2017 Coaching Carousel

MGR95 · Feb 21, 2017

The situation Indiana is in right now is pretty interesting. Good part of their fan base wants Crean gone, but his buyout is $4 million until July 1st.

http://www.tomcreanbuyout.com/

^Pretty funny

LurkLongandProsper · Feb 21, 2017

cam said:
I think Groce is making a strong case to stay

Let us not forget and overreact, we have a 2 game sample of playing decent-to-good hoops right now, and the majority of this year and the 3 prior where that was not the case. It is up to the individuals to choose what sample you want to base the end of season decision on.

Jkat00 · Feb 21, 2017

MGR95 said:
The situation Indiana is in right now is pretty interesting. Good part of their fan base wants Crean gone, but his buyout is $4 million until July 1st.

http://www.tomcreanbuyout.com/

^Pretty funny

Buyout isn't a problem anymore. I think Glass gives Crean a few days or a week to find a different HC job before firing him. Either way he won't be back at IU next season.

BananaShampoo · Feb 21, 2017

A hallmark of Groce teams has been too little too late. The season is already lost by the time his team's figure it all out and really start gelling. They coast somewhat on talent in noncon then reality hits in January when they play B1G teams. They end up way behind the 8 ball by the time the players figure out what Groce is trying to teach. Enough times and it's a pattern. It's not going to change as long as Groce is the coach, and it's why we need to move on.

Jkat00 · Feb 21, 2017

cam said:
I think Groce is making a strong case to stay

IMO he starts building a case if they beat Nebraska and Michigan St. Tough task ahead.

WesterveltVictoryCigar · Feb 21, 2017

cam said:
I know I sound like a broken record but this is the first time we have gotten quality point guard play which is a huge factor in why we now look good

And that's why he's on the hot seat and probably out at the end of the year.

Adnarel · Feb 21, 2017

WesterveltVictoryCigar said:
And that's why he's on the hot seat and probably out at the end of the year.

We knew the failure to land a PG had ramifications, but probably didn't foresee this set of ramifications. It really makes me wonder what could have been if he been able to connect on a ball handler before TJL.

LurkLongandProsper · Feb 21, 2017

Adnarel said:
We knew the failure to land a PG had ramifications, but probably didn't foresee this set of ramifications. It really makes me wonder what could have been if he been able to connect on a ball handler before TJL.

As has been discussed, the lack of ball handler was his own doing by failing to position himself with plan Bs when swinging for the stars. The crazy part is that he clearly is able to evaluate PGs, but chose to ignore the 80-120 type guys and aim higher. He made his own bed.

Adnarel · Feb 21, 2017

And TJL was, what, a relatively unheralded 3-star coming in? He's been the definition of an impact freshman this conference season. I wasn't following recruiting closely before this last cycle, so I'm not educated as to who Groce passed over in deference to Snider, Brunson, etc.

dmac279 · Feb 21, 2017

cam said:
Lucas has made a huge difference on offense now we have a creator and a guy who can run the team and on defense he is pressuring the ball and not getting beat every trip down the floor. I do like the shortening of the bench and not worrying about making everyone happy.

Couldn't have said it better, huge difference

WesterveltVictoryCigar · Feb 22, 2017

Adnarel said:
And TJL was, what, a relatively unheralded 3-star coming in? He's been the definition of an impact freshman this conference season. I wasn't following recruiting closely before this last cycle, so I'm not educated as to who Groce passed over in deference to Snider, Brunson, etc.

The PG we play in our next game is the most obvious answer here.

alaskaillini · Feb 22, 2017

BananaShampoo said:
A hallmark of Groce teams has been too little too late. The season is already lost by the time his team's figure it all out and really start gelling. They coast somewhat on talent in noncon then reality hits in January when they play B1G teams. They end up way behind the 8 ball by the time the players figure out what Groce is trying to teach. Enough times and it's a pattern. It's not going to change as long as Groce is the coach, and it's why we need to move on.

In my opinion, finishing strong late when things haven't gone well is a sign of the coaches' strength, not a weakness to be criticized.

the national · Feb 22, 2017

alaskaillini said:
In my opinion, finishing strong late when things haven't gone well is a sign of the coaches' strength, not a weakness to be criticized.

well said. I dont know if Groce will stay or go, but I can tell you, I really appreciate the fight his team has. BTW his game prep for NW was really good. He beat Chris Collins in the coaching category.

Se Il Illini · Feb 22, 2017

Last year's team, though injury depleted, limped to the finish line. The previous year there was a complete meltdown in the stretch run capped off by the abysmal performance versus Alabama in the NIT. So in my opinion Illinois has had mixed results as the season ends during Coach Groce's tenure at Illinois.

TooHot4Tots · Feb 22, 2017

First time winning back to back conference games in 2 years. That's brutal.

Whitman2020 · Feb 22, 2017

Hoiberg to Indy may be a possibility. Don't see him in Champaign.

whovous · Feb 22, 2017

cam said:
I think Groce is making a strong case to stay

I think Groce is making a strong case for it not being over until it is over. He needs to extend the current winning streak from two to seven. We know who victims three, four and five should be, and all three are winnable even if we will be slight dogs in one or two of them. Winning all three would mean we'd be paired against a lower seed on Thursday in the tournament and that could be winnable as well. But then we'd likely get Wisconsin or Maryland, most likely the latter. If we win that one, I think we are dancing. There was a pre-season consensus that Groce stays if he dances.

My problem is that my supply of Kool-Aid can only get me so far. We should have a 40% to 60% chance of winning each of the next four games, and the Kool-Aid in me tells me that's possible. But then I get to either Wisconsin or Melo and there is not enough Kool-Aid in the world for me to swim past that one.

mattcoldagelli · Feb 22, 2017

cam said:
I think Groce is making a strong case to stay

The fact that beating Northwestern at home now prompts people to make comments like this is the most ironclad, irrefutable reason he has to go.

Fighter of the Nightman · Feb 22, 2017

mattcoldagelli said:
The fact that beating Northwestern at home now prompts people to make comments like this is the most ironclad, irrefutable reason he has to go.

Amen.

I love Coach Groce, and I'll be a loyal supporter (during games, of course) as long as he roams our sidelines ... but it's time.

Thor015 · Feb 22, 2017

What if Groce finally figured out how to get players to truely give it their all? What if he uses what he has now learned to go to another program and finally be truely successful and we get a coach who keeps us here or worse can't recruit here either?

I'm not advocating for JFG to stay but I am wondering about a lot of scenarios here. I think I'm landing in the camp if you have to keep him unless you have an absolute homer in that can make the Illini sexy again.

And. It just kind of sexy but super sexy and everyone dreams of you

IlliniOllie · Feb 22, 2017

alaskaillini said:
In my opinion, finishing strong late when things haven't gone well is a sign of the coaches' strength, not a weakness to be criticized.

Occasionally finishing strong after a poor start is good. "Things not going well" for the start of four years - really 5, as his first year started 2-7 in the B1G - is a big problem. Also, we didn't just start out "not going well" this year - we lost to Winthrop and got blown off the floor repeatedly.

It's time for a change. It's nice to beat Northwestern and Iowa, but it's a small sample size, and a small sample size is what got John Groce here in the first place.

Ransom Stoddard · Feb 22, 2017

Thor015 said:
What if Groce finally figured out how to get players to truely give it their all? What if he uses what he has now learned to go to another program and finally be truely successful and we get a coach who keeps us here or worse can't recruit here either?

I'm not advocating for JFG to stay but I am wondering about a lot of scenarios here. I think I'm landing in the camp if you have to keep him unless you have an absolute homer in that can make the Illini sexy again.

And. It just kind of sexy but super sexy and everyone dreams of you

Do you really think he's "figured it out?" And even if he has, does that justify keeping him?

If he goes to another program (which will undoubtedly be a smaller program) and succeeds, good for him. I have faith that Whitman will bring in someone who can elevate the program to consistent success, not just win a couple of games when their seat is so hot they can make pancakes on it.

OrangeAndBlues · Feb 22, 2017

Thor015 said:
What if Groce finally figured out how to get players to truely give it their all? What if he uses what he has now learned to go to another program and finally be truely successful and we get a coach who keeps us here or worse can't recruit here either?

I'm not advocating for JFG to stay but I am wondering about a lot of scenarios here. I think I'm landing in the camp if you have to keep him unless you have an absolute homer in that can make the Illini sexy again.

And. It just kind of sexy but super sexy and everyone dreams of you

What if the moon were made of spare ribs? What if my underwear were cheese? What if the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were real?

These are examples of questions that have about the same level of merit. And even if it WERE so, that's a con, not a pro.

Illwinsagain · Feb 22, 2017

LuvIlliniHoopzInVA said:
Although this wouldn't surprise me, it seems as if JW would have given a public affirmation and put all this to rest by now.

Except, then he would be asked for votes of confidence every time a coach is in doubt. If his policy is to say nothing until the end of the season, he is not in that position.

IlliniKid · Feb 22, 2017

IlliniOllie said:
Occasionally finishing strong after a poor start is good. "Things not going well" for the start of four years - really 5, as his first year started 2-7 in the B1G - is a big problem. Also, we didn't just start out "not going well" this year - we lost to Winthrop and got blown off the floor repeatedly.

It's time for a change. It's nice to beat Northwestern and Iowa, but it's a small sample size, and a small sample size is what got John Groce here in the first place.

My god have our standards pummeled.

2017 Coaching Carousel

MGR95

LurkLongandProsper

Jkat00

BananaShampoo

Captain 'Paign

Jkat00

WesterveltVictoryCigar

Adnarel

LurkLongandProsper

Adnarel

dmac279

WesterveltVictoryCigar

alaskaillini

the national

Se Il Illini

TooHot4Tots

Whitman2020

whovous

mattcoldagelli

Fighter of the Nightman

Thor015

IlliniOllie

Ransom Stoddard

Ordained Dudeist Priest

OrangeAndBlues

Illwinsagain

IlliniKid