meh they have all the makings of a program that will take a big step, returning production from a tournament team (even if just barely), top recruiting class coming in, the best player (on paper) in the conference heading into the season... 2nd year coach.
Illini Basketball 2022-2023
- Status
Just as I was pulling in to my driveway yesterday, Brad Underwood came strolling down the sidewalk in front of my house. By the time we got stopped, he was past the house and I did not want to go running after him. Missed opportunity to become an insider ... LOL! Wonder what he was doing in my neighborhood (Clark Park area)? Will keep my eyes out for a future encounter.
They will be okay. RJ is showing him where to aim, and talking him through it.
Honest question, why?
My sense was he was an ok defender, a little bit prone (not terrible) to fouling and making some frustration plays. His length is a big plus, but not sure he has the strength or footwork to be force defensively as a 5. I could see him struggling with certain match-ups, especially fouling.
I hope he doesn't get saddled with too high expectations. If he plays the 5, he's also following a legend.
He lives by the golf course. You will routinely see him walking through that area (along with his wife sometimes). He walks a LOT. That’s how he stays in fighting shape for the Pizza Hut brawls.
JJB
- Chicago, IL
Seems as good a place as any to leave this. The Athletic staffed polled a ranking of Division 1 BB coaches and BU was grouped in Tier 3.
https://theathletic.com/3619418/2022/09/28/college-basketball-best-coach-rankings-tiers/
Tier 3
| COACH | TEAM |
|---|---|
| Randy Bennett |
Saint Mary's |
| Mike Brey |
Notre Dame |
| Hubert Davis |
North Carolina |
| Jamie Dixon | TCU |
| Greg Gard | Wisconsin |
| Anthony Grant |
Dayton |
| Chris Holtmann |
Ohio State |
| Juwan Howard |
Michigan |
| Dan Hurley |
UConn |
| James Jones |
Yale |
| Tommy Lloyd |
Arizona |
| Thad Matta | Butler |
| Fran McCaffery |
Iowa |
| Greg McDermott |
Creighton |
| Niko Medved |
Colorado State |
| Porter Moser |
Oklahoma |
| Nate Oats |
Alabama |
| Shaka Smart |
Marquette |
| Kevin Willard |
Maryland |
| Buzz Williams |
Texas A&M |
| Brad Underwood |
Illinois |
| Mike Young |
Virginia Tech |
foby
- Bonnaroo Land
One of those coaches is 8-0 against the other in the same tier....Seems as good a place as any to leave this. The Athletic staffed polled a ranking of Division 1 BB coaches and BU was grouped in Tier 3.
https://theathletic.com/3619418/2022/09/28/college-basketball-best-coach-rankings-tiers/
Tier 3
COACH TEAM Randy Bennett Mike Brey Hubert Davis Jamie Dixon TCU Greg Gard Wisconsin Anthony Grant Chris Holtmann Juwan Howard Dan Hurley James Jones Tommy Lloyd Thad Matta Butler Fran McCaffery Greg McDermott Niko Medved Porter Moser Nate Oats Shaka Smart Kevin Willard Buzz Williams Brad Underwood Mike Young
RJ getting recognized
Hold on there buttercup.....they're placing BU in the same tier with Juan Howard and Fran McCaffery????......WTFSeems as good a place as any to leave this. The Athletic staffed polled a ranking of Division 1 BB coaches and BU was grouped in Tier 3.
https://theathletic.com/3619418/2022/09/28/college-basketball-best-coach-rankings-tiers/
Tier 3
COACH TEAM Randy Bennett Mike Brey Hubert Davis Jamie Dixon TCU Greg Gard Wisconsin Anthony Grant Chris Holtmann Juwan Howard Dan Hurley James Jones Tommy Lloyd Thad Matta Butler Fran McCaffery Greg McDermott Niko Medved Porter Moser Nate Oats Shaka Smart Kevin Willard Buzz Williams Brad Underwood Mike Young
I find it preposterous that no dookies made the list. \sRJ getting recognized
Love BU but if that's who you're referring to this is wrong. He's lost games to several other coaches in this list.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Anthony Grant's Dayton was the single program most screwed by Covid and I feel terrible for them, but come on.Seems as good a place as any to leave this. The Athletic staffed polled a ranking of Division 1 BB coaches and BU was grouped in Tier 3.
https://theathletic.com/3619418/2022/09/28/college-basketball-best-coach-rankings-tiers/
Tier 3
COACH TEAM Randy Bennett Mike Brey Hubert Davis Jamie Dixon TCU Greg Gard Wisconsin Anthony Grant Chris Holtmann Juwan Howard Dan Hurley James Jones Tommy Lloyd Thad Matta Butler Fran McCaffery Greg McDermott Niko Medved Porter Moser Nate Oats Shaka Smart Kevin Willard Buzz Williams Brad Underwood Mike Young
The whole article of tiers is really quite silly, there's no consistent standard being applied.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
"no consistent standard" is pretty much every ranking out there.
Underwood won't rise on this list without deeper tourney runs.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Underwood has more career tourney wins than Ed Cooley does on Tier 2.
He also has fewer than Andy Enfield or Jim Larranaga on Tier 4, or even Mike Anderson in Tier 5.
Jim Boeheim and Bob Huggins get concern-trolled in their own tier, but Rick Pitino at Iona is bulletproof?
well, I can't speak to the comparative stuff. Don't have a subscription. I will say Cooley has a S16 and that probably helps him. Many people want to minimize the three weeks in March, but for me it's a huge part of evaluating my coach and for the media it's even bigger.
I'd probably put Enfield higher. Larranaga might be lower just because of his age.
Anyway, I think if you do this list again with BU having either a top 10 season or a top 25 with a E8 run and he moves up. If you care, which I don't much.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Coleman Hawkins, Illinois: It’s time. Illinois does not return a double figure scorer from last season, but it does return the 6-10 Hawkins, who averaged 5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds as an ancillary piece next to Kofi Cockburn. With Cockburn no longer in Champaign, Hawkins is tailor made to excel as a stretch five-man in Brad Underwood’s “positionless” offense in 2022-23.
But also.....go ahead and sleep on RJ....
Seems about right for preseason. I think we'll start the season somewhere between 18-21 in the first AP poll
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