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QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 12:01 PM)
So latest is George and Tiley are out and rumor right now is that Groce is probably safe for another year. f***ing ridiculous and I'm about ready to cut bait on Illinois athletics altogether. Not worth my time until the university shows they give a f***.

Of course Groce is safe for another year. The football and women's basketball programs are in shambles faced with major abuse claims. An underachieving basketball coach is the least of Illinois' worries.

 

I also like the hire.

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I like the hire. We'll see if he succeeds, but at least he's young, energetic, positive and loves Illinois. He's a more polished Dee Brown basically, and hopefully Dee continues to be a big part of the AD's office. I have a feeling there will be a honeymoon period ala Groce. Everything will seem great. As always, though, it comes down to who he can hire for football and basketball.

 

But I like the direction. I like that alumni are behind him. I feel like Thomas and even Gunther were pretty s***ty about building that Illinois alumni family with ex-players/coaches. Hopefully that's something Whitman can do.

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QUOTE (gatnom @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 11:20 AM)
Well, I think that says everything about the Groce situation.

Again, Groce is the least of Whitman's worries, really. Yeah, they haven't been good, but Illinois' injured players could beat their starters. Groce gets another year with all his guys (except Malcolm Hill)

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QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Feb 19, 2016 -> 07:00 AM)
He has more sweet sixteen appearances than Illinois does since 2006.

And hes a big part of that awful Illinois run. Despite the fluky tournament run, he was also a worse in season coach at Ohio, which is a terrible program to begin with, than the guy preceding him, and Illinois decided to hire him anyways.

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QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 10:21 PM)
Again, Groce is the least of Whitman's worries, really. Yeah, they haven't been good, but Illinois' injured players could beat their starters. Groce gets another year with all his guys (except Malcolm Hill)

 

Despite whether or not Groce would have been fired for his performance at another program, this is true. Mostly due to the fact that Illinois is a dumpster fire, but Groce could actually turn it around next year despite the fact that basically nobody believes in him anymore. He's got a PG coming in, Abrams returning, and Morgan appears to be a serviceable C. Put those guys with our talented wings, and we should be pretty good.

 

I'd be surprised if Hill doesn't return for next season. He can't deal with NBA length and athleticism (look at how he always goes quiet against teams like OSU), and I feel like he wouldn't forgo his last year to go pro overseas. You never really know, though.

 

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 19, 2016 -> 08:07 AM)
And hes a big part of that awful Illinois run. Despite the fluky tournament run, he was also a worse in season coach at Ohio, which is a terrible program to begin with, than the guy preceding him, and Illinois decided to hire him anyways.

 

I always wonder how things would have played out if Groce would have stayed at Ohio for another couple of years. He had a less than stellar regular season record in his time there, but he also really appeared to be building something. Would his record look so bad if he had continued coaching there and was able to put guys like Caris LeVert on his team? I know it's not exactly a perfect example, but Gregg Marshall was only 38-34 in conference his first 4 years at Wichita.

 

 

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QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Feb 19, 2016 -> 10:50 AM)
If true Black needs to be dismissed from the program and any remaining excuse to keep Groce after this season is gone as well. He has to be fired.

 

Yeah, the allegations there are pretty bad. Luther Head got a second chance under Webber for the burglary, and this would be Black's first strike. I don't have a problem with him getting dismissed if this is true. I also don't have a problem with discipline and a second chance.

 

On Groce generally, I was ready to sack Groce a couple weeks back, but like with Groce's second team, guys are starting to develop. Morgan looks like a B1G center (at least offensively), DJ Williams is starting to look like a player, and some of that has to be a positive for the coaching staff.

 

With Groce, I do think it's really difficult to judge the guy on this season with all the injuries. There's not a coach in the country that could have taken this short roster and made them a tournament team.

 

Ultimately, if Whitman doesn't think Groce is the guy going forward, this is as good a time as any to move on. Groce showed that a new coach can do ok dealing with the first real recruiting class - '13 had Hill and Nunn - so there's hope the new coach can salvage a good class in '17. The disaster scenario is Groce stays, the '17 class is a trainwreck, and next year with a healthy squad, the Illini miss the tournament again.

 

To Jenks, unfortunately, most of the '17 guys won't commit until the summer, and that's too late (in my opinion). If you are riding with Groce, you need to let him see next season through. If you aren't, then the decision needs to be made right after the season, and replacement ready by early May at the latest...

 

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QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 19, 2016 -> 10:10 AM)
Have to think that seals Groce's fate.

 

Which I think is really unfair. Why is that Groce's fault that a player makes a stupid decision? Groce should be fired for his results on the court, not some random act by a player in the middle of the night. He has no control over that.

Edited by Jenksismybitch
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QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 19, 2016 -> 11:12 AM)
Which I think is really unfair. Why is that Groce's fault that a player makes a stupid decision? Groce should be fired for his results on the court, not some random act by a player in the middle of the night. He has no control over that.

 

Agreed 100%.

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QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 19, 2016 -> 05:12 PM)
Which I think is really unfair. Why is that Groce's fault that a player makes a stupid decision? Groce should be fired for his results on the court, not some random act by a player in the middle of the night. He has no control over that.

 

Well, it makes it harder for Groce to plead his case they'll compete next year if it's one of the "injured starters" that won't be back.

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