I'd start with this. You have to give him credit for two AAs. He also has NBA prospects. For about a decade Illinois was in shambles. Now we have young men wanting to come here who are all-conference. Have no idea your age but guessing young. If we fire Underwood, what happens next? He's helped upgrade our facilities, gets massive donors, brings in NBA players, wins a conference tournament and conference championship, makes four straight NCAA's. What happened the 10 years before him. I've coached for 7 years at the high school level. It takes time to build a program and culture. He's had to deal with COVID, portals, cleaning house when he got here. Our team was so bad that it would take at least 2-3 years to become competitive. For most coaches longer. I just respectfully disagree. We live in a time where people think the grass is always greener and want instant gratification. The last 4-5 years it's been fun to be an Illini fan again and I think the future is bright. Be careful what you wish for. I bet Tennessee football regretted getting rid of Phil Fulmer! There are many coaches that have been fired in the past 3 decades for not bringing in a national title in multiple sports, but they had their program in the top 20 most years and when they let them go they were terrible for a decade or two!
College Hoops Coaching Carousel
- Status
I don't see how an offseason spent flirting with other jobs and not fielding a B10 quality PG in 2 years would result in anything else.
Seems like it's S16 or he finds another job and Sean Miller gets the bag.
No one has ever said he doesn't get credit for bringing in 2 All Americans, but by the same token you also have to penalize him for putting together and molding a team last year with obvious chemistry issues that played worse as a team than the players individual talents would have suggested.
Underwood doesn't upgrade facilities, the AD does.
Underwood has had 1 NBA player at Illinois. If he's going to try and sell to players come play for me and I'll get you to the NBA, then Matthew Mayer is a big strike against that sell, and Terrence Shannon is a foul ball. He gets one more pitch.
Underwood is paid more than Scott Drew, who just stole his PG, and has won a national championship. Underwood gets paid more than a lot of coaches with much better accomplishments. When you get that type of salary it comes with expectations, not excuses. Not sure how you're comparing Fulmer to Underwood. Fulmer's resume was SIGNIFICANTLY more impressive than Underwood's. The situations aren't remotely comparable.
One more thing, you can say its marketing, pumping up their guy, or truth, but this is what Gonzaga says about Stephen Gentry:
At Illinois the past two seasons, Gentry oversaw schematic changes on offense and defense that led to increased winning. Prior to his arrival at Illinois, the Illini had a combined 39 percent win percentage in 2017-18 and 2018-19. While at Illinois, Gentry and the Illini had a 79 percent win percentage. Illinois' improvement of plus-9 wins from the 18-19 to the 19-20 season, Gentry's first on staff, was the largest win improvement in the country.
Gentry was the offensive coordinator for one of the country's most prolific offenses this past season at Illinois. The Illini had a Top-10 offense in efficiency (8th in KenPom) and averaged over 80 points per game, which was the fifth highest amongst high major programs. He oversaw the development of a guard position group that included First Team All-American and Bob Cousy Award Winner Ayo Dosunmu and Big 10 Sixth Man of the Year winner Andre Curbelo.
Yes Gentry absolutely benefited from coaching Ayo and Kofi, but Gentry was also credited with making the key change at Ok State that turned around their season and basically got Underwood the job here. Gentry was at Stephen F Austin all 3 years Underwood was. Our offense has certainly struggled since Gentry left. While there were some noted issues with Gentry being on our staff, you certainly can't deny that he has been a key part of Underwood's success, the question is was he THE key?
You keep saying the grass is greener, well you don't fire a guy and just hope you can find someone better. You get an agreement from the new guy before you fire the old guy. If there is any truth to Sean Miller wanting the job, then yes, that grass is greener by pretty much every objective standard.
Simple fact is, Underwood gets another season. I think we need to be better than 5th in conference and an early exit from the tourney, or it will be hard for Whitman to do nothing. But it's June, we can only discuss so much on a coaching change now.
You can penalize or run in a world that has changed rapidly. You are correct the AD upgrades facilities but the coaches are the ones that push for that period. Next, you don't think Shannon will be an NBA player? In addition, Underwood is paid what he's paid b/c he worth it. We were so bad for 10+ years and now we're making the tournament every year and atop the Big Ten. He had to turn a team bottom dweller around and people say 6 years is so long but 3 years were taking a bottom dweller to be competitive. Come on! Now they are consistently competing for a title. 2 close Big Ten games have them almost 2nd in the conference last year in a year Purdue was a top seed. Iowa and Indiana. All of you are ridiculous. This new age of instant gratification is crazy. I'll ask again that I've put in other posts, who do we hire? We'll be a top conference team again this year. Michigan St. will be the cream of the crop and I think we'll finish top 3 and be a top 6 seed and make a run. Go Illini!
Just curious, can you give me a name of one coach that was winning games that was fired to get an “upgrade” of a coach?
Marty schottenheimer
Count me among the folks who don't want to see BU go. Even the top names out there give me pause because I have to wonder if they'll still be at the top of their game. Do they still have the fire?
But I do find BU's possible warm seat position to be ironic. Last year he publicly told us he wasn't rebuilding, but reloading. He criticized those who thought otherwise as if he had some magic formula to avoid the problems we had.
He apparently is content to heavily rely on the portal. I wish he'd rely more on player and character evaluation at the HS level and then player retention. The DGL recruitment is a great example. We were all excited a year ago, and now we have everyone wondering if he's leaving this summer or next. How about recruiting a guy who has the character to withstand your coaching style and a family who gets it.
Further, a great amount of the discontent is fostered by the apparent leaks within the program. If I was a top coach, I wouldn't want internal discussions and issues out in the public realm. It seems to me that he's playing office politics more than he ought.
Optimistic for a 7-10 seed as constructed now. If we could land Trey, I'd move us up, perhaps significantly.
But I do find BU's possible warm seat position to be ironic. Last year he publicly told us he wasn't rebuilding, but reloading. He criticized those who thought otherwise as if he had some magic formula to avoid the problems we had.
He apparently is content to heavily rely on the portal. I wish he'd rely more on player and character evaluation at the HS level and then player retention. The DGL recruitment is a great example. We were all excited a year ago, and now we have everyone wondering if he's leaving this summer or next. How about recruiting a guy who has the character to withstand your coaching style and a family who gets it.
Further, a great amount of the discontent is fostered by the apparent leaks within the program. If I was a top coach, I wouldn't want internal discussions and issues out in the public realm. It seems to me that he's playing office politics more than he ought.
Optimistic for a 7-10 seed as constructed now. If we could land Trey, I'd move us up, perhaps significantly.
Sorry…..should have said Illinois coach.
No problem. I was referring to sports in general. A handful of programs have moved on from successful coaches only to flounder on the other side. I don’t get those who say underwood isn’t a quality coach. Again if we start finishing in the bottom half of the conference and not making the tournament back to back years then yes maybe we should start looking. Until then I back our coach!
I laugh at you guys! His seat is ice cold... unless he dumps US. He is a top coach who wins 20+ each year in the toughest conference, recruits at a high level and does a great job promoting the school. I've been an Illini for 60 years and have survived the vast wasteland of poor coaching and recruiting. Brad is a gem. He maybe yells too much for some of these flowerlets, but most of his guys would run through a wall for him.
We've just had two highly valuable players return to the program, when they could have gone anywhere... because of Brad.
"S16 or...Sean Miller gets the bag" ?? How many years before Brad when we didn't make the Tournament?
On a positive note, during these shifting sands of a recruiting environment Brad has adapted very well and has attracted really good players.
Because YOU feel that he has not fielded a Big10 quality PG in two years (Frazier?) And you THINK he's been flirting with other jobs, he's on the hot seat?
go Illini!
splitter
- and not Nebraska
Not ice cold but a comfortable 98.6 sitting back with a cigar and coffee thinking about what wines to bring back from Spain with his tight knit and determined team.
Illini92and96
- Austin, TX
I remember Minnesota getting tired of glen mason winning seven games (on average) and going to a bowl. Brewster crapped the bed, and since then they have had kill and oar man basically produce more seven win seasons. interesting how different schools define success and “good enough”.
theNewGuy
- Dallas, TX
Brad is literally the 7th highest paid coach in college basketball right now.
If your company is paying that much money wouldn't you expect to be getting a similar return?
He got us a B1G tourney win and a 1 seed in the big dance but lost to an 8 seed. I don't care how good loyola's metrics were, the best team in the B1G and arguably the country should never lose to loyola.
Then a regular season B1G title, got a 4 seed that lost to a 5 seed, Houston was an awesome team so can't blame anyone here.
Since then it has just been downhill.
Last year had some high expectations, mistakes were made and things didn't work out. Those mistakes lie on brad.
I love Brad Underwood so much but if continues to make mistakes, unfortunately he will be gone because you don't pay someone to be the 7th highest paid coach to keep making mistakes.
My point is this:
Being a ridiculously high paid coach comes with ridiculously high expectations.
We'll see about that if next year's team misses the Dance or loses early yet again. I wouldn't be shocked if there's a mutual parting of the ways at that point.
Bigtex
- DFW
agree - I think it says a lot that he wasn't given a contract extension from the AD after last season - that speaks volumes regarding the tempature of his seat. Lets hope he is able to get the chemistry issues worked out for 23/24 and ends up with someone who can effectively play PG. I like Williams but coming off of a significant injury feel like he is a longer term solution. I-L-L
3 point girl
- texas
Just remember for all who want Brad gone- if he goes all the players go too. You start from scratch all the way around.
If we make the Dance there is very little risk he goes. If we don't make the Dance, do we really care if we lose players?
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
At age 71 , I have been a die hard Illini fan for over 60 + years.......Won many B$G titles in my backyard with a waning bucket for the win..............Suffered through the slush fund fiasco and many other down periods and I am very excited about the fighting Illini's upcoming season.........
There are many things that peeps can bring up to detract from the direction the Illini's program is in..........I believe that will all get sorted out after the next season ends.......I can see the situation from both sides really and I think a S16 season will calm all concerned with where the Illini are as far as ascending or descending.........
I'm ready for some Illini BB.................................I really really am.......
I'm also very excited for some Illini FB................I really really am....................
How strange that is to say about the same season after so many feeble seasons in FB..............
GO ILLINI !!!!!!!!!!!!
3 point girl
- texas
Starting over with a new coach & having to replace maybe up to 8 players would be very very hard to do & field a respectable team.
Quite honestly with the transfer portal today this scares me much less than it used to, not to mention that we seem to be creeping up close to that number annually anyway.
Trust me. It ain’t ice cold
3 point girl
- texas
When I said "Up to 8 players" I didnt include the ones graduating or going to pros. I think you would have to have a whole new team if Brad is gone
I have been an Illini fan for a long time (which speaks more to age than wisdom.) I am ALL IN on BU for the 2023-24 season. I will be excited to watch them again, and live and die with each game. I hope we have a great year, with a good run to an Eight 8, or at least the second weekend. Having said this, if the coming season is disappointing to JW, then he would have every right to consider a replacement, and I would support that. Many have asked who the Illini could target for an upgrade. Unapologetically, I suggest Sean Miller. But, if BU has a season that meets expectations, then I will remain supportive of him. Our AD has shown an amazing ability to run the Athletic Department better than anyone that I remember. So, in BU I trust, but in JW I trust even more.JMHO
Don't think so.
Yep. He's getting paid A LOT of money to simply make the NCAA Tournament. At some point soon, Whitman and the big boosters are gonna want to see a better return on that investment, especially if coaches like Sean Miller remain interested in this position.
- Status