The Illinois Coaching Search

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#2,152      

The Pontiff

T
Chicago, IL
The Pontiff
Tevo said:
It's definitely not a fact, but a couple things point that way:
1) most of our class has already said or implied they want to stay with Illinois
2) Martin has already been recruiting Smith
3) by all accounts, Martin is a good recruiter
4) it's common for kids to remain faithful to a school even when there's a coaching change

If you have guys already committed to a school, who have been thinking about that school for months, buying clothes, talking about getting down to Champaign, etc., it's likely easier for them to see reasons to stay committed than to request a release, reopen their recruitment and then find a new home where they'd feel more comfortable (and have a scholarship open) in the span of 3 months. They like each other, they've talked excitedly about playing together, they like the school, they are local (aside from Trent, who has already said he's in no matter what), and they're likely to like Cuonzo.

All that points to a strong change to keep them all together. But no, it's not a fact. And I also believe that the odds are good the class remains intact no matter WHO is our next coach.

And I don't want it to be Cuonzo.
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Spot on. Excellent post!
 
#2,153      

illiniguy24

illiniguy24
illiniguy24
I don't like this idea of - "I hope this coach loses so we can hire him!"

Makes zero sense to me. I want a coach who makes runs in the tournament, not one who loses in the first round. Especially if it were an upset (Tony)


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#2,156      

Deleted member 628259

D
Guest
Deleted member 628259
GoIllini40 said:
I think Finebaum has a good source. It's Cuonzo Martin himself. It would look good on Missouri if he says he turned down a hefty offer from Illinois to coach Missouri. He's lying.
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I don't disagree with this necessarily, but look good to whom, exactly? Is it really worth starting a fight with Illinois on the first day to appease some subset of Mizzou boosters who will like the new coach more if Illinois went after him?
 
#2,157      

mattcoldagelli

mattcoldagelli
The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
mattcoldagelli
beigh said:
Is it really worth starting a fight with Illinois on the first day to appease some subset of Mizzou boosters who will like the new coach more if Illinois went after him?
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What's the downside?
 
#2,162      

PhillyIllini

P
Los Angeles
PhillyIllini
UICFLAMES said:
semantics, people were talked to, temperatures were taken, what ever sport terminology you are comfortable with.

If JW didn't take that temperature, he wouldn't be doing his job.
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Cool... and you know this how? You're 100% speculating.
 
#2,165      

Jkat00

Jkat00
Champaign, IL
Jkat00
IlliniOX08 said:
It's not semantics. Monty Williams people took our temperature. We were interested but not ready to pull the trigger. He decided to save face with his current employer. But an offer was never made. Just as an offer was never made to Cuonzo.

Neither of them were our first or second choice in this whole thing but if you want to consider people being talked to then yea sure go ahead.. just know that a whole bunch of other people higher on our list were and are being talked to at the same time.
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Couldn't have said it any better:thumb:
 
#2,166      

Illini34

Illini34
Champaign, IL
Illini34
golferjohn1970 said:
So if UNCW beats Virginia then it could be Bennett by early next week or Keatts or Marshall if Wichita loses early? I think Archie is going either to Indiana or NC State if Crean gets fired.
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I think Archie is NC State bound. Gut feeling I think crean gets another year at Indiana. Keatts or Bennett ball is in their court I think
 
#2,167      

illiniguy24

illiniguy24
illiniguy24
IlliniOX08 said:
It's not semantics. Monty Williams people took our temperature. We were interested but not ready to pull the trigger. He decided to save face with his current employer. But an offer was never made. Just as an offer was never made to Cuonzo.



Neither of them were our first or second choice in this whole thing but if you want to consider people being talked to then yea sure go ahead.. just know that a whole bunch of other people higher on our list were and are being talked to at the same time.
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#2,170      

illinihawk16

illinihawk16
Chicago
illinihawk16
Hypothetically, we hire Keatts (I wouldn't be upset about this). Do we now have to overpay for him because Cuonzo is getting 3-3.5 from Miznoz?
 
#2,171      

Illini34

Illini34
Champaign, IL
Illini34
golferjohn1970 said:
So who gets hired and when? I say its Bennett or Keatts and it happens by Wednesday next week.
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Or whoever gets bounced first. I say by Sunday night we'll have a new coach. I did however apply for the job on the University website. JW I'm your homerun hire!!!
 
#2,173      

Ulysses Everett McGill

Ulysses Everett McGill
Ulysses Everett McGill
Anyone have a notion of what the deal for a temporary coach like Walker might entail, if anything. I sort of envision an amendment to the assistant's existing contract dealing with comp matters like additional base, maybe bonuses for games won in postseason, etc. But I'm wondering if somehow JW was on top of the Martin to Mizzou possibility -- maybe for some reason he already knew he wasn't going to hire Martin or might get outbid because he was going to slow play him -- and if so what he might have built into the Walker deal to contractually "dissuade" him from joining the staff of another school. One-time additional bonus if asked to stay by Illinois, clawback of any additional comp from taking over the helm as temporary coach, good-faith effort to hear pitch of new coach to stay at Illinois, etc. Any thoughts? Just wondering what, if anything, a bright guy like JW with a legal background could anticipatorily do to protect Illinois, to the extent possible, from a Walker/Tilmon exodus to Mizzou (or maybe even SLU). Folks have talked about possibly allowing Tilmon but prohibiting transfer to those two schools. Maybe JW could do something to effectively preclude JT and Walker from ending up at the same place.

Just biding my time with what-ifs before we find out who our new man (or woman) is.
 
#2,175      

illiguy85

illiguy85
illiguy85
illinihawk16 said:
Hypothetically, we hire Keatts (I wouldn't be upset about this). Do we now have to overpay for him because Cuonzo is getting 3-3.5 from Miznoz?
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Cuonzo has been a head coach at 2 P5 schools previously, taking both to the Dance. Keatts, though talented and well experienced as an assistant (read: Louisville), does not have the P5 background. I'd have to think, from the peanut gallery, that Cuonzo's CV demands more on open market than Keatts at this point.

That's not to say that Keatts is the inferior candidate; in fact, I like him more.
 
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