Will Illinois Finally Fire Bruce Weber After This Season?

[RonPaul2008]

Never liked him... horrible recruiter, horrible coach and has driven a program that was in top form when he took over into the ground.

[Emily_Haines]

Don't see why everyone is so fast to fire this guy. His record is a lot better than Tubby Smith and yet there isn't the slightest hint of anyone wanting to fire Smith.

[jjgold]

He is done

Illini need a change as the program is stagnant

[sjm5122]

Anyone watch his pregame speech they showed on Big Ten Network before this game? No wonder this fkin team never seems motivated.

[RonPaul2008]

Don't see why everyone is so fast to fire this guy. His record is a lot better than Tubby Smith and yet there isn't the slightest hint of anyone wanting to fire Smith.

Minnesota didn't have the great basketball program Illinois did when Smith took over....not sure they ever did.

I was at a high school basketball game last year and Weber was there watching one of his recruits 2 days before Illinois' NCAA Tournament game!

[d2bets]

Minnesota had some success in the 90's, but overall doesn't have the history. More important, they don't have the Chicago/Illinois basketball talent pipeline at their ready disposal.

Short of a miracle finish, Weber will definitely be gone, the AD has said as much.

[flyingillini]

He is a good coach but the ILLINI need another LOU HENSON!!!!! GO ILLINI!!!!!!!!

[flyingillini]

They should of hired Sergio's Dad as the head coach, they would of had that great Peoria pipeline flowing...

[d2bets]

They should of hired Sergio's Dad as the head coach, they would of had that great Peoria pipeline flowing...

They already get those guys. Need to get the best Chicago prep talent.

[InTheDrink]

agree with op

just saw something a couple days ago how every single recruit in chicago is leaving the state

what a joke that is...you have to TRY not to keep guys in state to lose them all

[Cuse0323]

Terrible in-game coach and he can't really recruit, don't see why they didn't already get rid of him.

[zoo youk]

Anyone watch his pregame speech they showed on Big Ten Network before this game? No wonder this fkin team never seems motivated.

Id like to heae that cause your exactly right this team never plays with any fire and this was the most important game of the season. They just lost any hope they had for the dance.

[d2bets]

Just fire him now.

[meader99]

They already get those guys. Need to get the best Chicago prep talent.

This right here. Webber is an ok coach, but he can't recruit for shit. Loses the top Illinois talent to upper echelon schools like the Dukies. The guy won with Bill Self's guys and hasn't accomplished squat since.

[thetrinity]

any ad who has an incompetent football and basketball coach at the same time should be fired

[d2bets]

any ad who has an incompetent football and basketball coach at the same time should be fired

That already happened. Illinois' fired its long time AD last year.

[zsr]

They'll never get the inner city elite talent because there clean.

There's enough talent on that roster to make the sweet 16. Weber must go.

[flyingillini]

They'll never get the inner city elite talent because there clean.

There's enough talent on that roster to make the sweet 16. Weber must go.

Illinois has had their share of troubles in the past. The whole Deon Thomas scandal should tell you a little something...

[zsr]

That was 20+ years ago.

Im talking about in bruce's time here..

[PickWinnerAllDay]

Shaka Smart to Illinois = the right decision

[MC PICKS]

They should hire brock landers.

[CollegeOverUnder]

Never liked him... horrible recruiter, horrible coach and has driven a program that was in top form when he took over into the ground.

are you guys smoking crack are you serious??? I follow the recruiting trail for every single college basketball team and can easily hands down tell you he recruits some of the best talent in the State of Illinois. If you didn't grow up in Illinois you can't really complain or comment because you don't no the IHSA and Chicago Public League programs. I grew up in Illinois so I understand the programs and talent rich high schools. He does a very good job recruiting players top 100 talent.

[zsr]

He's done well getting top 100 guys yes.

But he missed on all the elite guys,

Anthony Davis, boatright, blackshier, going back a few years Derrick rose, schyer..

Like I said above can't blame him, he plays clean.

His inability to win is a whole nother deal and that's why he'll be fired. Not his recruiting.

[PickWinnerAllDay]

are you guys smoking crack are you serious??? I follow the recruiting trail for every single college basketball team and can easily hands down tell you he recruits some of the best talent in the State of Illinois. If you didn't grow up in Illinois you can't really complain or comment because you don't no the IHSA and Chicago Public League programs. I grew up in Illinois so I understand the programs and talent rich high schools. He does a very good job recruiting players top 100 talent.

I see this argument a lot.

Some people say he recruits well and can't coach.
Some people say he coaches well but can't recruit.

To me, I say it doesn't matter which it is. He doesn't get the job done.

He took over a top 15 program and has turned it into garbage mediocrity, always on the bubble, always blowing games to bad teams, always playing uninspired basketball.

Results are all that matter when you're getting paid millions of dollars. Weber hasn't had good results since 2007, period. Time to move on.

[PickWinnerAllDay]

And when Illinois hired their football coach, several board members were upset it was not a black gentleman...

So I would fully expect Illinois to pursue Shaka Smart or go in house and give it to Jerrance. One thing I've noticed... when black board members want a black coach, they usually get it.

[RonPaul2008]

are you guys smoking crack are you serious??? I follow the recruiting trail for every single college basketball team and can easily hands down tell you he recruits some of the best talent in the State of Illinois. If you didn't grow up in Illinois you can't really complain or comment because you don't no the IHSA and Chicago Public League programs. I grew up in Illinois so I understand the programs and talent rich high schools. He does a very good job recruiting players top 100 talent.

I have lived in Illinois my entire life.

[RonPaul2008]

Coach Bruce Weber Radio Show

Submit Your Questions for Coach Weber

If you have a question for Coach Weber, submit it online now! If your question is asked on the weekly Bruce Weber Radio Show, you will receive a free Fighting Illini T-shirt! Submit your question below, then tune in to the Bruce Weber Show on your local Illini Sports Network Station to find out if you are a winner. The Bruce Weber Show airs Monday nights at 7:05 p.m. on the Illini Sports Network.

<label for="q688181">What is your question for Coach Weber?</label>

When will you resign?

[PickWinnerAllDay]

Coach Bruce Weber Radio Show

Submit Your Questions for Coach Weber

If you have a question for Coach Weber, submit it online now! If your question is asked on the weekly Bruce Weber Radio Show, you will receive a free Fighting Illini T-shirt! Submit your question below, then tune in to the Bruce Weber Show on your local Illini Sports Network Station to find out if you are a winner. The Bruce Weber Show airs Monday nights at 7:05 p.m. on the Illini Sports Network.

<label for="q688181">What is your question for Coach Weber?</label>

When will you resign.

Mine would be: Why do you not recruit players that actually make your motion offense functional? You do realize that the only time your offense has worked is when you had Bill Self's players, correct?

[d2bets]

are you guys smoking crack are you serious??? I follow the recruiting trail for every single college basketball team and can easily hands down tell you he recruits some of the best talent in the State of Illinois. If you didn't grow up in Illinois you can't really complain or comment because you don't no the IHSA and Chicago Public League programs. I grew up in Illinois so I understand the programs and talent rich high schools. He does a very good job recruiting players top 100 talent.

Here are all of his Chicago recruits:
2004 - Calvin Brock
2008 - Stan Simpson
2010- Crandall Head
2011 - Mike Shaw, Myke, Henry, Nnanna Egwu (these guys all blow, esp Egwu)

Yeah, that's great.

[PickWinnerAllDay]

He only has one two committments for this year's class -- neither are top 100 and neither are from Chicago. And the top 100's he gets, stink. Maybe it's because he can't coach? I don't know. Shaw, Henry, Egwu, Abrams. They suck. Crandall Head ran away. Richmond went in the sewer. Whatever happened to Rodney Alexander. Yers, he has won some recruits, but how many of them have worked out. Which of his recruits over the last 9 years have done anything? Remember Jamar Smith? Smith, Richmond, Head...something is not right here. And now the one NBA recruit he'll have is not getting it done at all (Meyers Leonard).

Abrams is a freshman and playing pretty well and he sucks?

Henry and Shaw never play and you know they suck?

[d2bets]

Abrams is a freshman and playing pretty well and he sucks?

Henry and Shaw never play and you know they suck?

I am not impressed with Abrams. He's better than Maniscalco, but that ain't saying much. If you have to bring in a 5th year senior PG coming off an injury from a mediocre mid-major, you're doing something wrong. Henry and Shaw have played some, even less impressed.

[PickWinnerAllDay]

I am not impressed with Abrams. He's better than Maniscalco, but that ain't saying much. If you have to bring in a 5th year senior PG coming off an injury from a mediocre mid-major, you're doing something wrong. Henry and Shaw have played some, even less impressed.

Bash Weber all you want, but Abrams looks pretty damn good. And Henry has looked good when on the court but doesn't play much. Shaw plays even less. So unless you are seeing them in practices, you couldn't possibly have enough info.

[d2bets]

Bash Weber all you want, but Abrams looks pretty damn good. And Henry has looked good when on the court but doesn't play much. Shaw plays even less. So unless you are seeing them in practices, you couldn't possibly have enough info.

Prior to the 2011 class who the jury remains out on, he had exactly 3 Chicago recruits in 8 years and none of them amounted to much. Brock was a decent contributor, not sure if he was a Self or Weber recruit. That's getting it done?

[PickWinnerAllDay]

Prior to the 2011 class who the jury remains out on, he had exactly 3 Chicago recruits in 8 years and none of them amounted to much. Brock was a decent contributor, not sure if he was a Self or Weber recruit. That's getting it done?

I'm not defending Weber. I hate him... but writing off the 2011 class in February of 2012 is dumb. Besides the 1 and done Kentucky-like freshmen, you usually don't see freshmen play well. And Abrams is playing pretty well.

[d2bets]

I'm not defending Weber. I hate him... but writing off the 2011 class in February of 2012 is dumb. Besides the 1 and done Kentucky-like freshmen, you usually don't see freshmen play well. And Abrams is playing pretty well.

Seemed like you were defending Weber. And I'm not writing off the 2011 class. Just don't see any real difference makers in the group.

He does have a couple decent 2013 commits, too bad for Weber he won't get to coach them.