Illini Coaching Staff

#1,601      

Lake Camelot

L
Lake Camelot
bluemountain said:
I'm not sure why there is so much negativity about the hire. Bradley is a dumpster fire and he convinced a 4* player in Josh Cunningham to sign with them, in addition to several other Chicagoland players.
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Well I am a Bradley season ticket holder. How was the record after they got all his players to Bradley? Hint everyone was gone the next year.

I don't mean to sound so negative. I don't dislike Coleman. I just expected much more for Illinois. He is just a third assistant. Also the staff can always change in the future with tweaks. I am mainly just underwhelmed because of hearing about a big name. (Must have been Martin, and he chose elsewhere).
 
#1,602      

King Kriptor

K
King Kriptor
Lake Camelot said:
Well I am a Bradley season ticket holder. How was the record after they got all his players to Bradley? Hint everyone was gone the next year.

I don't mean to sound so negative. I don't dislike Coleman. I just expected much more for Illinois. He is just a third assistant. Also the staff can always change in the future with tweaks. I am mainly just underwhelmed because of hearing about a big name. (Must have been Martin, and he chose elsewhere).
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This is true, but I think it was more the fact that there wasn't enough money left in the pool to grab chuck martin. I imagine coleman is being paid the least of the three assistants so we wouldn't be losing much on him if he flops
 
#1,604      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
KrushCow31 said:
In that Scout article, Mike Irvin said he's had conversations [plural] with Coach Underwood. Wasn't it like a big deal just yesterday that Underwood had apparently not contacted any Chicago coaches?

Well, which one is it?
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Joe Henricksen was the one who originally reported the non-calls to Chicago coaches and Henricksen said in the Tay and J show yesterday that since then, there have been a many calls from Champaign to Chicago.
 
#1,605      

PhillyIllini

P
Los Angeles
PhillyIllini
King Kriptor said:
This is true, but I think it was more the fact that there wasn't enough money left in the pool to grab chuck martin. I imagine coleman is being paid the least of the three assistants so we wouldn't be losing much on him if he flops
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Disagree here. Actions from JW throughout this whole process have shown that money isn't an issue here. Example: it was reported that prior to hiring Coach O, Coach BU asked JW for an additional $100K to close the deal. JW didn't hesitate.
 
#1,606      

chief9

C
chief9
Obelix said:
Joe Henricksen was the one who originally reported the non-calls to Chicago coaches and Henricksen said in the Tay and J show yesterday that since then, there have been a many calls from Champaign to Chicago.
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So basically he was informed after the article was released that he was wrong
 
#1,607      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
chief9 said:
So basically he was informed after the article was released that he was wrong
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Not what he said, Joe said there have been many calls from Champaign to Chicago in the last 24 hours, meaning after he wrote the article.

Brad Underwood has been very busy trying to put out multiple fire, with existing recruits, de-commits. recruiting for immediate needs, recruiting Mark Smith, trying to find bigs, trying to hire all his staff, etc.
 
#1,608      

Burt Toast

B
Burt Toast
PhillyIllini said:
First of all, Chin and Parham could have completely different demeanors, thus resulting in polar opposite experiences with recruits.

Second, Chin has a background that spans both the CPL and AAU circuit in Chicago. Parham only had the CPL coaching experience, and was there for a shorter time than Chin. Not to mention that Chin is directly connected to the Irvins.

If JW and Coach Brad Underwood had been making shifty decisions and giving reason to doubt I'd be all for some hesitancy, but the fact of the matter is they haven't. Take the negativity and put it on a shelf until they do.
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I agree. Trying to compare Paris Parham to Chin Coleman is a lazy comparison at best.

Paris had his struggles at Illinois St and I think a lot of people were surprised he got the Illinois job with Groce. (Remember the Jerrance Howard/Isaac Chew debacle. Chew would have been a great hire but we ended up with neither assistant 2 weeks later. Paris was a last minute settle.).

Paris is "well-liked" by the AAU/CPL and a certainly a nice guy to have around but he wasn't as connected as former Mac Irvin AAU head coach Chin Coleman. Also, I remember this board reacting in disbelief that Nebraska was getting all of these Chicago blue chippers to spend official visits in Lincoln, NE while Chin was their on campus player development guy for 4 months. You know a guy is pretty good and well-connected to get players to come on an OV all the way from Chicago for Tim Miles vaunted Cornhusker basketball program.
 
#1,609      

IlliniFin86

IlliniFin86
IlliniFin86
I have a good friend who is in athletics at Normal U High. My understanding was part of Parham's appeal was his relationship with Bates-Diop. That obviously didn't help.
 
#1,610      

Burt Toast

B
Burt Toast
IlliniFin86 said:
I have a good friend who is in athletics at Normal U High. My understanding was part of Parham's appeal was his relationship with Bates-Diop. That obviously didn't help.
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That's why you hate tying an assistant coaching job to a specific player.

The best recruiter of the Walker, Parnam, Ford, Groce group was Groce by a landslide. The past few weeks of decommitments proves that point.
 
#1,611      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
KrushCow31 said:
In that Scout article, Mike Irvin said he's had conversations [plural] with Coach Underwood. Wasn't it like a big deal just yesterday that Underwood had apparently not contacted any Chicago coaches?

Well, which one is it?
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Whoever Henricksen talked to weren't contacted and weren't happy, but they also weren't there Irvins.
 
#1,613      

SescIllini

SescIllini
SescIllini
Chin Coleman was the guy I wanted when his name first was thrown around. I don't want to keep fighting city hall, we need coaches that are already very welcomed by AAU and high school coaches.

It appears to me that BU and Gentry will run the game X/O, especially the offense. Walker, Antigua, and Coleman will be leading the recruiting and skill development. I not only think Antigua and Coleman will be much better recruiters than Ford/Parham I think they will be better at player development.

I think this staff will fill the rosters with 4 star recruits with the occasional 5 star. I think with BU coaching we will get into the tourney. Interested to see how DJW, Kipper, and Jordan work the new offense.
 
#1,614      

BananaShampoo

B
Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
BananaShampoo
Burt Toast said:
I agree. Trying to compare Paris Parham to Chin Coleman is a lazy comparison at best.

Paris had his struggles at Illinois St and I think a lot of people were surprised he got the Illinois job with Groce. (Remember the Jerrance Howard/Isaac Chew debacle. Chew would have been a great hire but we ended up with neither assistant 2 weeks later. Paris was a last minute settle.).

Paris is "well-liked" by the AAU/CPL and a certainly a nice guy to have around but he wasn't as connected as former Mac Irvin AAU head coach Chin Coleman. Also, I remember this board reacting in disbelief that Nebraska was getting all of these Chicago blue chippers to spend official visits in Lincoln, NE while Chin was their on campus player development guy for 4 months. You know a guy is pretty good and well-connected to get players to come on an OV all the way from Chicago for Tim Miles vaunted Cornhusker basketball program.
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Truth. Plus wasn't Parham the one described up in Chicago as "too thirsty"?
 
#1,616      

BRucks

BRucks
BRucks
BMo79 said:
I do not think money was any concern. my guess would be more of who filled a bigger need. Now you have a Chi guy, a STL guy and your all over guy. Now lets see if it works out and we get players from either Chi or STL
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Not to mention a Latvia guy.
 
#1,618      

Illiniwek06

Illiniwek06
N of I-80
Illiniwek06
BananaShampoo said:
No we haven't for a long time. But the few we have gotten over the past 20+ years have not been from Chicago. That's the point.
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Right, I'm not arguing with you - just pointing out that we haven't really gotten a lot in general. Hopefully the new staff changes that. :pray:
 
#1,620      

FiveStar

F
FiveStar
Saw in the news gazette chat that today was the first day the new staff could work with the players. Exciting. Anybody know the offseason rules regarding the staff overseeing formal practice/workouts?
 
#1,622      

Second and Chalmers

S
Second and Chalmers
illiniknight said:
Just curious, what road do you believe should have been taken?
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I don't purport to know the entire landscape of assistant coaches, but I probably would have done Antigua, Stephen Gentry for cheap, and then take the rest of your war chest and look for the best guy you can find who has high major experience in a system similar to Underwood's with some recruiting connections somewhere. Maybe that's enough money for Lamont Evans but I doubt it, maybe that money keeps Chuck Martin from South Carolina, not sure he's that guy anyway. But my staff would be focused on coaching and player development, and would have gotten rid of Groce's entire team including Fletcher and would not have burned one of the three assistant spots on a token Chicago guy.

But what's done is done. Let's go get the players these guys were brought in to get, and if we can't, let's reconvene in a year and rethink this. We have a good head coach, plenty of money and plenty of time.
 
#1,623      

haasi

haasi
New York
haasi
Equal or better to bring Gentry in in the role he occupies no? His purpose is to implement system, not recruit off campus, and hiring him in this role frees up a spot to hire another assistant coach and recruiter.


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#1,624      

Peoria Illini

P
Peoria, IL
Peoria Illini
haasi said:
Equal or better to bring Gentry in in the role he occupies no? His purpose is to implement system, not recruit off campus, and hiring him in this role frees up a spot to hire another assistant coach and recruiter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Agree. Underwood and Gentry can implement the system. All three assistants bring different recruiting areas of expertise. Walker works with guards and O works with bigs. Not sure what Chin specializes in development, but he says he's an x and o guy as well.

Sounds like good diversity. Hope they can scout and game plan.
 
#1,625      

coryfor3

C
coryfor3
Second and Chalmers said:
I don't purport to know the entire landscape of assistant coaches, but I probably would have done Antigua, Stephen Gentry for cheap, and then take the rest of your war chest and look for the best guy you can find who has high major experience in a system similar to Underwood's with some recruiting connections somewhere. Maybe that's enough money for Lamont Evans but I doubt it, maybe that money keeps Chuck Martin from South Carolina, not sure he's that guy anyway. But my staff would be focused on coaching and player development, and would have gotten rid of Groce's entire team including Fletcher and would not have burned one of the three assistant spots on a token Chicago guy.

But what's done is done. Let's go get the players these guys were brought in to get, and if we can't, let's reconvene in a year and rethink this. We have a good head coach, plenty of money and plenty of time.
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Antigua wasn't coming cheap. He is a big deal assistant and was going to find a good place to coach even if it wasn't here. He's been ranked the #1 assistant coach in rankings prior to his head coaching gig.