2017 Coaching Carousel

MadSeason · Mar 9, 2017

Serious Late said:
Are you concerned he cleans up recruiting or are you concerned he wins big there? I understand concern around his recruiting, but I don't understand any concerns about him being a big winner.

You don't hire someone to keep them from recruiting your territory, you hire someone because you think he is going to win games for you.

We only play them once a year so outside of the recruiting bump you get from winning we aren't really concerned with that. You worry that he will secure players you want.

I understand your point though that he shouldn't be hired if the only reason is to block Mizzou

zpfled · Mar 9, 2017

IlliniForTheWin said:
we have not had a winning record in regular season conference play in 7 years. Weber took us to the final four (with selfs recruits) and was fired for not making the ncaa tourney in two of three years... Groce has not made the tournament four straight years. how is anyone okay with this?

Who is ok with it? I don't think anyone is.

Had this team made the tourney, I was on the 'keep Groce' side, but obviously that hope is gone and now I'm not.

UofI08 · Mar 9, 2017

Order of calls I make:
Bennett
Miller
Marshall
Krystkowiak
Monty Williams
Bryce Drew
Keatts

kcib8130 · Mar 9, 2017

Serious Late said:
Are you concerned he cleans up recruiting or are you concerned he wins big there? I understand concern around his recruiting, but I don't understand any concerns about him being a big winner.

You don't hire someone to keep them from recruiting your territory, you hire someone because you think he is going to win games for you.

I guess i rolled that all into regretting not hiring him, but you're right, i should have been more specific.

If we hire a flop again and Cuonzo turns mizzou into a consistent winner, we'll regret it. But if we hire a home run and Cuonzo flops, we'll thank our lucky stars he isn't here.

I do think he will be at Illinois or Mizzou when the dust all settles.

IlliniForTheWin · Mar 9, 2017

zpfled said:
Who is ok with it? I don't think anyone is.

Had this team made the tourney, I was on the 'keep Groce' side, but obviously that hope is gone and now I'm not.

Some fans are okay with it. I guess it really doesnt matter as long as Josh Whitman is not okay with it

MadSeason · Mar 9, 2017

kcib8130 said:
I guess i rolled that all into regretting not hiring him, but you're right, i should have been more specific.

If we hire a flop again and Cuonzo turns mizzou into a consistent winner, we'll regret it. But if we hire a home run and Cuonzo flops, we'll thank our lucky stars he isn't here.

I do think he will be at Illinois or Mizzou when the dust all settles.

Cuonzo I think has a high floor but the ceiling is the question. I don't think he would flop at either school but what is his peek? Every 3 years and NCAA tourney bid and occasional sweet 16 run or is there more there.

I agree with you that I think we will find out with us or Mizzou

MadSeason · Mar 9, 2017

Krystkowiak seems like an odd fit here. He certainly seems like a good coach but not from the area and I think he would struggle to recruit.

Feels like Gary Anderson to Wisconsin in Football to me

Calvin · Mar 9, 2017

FatGreg said:
I think Groce would probably do really well in the Horizon or Summit. Maybe Youngstown State or Oral Roberts? Maybe he lands in the MAC at Miami (OH) or Bowling Green?

I don't want him anywhere we he can hurt our recruiting. He's recruited surprisingly well given his results on the court. P5 assistant could be a problem for us. Not sure HC in a smaller conference would be much of an issue, but not sure it wouldn't either.

IlliniOllie · Mar 9, 2017

Doesn't Jim Delaney have an unofficial rule in the conference about not firing coaches while the Big Ten Tournament is in progress, so as not to distract from the games? I don't think we'll hear anything until Monday.

After that, every second that Groce is still employed is wasted time.

Serious Late · Mar 9, 2017

MadSeason said:
Krystkowiak seems like an odd fit here. He certainly seems like a good coach but not from the area and I think he would struggle to recruit.

Feels like Gary Anderson to Wisconsin in Football to me

Why do you think this? He hasn't recruited at an elite level up to this point and would be moving into a much more fertile recruiting state with a larger base of recruits to find the right fits for his offense.

Keatts has no more ties to the area than Krystkowiak and yet his ability to recruit is being viewed as a major selling point.

At the end of the day, the "ties to the area" component of looking for a coach feels overblown to me. This is THE rallying cry of the Cuonzo Martin camp, and I just don't see why it should be a primary factor. It can be a nice bonus, bur I really hope that Whitman performs a national search to pull in the best possible coach. The best form of recruiting is winning games on the court and Krystkowiak will do that.

kcib8130 · Mar 9, 2017

Serious Late said:
Why do you think this? He hasn't recruited at an elite level up to this point and would be moving into a much more fertile recruiting state with a larger base of recruits to find the right fits for his offense.

Keatts has no more ties to the area than Krystkowiak and yet his ability to recruit is being viewed as a major selling point.

At the end of the day, the "ties to the area" component of looking for a coach feels overblown to me. This is THE rallying cry of the Cuonzo Martin camp, and I just don't see why it should be a primary factor. It can be a nice bonus, bur I really hope that Whitman performs a national search to pull in the best possible coach. The best form of recruiting is winning games on the court and Krystkowiak will do that.

Martin did take players from this area to Cal, though. That to me is somewhat impressive.

Illini4Reel · Mar 9, 2017

Well still no tweets from Whitman on twitter backing Groce.. He is gone people.

Calvin · Mar 9, 2017

Adnarel said:
I would have a crazy guilt complex over the very idea that my performance may have cost a man his job, even though that's twisted logic and unfair.

Groce has made something like $7-8 million coaching here, so I'm not sure any bad feelings about his situation would last long. I would feel bad about the season and for my teammates (including Groce) and for the fans. As a competitor, for not playing as well as I was capable.

I think about Malcolm's tears on senior night, and it reminds me how much of themselves the guys put into the team. Hill put in 4 years of work, and accomplished a lot, but at the same time, in what must seem like the blink of an eye, it's over. It wasn't a very sweet or satisfying finish.

WesterveltVictoryCigar · Mar 9, 2017

@GoodmanESPN
UC Santa Barbara has let Bob Williams go, he told ESPN

@GoodmanESPN
UMass has parted ways with Derek Kellogg, sources told ESPN

IlliniForTheWin · Mar 9, 2017

Illini4Reel said:
Well still no tweets from Whitman on twitter backing Groce.. He is gone people.

The next words from JW regarding groce will be in the form of a press conference announcing his firing

:chief:

Serious Late · Mar 9, 2017

kcib8130 said:
Martin did take players from this area to Cal, though. That to me is somewhat impressive.

Right, there is no disputing that Martin can recruit. That is part of what sours me on him though. He had a monster team last year and still lost 11 games and ended the year on a whimper (and yeah, I get the injuries that occurred, that doesn't explain an entire season of inconsistent results). He had more than enough talent to win this year as well, and is likely not even going to make the tourney. Recruiting is one piece of the puzzle, its the other components of his resume that are very concerning.

The argument you outline above is part of what makes Krystkowiak even more appealing to me. Will he struggle to recruit the elite talents in Illinois? Probably. That is no different than any of our recent coaches though, and no less likely to do so than any of the other coaches being mentioned. I believe he will do just fine identifying and recruiting the players that can win in his system. Plus you add in his connections recruiting out West and you have a pretty darn big region to pull in the guys that can win games and return Illinois to a high level, not only in the B1G, but nationally.

Calvin · Mar 9, 2017

Serious Late said:
Becky Hammon is an interesting name, but I would rather we not be the first school to find out how recruits will react to the idea of playing for a female head coach.

I have heard very impressive things about her though.

No recruiting experience seems risky, but very interesting name to throw out there.

TylerK311 · Mar 9, 2017

Tell me if I'm wrong, but Martin kind of just seems like another Groce... Really don't want a repeat of the past 4 years.

Adnarel · Mar 9, 2017

TylerK311 said:
Tell me if I'm wrong, but Martin kind of just seems like another Groce... Really don't want a repeat of the past 4 years.

But does Martin use motivational bracelets and ladders?

TylerK311 · Mar 9, 2017

Adnarel said:
But does Martin use motivational bracelets and ladders?

I guess he could bring a taller ladder? Maybe his bracelets will light up.

IntenselyOrange · Mar 9, 2017

Calvin said:
No recruiting experience seems risky, but very interesting name to throw out there.

I'll be shocked if that is the route we go, but that would put our program in the spotlight. I wonder how recruits' moms would feel about her?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

IlliniForTheWin · Mar 9, 2017

Adnarel said:
But does Martin use motivational bracelets and ladders?

I don't care what our next coach uses as long as we win

Serious Late · Mar 9, 2017

I have been watching CBS Sports today as an alum of UNM. Another name that got tossed around here earlier and I would be excited to hire: Eric Musselman.

Just a quick review on his Wiki page (I know, weak source) leaves me thinking he is very impressive. A quote on him from that page: "No coach in Nevada basketball history has done a better job of getting everything out of the talent on the roster. It might be the best coaching job in Wolf Pack hoops history."

Also cites his 2016 recruiting class as 35th in the country, 2nd in the Mountain West. Former NBA head coach, currently coaching at a conference just beneath the P5 (some question whether Keatts is coaching at a tough enough conference), some roots in the Midwest (spent time in Minnesota and Ohio as a kid).

I would put him on the same line as Keatts. Only concern would be his limited time at Nevada. Might not be ready to jump to another program quite yet.

TylerK311 · Mar 9, 2017

What do you think the odds are on grabbing Joe Maddon..?

FeelYourPaign · Mar 9, 2017

TownieMatt said:
Welp, I know what I would do: Fire Groce on Monday and let one of the assistants coach the team in the NIT (assuming the players want to play in it). Let's get a jump on hiring the next guy.

Fingers crossed for Monty Williams.

That's where I am, except that I don't need until Monday. Today would do just fine