Illinoiss Recruiting class
- Thread starter szohn
- Start date
We aren’t breaking the rules for starters. I’m not advocating that, but many take the approach if you aren’t cheating your not trying.
Chicago, Peoria, etc are pretty fertile recruiting grounds. It’s amazing to me it’s taken so long for IL to finally get the kind of class they should land most years.
Chicago, Peoria, etc are pretty fertile recruiting grounds. It’s amazing to me it’s taken so long for IL to finally get the kind of class they should land most years.
So getting really good players means teams cheat. Did Lute, Raveling, Dr Tom and Alford all cheat
You may not like the answers to that question.
Do you think Iowa should be able to recruit at the same level as Illinois?
Outside of a few years under Raveling, when have we ever done that?
Underwood and staff have really stepped it up there though. #1 class in the league and #11 nationally at this point. The key is to stack a few top 25 classes and they are doing it. Not relying on hope.
Well...I guess you can’t expect every head coach to be as likable and charismatic as Fran.
Fran's cool since he's my coach. Brad Underwood on the other hand, is a tool.
Your kidding right? The only CLASS we had that was that highly rated as a group was Ravelings, and George had connections with Nike, and AAU system or whatever it was called in the early 80's. Davis had a couple really good years on the court, mostly with that Marble, Armstrong, Horton class. Otherwise can't really think of too many great classes for him or Alfraud. Don't remember much about Lutes kids as far as how they were ranked, and not sure it was as much of a "science" as it is now. remember Steve K. transfered from UNC, but I don't think he or his twin tower team mate Waite had anything on Luka Garza.....
I think most people believe that Illinois should do much better then Iowa with their proximity to the Chicago land, Milwaukee, and even Indiana. Big reason that many think that Illinois is a sleeping giant in football and basketball IF they hired the right coaches.
George had a lot of AAU connections. Lute brought in some very solid classes and Ralph Miller owned the junior college ranks for a while.
I don’t think Dr. Tom or Steve had stellar classes each season. We were always wondering what verbals would actually make it to campus under Steve.
From losing to a top ten class is quite a turn about. Makes me go hmmmm.
I don’t think Dr. Tom or Steve had stellar classes each season. We were always wondering what verbals would actually make it to campus under Steve.
From losing to a top ten class is quite a turn about. Makes me go hmmmm.
Brad Underwood is a VERY good coach. I believe he will have them rolling soon. That said, I hope I’m wrong
Meh... Groce sucked and had two top 20 classes. I think every single one of his classes was at least top 40 and he got canned. Even Bruce Weber had a few top 25 classes and would have had a top 5 class if that kid from Indiana didn’t switch.
They’ve always been able to recruit well.
Actually winning? Not so much.
That program does less with more than any program in the nation. We’ll see if Underwood can change it. I tend to doubt it.
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Yes, amazing that a guy with that type of Iowa charm has been a zilch in Illinois.
Alford's first real class was very highly ranked, but it gradually went down hill from there. Some bad luck along the way helped torpedo any positive momentum.
True, but we'e done pretty well in St Louis, and lately in KC as well, which I'm liking a lot...
Theres a reason most coaches only last 4 or 5 years.
That's really all the time you have to get a program rolling.
You have a couple seasons to sell hope and show progress but if you have mediocre results into year 4 and 5 then top recruits just aren't going to buy it.
This is essentially what's happened to Iowa.
Fran has established a mediocre track record that top recruits don't want to be a part of.
We couldn't even get the top 2 players in Iowa over the past two cycles.
That's really all the time you have to get a program rolling.
You have a couple seasons to sell hope and show progress but if you have mediocre results into year 4 and 5 then top recruits just aren't going to buy it.
This is essentially what's happened to Iowa.
Fran has established a mediocre track record that top recruits don't want to be a part of.
We couldn't even get the top 2 players in Iowa over the past two cycles.
Fran’s average recruiting class ranking over his entire career at Iowa is 10th (69th nationally). He has never a single time in ten years had back to back top 40 classes. He has had back to back top 60 classes once. Once. In ten years.
I don’t care how good you are at game time coaching, scouting, prep, player development etc. that level of recruiting is just never going to be enough to build a nationally relevant program or a program capable of seriously contending for a title in a league like the Big Ten.
It is what it is and we have what we have. Enjoy a 10 seed every few years and 6th and 7th place league finishes because that is what we’ve built.
They are like an hour closer to Chicago than us, big woop. What's amazing is how poorly we've done there lately considering how close we are. Chicago kids are loyal to the city, not state as much (why Chicagoans aren't nuts about illini) so instate not huge advantage
Comparing Iowa to the rest of the B10....based on location to a metro, isnt Iowa likely bottom 2 or 3 in the conference?
Illinois should be top 5 in B10 recruiting every single year.
Also, I still maintain, Iowa doesnt need a top recruiting class every year. They need guys that can improve and play for 4 years....not one and done guys that will leave before they really hit their potential .
Illinois should be top 5 in B10 recruiting every single year.
Also, I still maintain, Iowa doesnt need a top recruiting class every year. They need guys that can improve and play for 4 years....not one and done guys that will leave before they really hit their potential .
I don't think anyone is saying Iowa should get one and done's but that they should be recruiting better than they do.
