sacraig
- The desert
Apparently @Indy Illini Fan
Coaching Carousel (Basketball)
- Status
That still kills me, and we see it over and over again: No adjustments; stick with the plan no matter what the other team shows us. That Loyola game was so frustrating to watch; we were outplayed/outcoached and seemed to have no desire to adjust. The second half of the UConn game was almost unreal; they just kept hitting us, and we acted surprised with zero attempts at trying anything different.
We saw the same thing this year with MSU after we took that huge lead. Then Duke came out with those same double teams at the top of the key MSU used to shut us down, and it was like we hadn't seen anyone do that before.
Anyway, this isn't the end; it's just a path to a new beginning, and hopefully, it will drive some positive changes to get us to that next Final Four and maybe, just maybe, a Championship one day.
mattcoldagelli
- Script Illinois Enthusiast
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
If all this is true I am shocked, and it says more about us than I'd like. Commencing fetal position.
You have a much more glass half full view of CBB than I do.
I think it’s pretty freakin tough to be even tournament good year in and year out EVERY year. Heck there’s like 5 schools that have a longer streak than us? I will die on the hill that BU has had good regular season success here. Easy to get blinded by this years collapse.
I don’t think we’re trending long term in the wrong direction BUT that can change quickly if adjustments this offseason aren’t made.
Surely you jest. Bruce stayed 4 years too long. The writing was on the wall when he couldn’t recruit a top class after finishing 2nd in the nation - with Self’s kids. Waiting those extra 4 years after 07/08 helped kill the program for a decade.
mattcoldagelli
- Script Illinois Enthusiast
There are some impeccable fishing story vibes to most discussions of NIL rankings. Not besmirching the analysis of any posters, just saying.
Regardless of all that.....objectively, this would the strongest position Illinois basketball has ever been in at the outset of a coaching search. You can keep the Maalox stowed away for now.
O aside adding TA back into this current staff would not necessarily raise the bar on Xs and Os... if that is a common thought I strongly oppose that.
TA/O are similar in the mold that they are elite talent recruiters who have deep running relationships that generate in higher ceiling talent acquisition. Thats NOT to say they do not individually contribute to the growth/development of an individual player skill/positioning as the recruits they have brought in for the most part have all gotten better in the program.
What I/many on this message board have observed is the lack of strategy/adjustments in both the macro and micro levels of the game. Look no further than the steep regression to (and beyond) the mean for the offense and the defense as conference play/competition has ramped up. That is due to actual coaching, Xs and Os to supplement the talent of the Jimmy's and the Joe's THAT is what is sorely missing along with player leadership on this team.
I would argue losing Chester (and Stephen Gentry years ago) hurt this team significantly more than losing a top recruiter like TA. Chester while a good recruiter was critical in the strategic development of the defenses architecture and execution...
Im sorry but no disrespect to Hamer and TU but the strong regressions are more likely if not directly tied to those two being elevated and taking more responsibility of the scheme and execution. Neither should have any directly responsible to "coordinating" other than meals and transportation.
TLDR - TA being back does not make this team better, Chester was a bigger loss, TU and Hamer need to be demoted or off staff next year to actually elevate this team to being 2nd weekend and beyond good.
I'd be 99.99% certain he has some sort of bag guy to do this.
And even with the terrible shooting, offense hasn't been nearly as bad as the defense IMO. The offense - the awful shooting has been really frustrating to watch and hasn't been good by any means, but defense has been abysmal.
No competitiveness, the scheme/coaching hasn't seemed to suit the players either.... we just haven't even belonged on the court. Looked like a 16 seed the other night.
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Of course I know Josh has that information. My point was that to actually GET the top of your list, timing of your opening is key. Hence why I interpreted "Josh is proactive" to mean he'd rather facilitate Brad leaving ASAP if that's Brad's end goal rather than waiting for the dominoes to happen to us. And it sounds like some of the comments from insiders support that.
My worry is that Brad's at his worst when people press him on his stubbornness. So if he comes back next year, there's going to be friction.
Yeah, the whole under seeded BS doesn’t hold much water when they lose in their next game to my Oregon State team that had to win conference tourney just to get in.
I have to ask… did Hamer sleep with your girlfriend or something? Did he literally piss in your corn flakes? Did he pick on you in grade school? Look… mad props for your insights and information, and our defense certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but this seems… personal.
I mean… KJ wears leggings too.
Hamer never should’ve been hired to be an assistant … This has had a negative effect on the Illinois MBB program … Therefore I do have a problem with that …
KJ is playing in the game …
If all this is true I am shocked, and it says more about us than I'd like. Commencing fetal position.
Year in and year out … They don’t … This year they spent more money on their roster than we did …
Based off what I’ve been told … Now everyone inflates their NIL a little bit including people here but at worst it’s within spitting distance …
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Zach Hamer - Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development - Men's Basketball Coaches - University of Illinois Athletics
Zach Hamer is in his third season as Illini assistant coach after being elevated to the role on July 1, 2023. He also serves as the director of player development. This
fightingillini.com
That has to be one of the thinnest resumes to be an assistant coach at a power school (with hopes of winning a national title), especially if he has the power to run the defensive gameplan. Simply mind boggling.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
Duly noted. And that stance is, perhaps, valid. It just lessens your argument when you crouch it in middle school level mocking of his clothes.
Zach Hamer - Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development - Men's Basketball Coaches - University of Illinois Athletics
Zach Hamer is in his third season as Illini assistant coach after being elevated to the role on July 1, 2023. He also serves as the director of player development. This
That has to be one of the thinnest resumes to be an assistant coach at a power school (with hopes of winning a national title), especially if he has the power to run the defensive gameplan. Simply mind boggling.
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
A year ago I would have said yes, given not just Orlando's recruiting but also my (since proved incorrect) assumption that anyone hired to be a high-major (hell, mid-major even) coach would have at least a rudimentary knowledge of Xs and Os. But then I watch our BLOB and SLOB plays, our offensive and defensive schemes, and I'm proven wrong.
Or worse, my assumption is still correct and the head coach is overriding good X and O thinking, either overtly / verbally or indirectly by sidelining those coaches and players that can do it, in favor of others.
The players sure found it funny and it even got put in a group chat based off what I was told from parents/agents …
If the players don’t respect you …
Curbelo Fanboy
BERTBALL IS LIFE
Yep - I still remember watching us play Oden & Conley in 07 at home & knowing after they whacked us by 20 that what we had was gone & Bruce wasn't gonna bring it back. You could legit see it that soon. And he hung around til 2012. Should been gone by 10 at the latest.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Well at least he brought the team together in some way, I guess...The players sure found it funny and it even got put in a group chat based off what I was told from parents/agents …
If the players don’t respect you …
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