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Reports: Illini hire John Groce


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QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 02:38 PM)
I doubt he could get the big-time Chicago guys, but the two of the best Big 10 teams prove you don't need elite talent to win: Michigan State and Wisconsin. Ryan and Izzo are just terrific coaches who know how to develop talent and bring guys in who fits their system. That is what Illinois would have to be thinking along the lines of a Stevens whereas Shaka would have been a Matta/Crean who can recruit with the best of them.

 

Why is there concern about Brad Stevens and recruiting? Stevens seems like an extremely personable guy. His players clearly would run through a brick wall for him. At a power conference, why couldn't he be a good recruiter? In fact, I think that he and Shaka have similar positive attributes when it comes to personality, age, ability to relate to recruits.

 

I'm skeptical about Stevens' level of interest, unless he has decided that Crean is entrenched at IU for the long haul and he thinks Illinois is the next best thing (easy drive from Indy, obviously a pretty good job). But I don't see why people are comparing Stevens to Bruce from a personality standpoint.

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There is at least a chance that Stevens would switch up his style if he had the personell to run an uptempo game.

 

There's going to be a risk with any mid major coach you go with but you could also be missing out on a great coach if that scares you a way. It really is a tough call.

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QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 08:47 PM)
Why is there concern about Brad Stevens and recruiting? Stevens seems like an extremely personable guy. His players clearly would run through a brick wall for him. At a power conference, why couldn't he be a good recruiter? In fact, I think that he and Shaka have similar positive attributes when it comes to personality, age, ability to relate to recruits.

 

I'm skeptical about Stevens' level of interest, unless he has decided that Crean is entrenched at IU for the long haul and he thinks Illinois is the next best thing (easy drive from Indy, obviously a pretty good job). But I don't see why people are comparing Stevens to Bruce from a personality standpoint.

 

Not according to CPL coaches. Sadly, race has become such a significant factor in this whole thing.

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QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 08:54 PM)
Yeah, it's weird listening to this Stevens commentary today on how he can't attract top recruits. Did Shaka land some 5 star recruits at VCU that I'm not aware of?

 

Shaka was known a a hell of a recruiter when he was an assistant coach. I'm sure you've seen some of the same rumblings I have with regards to the city shutting it doors on U of I if they didn't hire a minority, etc.

Edited by fathom
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QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 02:54 PM)
Not according to CPL coaches. Sadly, race has become such a significant factor in this whole thing.

 

Then he doesn't have to recruit the CPL. The whole "Illinois needs the CPL" thing has gotten blown way out of control.

 

The Kruger/Self teams around 200 had zero CPL kids, in fact they had like no Chicago-area kids. The 2005 team had one CPL player contributing (Head).

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QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 07:55 PM)
Shaka was known a a hell of a recruiter when he was an assistant coach.

That's true. Either way, it's interesting commentary on Stevens. He hasn't exactly had the chance to prove otherwise. He's young and personable, and I think he has the oppurtunity to sign a great staff. I really think he would be a big time recruiter.

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QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 07:59 PM)
That's true. Either way, it's interesting commentary on Stevens. He hasn't exactly had the chance to prove otherwise. He's young and personable, and I think he has the oppurtunity to sign a great staff. I really think he would be a big time recruiter.

 

Personally, I think too many Illini fans (not ones on this board) have got caught up in finding the right coach to land Jabari Parker and the rest of the Chicago top prospects in the next few classes. Like someone said before, just let Stevens focus on recruiting the rest of the midwest and he should be able to put together a good squad. I do suspect that Howard would leave though, as there's really no point in being an apprentice for a job that should be filled for the next 5-8 years.

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QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 01:57 PM)
Then he doesn't have to recruit the CPL. The whole "Illinois needs the CPL" thing has gotten blown way out of control.

 

The Kruger/Self teams around 200 had zero CPL kids, in fact they had like no Chicago-area kids. The 2005 team had one CPL player contributing (Head).

 

This. You can win at Illinois without the CPL. Yes, you are going to miss out on some 5* recruits (especially in the '13 and '14 classes). If the CPL does shut the door on Illinois like they did to Kruger, then you have to lock down the suburbs and downstate and you need to be able to pull some kids from out of state.

 

The reality is that if the CPL is going to shut their doors to anyone short of a minority coach, and Shaka Smart said no, Anthony Grant isn't interested, and Leonard Hamilton is 63 years old, what is the U of I supposed to do? This isn't like when Henson left and Jimmy Collins was passed over (though that was an obvious move as well given the stink from the Pearl fiasco - but the CPL coaches loved Collins). Jerrance isn't ready and there's no way in hell Robert Smith gets the job.

 

Hire the best coach and move on. If you can somehow manage to retain Jerrance, maybe the fallout in the CPL isn't severe. As far as recruiting outside the CPL goes, Stevens has the personality and enthusiasm to do quite well.

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QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 03:02 PM)
Personally, I think too many Illini fans (not ones on this board) have got caught up in finding the right coach to land Jabari Parker and the rest of the Chicago top prospects in the next few classes. Like someone said before, just let Stevens focus on recruiting the rest of the midwest and he should be able to put together a good squad. I do suspect that Howard would leave though, as there's really no point in being an apprentice for a job that should be filled for the next 5-8 years.

 

He's already come out and said he'd stay as an assistant. He's making good money to be a glorified recruiter, and he can learn how to eventually be a head coach over the next several years. Maybe he takes over one day, maybe he moves on. He's got like 2-3 seasons as an assistant, so it's not like people will be clamoring for him to lead a program. His value right now is his recruiting and creating relationships with players, not teaching x and o's.

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QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 08:02 PM)
Personally, I think too many Illini fans (not ones on this board) have got caught up in finding the right coach to land Jabari Parker and the rest of the Chicago top prospects in the next few classes. Like someone said before, just let Stevens focus on recruiting the rest of the midwest and he should be able to put together a good squad. I do suspect that Howard would leave though, as there's really no point in being an apprentice for a job that should be filled for the next 5-8 years.

I agree, but I would still looking into Robert Smith, whether it means Parker or not.

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QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 08:06 PM)
His value right now is his recruiting and creating relationships with players, not teaching x and o's.

This is true. But he is farther ahead than people think. For example, when I worked for the team, he was most often the lead scout/walk through for their big games. Weber was grooming him.

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I wonder how much better Stevens is than Todd Lickliter. Same school. Lickliter had 2 Sweet 16s and was the reigning national coach of the year when Iowa hired him. and Stevens had 2 finals games, albeit with Lick's players. Lickliter is now an assistant at Miami OH, still getting checks from Iowa. What an awful hire he was.

Edited by Dick Allen
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QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 08:16 PM)
I wonder how much better Stevens is than Todd Lickliter. Same school. Lickliter had 2 Sweet 16s and Stevens had 2 finals games, albeit with Lick's players. Lickliter is now an assistant at Miami OH, still getting checks from Iowa. What an awful hire he was.

Stevens was clearly the genius behind Lickliter.

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QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 03:17 PM)
Stevens was clearly the genius behind Lickliter.

If the Illini hire him, they better hope you're right. If he's anything like Lickliter, the athletic department will add another to the line of people they are paying not to coach their teams anymore.

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QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 08:19 PM)
If the Illini hire him, they better hope you're right. If he's anything like Lickliter, the athletic department will add another to the line of people they are paying not to coach their teams anymore.

I was kidding. I don't really know. But fwiw, Hayward was a Stevens recruit. Mack presumably was too. Not sure on Howard.

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QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 03:20 PM)
I was kidding. I don't really know. But fwiw, Hayward was a Stevens recruit. Mack presumably was too. Not sure on Howard.

These mid major guys are crapshoots. Lickliter was thought to be quite a catch, but his style didn't go over very well, in terms of execution and recruiting, and fan interest. They were drawing more for wrestling than basketball watching Lickliters teams struggle to score 50 points a game.

 

BTW, when Hayward committed to Butler, Lickliter was coaching. He committed his junior year in HS.

 

Anyway, its something I will be able to rub into Illini fans until Stevens shows he's a little different.

Edited by Dick Allen
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QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 02:44 PM)
Yep, and with Wisconsin's ceiling basically being that of a Sweet 16 team, your goals should be higher when paying your coach as much as is being rumored.

 

 

Im not sure if that is really a ceiling, prior to 1998 Wisconsin hadnt made the tournament for 40+ years.

 

Since 1998, 13 years, Wisconsin has done the following:

 

1 Final Four

1 Elite Eight

4 Sweet 16s

5 Second Rounds

 

Wisconsin has been given a 2 seed 1 time and a 3 seed 1 time, every other year they have been a 4 or lower.

 

So that is 6 times Wisconsin has made at least the Sweet 16, in 13 years.

 

Maybe thats not good enough, but there are only a handful of programs that have been to the tournament 13 straight years, let alone done better than Wisconsin.

 

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One article on the possibility of Stevens-to-Illinois brought up something I hadn't realized: Stevens would have more Final Four appearances than any other coach in the conference except for Izzo.

 

Tubby Smith only has 1, really? I would have thought he'd have 2 or 3.

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seems like these rumors are being based on a couple of podcast hosts out of indy. probably more to create a stir than anything else. Seems like the legit sources say that there's been contact and there might be interest, but no one really knows how much there really is.

 

If he's making 775k a year and they're offering a 2.6 mil/year deal for the same term....not sure how you pass that up given his "dream" schools are locked up for a while.

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QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 23, 2012 -> 04:09 PM)
hmm, twitter rumors abound (some local indiana channel reporter) that Stevens to Illinois is a done deal.

 

The one tweet I found was a guy who works at a Indiana TV channel and has 102 followers, so I wouldn't take it as legit yet.

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Some random Illini board I was reading had a guy that found a plane going from Indy to Willard, speculating that Stevens is on it.

 

Don't know much about Steven's last year, but any particular reason why they were so much worse? Players leaving?

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