College Hoops Coaching Carousel

GrayGhost77 · Jan 5, 2023

BretMyBeachHouse said:
Who are the development successes?

Yes on Plummer. And to be fair the jury remains out on this season but as of now it's a negative.

Recruiting won't be a huge factor for Texas. They seem to do it under every coach.

Like you I hope he's here for a long time. But I'm also not going to ignore issues as I and others did with Weber.

Of course my influence extends to posts on the board and a few tickets. I have no idea what our NIL funders think.

Feliz was pretty good for us also.

ChiefGritty · Jan 5, 2023

BretMyBeachHouse said:
Recruiting won't be a huge factor for Texas. They seem to do it under every coach.

C'mon now. You know college basketball fans don't think like that, nor any AD worth their salt.

JJE · Jan 5, 2023

If your a Texas fan I'd imagine despite Underwoods success there'd be some hesitation because of his lack of tourney success thus far. Don't forget how restless Texas was with Rick Barnes.

drsmitty74 · Jan 5, 2023

illini0440 said:
I’m not sure. I just know Del Conte is a big fan of his.

That's not good

Kendall Gill’s Uncle · Jan 5, 2023

3 point girl said:
If that ever came true our next head coach is already here CF!

I’d be surprised if that happened.

Johnny Lawrence · Jan 5, 2023

JJE said:
If your a Texas fan I'd imagine despite Underwoods success there'd be some hesitation because of his lack of tourney success thus far. Don't forget how restless Texas was with Rick Barnes.

They were so restless they fired him after 17 years. Talk about a short leash.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jan 5, 2023

Borzello had an article on ESPN.com about the coaches that the Texas AD should contact first and he mentioned names like Calipari, Scott Drew, and Kelvin Sampson. He said if those names say no, then the next names on the list would be guys like Oats, Musselman, Pearl, and Underwood and even someone like Nets assistant Royal Ivey.

jumpingjack · Jan 6, 2023

Mojoman said:
Underwood is not on any high level P5 job short list.

Cracking Up Lol GIF by Football Australia

Indy Illini Fan · Jan 6, 2023

CubIllini said:
You think Texas is a threat this go round?

They’re definitely going to make a call …

Indy Illini Fan · Jan 6, 2023

Mojoman said:
Underwood is not on any high level P5 job short list.

Yeah that’s just not true … Underwood is on the short list of just about every elite P5 job …

CubIllini · Jan 6, 2023

Indy Illini Fan said:
They’re definitely going to make a call …

It is a blessing and a curse to have a great coach. Can't believe there are some who are ready to move on after one rocky month.

illini0440 · Jan 6, 2023

CubIllini said:
It is a blessing and a curse to have a great coach. Can't believe there are some who are ready to move on after one rocky month.

How soon they forget. We were at rock bottom when he came here.....

the national · Jan 6, 2023

CubIllini said:
It is a blessing and a curse to have a great coach. Can't believe there are some who are ready to move on after one rocky month.

As fans, this is when the team needs us most. Ws and Ls happen. Some take the Ls harder than others (as seen in the post game thread). We’ve been very fortunate over the last 3 season to be the winningest team in B1G Conference play. That makes Underwood very attractive. Most schools would love to have that.

The Tx opening does make me nervous.
They have a huge wallet.

CubIllini · Jan 6, 2023

illini0440 said:
How soon they forget. We were at rock bottom when he came here.....

At least we had cute wristbands and rah rah speeches.... Groce was a great man, but not cut for the job. Give me the treadmill burner all day.

coryfor3 · Jan 6, 2023

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
Borzello had an article on ESPN.com about the coaches that the Texas AD should contact first and he mentioned names like Calipari, Scott Drew, and Kelvin Sampson. He said if those names say no, then the next names on the list would be guys like Oats, Musselman, Pearl, and Underwood and even someone like Nets assistant Royal Ivey.

I'd be stunned if it was Cal, Drew, Pearl or Ivey.

Indy Illini Fan · Jan 6, 2023

coryfor3 said:
I'd be stunned if it was Cal, Drew, Pearl or Ivey.

I’m not saying I know the short list … BUT if I somehow did … and maybe knew someone at Texas …

I’d think Del Conte would be really looking at Sean Miller, Eric Musselman, Nate Oats, Ed Cooley, and Jamie Dixon …

drsmitty74 · Jan 6, 2023

Indy Illini Fan said:
I’m not saying I know the short list … BUT if I somehow did … and maybe knew someone at Texas …

I’d think Del Conte would be really looking at Sean Miller, Eric Musselman, Nate Oats, Ed Cooley, and Jamie Dixon …

This is the name I gave to a colleague today as someone to watch for in this HC search.

bluemountain · Jan 7, 2023

illini0440 said:
How soon they forget. We were at rock bottom when he came here.....

Groce was 8-10 in conference play his last year here, BU was 4-14 his first year. Just sayin....

IlliniShelt · Jan 7, 2023

bluemountain said:
Groce was 8-10 in conference play his last year here, BU was 4-14 his first year. Just sayin....

What little talent we had in 17 was gone in 18 so yes we were at the bottom. Your comparison just isn't smart.

ChiefGritty · Jan 7, 2023

IlliniShelt said:
What little talent we had in 17 was gone in 18 so yes we were at the bottom. Your comparison just isn't smart.

No, actually we had a lot of talent and appropriately high expectations in Year 1 for Underwood (as we did in Groce's final season), and it was a total catastrophe and unambiguous coaching failure.

Then there was a total roster reshuffle, and we started year 2 with a team way too young and inexperienced to meaningfully compete against the brutal non-conference schedule that we have come to know as Underwood's preference.

But over the course of that season those young guys grew up, and it was obvious to see that we were competitive in the Big Ten and had promise for the future. 1-7 start in B1G play, 6-6 finish, beating multiple ranked teams.

Lots more to the story than that, Giorgi was such a huge part of that Year 2 improvement but declined from there, Kofi necessarily changed the way we play, etc, but we won a bunch of Big Ten games that second year showing the patient finally had a pulse.

But Underwood fell on his face and failed his first year here, with a good roster. That's what gives me confidence in him now. Once again we've gotten into a bad cul-de-sac where the group of players and the system has just collapsed. But BU has found his way out of that before, and I am confident he'll do it again.

BashCtIllini · Jan 7, 2023

IlliniShelt said:
What little talent we had in 17 was gone in 18 so yes we were at the bottom. Your comparison just isn't smart.

Of guys that mattered we lost Malcolm Hill, Tracy Abrams, and Maverick Morgan. We brought in Trent and Damonte.

We had Leron Black, Kipper, Aaron Jordan, and Finke. That wasn't exactly a terrible team. They just didn't have someone like Malcolm to bail them out.

SescIllini · Jan 7, 2023

ChiefGritty said:
No, actually we had a lot of talent and appropriately high expectations in Year 1 for Underwood (as we did in Groce's final season), and it was a total catastrophe and unambiguous coaching failure.

Then there was a total roster reshuffle, and we started year 2 with a team way too young and inexperienced to meaningfully compete against the brutal non-conference schedule that we have come to know as Underwood's preference.

But over the course of that season those young guys grew up, and it was obvious to see that we were competitive in the Big Ten and had promise for the future. 1-7 start in B1G play, 6-6 finish, beating multiple ranked teams.

Lots more to the story than that, Giorgi was such a huge part of that Year 2 improvement but declined from there, Kofi necessarily changed the way we play, etc, but we won a bunch of Big Ten games that second year showing the patient finally had a pulse.

But Underwood fell on his face and failed his first year here, with a good roster. That's what gives me confidence in him now. Once again we've gotten into a bad cul-de-sac where the group of players and the system has just collapsed. But BU has found his way out of that before, and I am confident he'll do it again.

BU didn't have a good roster his first year. Our best player was Leron Black, the 6-6 center followed by a freshmen Trent Frazier.

IMPE ALL STAR · Jan 7, 2023

ChiefGritty said:
But Underwood fell on his face and failed his first year here, with a good roster. That's what gives me confidence in him now.

I’m not understanding you here. What gives you confidence? Because one could interpret this as he failed with good players but then Antigua saved him by getting Kofi and he rode him to a couple conference championships. Now that Kofi is gone we are seeing a dysfunctional team again.

I don’t know that I think that is the case. But it is concerning.

Wade · Jan 7, 2023

ChiefGritty said:
No, actually we had a lot of talent and appropriately high expectations in Year 1 for Underwood (as we did in Groce's final season), and it was a total catastrophe and unambiguous coaching failure.

Then there was a total roster reshuffle, and we started year 2 with a team way too young and inexperienced to meaningfully compete against the brutal non-conference schedule that we have come to know as Underwood's preference.

But over the course of that season those young guys grew up, and it was obvious to see that we were competitive in the Big Ten and had promise for the future. 1-7 start in B1G play, 6-6 finish, beating multiple ranked teams.

Lots more to the story than that, Giorgi was such a huge part of that Year 2 improvement but declined from there, Kofi necessarily changed the way we play, etc, but we won a bunch of Big Ten games that second year showing the patient finally had a pulse.

But Underwood fell on his face and failed his first year here, with a good roster. That's what gives me confidence in him now. Once again we've gotten into a bad cul-de-sac where the group of players and the system has just collapsed. But BU has found his way out of that before, and I am confident he'll do it again.

With all due respect, i think you are the only one on this board that would actually argue that we had a talented laden roster in 2017. At best, your take is in the minority.

Illini in Italy · Jan 7, 2023

ChiefGritty said:
No, actually we had a lot of talent and appropriately high expectations in Year 1 for Underwood (as we did in Groce's final season), and it was a total catastrophe and unambiguous coaching failure.

Then there was a total roster reshuffle, and we started year 2 with a team way too young and inexperienced to meaningfully compete against the brutal non-conference schedule that we have come to know as Underwood's preference.

But over the course of that season those young guys grew up, and it was obvious to see that we were competitive in the Big Ten and had promise for the future. 1-7 start in B1G play, 6-6 finish, beating multiple ranked teams.

Lots more to the story than that, Giorgi was such a huge part of that Year 2 improvement but declined from there, Kofi necessarily changed the way we play, etc, but we won a bunch of Big Ten games that second year showing the patient finally had a pulse.

But Underwood fell on his face and failed his first year here, with a good roster. That's what gives me confidence in him now. Once again we've gotten into a bad cul-de-sac where the group of players and the system has just collapsed. But BU has found his way out of that before, and I am confident he'll do it again.

Looking at that roster, we had a couple of talented players, but we had a flawed roster construction. Most of the players on that team went nowhere at a high level. Black went to Israel (subsequently to the G League, then on to Argentina and now Brazil), DMFW and TF had legendary Illini careers (and Trent is tearing up his Euro league). TJL had 17

years in college ball, averaging 10ppg his last year at BYU. IMHO, every player on this roster (except maybe TF) turned out to be a role player (at best) for any P5 team in the nation. I'm not saying BU should not be accountable, but I don't think any D1 P5 coach was going to do very much with this roster.