Coach Weber - Tumultuous Tenure

[Adam S Peri]

Hey guys,

I've been reading the legacies on here for a while, and have been inspired to post my own.

I know there is already an Illinois one going on, and was wondering if anybody would be upset if I started another.

My settings are a bit different. I am playing 15 Min quarters, and I've removed player transfers/leaving early. Sorry, I'm a traditionalist and I thought this would be fun.

I played almost the entire first year of my legacy, reaching the championship game. I was able to grab the #1 overall recruit because he was municipal, yes, from Champagne. I also grabbed another 5* and two lower level 4* guys. This amounted to the #2 recruiting class.

Unfortunately though, while simming the second season, I have not had good fortunes. My starting shooting guard and second best player has gone down for a year with a bad injury, and I was forced to use a medical redshirt on him. I haven't finished simming, but I don't expect to make the tournament.

Anyhow, that's a synopsis. I plan on playing every game from year three onward, and starting an interesting legacy thread on here, that is if Vikingfan and whoever else doesn't feel I'm steppin on anyone's toes by doing the Illini thing.

Guys, please let me know what you think.

Thanks...

[vikingfan1]

Go ahead man, the more the better. Its nice to see more Illini fans on this board. Just don't try to show me up to much, haha. Good Luck with Illinois! As soon as I get my 360 returned to me I am going to start playing it again.

[skarface2k1]

Adam get your post on dude!This site is for everyone.We are all just here to give advice to each other.Plus,see how we are all fairing in our legacies.

[Adam S Peri]

Back To Business

Following the Fighting Illini in 2010, by New Illini Beat Writer Adam Peri...

Of any Fighting Illini coach in history, Bruce Weber has certainly had the most tumultuous tenures... At the same time, it has been one of the most succesful, as he notched trips to the NCAA's Championship Game in both his second year, and just two years ago.

So why are fans still questioning the Illini front man?

Consistency?

Recruiting misses?

Questionable player injuries?

All of these would be correct answers. Lets start with consistency. After making it to his first final game, Coach Weber's Illini squads lost two questionable first round tournament match ups in the next two years. After making it that far, the fans expected more...

Finally, just two seasons ago, they received more, in another trip to the final game. The problem? Again, the next two seasons. In 2008, with the Illini success, Weber finally cashed in in the recruiting game, notching the #2 class in the country. With 3 complimentary athletes, and the number one overall recruit (Matthew Guinn), the Illini were poised for a repeat...

It never happened... Another first round tournament upset you ask? Not even. After their loss of starting shooting guard, and All-American candidate Loyd Evans to a severe knee injury, the Illini struggled to finish five hundred, ending at 16-15, and earning a meager NIT bid.

Despite the loss of Evans, fans wanted more. In 2009, things began rolling for the Illini. Evans was back and playing well. Now a sophmore, Matthew Guinn played so well, he was able to earn All Big-Ten and Second Team All-American Honors. But the on court results for the team, a Sweet Sixteen loss. Good for some, but not with the expectations this team faced.

So that brings us to the present, the kickoff of the 2010 season with the Illini Midnight Madness. One can only wonder what this season will bring the incosistent Weber, and his talented Illini club. The first litmus test begins now.

[Adam S Peri]

Local Radio Champaign's Own 89.4 Previews Tonight's Midnight Madness!

Host: This is Eric Haynes here with Illini basketball analyst Jerry Heilman, Jerry, could you give us a break down of the 2010 fighting Illini.

Jerry: Sure... but where do you start... Basically, like last year, and most of coach Weber's teams, they are perimeter oriented, but this year it's almost to a fault.

Eric: Ya, they've got Evans, Randall, Conway, McCurry, Foster, Collison

Jerry: And the two incomming freshman Miggins from Brother Rice High School in Chicago and the Australian Lyle Dean.

Eric: And Matthew Guinn can get out on the perimeter too. It's 8 scholarship players!

Jerry: Ya, it is a lot. But it should be fine as long as those bigs step up.

Eric: So Jerry, on your website, IlliniHoops.com, you posted a breakdown of the entire roster. Tell folks how to grab it.

Jerry: Real simple, just check out IlliniHoops.com, register, and you're in. We post roster info, game previews, post-game interviews, recruiting updates and more!

Eric: Thanks!

[Adam S Peri]

IlliniHoops.com's Roster Breakdown and Analysis


SG - Lloyd Evans SR RS 6'3 197Lbs Chicago, IL

The team leader. Lloyd Evans was schedule to graduate in 2009, and if he did, his career would have g one down as no less than outstanding. However, a medical redshirt that he took during the 2007 season, has given him an extra year of eligibility, extra experience, and one final shot at a National Title. His speed on the perimeter and ability to penetrate are a plus, but it's his 3 point range that he makes him deadly. In fact, there is no better shooter in conference and possibly NCAA. Finishing as a second team All-Conference player last year, he is poised to step up even further in the ranks as he is now fully recovered from the knee problems that threatened his career.

SF - Matthew Guinn JR 6'10 234Lbs Champaigne, IL

The former number one recruit in the nation, who chose to stay at home, over 30 other scholarship offers from around the nation, is by far the most talented athlete on the club. He is in a word... HUGE for his position. The fact is though, he can still get out on the perimeter and guard, and is deadly from mid-range. Inside, he plays with attitude and hustle, and is as fierce a rebounder as the most seasoned low block players. Last year, he came on strong in the second half of the campaign, and earned Second Team All-American Honors. This year, as an upperclassman, with experience under his belt, he looks to make a run at Player of the Year.

PG - Errick Randall JR 6'0 179 Lbs Oklahoma City, OK

A solid all-around point guard, and the key cog in this Illini attack. He doesn't do anything great, but he does everything well. His main role on the team, is to get the ball in the hands of Evans and Guinn for as many open looks as possible. Coming two years ago, he was the 72nd best recruit in the nation, with a 4* ranking. He has proved that ranking quite worthy and is a solid contributor

SG - Harold Conway JR 6'7 203 Lbs Aurora, IL

The tall, lanky Junior is another key member of this Illini squad. He lacks range, but makes up for it with stellar defensive skill and size that allows him to rebound his position with the best of them. When it comes to slashing to the basket, he is certainly no slouch. Conway can get to the hoop in a hurry. His major hops make him dangerous on the break, and a threat to up the momentum, with rim shaking dunks.

C - Ledell Porter JR 7'1 256 Lbs Elgin, IL

The tall center fits the Illini attack well. He can run the floor in a hurry, which allows him to keep up with the Illini's fast paced perimeter attack. Despite his size, Porter struggles in the halfcourt game. He sometimes lacks the tenacity to fight for tough rebounds, and has trouble defending opponents who are similar in size. His lack of toughness on the blocks could be a downfall of this Illini team, so hopefully he can step up and surprise.

SG - Eni McCurry SO 6'6 189 Lbs Toledo, OH

Pure shooter. There is no better way to describe this kid. He has deadly range from 15 ft and beyond. When Lloyd Evans graduates, he will probably step up and become the conferences top three point threat. The Illini staff pursued McCurry from the minute they saw him as sophmore in high school. At the time, he was a 5* recruit, but was later dropped slightly into the 4* ranks. He was the 26th ranked player in his class, but his lack of speed and athleticism caused a slight dip. If he can improve his speed and mobility, he can become an elite player. For now, he is one-dimmensional, but that one dimmension he has, can be unstoppable when he's on fire.

PF - Cameron Joseph SO 6'10 224 Lbs Chicago, IL

Joseph has similar problems, to his fellow big Ladell Porter. He can score inside, and move up and down the court. He has trouble defending though, and has not really shown great tenacity on the glass. One of these two is going to have to step up inside, or the Illini are going to be in trouble when their shooters go cold.

PG - Aleem Foster SR RS 6'2 212 Lbs Baltimore, MD

Experience. Experience. Experience. He lacks the skills to start on this team, but his status as a fifth year senior make him a valuable asset. He'll need to come in and spell Errick Randall, without the team losing any of Randall's distribution skills. He has a rough time shooting from the field, although his ability to penetrate is on par with most back-up point guards. All in all, his experience makes him a valuable player on this ball club.

SF - Jeromy Miggins FR 6'3 203 Chicago, IL

The jury is out on this fresh face. On the AAU circuit and summer camp tour, Miggins gained a reputation as being a low-to the ground, perimeter shooter, with some nice driving skills. Ranked 49th in the class of 2009, he should bring solid game off the bench. Although he is thick-bodied, he should have some trouble guarding bigger, quicker wings at first. His eventual position may be strictly at the two, as he may not be rugged enough box out bigger small forwards.

SG - Lyle Dean FR 6'4 195 Sydney, AU

The Aussie guard comes with a lot of mystery. With the recruiting misses coach Weber faced in 2009, he was forced to take a flyer on the little known guard, having only seen game film, and never watching him in live action. Reports from down under mention outstanding leaping ability, and knackl for slashing to the basket. Hopefully his shot is up to par, cause we know Coach Weber likes guards who can fill it up from the outside. This should be an interesting one...

C - Neil Emery SR 7'0 292 Lbs Decatur, IL

Power. Emery has pure power. Despite being a senior, his offensive game is very undefined, but his defensive skills are unmatched. He can come in off the bench and clog up the line, making it much easier on the perimeter players. He may seem insignificant on a team that likes to run, but make no mistake, when a team trys to slow down the Illini, there going to have to deal with Emery. Coach Weber won't hesitate to throw him into the paint and turn the tables around on any opponent. His presence on the Illini bench makes it that much tougher to game plan for this team.

PF - Damon Poole SR RS 6'9 292 Lbs Malden, MA

If he had 3 more inches, he would be almost identical to Neil Emery. Their games are quite similar, but Poole does have a little bit nicer touch around the rim, and once in a while, he'll step out and burry a jumper. Perhaps the most important thing that these two have in common, is lots of experience. He is another one of the 5th year seniors on this Illini team that will help leads these young folks through the tough times - on the court, and off.

PF - Own Salter JR RS 6'10 222 Lbs Arlington Heights, IL

For his position, Salter can shoot it with anyone. He has range out to the three point arc, and is money from mid-range. His downside, similar to the other Illini bigs, he is a weak defensive presence, how does not rebound well for his position. He'll get his chance to change this perception when the Illini are up big, or losing in a blow-out. Hopefully he will prove the critics wrong.

SG - Matt Collison SR RS WO 6'5 225 Lbs Aurora, IL

Collison is suprisingly valuable as a walk on. He has a lot of experience and decent range from behind the arc. Coach Weber won't hesitate to use him when he goes to his 4-guard set, cause his ability to hit the three will really help spread the floor.

SF - Marshall Yates SO RS WO 6'8 225 Lbs Chicago, IL

The walk on forward is starting to become an important practice player for the Fighting Illini. He hustles on every play, and makes his teammates work that much harder in scrimmages and drills.

PF - Reece Wesley FR WO (Redshirting) 6'9 240 Lbs Carbondale, IL

It remains to be seen what this walk-on can do. He has the size to be a solid practice player. Hopefully he can take lessons from Marshall Yates and learn just how important players like he can be.

[Adam S Peri]

Midnight Madness

Bench Play Highlights Midnight Madness Events at Assembly Hall

Orange Squad 74
Blue Squad 67

Adam Peri's Quick Game Recap

An interesting scrimmage. Although we did not record statistics (due to it being a scrimmage), it was clear who the top two players were. As we expected, Matthew Guinn and Loyd Evans put on a show. Starting the first five minutes out with a bang, Evans hit two early three's, with Quinn notching a powerful dunk of an errant pass by Aleem Foster.

Despite their solid play, Coach Weber took them out after five, to let some of the bench play. It's hard to say if anyone really dissapointed cause it was a scrimmage, but the Illini are going to have to get more out of their bigs. Other than Salter, filling the lane is not a problem. But, when you weight over 250 pounds and hit the 7'0 mark, you gotta do a little more. One play of note, was where new freshman Lyle Dean leaped right through Damon Poole for an easy grab off the glass. Poole is so much wider than Dean, that he could of probably boxed out two players like him at once. The effort and hustle from the bigs just wasn't there.

On a more positive note though, tenacious rebounding wasn't needed too often. The shooting on this team is unbelievable. McCurry, Evans, etc are known quan****** and Jeromy Miggins really impressed. He looks like he already has a strong mid range J, and could become a solid three point shooter with time.

If you haven't already seen the schedule, go check it out at Illinihoops.com or in your local paper. To begin, the Illini face Radford in the first round of the Pre-season NIT...

[vikingfan1]

What system are you playing on?

[Adam S Peri]

Xbox 360...

Sorry, I'll post stats/recruiting stuff etc. tomorrow.

Gettin a little tired tonight.

If you guys have any pointers for legacy posting or stuff you enjoy seeing, just let me know...

thanks

[Adam S Peri]

Top Coaches After one of Nation's Finest

by 2k7.com Recruiting Analyst Jason Stotland

Class of 2010 Point Guard Jeb Phelps has scholarship offers from all over the country. When you're as decorated a high school athlete as he is, it's bound to happen. Phelps, who ranks as the #2 overall player in his recruiting class, is also a high school All-American honoree, an Illinois State Champion. At 6'4, his shooting prowess, ball handling ability, and history of past success make Phelps a hot commodity.

"It's hard for me to name favorites because I have received so much attention from so many places" Phelps said. "If I had to name a leader, it would be Kansas. Coach Self has been recruiting me for a long time, and he's an outstanding front man."

It's still a couple weeks from signing day, and other schools are working hard to flip Jeb's leader-board. The list of top candidates for his services after the Jayhawks is Illinois, Mighigan State and Duke and North Carolina.

"Illinois is probably number two, followed by the Spartans, Duke and North Carolina" Phelps explaioned. "Illinois has been recruiting me the longest, I've been seeing coach Weber at my games since I was a freshman and as soon as they could offer, they did. Champaign is close to home and all their games are televised here in Chicago. I remember whan I was in grade school, Deron Williams lead the Illini to a 30-1 season."

The similarities to Williams are clear. Both are strong defenders, both run the point, and both stand about 6'4. Coach Self recruited Williams to Illinois, and Bruce Weber coached him. Don't think that's something Jeb Phelps has forgotten.

Stay tuned for more info on Jeb Phelps, and other recruiting news.

[chestnutz6]

Hey good looking legacy. Could you post your schedule, maybe a Big Ten preview of teams and top players, and just what the player's ratings are

[Adam S Peri]

Sure

I planned on doing all that... I've just been pretty busy with work.

I should have a bunch more to post tonight.

[Adam S Peri]

Illinihoops.com - Fighting Illini Schedule

The scheduling Gods looked favorably on the Illini this year.... Well actually, Athletic Director Ron Guenther and Bruce Weber did. As far as scheduling goes, the Illini have one of the weakest one's in the land. If this team is as good as expected they could breeze through the non-conference portion without a hitch.

There are two stepping stones before the Illini hit conference play. The ACC Big Ten Challenge certainly poses just that. This year, the Illini travel to #19 Maryland. Later, in December, the teams heads down to Arizona, to take on an underrated Wildcats club, ranked 18th.

Other than those two hurdles, the Illini are poised to soar. As far as the conference outlook, it's a two horse race. Ohio St has senior stars all over the court. 7'2 275 Lbs center J.D. Boggan leads that group. Matchups with the Buckeyes on February 13th and 27th could decide who takes the Big Ten crown.

Here's a look at who the Illini will face in 2010:

*Conference Games in Red

11/13 - Radford (BCA Classic)
11/14 - TBD (BCA Classic)
11/15 - TBD (BCA Classic)
11/20 - Princeton
11/25 - Detroit
11/28 - Albany
11/20 - At Maryland
12/05 - Wofford
12/10 - At W. Michigan
12/12 - Coppin St.
12/19 - C. Michigan
12/26 - At Arizona
12/31 - Army
01/02 - Villanova
01/06 - Iowa
01/09 - At Minnesota
01/16 - At Purdue
01/20 - Wisconsin
01/27 - At Michigan St.
01/30 - At Penn St.
02/03 - Indiana
02/09 - At Northwestern
02/13 - Ohio St.
02/16 - At Michigan
02/20 - Penn St.
02/24 - At Iowa
02/27 - At Ohio St.
03/02 - Michigan
03/06 - Northwestern

[Adam S Peri]

Illini Roster Chalk Full of Highly Rated Talent

By Jim Rayness, Special to Illinihoops.com

It may seem a little far fetched, but we all love stats. We know numbers don't lie either, so I've come up with a rating system, to rank every college player. From the walk-ons on small conference teams to the elite starters of Duke and North Carolina, this system allows me to pinpoint every sttribute in a players game. It's quite the chore, but with the new rules against transferring and leaving early for the NBA, it's been quite fun to rate the level of talent now in the NCAA.

I've been asked to give my assessment of the Illinois Fighting Illini. Enjoy!

SF #33 - JR - Matthew Guinn (89 OVR)
SG #31 - SR RS - Lloyd Evans (88 OVR, 99 3PT)
SG #10 - JR - Harold Conway (86 OVR)
SG #25 - SO - Eni McCurry (85 OVR, 90 3PT)
PG #30 - JR - Errick Randall (82 OVR)
C #44 - JR - Ledell Porter (82 OVR)
C #21 - SR - Neil Emery (80 OVR)
SF #32 - FR - Jeromy Miggins (78 OVR)
PF #34 - SR RS - Damon Poole (76 OVR)
PF #15 - SO - Cameron Joseph (74 OVR)
SG #1 - FR - Lyle Dean (75 OVR)
PG #3 - SR RS - Aleem Foster (72 OVR)
SG # 40 - SR RS WO - Matt Collison (71 OVR)
PF #50 - JR RS - Owen Salter (68 OVR)
SF #20 - SO RS - Marshall Yates (60 OVR)
PF #24 - FR (Redshirting) - Reece Wesley (55 OVR)

[Adam S Peri]

Illinois Defeats Radford in Round 1 of BCA Classic

By Illini beat writer Adam Peri

The Illini were too much for Radford tonight as they opened the season with a 75-41 victory. The gap between these two programs was highlighted early as the Illini started the game with a 16-4 run. The streak was highlighted by the play of team leader Matthew Guinn. In the end, Guinn notched a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Here's a look at the Illini statistics:

Errick Randall - 2 Pts, 1-1 FG
Lloyd Evans - 5 Pts, 1 Ast, 2-7 FG, 0-3 3PT
Matthew Guinn - 15 Pts, 10 Reb, 2 Ast, 7-13 FG
Damon Poole - 4 Pts, 8 Reb, 2-2 FG
Ledell Porter - 6 Pts, 3 Reb, 3-3 FG
Harold Conway - 9 Pts, 3 Ast, 4-5 FG
Eni McCurry - 11 Pts, 5 Reb, 4-7 FG, 3-5 3PT
Jeromy Miggins - 11 Pts, 3 Reb, 4-5 FG, 1-1 3PT
Neil Emery - 5 Reb
Curtis Joseph - 4 Pts, 4 Reb
Aleem Foster - 2 Pts, 2 Ast
Lyle Dean - 2 Pts

Coach's Comments

After the Illini opening match-up with Radford, Coach Weber made a few interesting comments. The first regarding starting power forward Damon Poole, when Weber stated that "After Midnight Madness, we discussed putting Damon on the bench, and after a couple practices, we decided to make that move official. Within three days, we chanegd our mind and re-insterted him into the starting lineup and it has paid dividends. I don't think the demotion was a mistake though, we we're trying to send a message and it got through. We need him to play ferocious on the board. He did well today."

Regarding Lloyd Evans, Coach Weber had this to say, "He had a rough game. But he'll be allright. Every shooter has a bad night. The nice thing about this team, is that we have plenty of talent around him. He doesn't have to carry us on his back like he did a couple years ago. We're ranked in the top 5 because of the team, not Lloyd Evans and Matt Guinn"

On the BCA Classic Weber remarked "We want to win it. Sure it's only three games, but it gives us a little taste of that tournament atmosphere."

[guckin1989]

Good stuff. Maybe you could use someones Box recap form. As in just make it more organized for your stats. Your typing part is great and i give you props. Good win and good luck with the rest of the season.

[skarface2k1]

Your doing good coach.Keep representing the BIG TEN well.Coach Sanders out.