Weber Done at Illinois

[Goose85]

And the coaching carosel gets started.
Weber out but I don't think they can afford Buzz nor would I think he would take that job.

So - does Shaka Smart got to Illinois? Who then to VCU?
Any thoughts if VCU would consider our assistants? I don't think Illinois would as they will get a Smart type coach.

While I'm not worried about the Illinois job for Buzz, I am worried about Larry Williams making it possible for Buzz to consider other options.

I like the stability with the coaching staff Buzz has, but I'm sure if we make another NCAA sweet 16 or better run, those coaches will be considered "hot" assistants.

[Gato78]

I think Illinois is a bad job. Pay must be less than football. City and area suck. University is not a garden spot. I think the Chicago recruiting, for Univ. of Illinois, must be an incredible headache. If Weber said he wasn't going to recruit Jereme Richmond 3 years ago because he was a head case, he would have been fired 3 years ago. The HC at Illinois must find himself in some awfully dicey situations with Chiicago area recruits. Self made it work but who else has since Lou Henson?fn1

fn1 Does not imply Lou Henson was successful. Also, Henson was a noted rules violator.

[IWB]

They have been wanting to get rid of Weber for years, just needed the excuse. He was pretty much banned from recruiting Chicago kids because he wouldn't 'pay to play'. There are Chicago AAU coaches that are pretty dirty, and they blackballed him long ago. There are ways to play with them without getting dirty, but they sealed his fate long ago.

One of the big reporters, (Goodman? Davis?) said that is BS, that there are plenty of schools that don't cheat and recruit. True, but the problem is that Illinois is not a destination school. Kids outside of the state don't see that as a place of interest. You don't have kids from Texas or New York or LA wanting to play in the Big 10 for Illinois.

So now where does Illinois look? Again, there are issues. It is funny, a lot of their message boards are suggesting people like Buzz Williams. Why would he leave to go to Illinois? They are not taking a good coach from an equal or better program unless it is someone "coming home". Back when they hired Weber, they targeted Crean. Met with him and when Crean told them how much he made and how much it would take, Illinois walked away.

If they want a major coach they need to pay $2 mil per year, or at least close to it. Everyone knows, as evidenced by the conference realignments, that football is king. Illinois' football coach made $1.7 million last year. Well, if they hire anyone for more than $1.25 mil, their football coach will be in the AD office in minutes wanting a bump - and that is justified.

If you don't pay your football coach, you can't pay a premier basketball coach. Their only option is to either bring someone "home", or else hire an up and coming assistant.

[Markedman]

Bulleseye said sources ae telling them Anthony Grant is interested.
https://twitter.com/#!/prepbullseye/status/178225237253554176