourney" thinking. I also think that some coaches have shown an ability to make it to the second weekend more than what would be expected. Sean Miller has made it in 8 of his 17 seasons with Xavier, Arizona, and back to Xavier. He had an amazing 10 year streak starting in the 07-08 season thru the 16-17 season where he made 4 Elite 8s and 3 Sweet 16s. I think Xavier and Arizona are in the same group as us - not blue bloods, but high level P5 teams. This is what I am hoping for with BU going forward. Obviously, not 7 of 10, but every 2-3 years seems like a reasonable goal (for now.) I think this team, although no true PG, is better than last year's team, if for no other reason than MM, JE, and Skyy are gone and replaced by an aggregate that exceeds those 3 and seem to be a bit more coachable. I'm all in for BU and the Illini this year, and as every year, I will overestimate their ceiling. I think this team might be fun to watch, especially compared to last year's bizarre inconsistency.
 
#166      

WyattEarp

WyattEarp
WyattEarp
Sedino said:
I really think the biggest step we could take regarding to coaching would be firing Geoff and hiring a coach the specializes in offensive schemes. Doesn’t even have to be an amazing recruiter considering Geoff isn’t exactly a recruiting savant.
Click to expand...
Poppovich? Spoelestra?…I kid…I kid…

Marty Simmons. He would be exactly what you described.
 
#175      

john1952

john1952
john1952
Illini 993 said:
I see Illinois in the group behind the top 4-5 blue bloods. I just don't buy the "we can't be one of the top teams, we should just be glad we make the tourney" thinking. I also think that some coaches have shown an ability to make it to the second weekend more than what would be expected. Sean Miller has made it in 8 of his 17 seasons with Xavier, Arizona, and back to Xavier. He had an amazing 10 year streak starting in the 07-08 season thru the 16-17 season where he made 4 Elite 8s and 3 Sweet 16s. I think Xavier and Arizona are in the same group as us - not blue bloods, but high level P5 teams. This is what I am hoping for with BU going forward. Obviously, not 7 of 10, but every 2-3 years seems like a reasonable goal (for now.) I think this team, although no true PG, is better than last year's team, if for no other reason than MM, JE, and Skyy are gone and replaced by an aggregate that exceeds those 3 and seem to be a bit more coachable. I'm all in for BU and the Illini this year, and as every year, I will overestimate their ceiling. I think this team might be fun to watch, especially compared to last year's bizarre inconsistency.
Click to expand...

I see Illinois in the group behind the top 4-5 blue bloods. I just don't buy the "we can't be one of the top teams, we should just be glad we make the tourney" thinking

I do not know how far you want to go back, but going back to 1970, our sucess in the tournament does not really suggest we are in group behind the top 4-5 blue bloods.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.