So over the past few weeks, I've watched quite a few top 25 teams. And over the past few weeks, I've also watched a fair amount of top 10 teams play as well.
As i watched some of the top 10 teams play, I found myself sitting there in near disbelief because I realized just from watching them play just how bad our team looks. And i am talking about on both ends of the floor. Of course the noticeable difference in talent was on full display. On offense, i have watched multiple teams running back-door cuts for dunks/lay-ups, effective pick-and-rolls for dunks/lay-ups, watched a lot of movement away from the ball, etc.. And on the defensive end, I have watched teams that understand the simple concept of 'HELP DEFENSE.' And lastly, I see players in actual defensive stances.
I then thought to myself, "well this isn't a fair measuring stick because these are top 10 teams that i'm comparing here." So I really sort of just moved on from my state of disbelief.
But then i watched multiple top 25 teams play over the past few weeks, and I noticed that all those things i mentioned above were still taking place. Most troubling was the noticeable difference in TALENT. But then I thought about how talented players like Nunn and Hill are, and I came to the conclusion that its just a matter of this system in place IMO. Nunn and Hill also can't carry a team, like they are expected to do. And that isn't fair on them what-so-ever.
This current team is nowhere near a top 30 team, and its not close. That is troubling in year 4 IMO.
Then we talk about next year's team, and yes they will have yet another year under the frosh's belts along with Nunn and Hill being seniors. But the problem is that you rarely see much of a jump from Junior to Senior year for guards (bigs more often than not have the bigger jump, if there is one). DJW has shown nothing IMO. Jordan has shown flashes, and to be honest, I think we see the biggest jump in HIS game because he has the talent, but is still learning quite a bit. JCL is already showing he can flat-out shoot the rock, but his handles are now showing posters like Rilla and a few more why you can't just take a SG and "make him our next PG." JCL should HOPEFULLY get better on the defensive end, but from a scoring stand-point, I don't see him scoring much more due to Hill and Nunn in front of him to boot.
So next year if we have the same system and the same staff, I sure don't expect to all of a sudden see a top 20 team, i just don't. If Thorne is allowed to come back, then maybe they have a moment to crack the top 25. Maybe. but in year 5 at Illiinois, you shouldn't be HOPING to maybe scratch the top 30 list IMO.
The main point here is that as I watch every other team in the top 25 play on national T.V., I get even more disgusted because it shows the glaring FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES Groce-coached teams have had since he arrived.
Chet the Jet said it perfectly, "all these kids are mainly kids that have only been coached by this staff." the fact they all seem to lack the basic fundamentals on defense, etc. is alarming and not pure coincidental.
I also thought his statement of "John Groce is just one DJ Cooper away from being an assistant coach at a Power 5 conference team after flaming out at Ohio U" was spot-on, and one of the most eye-opening posts i've read in a while.
And lastly, I don't even recall the last time IL had ESPN's biggest announcers calling one of their games. I don't recall a Bilas or Vitale game being called for IL in quite some time. That is fine because we all know ho annoying Dukie V can be, but that isn't the point. The fact is, IL has officially become irrelevant, and has been so for quite some time.
As i watched some of the top 10 teams play, I found myself sitting there in near disbelief because I realized just from watching them play just how bad our team looks. And i am talking about on both ends of the floor. Of course the noticeable difference in talent was on full display. On offense, i have watched multiple teams running back-door cuts for dunks/lay-ups, effective pick-and-rolls for dunks/lay-ups, watched a lot of movement away from the ball, etc.. And on the defensive end, I have watched teams that understand the simple concept of 'HELP DEFENSE.' And lastly, I see players in actual defensive stances.
I then thought to myself, "well this isn't a fair measuring stick because these are top 10 teams that i'm comparing here." So I really sort of just moved on from my state of disbelief.
But then i watched multiple top 25 teams play over the past few weeks, and I noticed that all those things i mentioned above were still taking place. Most troubling was the noticeable difference in TALENT. But then I thought about how talented players like Nunn and Hill are, and I came to the conclusion that its just a matter of this system in place IMO. Nunn and Hill also can't carry a team, like they are expected to do. And that isn't fair on them what-so-ever.
This current team is nowhere near a top 30 team, and its not close. That is troubling in year 4 IMO.
Then we talk about next year's team, and yes they will have yet another year under the frosh's belts along with Nunn and Hill being seniors. But the problem is that you rarely see much of a jump from Junior to Senior year for guards (bigs more often than not have the bigger jump, if there is one). DJW has shown nothing IMO. Jordan has shown flashes, and to be honest, I think we see the biggest jump in HIS game because he has the talent, but is still learning quite a bit. JCL is already showing he can flat-out shoot the rock, but his handles are now showing posters like Rilla and a few more why you can't just take a SG and "make him our next PG." JCL should HOPEFULLY get better on the defensive end, but from a scoring stand-point, I don't see him scoring much more due to Hill and Nunn in front of him to boot.
So next year if we have the same system and the same staff, I sure don't expect to all of a sudden see a top 20 team, i just don't. If Thorne is allowed to come back, then maybe they have a moment to crack the top 25. Maybe. but in year 5 at Illiinois, you shouldn't be HOPING to maybe scratch the top 30 list IMO.
The main point here is that as I watch every other team in the top 25 play on national T.V., I get even more disgusted because it shows the glaring FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES Groce-coached teams have had since he arrived.
Chet the Jet said it perfectly, "all these kids are mainly kids that have only been coached by this staff." the fact they all seem to lack the basic fundamentals on defense, etc. is alarming and not pure coincidental.
I also thought his statement of "John Groce is just one DJ Cooper away from being an assistant coach at a Power 5 conference team after flaming out at Ohio U" was spot-on, and one of the most eye-opening posts i've read in a while.
And lastly, I don't even recall the last time IL had ESPN's biggest announcers calling one of their games. I don't recall a Bilas or Vitale game being called for IL in quite some time. That is fine because we all know ho annoying Dukie V can be, but that isn't the point. The fact is, IL has officially become irrelevant, and has been so for quite some time.
