Bruce Weber fired

[tornado]

Simeon HC wants the job

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/colleges/post/_/id/5642/simeons-smith-makes-pitch-for-illini-job

[Da Coach]

I have read that he does not have the minimum qualifications- which included a college degree.

[panther12thman]

Feel bad for Coach Weber but he will come out of this ok. Good coach, good person who will find sucess else where. Led Illini to NCAA Championship game, but in the what have you done for me lately society, that wasn't enough. Illinois is a middle of the road Big Ten program, a step above their football program. MSU, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State and Purdue all better basketball programs year in and year out. Illinois is not the "elite" program that so many of their fans think it is. Go PANTHERS

[tornado]

So Jerrance Howard has been named by AD Mike Thomas as Interim Head Coach -- and will be the acting head coach for the Illini in the NIT...
even tho his tenure on the staff is substantially shorter than everyone else?

http://chicagohoops.hoops247.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1558:jerrance-howard-named-illinois-interim-head&catid=35:news

I wonder if coaches out west would view the other Illini assistants as valuable commodities for recruiting the midwest -

[Da Coach]

I have heard Jay Price is being considered for the open Eastern Illinois job. I have not heard anything about the other Illinois personnel.

[lefty]

I have read that he does not have the minimum qualifications- which included a college degree.

Shoot....that leaves me out too then

[FlyingSpaghettiMonster]

Feel bad for Coach Weber but he will come out of this ok. Good coach, good person who will find sucess else where. Led Illini to NCAA Championship game, but in the what have you done for me lately society, that wasn't enough. Illinois is a middle of the road Big Ten program, a step above their football program. MSU, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State and Purdue all better basketball programs year in and year out. Illinois is not the "elite" program that so many of their fans think it is.

You're right. Just like their football program, I think their expectations are beyond reality. Hopefully BW finds a good landing spot.

[BUFanatic]

#WayneMcClain, see the above avatar.

[wily coyote]

I heard Sammys leaving any truth?????

[Da Coach]

Here is an article that lists a long list of possibilties, including Geno Ford!

http://collegehoops.scout.com/2/1166030.html

It is probably a subscription article, but the way they come up with Geno on their list is that they link Illinois AD Mike Thomas to the Parker Executive Search firm. Thomas himself was hired at Illinois by University President Mike Hogan using the Parker Executive Search firm, and the writer speculates that Thomas will likely use that same search firm to get coaches names. The following are listed as coaches linked to the Parker firm:
"Herb Sendek at Arizona State, Geno Ford at Bradley, Ron Hunter at Georgia State, Tom Crean at Indiana, John Calipari at Kentucky, Matt Brady at James Madison, Trent Johnson at LSU, Chicago native and former Cal coach Ben Braun at Rice, Mark Gottfried at NC State and Mark Montgomery at NIU.
Also, Joe Scott at Denver, Mark Fox at Georgia, Jim Larranaga at Miami, Cuonzo Martin at Tennessee, Fran McCaffery at Iowa, Tubby Smith at Minnesota, Lon Kruger at Oklahoma, Mike Anderson at Arkansas and Larry Shyatt at Wyoming....one of the coaches in the Parker Executive Search firm is a possibility if its advice is sought."

[tornado]

another name being thrown out..
Craig Robinson - Oregon State, Michelle Obama's brother - strong ties to Chicago - he's Black and that seems to meet the current demands everyone's throwing out there...
The only problem...
He's 7-11 in the weak Pac-12, and prior to this year had a career record of 73-84 as a head coach at Brown & Oregon State.
& only two winning seasons in his 6 years coaching D-I, but seems to have made the most of it as he keeps getting talked up as a good coach!
I think even Black Illini fans would kinda want to pass on this one right now....

[real fan]

670 The Score made it sound like he had the job yesterday. They also referenced Parker and that Theus has been spending time with the family.

Illinois should take into consideration that Parker will not stay 4 years so Theus may not be the right choice.

[Da Coach]

Illinois should take into consideration that Parker will not stay 4 years so Theus may not be the right choice.

Exactly- that is why I can't believe Theus will even be considered. The AD needs to consider much more important and long term factors like who can he get to go up against the Bo Ryans, Tome Izzos, and Thad Mattas of the league (coaching and recruiting), and there is nothing in Theus' history to suggest he can.

[Da Coach]

Comcast Chicago's David Kaplan has his list-

http://www.csnchicago.com/pages/the_kapman

VCU's Shaka Smart
Kansas State's Frank Martin
Marquette's Buzz Williams
Butler's Brad Stevens
Reggie Theus
Duke's Chris Collins
Wichita State's Gregg Marshall
Baylor's Scott Drew
Alabama's Anthony Grant

[lake Camelot]

My list for Illinois would consist of

Shaka Smart
Anthony Grant


Then coaches I would be intersted in-
Brad Stevens
Buzz Williams
Gegg Marshall

But from the experience on getting the football coach approved it better be an African-American. So I guess the first two would be my list. Theus does not excite me.

Shaka Smart with Jerrance Howard staying and a couple other good assistants would be a home run. In my mind Stevens would be just as good, but I doubt that would fly.

Other than that maybe someone out of left field.