=Will be close to on par with the top teams in the conference. It's all about sustainability, how well can you recruit year over year, not just one class.

 

pipe down you, we'll take the excitement when we can get it!

=Will be close to on par with the top teams in the conference. It's all about sustainability, how well can you recruit year over year, not just one class.

With the transfers that Groce has brought in, along with the 2013 recruiting class, the 2014-2015 team would absolutely be on par with the top teams of the conference. You're talking about a potential lineup of SR Abrams, redshirt JR Cosby, redshirt SR Rice, FR Cliff Alexander, and SR Egwu. With a bench of two top 40 players and a few top 75 players that would be sophomores among others. That team would be absolutely stacked.

 

I'm not saying that the illini are going to get both snider and cliff, but let's not downplay the impact they would make on that team. That illini team should be close to on par with the top teams WITHOUT snider and cliff that year.

I think Snider is a heavy UCLA lean. I bet he was about to commit when JG somehow said whoa whoa whoa, you better look around first, and got him to move up a visit. I think Illinois has a lot better shot at Cliff than anyone is giving them credit for. Seems no one has anything concrete, especially when Cliff denies everything, so they are picking KU for him. All speculation of course.

With the transfers that Groce has brought in, along with the 2013 recruiting class, the 2014-2015 team would absolutely be on par with the top teams of the conference. You're talking about a potential lineup of SR Abrams, redshirt JR Cosby, redshirt SR Rice, FR Cliff Alexander, and SR Egwu. With a bench of two top 40 players and a few top 75 players that would be sophomores among others. That team would be absolutely stacked.

 

I'm not saying that the illini are going to get both snider and cliff, but let's not downplay the impact they would make on that team. That illini team should be close to on par with the top teams WITHOUT snider and cliff that year.

You think prior to the 2014 class that Illinois has a lineup on par with what the top teams have been bringing in? I feel like you havent looked at other "rankings" in awhile and are getting caught up in possibly grabbing top guys.

 

More power to ya, but I think you guys are getting quite ahead of yourselves.

Yes, I would imagine being a top team with Egwu and Abrams as seniors pretty much no matter who surrounds them.

Yes, I would imagine being a top team with Egwu and Abrams as seniors pretty much no matter who surrounds them.

Nothing wrong with confidence, if anything Groce has brought some of that to the fanbase which is positive for you guys.

You think prior to the 2014 class that Illinois has a lineup on par with what the top teams have been bringing in? I feel like you havent looked at other "rankings" in awhile and are getting caught up in possibly grabbing top guys.

 

More power to ya, but I think you guys are getting quite ahead of yourselves.

Rice, Cosby, and Paul won't show up in recruiting rankings because they are transfers. Experience is more important than you seem to be letting on and the 2014-2015 lineup should have a lot of it.

 

 

Rice, Cosby, and Paul won't show up in recruiting rankings because they are transfers. Experience is more important than you seem to be letting on and the 2014-2015 lineup should have a lot of it.

True, experience is valuable. This is why we play the games. It will be good to see Illinois back as more competition is better for everyone in bball (unlike football).

Every program does it, which is why Creaning was such a dumb criticism. Groce has done it by showing a bunch of players on the team the door in favor of transfers.

 

LOL at the shift in thought now that Groce is doing it.

With the transfers that Groce has brought in, along with the 2013 recruiting class, the 2014-2015 team would absolutely be on par with the top teams of the conference. You're talking about a potential lineup of SR Abrams, redshirt JR Cosby, redshirt SR Rice, FR Cliff Alexander, and SR Egwu. With a bench of two top 40 players and a few top 75 players that would be sophomores among others. That team would be absolutely stacked.

 

I'm not saying that the illini are going to get both snider and cliff, but let's not downplay the impact they would make on that team. That illini team should be close to on par with the top teams WITHOUT snider and cliff that year.

 

They'll be up there, but still a little ways off from OSU/IU recruiting-wise. I think they could certainly join that upper tier if he sustains it through 2015-16. Wisconsin will always be up there because of the system/coaching. MSU's recruiting has started to decline. UM is the wildcard.

They'll be up there, but still a little ways off from OSU/IU recruiting-wise. I think they could certainly join that upper tier if he sustains it through 2015-16. Wisconsin will always be up there because of the system/coaching. MSU's recruiting has started to decline. UM is the wildcard.

I'm sorry, how many recruits do you guys have for 2014?

I'm sorry, how many recruits do you guys have for 2014?

IU is coming off of back to back top ten classes.....

LOL at the shift in thought now that Groce is doing it.

 

*Might do it. We shall see. It's still a long shot to get one of these guys, let alone two.

 

And IIRC Crean did it to guys he recruited as being saviors of the program. Groce hasn't done that. If he tells a guy like Tate you're going to be my star and help rebuild things and then boots him 2 years down the line in favor of a top recruit, sure, I'll eat crow.

IU is coming off of back to back top ten classes.....

Let me get my snipes in!

Let's all keep in mind too that class rankings/player rankings mean absolute dick when it comes to results.

I'm sorry, how many recruits do you guys have for 2014?

 

Um... You do realize the FIRST signing period isn't until November right? We're taking 2-3 guys this year, after reeling in a top 10 class in 2012, and a top 5 class last year. Oh, and in 2011, we pulled in Cody Zeller. That's a 5 star in 3 straight classes... I guess 2010 wasn't so bad either, as we pulled in Oladipo. Indiana's now to the point where they can wait to see who develops through their HS career, then take a commit.

 

 

But back to how we still have 2 months until the FIRST signing day. IU is bringing in Okonoboh, Robinson, and Whitehead for Hoosier Hysteria (all 5 stars). I'd be willing to bet Indiana pulls in the #1 or #2 class in the Bigten again (Likely behind OSU this year, as Matta is killin' it.) I doubt IU whiffs in 2014.

Let's all keep in mind too that class rankings/player rankings mean absolute dick when it comes to results.

Eh, its been fairly proven that star-value does have correlation to results at least in football. They did a study with draft results as well and there was a pretty good match between high rankings and draft position.

Um... You do realize the FIRST signing period isn't until November right? We're taking 2-3 guys this year, after reeling in a top 10 class in 2012, and a top 5 class last year. Oh, and in 2011, we pulled in Cody Zeller. That's a 5 star in 3 straight classes... I guess 2010 wasn't so bad either, as we pulled in Oladipo. Indiana's now to the point where they can wait to see who develops through their HS career, then take a commit.

 

 

But back to how we still have 2 months until the FIRST signing day. IU is bringing in Okonoboh, Robinson, and Whitehead for Hoosier Hysteria (all 5 stars). I'd be willing to bet Indiana pulls in the #1 or #2 class in the Bigten again (Likely behind OSU this year, as Matta is killin' it.) I doubt IU whiffs in 2014.

If we pull Turner it will be one of the best classes he's ever had. And 2015 is shaping up already.

 

If IU has room, I'm pretty sure talent will go there unless you guys sink into the abyss again.

Edited September 5, 201312 yr by RockRaines

Let's all keep in mind too that class rankings/player rankings mean absolute dick when it comes to results.

Yeah, Illinois has a top 15ish class for the fourth time in five years and not a lot to show for it.

Eh, its been fairly proven that star-value does have correlation to results at least in football. They did a study with draft results as well and there was a pretty good match between high rankings and draft position.

 

I'm not disagreeing that having a roster full of 4 and 5 stars consistently is going to give you better results (over the long term) than having 2 and 3 star guys. I meant more than the ratings mean dick when you're talking about the 7th best class versus the 18th best class. Rankings mean nothing in that respect, it's the composition of the team that matters.

 

 

Yeah, Illinois has a top 15ish class for the fourth time in five years and not a lot to show for it.

 

Exactly.

I'm not disagreeing that having a roster full of 4 and 5 stars consistently is going to give you better results (over the long term) than having 2 and 3 star guys. I meant more than the ratings mean dick when you're talking about the 7th best class versus the 18th best class. Rankings mean nothing in that respect, it's the composition of the team that matters.

Gotcha. In bball its weird too because some of those players could be one and done and not be the type of superstar that actually can carry a team to something like the final four (yeah you Koufos and Mullens), however they singlehandedly made the class "top."

If we pull Turner it will be one of the best classes he's ever had. And 2015 is shaping up already.

 

If IU has room, I'm pretty sure talent will go there unless you guys sink into the abyss again.

Oh yea, IU won't whiff but they have been getting beat thus far for 2014. They're in the thick of it for some top guys so they could recover nicely or get screwed.

Oh yea, IU won't whiff but they have been getting beat thus far for 2014. They're in the thick of it for some top guys so they could recover nicely or get screwed.

With them they could have some spots open up by players leaving as well depending on their performance. I'm also waiting on Izzo to pull a few top guys out of his ass.

If we pull Turner it will be one of the best classes he's ever had. And 2015 is shaping up already.

 

If IU has room, I'm pretty sure talent will go there unless you guys sink into the abyss again.

 

I hope you do land Turner, as I think you're the main competition for Goodluck.

 

Stars don't always matter, but if you're pulling in top 50 guys and have a coach that can develop... You're team is putting itself if prime condition to succeed. After the top 50, things get pretty dicey.