Does seem like Bailey would duplicate Chester. Is there even any reason to think he would be willing to make a lateral move?
To get a top guy, he has to be between gigs, at a significantly lesser program, feels mistreated where he's at, or is otherwise motivated to accept. They are not going to lure a well situated AC just by offering him a raise. It has to be a major step up or overall improvement.
That might mean looking outside the box. At mid and low major ACs or high major non-AC staffs for an unknown up and comer. Or taking a risk on a vteran guy with issues like Hill. Or finding out whose nose is out of joint or was let go after staff changes. Or are there any JC's out there?
Is a cool tall guy who can coach bigs a must hire? Or can Alexander do that?
That is the problem.
As much as we do not like to admit it- we are a lateral move at best for most P5 top assistants, and a step down in the cases where their program is doing well and has built a recruiting network, or is a blue blood P5.
In their present role as a top AC, they do not need the step to come to Illinois to get a low or mid major HC job. They can do that from where they are at.
We also have no real network unless you wish to count the MIF connection which is sketchy as fck and the top guys are going to go to the elite schools 9 times out of ten no matter what we do.
This is a tough place to sell TBH to top ACs.
Agree, we need to find a guy where the timing is right, take a risk, or find a guy just starting to emerge as a recruiting guy at a high D1. Not sure a low/midmajor works as they do not get in with Top 150 kids very often.
Bailey would be kind of a meh hire the more one looks at his resume.
Supposedly Alexander has done some positive player development work. But, again, he has never recruited.
Gym rats like him and Chet are fine, but you have to get players.