Which one leaving was considered the best recruiter in the country? They did a nice job identifying talent but they signed zero top 30 recruits total in their time here. If BU and JW can't replace that (they can) then we have bigger problems.
Coaching Carousel
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Which one leaving was considered the best recruiter in the country? They did a nice job identifying talent but they signed zero top 30 recruits total in their time here. If BU and JW can't replace that (they can) then we have bigger problems.
Ubermensch
BOOM! Feed my ego.
What do you suggest these posters do?
OA .... at UK.
Do I have anyone in mind? I still believe we need someone with Chicago ties.....maybe I’m the minority on that.
I would love to see:
Mennenga
Armon Gates (Loyola, Northwestern, Florida, Nebraska)
Daniyal Robinson
But...if we go a different direction I’m fine as long as we get players from somewhere. If it is Chester, or Powell.....or whoever....#1 thing right now is can they help keep what we have together.
If Orlando and Chin leave...they continue on as footnotes to calimari's legacy....until something new develops...OA legacy good recruiter for BU and calamari, bad head coach. Chin... did good for Underwood...now say, UK continues to downtrend...and Illinois stays legit...Orlando and Chin will be at DePaul in a few seasons...lol...I...L...L...
I didn’t know anything about the now reported personality conflicts (if true), but I did find it interesting during the season that when coaching acumen and X and O’s were mentioned by media it usually centered round Gentry. I wondered if that would cause conflict and sounds like at least it didn’t help matters. Plenty of people including most on here knew about the great ability and importance of OA and Chin both as coaches but more importantly as recruiters. But there are plenty that don’t seem to based on the messages that say “just hire some more recruiters and we’ll be fine,”. I mean how good could they be if they never brought in a top 30 recruit right? [eye roll]
Now I’m not saying that Illinois basketball is now doomed to backslide into the mediocrity of the Groce years. Based upon their original hires, the success level the program is at now, and what appears to be a generous AC salary pool, it is reasonable to assume that BU and JW will bring in quality new ACs. It is likely we will skip a beat (but hopefully not “beats”), and that the current roster as well as recruits can help cover up any growing pains the new staff has. Just have to hope that BU can keep the 2021 and 2022 recruits on board. I really don’t see Curbelo leaving, but I guess there is always a chance.
The bottom line is that whether or not you considered OA the top recruiter in nation, it is hard not to admit that the OA and Chin combo covered a lot of bases. OA is a top national/international recruiter who is also one of the top big-man coaches around. Chin had the Chicago connections and has developed into at least a good all-around recruiter (I think more like very good) who seemed to be a very good guard coach too. If Gentry stays, it will be tough to cover all those bases with another two coaches. I’m interested to see who BU turns to in order to help keep things on track as well as get even better in future. Nice thing is that this year he has two “internal coaches” — Trent and DMW — on board. I was firmly in the happy to see them back camp, but that has grown to ecstatic. Think those two have become even more important in maintaining the culture with the coaching losses.
Now I’m not saying that Illinois basketball is now doomed to backslide into the mediocrity of the Groce years. Based upon their original hires, the success level the program is at now, and what appears to be a generous AC salary pool, it is reasonable to assume that BU and JW will bring in quality new ACs. It is likely we will skip a beat (but hopefully not “beats”), and that the current roster as well as recruits can help cover up any growing pains the new staff has. Just have to hope that BU can keep the 2021 and 2022 recruits on board. I really don’t see Curbelo leaving, but I guess there is always a chance.
The bottom line is that whether or not you considered OA the top recruiter in nation, it is hard not to admit that the OA and Chin combo covered a lot of bases. OA is a top national/international recruiter who is also one of the top big-man coaches around. Chin had the Chicago connections and has developed into at least a good all-around recruiter (I think more like very good) who seemed to be a very good guard coach too. If Gentry stays, it will be tough to cover all those bases with another two coaches. I’m interested to see who BU turns to in order to help keep things on track as well as get even better in future. Nice thing is that this year he has two “internal coaches” — Trent and DMW — on board. I was firmly in the happy to see them back camp, but that has grown to ecstatic. Think those two have become even more important in maintaining the culture with the coaching losses.
Was most impressed by BU when he hired new assistants rather than bringing his staff with him as Groce did. The job is management and takes a team effort in recruiting and coaching as well as in playing. BU proved he knew what he was doing. Losing OA and his connections is certainly a set back but he has certainly built more of his own connections in these four years. Identifying talent was more of a strong point than just pure recruiting in my opinion as his two All Americans were not top ten talent but ended up there. Do not want to lose Gentry at this point because the team started winning when he came. If we keep our commits we have a a few years of talent and time to recover. Cup is still half full.
Say something that isn't mere pablum.
These threads are so much wasted energy and effort and yet I can't look away. I have a problem 
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
If we're filling 3 AC slots, I'd hold my nose and bring on Bergeron, if that seals the deal with Tre Mitchell.
Curbelo, Frazier, Hutch, Mitchell, Cockburn
Plummer, Grandison, DMW, Payne, Podz, Hawkins, Melendez, et al off the bench
That team could do some damage.
Curbelo, Frazier, Hutch, Mitchell, Cockburn
Plummer, Grandison, DMW, Payne, Podz, Hawkins, Melendez, et al off the bench
That team could do some damage.
That would be quite the team. Make those coaches wish they were here as we are winning the National Championship next year ;-)
Is there something specific with him that's bad news? Or just the concept of hiring an assistant coach to bring in a stud player?
Wouldn't it be karma for Illini to win NC and Kentucky to miss dance second year in a row.
Orlando Antigua... Also, how many top-30 recruits have we gotten since recruiting rankings started? Argument doesn't seem valid.
And here we go............
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
The latter. He wouldn't be considered a candidate if not for Mitchell.
BMoreIllini
- Baltimore, MD
Does BU have a history of asst. coaches departing suddenly? I don't believe that he does. The fact he changed his whole defensive philosophy after input from his coaches says to me that he values the input of his fellow coaches and that he isn't a "my way or the highway" type. I think this is a perfect storm of OA getting a chance back at UK and bringing Chin with him as well as Gentry potentially getting an asst. coaching position at his alma mater where he is familiar with Few and spent a few years prior.
Worst case scenario you dump him after a year when the carousel spins again.
Am I the only one that when I hear "we have to win Chicago, or get someone with Chicago ties." my blood pressure rises? Dating back to Jimmy Collins, how many Chicago kids have we gotten? We have done very well without Chicago kids and NEARLY everyone of them expected us to turn the program over to their family control because we owed them. We don't owe anybody anything. We owe the kids that want to come to the U of I something and that is an opportunity. You either take it, or you don't.
The highest points of our program in recent memory correlate with Chicago area recruits being highly important members of our team.
If Chin were going to Mizzou or Wisconsin etc, maybe there would be an issue. But he's going to Kentucky for crying out loud, this has nothing to do with Underwood. Let's move on
texillwek
🔶🔹🔸🔷
Though I don't believe it to be so, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask the question.
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