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Hires Underwood, about one week before IU hires Miller.  The Illini shower Underwood with a $3 mill/year contract. Plus paid OSU $3 mill/buyout. 

Illinois Tripled Brad Underwood's Salary and Paid a $3 Million Buyout | Pistols Firing

Illinois/Underwood has failed to get one commit for their 2018 class.   Let me repeat that.  As of today.. Illinois has ZERO commits for 2018.

Five questions about Illini basketball | Illini | stltoday.com

In contrast, not only has Archie been able to keep kids from last year from transferring. Yes, some went into the NBA. But none transferred, as often happens with a coaching change.  Archie has four commits for 2018, and is in hot pursuit of not one, but two five stars (Langford, and Garland.

 

I can only think back to 2008 and after, when many Illinois fans kept making fun of Sampsongate.  And sit here with....:P  on face, thinking about this.

 

 

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I understand the anger caused by some Illinois Fans during the Sampsongate BS at IU ! However , I have to say that I  [currently] respect Coach Underwood and think he is a good coach ! Underwood did land a really Good Transfer eligible guard for the 2017-2018 season ! And , I think he will  coach the heck out of the returning Illinois players ! I am interested to see how the 2017-2018 season plays out for the freakin illini ,vbg !!

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10 minutes ago, hoosiertildeath said:

I understand the anger caused by some Illinois Fans during the Sampsongate BS at IU ! However , I have to say that I  [currently] respect Coach Underwood and think he is a good coach ! Underwood did land a really Good Transfer eligible guard for the 2017-2018 season ! And , I think he will  coach the heck out of the returning Illinois players ! I am interested to see how the 2017-2018 season plays out for the freakin illini ,vbg !!

He has to stay out of prison first.

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5 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

An Assistant from Oklahoma St has been implicated in this case.

Correct.  Implicated during the time the Underwood was HC at OSU.   And that is why many Illinois fans are sitting on pins and needles at present. All one has to do, is look at what already happened to Pitino at Louisville.

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I just read about the investigation at Oklahoma State which began in 2014 BEFORE Underwood became the head COACH AT OKLAHOMA STATE !!! UNDERWOOD'S NAME was not even mentioned in the subpoena REGARDING illegal RECRUITING . ETC AT Oklahoma State !! I think Underwood was smart to get out of Dodge [vbg] before the shooting began !! I think Underwood is a clean HONEST Coach [and I certainly hope so ! I am sick of all of the censured cheating that does go on in college hoops !! ]  The best thng Underwood has done at Illinois was to get 6'5" Fifth-year Senior , Mark Alstork , to transfer to Illinois . Alstork played one season at Ball State where he averaged 5.6 points per game. Then Alstork transferred to Wright State where he averaged 12.4 points per game as a Sophomore !! Then , Alstork averaged 19 points per game his Junior season at Wright State !! So , you can see that h [Alstork] has made great improvement every season !!  Illinois has a 6'7" Junior forward back , Leron Black , who averaged 8.1 ppg last season , and a 6'10" Junior Forward back , Michael Finke , who averaged 6.8 ppg last year !, and a 6'6" Junior forward back ,  Kipper Nichols , who  averaged 4.9 ppg last year , and a 6'1" Sophomore Guard back , Te'Jon Lucas , who averaged 4.8 ppg last year !! So Underwood does have some good working parts to work with , [imho] Underwood also recruited a 6'9" Forward , Matic Vesel , from Slovenia !! Those former Yugoslavian Nation players are usually pretty darn good !Just ask Matt Painter and the pee yew smellermakers about LITHUANIA ( LMAO-LMAO-LMAO) !!!!

P.S. Underwood has ADDED ANOTHER 6'9" Freshman Post player that I forgot to mention in my original post !

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Lamont Evans from OSU was arrested in September of this year.  He was hired in 2016.  HTD, I think we are talking about two different things, but related things.  According to this story, from just yesterday, Brad Underwood was HC as well as two others during the investigation time.

Report: New York grand jury sends subpoena to OSU requesting documents - CBSSports.com

 

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4 minutes ago, hoosiertildeath said:

NOPE- the investigation at Oklahoma State actually started in 2014 BEFORE Underwood became the Head Coach At Oklahoma State ! Please recheck your facts !!!!!!

Evans is being investigated for events that happened in April of 2016 and February of 2017, while he was Underwood's assistant.

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7 minutes ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

Evans is being investigated for events that happened in April of 2016 and February of 2017, while he was Underwood's assistant.

True. Very true. As I posted just before you.  Thanks for the supporting declaration.  Illini fans have every reason to be on pins and needles as do the 'Zona fans.  Why ?  Because the NCAA has thrown out the plausible  deniability clause out...... plus the fact that , now, infractions committed at one school will follow you to the next school.  IU and Sampson preceded this ruling.  And IU agreed to accept any penalties served on Sampson while at Oklahoma, when IU hired Kelvin.  Now the penalties follow a HC, without a school agreeing to accept penalties while at another school.   Again.... a real reason why Illinois fans should be on pins and needles, right now. 

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I think anyone will agree there's a reason Illinois has zero 2018 commits. Plenty of coaches using the threat of BU not being there (or potential punishment) against them. Of course that could change this weekend. The one kid Ayo?? I think decides. Down to Wake Forest and Illinois. Reading the tea leaves kid wants Illinois but parents pushing for Wake. 

On a side note. Having been born in Chicago and most of my friends are either Illinois alumni or fans....the level of fan apathy among them is at all time levels. None of them actually care anymore about Illinois athletics. Gave up in recent years. Kind of sad actually.

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P.S Evans is NOT Underwood !! The Question is whether Underwood was involved with this ! I do NOT think so Oklahoma State was being investigated in 2014 BEFORE Mr. Underwood became the Head Coach at Oklahoma State ! The fact that Underwood LEFT Oklahoma State after only one season speaks well for him[ Underwood ] IMHO !!

P.S. Only time will tell if Underwood is really Clean ( and I think he is ) or whether he can bring the Illini back to relevancy in the B10 and Nationally !!

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I can not address Brad Underwood's  recruiting class for 2018-2019 !! However  , I can address his recruiting class for 2017-2018 ! Underwood has added FIVE FRESHMEN and A SENIOR GRAD TRANSFER FROM WRIGHT STATE ! The Sr. Grad Transfer  is one of only 2 SENIORS on the 2017-2018 Illini Roster  Therefore , it does not appear [ at this time ] that Underwood will have many scholarships available for 2018-2019 !! Among the 5 Freshman are two 6'9" recruits and a 6'4" Point Guard that had received OFFERS from::Boston College ,Butler , California , DePaul ,  INDIANA UNIVERSITY , Kansas State , Kaintucky ,Loyola Of Chicago , MICHIGAN STATE , Missouri , NEBRASKA , NORTHWESTERN , OHIO STATE , TEXAS , and Utah !! That  [ my friends ] is an IMPRESSIVE list of OFFERS !!!!

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Freshman guard Mark Smith is a heck of a get for Illinois.  He blew up his senior year in high school.  Crean was on him early last year, but I got the sense that Archie bowed out as we were in a scholarship quandary that got complicated in the midst of Smith blowing up.   He’s one of the top players in the freshman class nationally and a big time player.  I think Underwood landed him but you could check the dates.  

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If the Ayo kid chooses Illinois that could be a big one. Opens the doors for others to play with him. If he doesn't....it could be mean more and more difficulties on the recruiting trail (fair or unfair) due to Ok St stuff. 

PS...Mark Smith has a NBA body already. My only question is this. If he's so good.....why Illinois? They've fallen so hard it's a fair question to ask. 

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19 minutes ago, BDB said:

What is the most active illini board?  Scout used to be very active.  Is that still the case?

No clue anymore. Anyone who spent more than a minute on their Scout board around the Gordon/Sampson era ran into a few certifiable lunatics. I haven't ventured back.

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On 10/13/2017 at 7:46 PM, Seeking6 said:

If the Ayo kid chooses Illinois that could be a big one. Opens the doors for others to play with him. If he doesn't....it could be mean more and more difficulties on the recruiting trail (fair or unfair) due to Ok St stuff. 

PS...Mark Smith has a NBA body already. My only question is this. If he's so good.....why Illinois? They've fallen so hard it's a fair question to ask. 

Not sure why he chose Illinois...but I thought some bigger name schools gave him a look for awhile...maybe Duke or Kansas??? 

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