Illinois: doing less w/ more
- Thread starter kirby
- Start date
HawkeyeShane
Well-Known Member
They are definitely this conference's "Jekyll and Hyde" team.
burky247
Well-Known Member
They definitely are. But it's a controlled condition. When they feel like playing defense, they are a decent team. Otherwise, forget about it.
I think they rely on the outside shot too much. They have some slashers, like Paul and Richardson, but it seems like, ultimately, they like to hang around the perimeter. If I was coaching them, I would be ****** as hell if they weren't attempting 6-10 FT's each a game.
I think McCamey is a big problem for them. He's had an attitude with Weber for quite some time. And I think, being a senior and a "leader" of the team, his attitude rubs off on some of the young guys.
greghammel
Well-Known Member
Look at that team about to play... do you see it? Do you see ENTITLEMENT steaming from their head? This is a team that was thinking Pre-Season All-American, NBA Draft, NCAA Tournament without so much as having to play hard.
Coach Weber even said so himself in a recent interview. Anytime you disregard opposition as inferior you are in lots of trouble. Illinois was never nearly as good as they thought they were, but they still believe they are better than the teams they play.
It is very difficult to believe you are the best and not work hard only to have your butt handed to you. At this point of the season it is too late to START working hard... they are going to have to show some serious grit and play like underdogs with a purpose if they want to save this season.
Coach Weber even said so himself in a recent interview. Anytime you disregard opposition as inferior you are in lots of trouble. Illinois was never nearly as good as they thought they were, but they still believe they are better than the teams they play.
It is very difficult to believe you are the best and not work hard only to have your butt handed to you. At this point of the season it is too late to START working hard... they are going to have to show some serious grit and play like underdogs with a purpose if they want to save this season.
uofihawkInation
Well-Known Member
@mbchawk - Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Cyclones17
Well-Known Member
All these McDonald's All Americans? I'm pretty sure they only have 1 and that is Jereme Richmond and he is a freshmen. No 5 star kids on that team. Good talent though and they should be better
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
Let's not go overboard here. He did go to a national championship game in his second year. Now, maybe you could say he's underperformed with his own players, but that would suggest the opposite problem: that he can coach but not recruit. I'm not really sure how you answer it, but saying that he's anywhere close to the bottom of the barrel in terms of Big Ten coaches is overselling it by quite a bit.
I'd rank them like this:
1. Izzo
2. Matta
3. Ryan
4. Painter
5. Weber
6. DeChellis
7/8/9 Carmody, Belein, and Tubby in some order
10. Crean
Too early to even think of figuring out where Fran fits in that mix.
storminspank
Justin VanLaere
Way too high for DeChelis in that ranking. He's 9th or 10th.
I want to see what Painter does without Johnson, Moore, and Hummel. He had a great freshman class the minute he stepped in at PU and has had them throughout his time there. He hasn't seemed to have recruited as well since. I'll be curious to see what he does when this group leaves.
storminspank
Justin VanLaere
Painter has at least one 4 star in each of his classes.
But I agree, he hasn't had that 3 or 4 size class of 4 star kids.
But I agree, he hasn't had that 3 or 4 size class of 4 star kids.
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
My thought process was that he's at a program that's been irrelevant every since it joined the Big Ten and has at least made the Nits interesting. He also won the 2009 NIT, which I realize isn't exactly the greatest thing ever, but I don't see how Beilein, Tubby, or Carmody have done anything comparable to that.
The larger point is that there are five proven coaches in the Big Ten, and that Weber is one of them. I agree that Illinois has been inconsistent for the last couple of years, but there's no shame in losing to Purdue.
storminspank
Justin VanLaere
DeChelis had one of the most experienced teams in the nation and they can barely get over .500
Iowafarmgirl
Banned
I like to tell some Illini fans that I know that Illinois has only won one more tournament game than Iowa in the last 5 years. Since Dee Brown graduated, the team has always kind of been hot or cold.
The last two years the problem has been McCamey, who is a million dollar talent with a 10 cent head. He tries when he wants to, and that rubs off on the younger players. No doubt in my mind that good players like Brandon Paul and DJ Richardson have followed McCamey's lead. He's tuned Weber out and does what he pleases.
Sounds like another Illinois point guard in Utah doesn't it?
The last two years the problem has been McCamey, who is a million dollar talent with a 10 cent head. He tries when he wants to, and that rubs off on the younger players. No doubt in my mind that good players like Brandon Paul and DJ Richardson have followed McCamey's lead. He's tuned Weber out and does what he pleases.
Sounds like another Illinois point guard in Utah doesn't it?
Dude, you are way out over your skis here. They are a dissapointment for sure, no doubt. They have some internal issues that will fix themselves after this season. Their seniors are guys who are maxed out performance wise....only McCamey was a top 100 recruit.
Weber is very highly regarded amongst his peers and is far better than bottom tier of the Big Ten.
Cyclones17
Well-Known Member
Recruiting? Weber didn't start recruiting well until this past season. He hired a new assistant and finally started pulling in that big time talent from Illinois. Otherwise he was missing out on all the great talent. Illinois will be good in a year or so. Weber can coach, recruiting is what killed him until now.
Go check out this Yahoo Sports: Rivals.com 2007 Illinois Commitments
All the guys that would be juniors/seniors this year were very mediocre recruits
For the most part I agree. But the perception that Jerrance Howard is the reason for their success in recruiting isn't correct.
Jeremy Richmond was recruited by Tracy Webster (Webster now gone) and Bruce Weber, not Howard. D.J. Richardson is the only current player that is a Howard recruit, and only for his last year of H.S. did Howard work on him. Jay Price is responsible for most of the recruits presently on the roster.
This year's H.S. seniors is the class where Howard has done yeoman's work. Of the 5 (and soon to be 6) committments, 4 are Jerrance Howard recruits.
That St Joe's great group of players that played together have had mixed results:
Tony Freeman- started at Iowa, then fled Licks regime,went to SIU,and was a solid contributor.
Jon Peoples- played 4 years at ND, off the bench,not a star but contributed.
Evan Turner- went to OSU,played 3 years, college POY,drafted 2nd by the Sixers,and is struggling so far.
Demetri McCamey- went to Illinois, started for 4 years,but ending on a flat note...very puzzling.
Great HS team,but could not get to state tourny....ran into Simeon and Derrick Rose one year in the supersectionals...nuff said.
Tony Freeman- started at Iowa, then fled Licks regime,went to SIU,and was a solid contributor.
Jon Peoples- played 4 years at ND, off the bench,not a star but contributed.
Evan Turner- went to OSU,played 3 years, college POY,drafted 2nd by the Sixers,and is struggling so far.
Demetri McCamey- went to Illinois, started for 4 years,but ending on a flat note...very puzzling.
Great HS team,but could not get to state tourny....ran into Simeon and Derrick Rose one year in the supersectionals...nuff said.
