[flyingillini]

It is all coaching. Trust me. I've watched every Illinois game the last 3 seasons.

Consider this... DJ Richardson was Big 10 freshman of the year.... the next 2 seasons? Garbage.

Players don't improve under Bruce Weber. They get progressively worse.

Seen every ILLINI basketball game since 1979.....You got some catching up to do, guey!

[infamousbacardi]

It is all coaching. Trust me. I've watched every Illinois game the last 3 seasons.

Consider this... DJ Richardson was Big 10 freshman of the year.... the next 2 seasons? Garbage.

Players don't improve under Bruce Weber. They get progressively worse.

I'll back you on that....I can see that being the case...but I still would disagree they are a top 20 program. I will say that anyone who takes a drastic stand against this point either way is likely fruitlessly splitting hairs...because at the end of the day I'd still say they are somewhere between 20-35 or so.

Shaka was never going to go to Illinois.
Stevens the same....

Both of these guys are obviously waiting on different jobs they have in mind for personal reasons.

Probably unfortunate luck of the draw so far...I do think intentionally targeting a minority coach is wildly irresponsible as opposed to just hire the best candidate possible. Talks of Groce should be refreshing to you guys. Good spot for a good coach to go and further both his career and the program. Hungry coach who will want to make a good impression. He'll work hard and bring a ton of energy. Probably a decent hire for UI!

[PickWinnerAllDay]

I'll back you on that....I can see that being the case...but I still would disagree they are a top 20 program. I will say that anyone who takes a drastic stand against this point either way is likely fruitlessly splitting hairs...because at the end of the day I'd still say they are somewhere between 20-35 or so.

Shaka was never going to go to Illinois.
Stevens the same....

Both of these guys are obviously waiting on different jobs they have in mind for personal reasons.

Probably unfortunate luck of the draw so far...I do think intentionally targeting a minority coach is wildly irresponsible as opposed to just hire the best candidate possible. Talks of Groce should be refreshing to you guys. Good spot for a good coach to go and further both his career and the program. Hungry coach who will want to make a good impression. He'll work hard and bring a ton of energy. Probably a decent hire for UI!

I don't mind Groce. Illinois needs to land a coach that won't use Illinois to get to Kansas or Kentucky... Groce seems like that kind of guy, a life-timer if he is successful.

[RoadDog]

Shaka Smart, Brad Stevens, Leonard Hamilton, Lorenzo Romar, Gregg Marshall, and Anthony Grant were all offered the position and turned it down according to 670 the score. Getting pretty embarrassing.

Groce won 2 games in the tournament with 2 pretty favorable matchups. I just dont think that's enough to say hes a good hire.

[d2bets]

Brock you live in a shithole, no one wants to live there. They cant even recruit chicago. Rose and Davis both taken out of their own backyard. Brad Stevens plays in a historical building in one of the best high school basketball states in the country. Not to mention hes about to reap all the rewards from back to back final fours. He has monster recruits coming in and the transfers who transferred after the two final fours had to sit out this year. He has the best 3 point shooter in the league playing next year after sitting out this year from Arkansas. The kid is like 49% from 3. Hes got great freshmen and Kyle Marshall will be older.

Ya please send me to Champaign Urbana Illinois to recruit against Tom Izzo, Tom Crean, Matt Painter, Thad Matta, etc.

Get a clue Brock.

Every coach at Illinois in the last 35+ years has enjoyed success at Illinois.

Weber went to FF.
Self went to elite8 (and then went to Kansas)
Kruger won tourney game in 3/4 years (and then went on to NBA)
Henson obviously FF and elite 8, etc.

Hardly seems like a bad job launching coaches into obscurity.

[RockyTopGambler]

A lot of those guys turned down Tennessee too. We have a huge recently renovated arena and we're paying Bruce 6th most in NCAA I believe. Seems like, especially with Stevens and Smart, they are happy where they are making what they're making and aren't going to leave unless it's UNC or Kansas or something.

[d2bets]

Shaka Smart, Brad Stevens, Leonard Hamilton, Lorenzo Romar, Gregg Marshall, and Anthony Grant were all offered the position and turned it down according to 670 the score. Getting pretty embarrassing.

I guess Groce is good enough. He won 2 games in the tournament with 2 pretty favorable matchups. I just dont think that's enough to say hes a good hire.

Not because of that. He's young, energetic, a midwest guy, has big 10 roots under Matta where he also recruited well for him, and now has improved the Ohio program. It's something of a leap of faith, but has the looks of a guy who is capable of good things. Signing an older guy like Hamilton would have been a bad move and I doubt that was offered.

[RoadDog]

Not because of that. He's young, energetic, a midwest guy, has big 10 roots under Matta where he also recruited well for him, and now has improved the Ohio program. It's something of a leap of faith, but has the looks of a guy who is capable of good things. Signing an older guy like Hamilton would have been a bad move and I doubt that was offered.

Believe me, if they signed Hamilton I would have been sick (and it was confirmed that there was an offer on the table and that it was turned down on Chicago radio today - take that for what you will). That would have been an awful choice. I was pulling for Marshall to leave Wichita St. He's been solid everywhere he's been and I think he could have turned the Illini around quick.

[Ralphie1412]

Every coach at Illinois in the last 35+ years has enjoyed success at Illinois.

Weber went to FF.
Self went to elite8 (and then went to Kansas)
Kruger won tourney game in 3/4 years (and then went on to NBA)
Henson obviously FF and elite 8, etc.

Hardly seems like a bad job launching coaches into obscurity.

Never said it did a bad job launching coaches...I dont think Illinois is trying to be the launching point. They want coaches who have already been launched.