I have spoken with a source close to the program and I assure this class is not finished and next year's roster will look very different than we expected it to. He is going after guys that aren't even on our radar- the next month should be fun. #wewillwin
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2017)
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I think Chin Coleman would be a shaky hire at best, but there is one reason I would be extremely excited by it. When Nick Irvin basically brushes off Illinois hiring one of the people he's closest with in the coaching profession (and he will) after describing some dude who got a player from him once as "like a brother to him" the moment after he goes somewhere other than Illinois, I think one or two posters here (and maybe, hopefully, Underwood and Whitman) are going to start to get the picture.
EVERYONE was miles and miles late on this kid. Smith was surely the last Top 100 recruit to receive a Power Five offer, probably by the better part of a year.
The two major school coaches that were on him the longest, even in that tight window of time? John Groce and Tom Crean.
The "other schools don't have to work like we do to get the same kids" narrative is not entirely untrue and it's worth discussing. But it is badly, wildly misapplied to Mark Smith's situation.
I think there will be 2-3 transfers out, possibly a couple in.
I find it hard to believe that this is a top 5 to 8 class in Illinois history. The top player is composite #29 and there are only 5 composite top 100 kids according to 247.
Timon- 29
Goodwin-49
Eastern-67
Smith- 72
Smith-92
That is not a historically great class. It lacks high end talent and the depth really isn't there either. I would say missile of the road at best
No, you are right. I am trying to be optimistic, and I really just meant that I really like these two players.
Yes indeed.
PostersLastStand
- Wayne County, IL
It feels like Ground Hog Day and the Illini faithful are Bill Murray. Hire a new Coach lots of optimism, then recruits jumps ship negativity sets in, lose recruiting battles, players dismissed, suffer five years fire that coach, repeat the process. Sorry if I'm just a little negative I found out today we lost Pickett and Tilmon. I forgot to wear my protective cup before logging on.
Me too! I'm all in on Trent, and hopeful that Damonte's injury is just a temporary setback with no lasting impact.
Not on our radar good or bad? there are some 2 star players not on our radar but I wouldn't necessarily think it's a good thing that we are targeting them. There are the Tugs Bowen of the world not on our radar, this I would consider good
Murray got the girl in the end.
Deleted member 10676
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I was going to say but you beat me here, let's at least wait and see what the final class looks like before we start bemoaning how bad it is.
Will be interesting what BU does this recruiting class is quickly turning into not much for next year with Williams very possibly having to redshirt if knee doesn't heal fast enough. Last thing we want is to just take a couple players like Groce had to we saw how that worked out with Tate not very well. Unfortunately a bad year for Illini to have a bad season and change coaches as it was a deep year for talent in Illinois and it now looks like we are going to get one player that is absolutely awful. BU had better be a top coach and salesman because the current talent is no where close to top half of the big 10 we need to add impact players for next year somehow. If not recruiting is just going to get harder and harder as it will be 5 years without a tourney birth
PostersLastStand
- Wayne County, IL
The Jimmy Collins situation was unfortunate, I thought it was rumored that he was a casualty of the NCAA sanctions against us, that is he wouldn't be our next because he was front and center of the investigation (read witch hunt) and he was a sacrificial lamb offered us by the University. And finally, as much as I respected and liked Jimmy he was a marginal recruiter and coach at UIC. Chicago kids are not loyal to the Illini. Almost all Indiana kids dream of playing for IU, same go for UK, it is what it is a and will always be, accept it. If we get one or two once in a while, we'll take it.
This isn't a deep or particularly talented group for the State of Illinois. I think maybe we are vastly overrating this group because we once had them (Tilmon & Pickett) or thought we were in good with them (Goodwin & Smith). Overall there are maybe 5 or 6 High D1 talents
I'd agree with you if that was the whole class at the end of the day.
Underwood knows who will play well in his system. We are not always going to go after 5 stars- more often than not yet, yes but sometimes Underwoods first choice will be a three or four star recruit.
For this class I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Don't count out transfers, Jucos, and overseas recruits, along with the kids coming from High school. Coach BU and staff know exactly what they are doing.
Deep with top 100 players outside the city of Chicago. That has usually meant good things for Illinois.
You'd rather have this class be the 2018 class, I think that's fair to say.
Lance Williams.
Yeah, that class was interesting because Depaul fans made fun of our class. They got Simmons, Richardson, Williams and sucked most of the time they were there. Our group was extremely successful. They had Fat Pat Kennedy coaching while we had Kruger/Self. Hopefully, similar to the difference between Martin and Underwood.
That's fair but this isn't anywhere near a top 5 or 10 class historically.
PostersLastStand
- Wayne County, IL
We can only hope it ends well for us, too. I am optimist, I have the Orange Cool-Aide chilling. I'll be ready when the time comes. The Buzzards (Turkey Vultures) have been circling waiting for our Program to breathe its last breath and the Jackels have separated the least committed recruits away from the Illini family, good luck to Pickett and Timon. We mourn the loss, but welcome the opportunity to welcome new family and more yada, yada, yada, yada and blah, blah, blah, blah. I trust our coaches will succeed despite, what has conspired in recent days, if not we'll revisit this subject five years from now.
Deleted member 10676
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Whoa. I guess if you hadn't been following events the last week or so, signing on today must have been like What Fresh Hell is this?
Have to hope Underwood is out there digging and remember he warned us he recruits to his system and not to have a highly ranked class.
PostersLastStand
- Wayne County, IL
I saw a post back a few pages, but can't find it now. It was a comment about Cuonzo pruning a few recruits in order to get better one. He called it Martinizing. What an absolutely brilliant comment. I used to take my suits to be cleaned where they offered one hour Martinizing, does Mizzoo offer it now?
Yeah, that class was interesting because Depaul fans made fun of our class. They got Simmons, Richardson, Williams and sucked most of the time they were there. Our group was extremely successful. They had Fat Pat Kennedy coaching while we had Kruger/Self. Hopefully, similar to the difference between Martin and Underwood.
Yeah, but let's put things in perspective. It was really not until Frank Williams, Brian Cook, and Marcus Griffin got on campus and were eligible to play. Three McD AAs, huge difference from the situation right now. Again, talent.
He didn't commit. Illini still very much in the mix here....Need to get him on campus.
PostersLastStand
- Wayne County, IL
If Coach Underwood can't find replacements will he roll the scholarships over until 2018? If so do we have enough talent to compete, make the NCAAs, finish in the upper half of the B1G TEN. Will Coach be able to overcome our talent short falls with superior Coaching? My biggest question is can he teach them to play tough defense, rebound and score aggressively in a short time, even if we score very good or great replacements?
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