* *

User

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

November 27, 2025, 03:09:57 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent

Stats

Members
  • Total Members: 141
  • Latest: Hal9000
Stats
  • Total Posts: 165254
  • Total Topics: 1396
  • Online Today: 868
  • Online Ever: 4316
  • (October 16, 2025, 04:40:42 PM)
Users Online
Users: 1
Guests: 224
Total: 225

« previous next »
Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 9   Go Down

ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?

  • 131 Replies
  • 25439 Views

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

*

No one in Mn

  • *****
  • 11303
  • +167/-2437
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2025, 11:29:52 AM »
Quote from: Custard on March 29, 2025, 10:54:24 AM
How so?
🤷 we did bring back 198 minutes, off the bench, of playing time for this year.
Logged
Dain Dainja missed The Free shot in 2022 that Could Have Changed the World.
*

ILLINICHIEF

  • *****
  • 2137
  • +28/-436
  • Good Enough
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2025, 11:45:42 AM »
Quote from: ThePAMan on March 29, 2025, 10:49:15 AM
The Golden Age ended before it really began....

I think we are still in the Golden Era...BU and staff seem to be "pissing" on everything nowadays....LOL
Logged
"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."
*

ILLINICHIEF

  • *****
  • 2137
  • +28/-436
  • Good Enough
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #17 on: March 29, 2025, 11:46:26 AM »
Quote from: Custard on March 29, 2025, 10:54:24 AM
How so?

Morez already gone, and there probably will be more yet, Tomi/Rodgers are not guarantees by any stretch of any imagination.
Logged
"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."
*

Custard

  • *****
  • 11051
  • +225/-2757
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #18 on: March 29, 2025, 12:01:42 PM »
Quote from: ILLINICHIEF on March 29, 2025, 11:46:26 AM
Morez already gone, and there probably will be more yet, Tomi/Rodgers are not guarantees by any stretch of any imagination.

I said that all we needed was one of those guys to come back to be ahead of where we were a year ago. All we had this year from a year ago was DGL and like 11 new guys and we finished as a top 25ish team. Not ideal but not a complete disaster either. Hard telling what could have happened if the season hadn’t been derailed by injuries and illness. 

Yeah I think we need to have continuity and a core come back but Chief said we already worse off that last year and it’s objectively not true.
Logged
Poster Boy for White Male Indifference

All this time I called Custard a "shitposter" when really all he is is an "edgelord"

“Custard, YOU WERE RIGHT.” -Tempo
*

No one in Mn

  • *****
  • 11303
  • +167/-2437
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #19 on: March 29, 2025, 12:04:47 PM »
Morez isn't gone. Yet.
But I wouldn't be surprised if he does go.
Logged
Dain Dainja missed The Free shot in 2022 that Could Have Changed the World.
*

ILLINICHIEF

  • *****
  • 2137
  • +28/-436
  • Good Enough
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #20 on: March 29, 2025, 12:13:55 PM »
Quote from: Custard on March 29, 2025, 12:01:42 PM
I said that all we needed was one of those guys to come back to be ahead of where we were a year ago. All we had this year from a year ago was DGL and like 11 new guys and we finished as a top 25ish team. Not ideal but not a complete disaster either. Hard telling what could have happened if the season hadn’t been derailed by injuries and illness. 

Yeah I think we need to have continuity and a core come back but Chief said we already worse off that last year and it’s objectively not true.

Subjectively it is however:

Most of the team will be gone in all probability, there are some serious rumblings over coaching staff from within with players as well as donors. As of now the only one coming back (as of now) is Boswell, if we lose a majority of our team again, don't bet on that either.

Objectively we can look at both scenarios, but I would argue regardless of what happens, we are worse off. We have no continuity, yes all teams deal with this, but few overhaul every year. Do we have a Coach equipped to deal with this and win? Sure he did it in Juco, that said it is not a way to run a Power conference team every year.

This is exactly what BU is doing every year...Get old stay that way, then go completely young. go young and develop, then lose your recent 5* due to internal coaching and lack of playing time. Now he wants THE biggest bag, and even that isn't enough to keep him around.

All these factors lead us to being worse off. We got KJ late last year, big coup, we got Rez to stick with his middle HS commitment and come here...if those kind of players show up again for next year, then I will say KUDO's this fan was wrong....I don't think it happens and thus we are worse off.
Logged
"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."
*

ILLINICHIEF

  • *****
  • 2137
  • +28/-436
  • Good Enough
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #21 on: March 29, 2025, 12:15:33 PM »
TRE WHITE officially in PORTAL!! Rumors are the move is due to internal things....not $$$ supposedly. Make some changes and lets get rid of our DII assistants.

https://247sports.com/season/2025-basketball/transferportal/

Morez gone,
White gone,

Who's next Rodgers/DGL/Tomi (god forbid-expecting him to leave though one way or another), we are left with Boswell and Humrichous.

Jakstys may stay (who knows what he does?)
Davis probably as a role player, he knows he isn't getting/losing any minutes, but may opt to go back to smaller for more PT.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2025, 12:22:00 PM by ILLINICHIEF »
Logged
"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."
*

ILLINICHIEF

  • *****
  • 2137
  • +28/-436
  • Good Enough
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #22 on: March 29, 2025, 12:28:25 PM »
I have a gut feeling ALL of these players are talking to each other (yes I know they are). The only 2 for sure keeps are Boswell and Tomi at best. That is only because the offense is game planned around both (think they both give us the best chance to win btw), however we need some serious talent around them and Humrichous is NOT the answer.

This is going to be very interesting and frustrating to say the least.
Logged
"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."
*

Custard

  • *****
  • 11051
  • +225/-2757
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #23 on: March 29, 2025, 12:33:04 PM »
Quote from: ILLINICHIEF on March 29, 2025, 12:13:55 PM
Subjectively it is however:

Most of the team will be gone in all probability, there are some serious rumblings over coaching staff from within with players as well as donors. As of now the only one coming back (as of now) is Boswell, if we lose a majority of our team again, don't bet on that either.

Objectively we can look at both scenarios, but I would argue regardless of what happens, we are worse off. We have no continuity, yes all teams deal with this, but few overhaul every year. Do we have a Coach equipped to deal with this and win? Sure he did it in Juco, that said it is not a way to run a Power conference team every year.

This is exactly what BU is doing every year...Get old stay that way, then go completely young. go young and develop, then lose your recent 5* due to internal coaching and lack of playing time. Now he wants THE biggest bag, and even that isn't enough to keep him around.

All these factors lead us to being worse off. We got KJ late last year, big coup, we got Rez to stick with his middle HS commitment and come here...if those kind of players show up again for next year, then I will say KUDO's this fan was wrong....I don't think it happens and thus we are worse off.

You’ve become pretty famous on the board for some seriously preemptive hand wringing and worrying about things well before they ever have a chance to play out. “Well if BU didn’t get these guys he went out and got it would have been really bad”

Every team has players that aren’t happy with their role and minutes and how they’re used by coaches. It’s why there’s a couple thousand kids in the portal already. A lot of these kids are surrounded by bad influences wanting to get their hands on money. Do you want Morez shooting 18’ jumpers or 3s like his dad does? Do we put individuals’ demands and expectations ahead of the team’s?

All that said, yes the turnover is a problem and it’s keeping us from reaching the full potential of the program. We’ve already seen we can assemble a whole new team and have a decent season. And the year before we saw that can happen when we return an experienced core and add to it from the portal and HS ranks.

At the end of the day there are probably only two guys that are tough to replace (that aren’t pros) and they are Bam and Tomi. The Morez situation sucks because he’s an Illinois guy that’s been committed for years, and he ran-not walked-to the portal. But for what kind of money he’s wanting, we will find someone.

I do trust Whitman to get a handle on this though.
Logged
Poster Boy for White Male Indifference

All this time I called Custard a "shitposter" when really all he is is an "edgelord"

“Custard, YOU WERE RIGHT.” -Tempo
*

ILLINICHIEF

  • *****
  • 2137
  • +28/-436
  • Good Enough
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #24 on: March 29, 2025, 12:45:00 PM »
Well it's good to be "Almost" famous...LOL.

Yes I look ahead a lot, so valid points as is your post.

That said, the future of the following is NOW, not later:

Internal coaching issues (White/DGL/Johnson are all noted in other postings by many others-there is something to this imo)
Overhauling of team is every year, so it is fair to discuss the issues now imo.
Underwood can get success out of overhauling a team, I was one of the first to mention, because of his JUCO success, this was suited for him.

You do realize how BAD, this team would have been IF the last 2 that Brad "got" would not have shown up, Right? I mean look how much our team fell apart with those 2 missing substantial time. I think it is a fair assessment.

I was really "high" on the staff of Underwood/Antigua/Alexander/Anderson, but now with Anderson gone, and Hamer/Underwood running the show so to speak, Whitman better wake up quick. This team/school is not heading into long term success anymore IMO.

By long term success, I mean March meaningful wins....the NIL package we have is good enough and getting better. Middle of B1G conference and flame outs and blow outs are not success imo.


Logged
"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."
*

Custard

  • *****
  • 11051
  • +225/-2757
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #25 on: March 29, 2025, 01:06:28 PM »
This year was a rebuilding year no matter what with all the key guys we had  losing eligibility. When we missed on some more experienced guys earlier in the cycle that got huge bags we refocused on overseas market hoping the fact that those guys despite being young had been essentially playing pro ball for years would be a good substitute. It wasn’t a terrible backup plan. Again, before injuries and sickness derailed the team National pundits were talking about us as a FF caliber team.

This coming year was supposed to be the big one but yes now looking like another complete rebuild. But even if we just keep Tomi and Bam we are light years ahead of last year only returning DGL. And I will never buy the argument of “well if Brad didn’t get the good players we would have been bad argument.” The same can be said about literally every school that has good players every year and it doesn’t make sense.

All of the following are true:

Players leave the program disgruntled every year and Brad gets good players to replace them. Assistant coaches leave and we get good ones to replace them. Brad puts a respectable or better team on the floor every year. Continuity MUST improve to reach the program’s ceiling and compete for titles.
Logged
Poster Boy for White Male Indifference

All this time I called Custard a "shitposter" when really all he is is an "edgelord"

“Custard, YOU WERE RIGHT.” -Tempo
*

ILLINICHIEF

  • *****
  • 2137
  • +28/-436
  • Good Enough
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #26 on: March 29, 2025, 01:23:38 PM »
Quote from: Custard on March 29, 2025, 01:06:28 PM
Assistant coaches leave and we get good ones to replace them. Brad puts a respectable or better team on the floor every year. Continuity MUST improve to reach the program’s ceiling and compete for titles.

Agree on everything else, good points, however the last part is so debatable....Hamer/TUnderwood/Kwa good assistants? All 3 should be replaced with legit coaches, many of whom would gladly come aboard.
Logged
"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."
*

Beach Bum

  • *****
  • 541
  • +14/-218
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #27 on: March 29, 2025, 01:31:04 PM »
It does suck that this many years into the Underwood era we have one sweet sixteen to show for it. Can't complain about regular season results though.
Logged
*

illiniray

  • *****
  • 8185
  • +565/-2033
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #28 on: March 29, 2025, 04:10:46 PM »
Kwa is filling TA's role.

Tyler is supposedly OC; Hamer DC

There is gossip that several players do not like being coached in practice by Tyler and Hamer.

There is also a perception with some  that KJ, Tomi, and Hummer had free reign to play through mistakes;  while Tre, DGL, and MJ were on very short leashes. Some feel like this was holding back the ability of the latter 3 to showcase their skills.

They blame Tyler and Hamer

I am not hearing anything about how Will Riley fits in this.

« Last Edit: March 29, 2025, 04:37:44 PM by illiniray »
Logged
"I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great great wall on our southern border and I’ll have Mexico pay for that wall." -- Donald Trump
*

illiniray

  • *****
  • 8185
  • +565/-2033
    • View Profile
Re: ILLINI 2025-2026 Off Season from Hell?
« Reply #29 on: March 29, 2025, 04:36:23 PM »
Quote from: No one in Mn on March 29, 2025, 12:04:47 PM
Morez isn't gone. Yet.
But I wouldn't be surprised if he does go.

He is gone and his dad  trashed the program on the way out. Reportedly has a 1.8 million deal somewhere.
Logged
"I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great great wall on our southern border and I’ll have Mexico pay for that wall." -- Donald Trump
Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 9   Go Up
« previous next »