2017 Coaching Carousel
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mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Sorta! Check out this post over on Illiniboard. Unfortunately, the only thing more exceptional than Groce's first year bump was the ensuing nosedive.
The roster had at minimum 6 four star players on it. Maybe not the best situation but hardly a dumpster fire.
Haven't found anything that delves deep into offensive philosophies, but he believes in pressure defense and transition offense.
I did find any interesting article on Keatts in 2014 by ESPN. Not sure if this link will work, but if you Google it you should find it.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...-kevin-keatts-explains-look-talent-evaluation
He looks like he's someone who is ready to take the next step to a P6 program. I'd be happy to see him as the next coach of the Illini.
Illiniwek06
- N of I-80
I'm convinced that Keatts is the right guy too. "Keatts Kourt". How's that sound?
OrangeAndBlues
- Indianapolis
I don't see this article as a huge ringing endorsement. I appreciate his recruiting philosophy on getting the right fit, but he came across as a bit unorganized. He didn't have the directions to his game mapped out in advance and left his player sheet in the car. Those sort of orginizational skills and attention to detail are things I would be looking for in a head coach. Obviously, those are some nitpicky things, but I can't see how that article sells people on him as being ready for a high major job. I thought the Izzo quotes were more telling.
Probably doesn't fold his underwear and just throws them in the drawer willy nilly. That is not the kind of man I want leading young men. PASS
I was rather saying, what from that article would make anyone think, "Yep, that's the guy"?
Deleted member 380722
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If I'm Whitman, my first call is Gregg Marshall. Put the full court press on him. He's not staying at Wichita State forever and seems like a guy who would consider, especially with Whitman as AD. Would be a home run. No chance we get Miller or Bennett. Too early for Buzz to leave VT (nor do I want him). I believe Whitman will make a fantastic hire, whomever it is.
Say Cuonzo ends up being our guy. If for whatever reason he isn't able to recruit as well as we think he can, we're essentially left with an above average coach x's and o's coach at best, right? Is that fair? The guys a fantastic fit, no doubt. Seems like his recruiting history ranges from "grand slam" to "underwhelming" and that just seems like such a hit or miss hire.
Great post. Absolutely damning. We all now know Groce is not the guy, we cannot keep him, and this data shows it.
In what world is Marshall not 'no-chance', but Archie Miller is?
May have meant Sean.
Sleepy Floyd
Kicking it with Fat Lever
- Champaign
I'd say he is a worse coaching version of weber with more recruiting upside. he hasn't done anything with two years of Ivan Rabb and one year of Jaylon Brown
I think if he can't recruit Chicago, we essential are getting Weber 2.0 minus the personality. Weber is probably a better coach than Martin, but there's a lot of similarities in their coaching style (for obvious reasons).
He's had some really good success recruiting 5 star guys, especially at Cal, considering they aren't a top 5 West Coast school. i find it hard to believe he's gonna be a worse recruiter than Groce. He'll essentially lock down the state from Peoria on South. He's gonna be just fine in the recruiting area, but the real question is will it be enough. I think you'll notice, blue bloods aside, great coaches get shafted by recruits constantly (look no further than Indiana's 2017 recruiting class--theres about 5 names that shoulda and coulda been on that list but aren't). There's always gonna be grand slams and wiffs, the important part about recruiting is never letting a quality player go just because a 5* may pick you 3 months later. That is the only issue Groce has had. His recruiting failures would've been much more muted if he would've gotten a TJL two or three years ago and stopped pining over a Juwan Evans for as long as he did. A junior TJL is no top 25 recruit, but its better than what we have now. Roster balance is often overlooked and while not necesary, can really make or break a year--see our lack of true PG and C talent (though I cant complain about Mav, its crazy to think we have 1 true center on next years roster--a freshman).
Martin's biggest question mark is how high his ceiling will be. His floor is probably Groce's ceiling, which is good, but if he can't make it to the second weekend and deeper-- what's the point in traded up? I think, after our plan A home run hits, Martin is a quality choice. Maybe not the best choice, but by far the safest--like so far its not even in the same area code.
The question for JW is do you trust Martin can take the next step here (if its anywhere its gonna be a MW school), or do you roll the dice?
Right now I'd like to give Westervelt Cigar; Second and Chalmers; TCTORNADO, and several others on here a try...
OrangeAndBlues
- Indianapolis
He is, according to wikipedia, the winningest coach in Winthrop history.
And, ya know... they beat us.
I'm not going to lie, I don't even know where to start with the bolded. Coaches are human too, it's not like either of those derailed his ability to evaluate prospects.
The big thing that stood out to me was the emphasis on understanding the impact of a miss as well when recruiting. Groce did not do that, and since then, it's all been what-ifs (Snider, Evans, Brunson -- why don't we have a PG!) and a real emphasis on fit to a SYSTEM when recruiting. Seeing as both of those have been emblematic problems under Groce, seems like an understanding of those topics would mark notable improvement in recruiting approach.
I might implode if I read more mentions of Sean Miller as a candidate for coaching jobs not at UK/UNC/KU/Duke, so I was giving him the benefit of the doubt, I guess? But you're right, I guess that is a possibility.
My biggest concern with Groce is player development. I've been pro-Groce over the years but when you assess the talent he's spotted regardless of stars, they have turned out to be great college players. Why is the other talent he's procured at Illinois not developing at the same rate as these others?
i.e. Tyler Ennis, Monte Morris, E.C. Mathews, Anthony Cowen, Trevon Bluiett, Dillon Brooks, Ben Moore, Nic Moore, Maurice Watson. I purposely didnt include the big home run misses but these were solid 4 stars who have had phenomenal careers and prove that Groce knows talent - it's just why isnt out talent developing at the same trajectory as these others?
i.e. Tyler Ennis, Monte Morris, E.C. Mathews, Anthony Cowen, Trevon Bluiett, Dillon Brooks, Ben Moore, Nic Moore, Maurice Watson. I purposely didnt include the big home run misses but these were solid 4 stars who have had phenomenal careers and prove that Groce knows talent - it's just why isnt out talent developing at the same trajectory as these others?
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