Underwood to Illinois

[uconngb]

This is quite a head scratcher. Guy finally gets his shot at the big time at OSU and has a pretty damn good year. Then parlays that into a job at Illinois after one year?? Is that really a step up? Kind of crazy how transient the world of college basketball has become.

 

[mauconnfan]

Strange move I agree. $$$$$ I guess.

Where is his background from that I do not know?

 

[auror]

He was very underpaid at OKSt. Someone on Twitter I read said they wouldn't be surprised if his salary tripled. *Edit* ESPN reports it is a straight tripling of his salary, from 1 million at OK St this year to 3 million at Illinois. Have to figure even if he used leverage at OK St they may not have matched it.

 

[auror]

Strange move I agree. $$$$$ I guess.

Where is his background from that I do not know?

He previously coached at Stephen F Austin and was an assistant at K State under Weber I think.

 

[uconngb]

He was very underpaid at OKSt. Someone on Twitter I read said they wouldn't be surprised if his salary tripled. *Edit* ESPN reports it is a straight tripling of his salary, from 1 million at OK St this year to 3 million at Illinois. Have to figure even if he used leverage at OK St they may not have matched it.

Well, I guess that's your answer. If Ok State is only willing to pay their coach a million bucks, this guy won't be the last one to use it as a stepping stone. That's pretty lame.

 

[mauconnfan]

He previously coached at Stephen F Austin and was an assistant at K State under Weber I think.

Sorry I meant where he went to school and grew up. Yeah I knew Austin but did not know about Weber. Weber could be the tie on then?

 

[Jaker]

Surprised Illinois is willing to pay that much.

 

[JSM1970]

I think it's an atttactive job if you can recruit Chicago and St Louis with some success.

This is quite a head scratcher. Guy finally gets his shot at the big time at OSU and has a pretty damn good year. Then parlays that into a job at Illinois after one year?? Is that really a step up? Kind of crazy how transient the world of college basketball has become.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

I think it's an atttactive job if you can recruit Chicago and St Louis with some success.

Or if it triples your salary. Either one .

 

[EROCK CONN]

Illinois is a better job than Ok. State....not by much because they are both pretty $hitty

 

[Huskyforlife]

Trippled salary, rich recruiting area, what's not to get?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Pretty much everyone who coached at a successful B-10 hoops school has said that Illinois is the best situation in the conference. The theory is that doing a good job of recruiting Chicago (doesn't even need to be great) is enough to be ranked every year.

 

[polycom]

The racket that is the NCAA continues, coach one year then leave but players have to sit a year.

 

[boog204]

He is a good coach; his teams at SF Austin were great and Okla St was a lot of fun to watch. If he can recruit Chicago and get "his" players, he could create a monster there.

 

[Robertelamin]

Sure, and if Rutgers can recruit NYC they will be a powerhouse too.

 

[intlzncster]

Illinois is a better job than Ok. State....not by much because they are both pretty $hitty

3 mil per ain't $hitty.

 

[JMick]

Sure, and if Rutgers can recruit NYC they will be a powerhouse too.

Illinois has a much richer history than Rutgers. It's not even comparable.

 

[Robertelamin]

I'm sure the recruits are impressed by the Helms Trophy.

 

[JSM1970]

Funniest thing was some Jersey dude calling into Francessa in early Jan talking up Rutty because they have a good record, playing no one. They ended up bottom of B1G 3-15.

Could be a good move for Steve Pikiell if he can get them to tourney in next 2-3 years and then get a real job like BCU or Pitt.

Sure, and if Rutgers can recruit NYC they will be a powerhouse too.

 

[Robertelamin]

Funniest thing was some Jersey dude calling into Francessa in early Jan talking up Rutty because they have a good record, playing no one. They ended up bottom of B1G 3-15.

Could be a good move for Steve Pikiell if he can get them to tourney in next 2-3 years and then get a real job like BCU or Pitt.

Rutgers has to have the shortest P5 college basketball wiki I have ever seen... Anyways the last time they made the tournament was in 1991 which was 4 years before they joined the Big East for basketball .

 

[Matrim55]

Pretty much everyone who coached at a successful B-10 hoops school has said that Illinois is the best situation in the conference. The theory is that doing a good job of recruiting Chicago (doesn't even need to be great) is enough to be ranked every year.

Except nobody from Illinois has been able to recruit Chicago since the Deon Thomas thing.

Still think it's a great job – high upside without the pressure of Indiana nor the academic restrictions of Michigan – but there are still fences that need obvious mending between Champaign and Chicago. It'll be interesting to see who Underwood hires as his assistants.

 

[intlzncster]

the last time they made the tournament was in 1991 which was 4 years before they joined the Big East for basketball .

Holy crap...really? I mean, I didn't know they were on THAT level of futility.

 

[willie99]

Big 10 has a lot of money

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Trippled salary, rich recruiting area, what's not to get?

Plus, Champaign-Urbana > Stillwater

 

[Draman]

I know no one really thinks of Illinois as a powerhouse or whatever but it's sneakily a very good job. They have the 10th most appearances of any team in the AP Poll