BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
Yep. Majerle is kind of a legend here. Don't see him leaving.
2017 Coaching Carousel
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Yep. Majerle is kind of a legend here. Don't see him leaving.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Not buying that we couldn't get the head coach of Grand Canyon State University. He may choose to wait for another job in the region, go the NBA route, etc. but he isn't staying at GCSU until they are a college basketball power.
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BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
I could see him eventually taking the ASU job if and when it becomes available. Or even the Suns.
ILLINIShox24
Orange Krush '04 & '05
Is anyone souring on Bennett? Virginia has lost 4 straight, albeit against good teams. But they are averaging 0.86 points per possession. That's insane. They lost 54-48 yesterday in overtime. Basketball is decidedly less fun when a team can't score.
Maybe Whitman met with Nate Bjorkgren while in Phoenix.
Nope. Maybe Virginia will be dumb enough to give a poor effort to retain him should we show him the money.
The Pontiff
- Chicago, IL
Maybe it's slipped out that it's almost a done-deal that their coach will be moving back to the midwest and Coach Bennett hasn't really squashed that possibility. That can be quite demoralizing.
Deleted member 29907
D
Guest
Saw most of the game - its was pretty ugly all around. The rims were spitting balls back out and the refs were pretty bad.
Basketball is VERY much less fun when you don't go to the dance. Pick your poison.
No. Have you looked at what he's done at UVA? One 4 game losing streak where he lost @ VT by 2, vs Duke, @ UNC (and held UNC to 65! even if they got blown out) and vs Miami really changes nothing. That's a tougher stretch by far than anything we've had this year.
Some of the nitpicking on this board :tsk:
I just don't see how Hoiberg recruits Chicago effectively. Could he be good here? Sure. I just don't think he has a reputation gain via his stint with the bulls, and that leaves me with concerns.
Groce has two more years left on contract correct? As I've said, I'm still concerned that Whitman may not see anyone he wants and keep Groce another year. You don't have to extend right now. Not with the incoming class and few scholarships available for the year after. It's plausible he could ride this thing out one more year, if Groce does well, extend him and if he crashes again, fire him and still have the recruits already in, and minimal damage to future classes.
I really hope that isn't the case and I want Groce gone, but come on... There really doesn't look like many HOMERUN hires out there. And of the Homerun hires mentioned, we won't be able to get any....especially if IU and tOSU come open too. I have yet to hear one candidate to excite me (that we can really get).
Marshall is a complete joke and a lunatic who would be shunned in Chicago. All these NBA guys are unproven recruiters and the big name coaches won't come... Starting to get anxious.
I really hope that isn't the case and I want Groce gone, but come on... There really doesn't look like many HOMERUN hires out there. And of the Homerun hires mentioned, we won't be able to get any....especially if IU and tOSU come open too. I have yet to hear one candidate to excite me (that we can really get).
Marshall is a complete joke and a lunatic who would be shunned in Chicago. All these NBA guys are unproven recruiters and the big name coaches won't come... Starting to get anxious.
We've already covered that you HAVE TO extend Groce if he is retained. 2 years on a contract is 0 to recruits, and you can't just skip a class.
Also, you do realize that there won't be new home run hires next year, right? Home runs are established coaches who are perceived as semi-available or who will at least pick up the phone. That's a short list.
Lastly, Gregg Marshall is a great coach. He's been incredibly impressive at Wichita, and people stating conclusively that he wouldn't be able to recruit Chicago
If he is willing to take an offer, you sign him and we can find out if he can recruit Chicago or not. That's one of the best resumes at a non-P5 midwestern school out there.As others have said, you really can't keep him without the extension, it would kill 2018 recruiting. The explanation you give doesn't wash, you can't simply skip a class like that. Not to mention you'll need to start working on the 2019 class, which is a very good one in state.
The other thing is that there's not much hope that Illinois will be much better next season. Losing Hill and Morgan is going to be tough to replace and it's very likely the Big Ten is going to be much, much better next year. So by waiting a season you're likely ensuring that you're in a worse position to attract a new coach.
Also, as of now, there aren't a lot of big jobs that will be open this year. That might still change - there's always room for a few surprises - but that may well not be the case next year. Now is as good of a time as any to be looking.
peace davids
- Colorado
Lastly, Gregg Marshall is a great coach. He's been incredibly impressive at Wichita, and people stating conclusively that he wouldn't be able to recruit Chicago
Who cares where the players come from, as long as we win? Nobody NEEDS to recruit Chicago if the coach can implement a system, find players for that system, and teach the kids to be competitive. Bo Ryan is the perfect example. Madison is only 13 miles further from Chicago than Champaign - but nobody was railing on Bo to recruit Chicago. Why do we demand this from our coaches?
Just win baby.
A young team is why I think Mark Jackson would be a good fit, his views may hinder him, but all else fits the bill with the situation, talent, youth, conference, recruiting base, and also the NBA pedigree to attract young kids...
Bennett would be a GREAT hire, at one time thought not really a chance, but now with Virginia in a talespin of sorts, maybe it is the best time to go after him...
Krystowiak would be a good get I think...checks a lot of boxes
Grant as well, Oklahoma is on the way to Phx right...lol
Bennett would be a GREAT hire, at one time thought not really a chance, but now with Virginia in a talespin of sorts, maybe it is the best time to go after him...
Krystowiak would be a good get I think...checks a lot of boxes
Grant as well, Oklahoma is on the way to Phx right...lol
Recruiting your state does matter. You can certainly recruit more nationally than in the past, but ignoring your home state is not sustainable, and also not sensible with the amount of talent Illinois has. People didn't harp on Bo because he's a coach in Wisconsin, not in Illinois. But Bo plucked away PLENTY of talent from the state of Illinois.
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Chicago matters because it's one of the most fertile recruiting areas in the country, it's right in our backyard, and the University of Illinois still carries a lot of weight there. Can you win without it? Sure. Could you win more with it? Yes.
That being said, I don't think our next coach needs deep connections to the city. A good recruiter can build connections quickly, especially in a HS environment where coaching tenures keep getting shorter. Even Groce -- without significant Chicago ties before being hired -- has been able to land a few high profile Chicago kids (even if they haven't worked out that well).
BZuppke
- Plainfield
You have to be able to get Illinois back to the Lou Henson era of recruiting Chicago. We didn't get them all but we routinely got some top Chicago kids. It means a lot in your talent level, public perception etc. It always looks bad when all of the top kids from Chicago are going elsewhere. It casts a shadow over our program that there is something wrong in Champaign.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Agreed that recruiting Chicago is a bonus advantage and not a necessity, at least not compared to finding players that fit your system and winning. With that said...
Will people stop referencing the distance to and from Chicago as the most important factor in recruiting the city? Who gives a shlt if West Lafayette is closer to Chicago than Champaign is or if Madison/Iowa City are almost as close? That's not what's most relevant. The U of I could be located on the moon, it has over a quarter of a MILLION alumni in the metro area, and - while college sports clearly take a backseat - a random kid growing up in Chicagoland with no ties to any school is probably casually an Illini fan (if he or she is a fan of any school at all, that is). There is an inherent "home team" advantage we will ALWAYS enjoy, no matter how much we might try to screw it up, LOL. Say what you want about recruits blowing us off, but the fact remains that there IS a little bit of pressure to at least put Illinois on your list if you're from Chicago. There is no such PRESSURE for Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, et. al. All it takes is a coach to capitalize on that "head start" of sorts for the city's recruits to be REALLY helping us out.
Will people stop referencing the distance to and from Chicago as the most important factor in recruiting the city? Who gives a shlt if West Lafayette is closer to Chicago than Champaign is or if Madison/Iowa City are almost as close? That's not what's most relevant. The U of I could be located on the moon, it has over a quarter of a MILLION alumni in the metro area, and - while college sports clearly take a backseat - a random kid growing up in Chicagoland with no ties to any school is probably casually an Illini fan (if he or she is a fan of any school at all, that is). There is an inherent "home team" advantage we will ALWAYS enjoy, no matter how much we might try to screw it up, LOL. Say what you want about recruits blowing us off, but the fact remains that there IS a little bit of pressure to at least put Illinois on your list if you're from Chicago. There is no such PRESSURE for Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, et. al. All it takes is a coach to capitalize on that "head start" of sorts for the city's recruits to be REALLY helping us out.
Jackson would not fit well in college, imo.
Bennett's offense would drive Illini fans crazy unless he won big. It is slow and boring to watch.
Rumors of Grant coming as the top assistant to Monty Williams. Just rumor,though.
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