The comment comes early around the 2:10 mark.
Duke 110, Illinois 67 Postgame
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I've been plenty critical of Brad and his stad and I like Chester for what he did as a player and I think he would be a far better defensive coach than Hamer.
However, Epps was treated awesome. Epps was playing like 30 minutes a game as a freshman with a green light and being terrible defensively and he quit during a game refusing to go back in. Epps wasn't a good player and still isn't, he's just a volume shooter on a bad team.
Also, Hansberry is like a 6'6 center who is a fine player but a backup at best on a good team(Morez is better and would have taken his role hence why he transferred to start for WVU) while Harris has zero offensive value. Both of them could have roles on a good team but it's as locker room guys that are like your 8th and 9th guys not guys playing 20+ minutes a game.
I don't many people would have been so upset about the way this season has gone except for the fact that we heard during the preseason was what a great group of guys Brad has coming in. They have size at every position, depth, they can SHOOT the 3. Anyone can be wrong about 1 player but about the whole damn squad.
I don't want him to leave but by gosh be up front. Brad does not have 3 lottery picks, in fact he doesn't have 1. I suspect based on the way this season has turned sour and the fans are not happy we will see several players in the transfer portal.
I don't want him to leave but by gosh be up front. Brad does not have 3 lottery picks, in fact he doesn't have 1. I suspect based on the way this season has turned sour and the fans are not happy we will see several players in the transfer portal.
BES76
- Kennewick, Wa
Illinois basketball, 1978-79 season. Illinois just beat No.1 MSU, and now 13-0. Played Ohio State 2 days later (was at the game). Lost on a bad inbound play in overtime. Forgot the guard, but he drove to the sideline, got double teamed, turned it over, layup for OSU win. Finished the season 19-11 with no NCAA bid.
The Sprouting Divot
Invisible and Bulletproof
- Miracle Mile
Sounds like a "Canadian Girlfriend" situation from someone desperate to prove their future worth in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary.
There was absolutely not one single positive thing that came out of this game. Except that it was over.
This was a full undressing of the Illini before a National audience – embarrassing for the players, coaches, their families and friends, and the entirety of Illini Nation.
But there is one fun fact that happened: Everyone who reads this forum hit as many Threes in this game as the Illini did for the first 24 minutes of play. (OK, maybe that’s not so much fun).
That was like a good varsity high school team taking on the local grade school’s 8th graders. It was that lopsided. And it looked it.
It also exposed our team’s Lottery pick. The defense completely took him out of this game and he played hurried, rushed, and forced.
Again, the Illini searched for a floor leader to lead this team out of the depths. And no one was there.
As for the Beloved... a loss like this can do one of two things. It can break your team and your spirit. Or, it will rally you to redeem yourself and show people that such a game is not who you are.
The rest of the way will prove what answer the Illini choose to make.
This was a full undressing of the Illini before a National audience – embarrassing for the players, coaches, their families and friends, and the entirety of Illini Nation.
But there is one fun fact that happened: Everyone who reads this forum hit as many Threes in this game as the Illini did for the first 24 minutes of play. (OK, maybe that’s not so much fun).
That was like a good varsity high school team taking on the local grade school’s 8th graders. It was that lopsided. And it looked it.
It also exposed our team’s Lottery pick. The defense completely took him out of this game and he played hurried, rushed, and forced.
Again, the Illini searched for a floor leader to lead this team out of the depths. And no one was there.
As for the Beloved... a loss like this can do one of two things. It can break your team and your spirit. Or, it will rally you to redeem yourself and show people that such a game is not who you are.
The rest of the way will prove what answer the Illini choose to make.
Big Jack
- Decatur
gotta assume that the one sitting in the courtside seats 10 ft from the bench saw about all he needed last night.
Thank you for the info, Indy. To your point about BU being a Top 10 paid coach (below). Josh can’t treat him much better than this.
According to a USA TODAY database, Brad Underwood's $4.7MM compensation is eighth among college basketball's highest-paid coaches at public schools. In the Big Ten, he trails only Michigan State’s Tom Izzo ($6.2 million). Kansas coach Bill Self ($9.6 million) tops the list.
Saying he didn't want Domask is an insane statement. 6'6 wing, and perennial all conference player that would have been a 2000 pt scorer at SIU if he wasn't injured as a sophomore.
Saying Brad has no clue what he's doing is also a bit extreme. I think he definitely needs to gain some humility from this season and rework his staff but you don't move on from Brad unless you have a clear upgrade and that's a fairly short list. Meaning you better have a handshake agreement with a guy like Beard or McCasland.
Maybe Brad will wear out his welcome at some point but the truth is that we could do much much worse. Do you really want someone like Cronin or Kevin Willard?
Who was that?
Playoofs? Playoffs?
80'sIllini
- Arizona
The main problem I see with firing Brad is that the UNC, Indiana and possibly Kansas jobs will be opening up and any "elite" coaching candidates are gonna prefer those spots to our position. How about Porter Moser type?
Big Jack
- Decatur
Yes per Brads own mouth he told Tyler and other assistants he was not interested in Marcus until he saw the results of a personality trait test he took. Then he was all in on him, but not at first.
We are past the Webber Groce years and the program is in decent shape with the money we have getting a great coach is not going to be an issue.
Guessing you have not been watching Willard take Brad to the wood shed the past few years. do not like him but he can coach
Not true. KJ and WR were closely guarded beyond the 3 point line.
Even KB had to launch from NBA range to get an open look.
Tevo
- Wilmette, IL
This season: Illinois set the all time NCAA record for margin of victory on the road against a Top 10 team, beating Oregon by 34.
Also this season: Illinois set the all time program record for worst margin in a loss.
Brad had two stated goals in the offseason: positional size and shooting. We're still tall, but how has the entire roster lost confidence, flow, and physical and mental toughness so quickly and thoroughly? I know the illness and injuries can snowball on each other, but this has been incredible.
Only hope now is that lots of practice and few games over the next two weeks allows everyone to exhale, reset, get healthy, and make some adjustments.
Interesting. I hadn’t heard that. Sure makes me wonder what a guy like Matthew Mayer or Jayden Epps or Skyy Clark…or RJ Melendez or…(for giggles Pods) might have scored on said test.
Big Jack
- Decatur
It was my assumption they all take this test, but Mayer might have taken a few Monster's beforehand.
We don’t develop talent. Kofi came in so highly rated. He came in with nothing to his offense other than dunks and layups. He left with nothing to his offense other than dunks and layups. Now he’s playing in Korea. It’s kind of like what the bears have done to fields and now williams. I would just name Antigua head coach now and name Tim A as top assistant making $1.5 or so. Then DOGE the rest of the coaching staff.
Who among us doesn’t value (a potentially fatal) “caffeine-induced euphoria” from time to time.
Better prepare yourself for no NCAA tournament, because I can't see the committee including a 17-15, 9-11 B10 team that has lost 8 of 11 since beginning of Feb. I just have a hard time seeing that.
Win 2 of the next 3, 2 games in the BTT and a couple NCAAT? That's pretty delusional at this point, honestly. It's pretty clear this team and coaching staff have packed it in for the season, with complete turnover not out of the realm of possibility. This has been a potential program-derailing stretch, no drama in saying that, and Josh cannot let the program slide backwards in this era.
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Maybe Brad meant he had two guys coming in from Maine?
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
To me TA looms largest over it all. Losing him and the players he brought in, and those he would have brought in the future, is going to haunt us more than we think (IMO of course).
And the fact that we agreed to pay a man who is not working is what killed this season's coaching makeup. I love to spend Josh's (well donors') money as much as anyone, but the finance part of my brain says a huge part of the Tyler / Hamer / Kwa promotions was because they are cheap. There is a limit and a budget. We are really paying six coaches this year. Or more if we owed Chester any departure money, but I don't know anything about that.
After reading many of the posts and reflecting, I think Brad has a case of blind arrogance.
This past year he mostly turned over his staff and players somewhat unnecessarily, he felt privileged enough to promote his inexperienced son to assistant coach, and he scheduled Duke at MSG in late February largely to get maximum visibility. When you step back and look big picture, there was a lot of risk that this year could turn south. However, Brad acts dumbfounded.
This past year he mostly turned over his staff and players somewhat unnecessarily, he felt privileged enough to promote his inexperienced son to assistant coach, and he scheduled Duke at MSG in late February largely to get maximum visibility. When you step back and look big picture, there was a lot of risk that this year could turn south. However, Brad acts dumbfounded.
flashing back to finals week...
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