OT: Mark Smith to Transfer
- Thread starter NJCat
- Start date
I think they allow tranfers within the conference but his current team may be able to restrict it
Not sure what willy is referring to, but transfers must sit out 1 full year at the new institution. They have 5 years to complete 4 years of eligibility, so unless they have already taken a redshirt year they don't lose a year of eligibility. For example, in Sith's case, he played 1 year, must sit out a year at the new school, and then has 3 years of eligibility left.
Top to bottom, the BIG is a very strong conference. Others may be stronger at the top but top to bottom, BIG is close to the top. That would tend to crush coaches
Sorry should have made it clearer, that Smith would have to sit out a year due to the transfer rule. he still would appear to eligible for three more years of eli
That is the old Big Ten rule, but I believe it changed four or five years ago. I believe the player can now get a scholarship, but he/she must forfeit a year of eligibility. That is the new punitive part of the rule.
Right.
The NU-related thing about the Mark Smith transfer...how many posters would today straight up trade Anthony Gaines for Mark Smith even if Smith was eligible immediately?
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Mark Smith wants to be a PG, wasn't going to happen at Illinois. I hope the young man finds a school that will have an opening at PG so he can fulfill his dream. Underwood or Whitman did not place any restrictions on which universities he could transfer to, so there's a good chance that he ends of at Mizzou. Or SLU. It's unfortunate that it didn't work out for him at Illinois, but now he can move on and still have 4 years to play 3.
Didn’t someone on this board used to have a “Rantoul’s Big Ten Team” signature with the backdrop of an old guy driving John Deere? Wish I saved that image.
Are you kidding? That's nothing when it comes to recruiting. I just saw a kid from Chicago Simeon playing for BYU the other night. So Utah is closer than Champaign?
With hindsight, Weber isn't looking so bad. He wasn't the world's strongest recruiter, but I always thought he was a good Xs and Os coach. His teams played with discipline and usually were solid defensively. There was a good bit on ESPN last night about Pitt getting dissatisfied with Dixon, who had done a good job for them. Some believe the mutterings at Pitt moved Dixon to take the job opening at TCU. They replaced him with Stallings, who went 0-18 in the ACC this year (0-19 if you count the tourney). Sometimes the grass is not greener on the other side.
Somebody might want to notify KSU. There's a post in the Athletic this week about how some KSU fans may be disappointed in Weber's success this year. It's like a mirror image of his situation at Illinois - fans over-valuing program, Manhattan vs. Champaign, ignoring that anybody in the modern age and close-to-successful left. The only difference is KSU is a solid second banana.
I used to enjoy the ineptitude of Illinois. Their entire program is so bad now that it’s more just annoying.
Even for an NU fan, it's not fair to categorize it this way. Kruger left for the NBA, a destination that Blue Bloods lose coaches to; when he came back to college, he took an open job that happened to be in the Big XII. Bill Self left for his dream job at Blue Blood Kansas and is on record as saying that is the only place he leaves UI for. You can choose not to believe him if that floats your boat, but Self leaves for KU if he's coaching at OSU, Michigan or MSU. We literally fired Bruce Weber, LOL. Whatever you might think of that decision, he didn't "leave for greener pastures."
I also think you guys are kind of being haters on our current position. Groce left this program in a very bad spot, as you all enjoyed pointing out! Underwood isn't going to come in and fix everything in year 1. It doesn't take a genius to realize that. Some players almost always transfer out when there's a coaching change, and Underwood is off to a fairly good recruiting start and has some talent (IMO) returning. We might be terrible for the next 10 years, too, but only a blind partisan would claim to know that already... Most Illini fans like who we have in charge and know that it'll take a few years to rebuild.
"Proximity? It’s at least two hours to Champaign from either Chicago or StL."
Context? Seemed like a pretty straightforward statement to me.
Sure it takes time to rebuild but he's having guys he just recruited transfer out. Don't think that's something to build on.
I do agree that Underwood will be fine and bring the program back to top half of the conference. He is a major red *** and will take a certain type of player to succeed there.
Fitzphile said it was strange Illinois isn't more of a destination job giving its proximity to Chicago and St. Louis.
You said, "Proximity? It’s at least two hours to Champaign from either Chicago or StL."
So I guess I'll assume you were attempting to be sarcastic.
I am not Fizphile, but it seems to me that 2 hours away from a major metropolitan area is pretty darn close, in the big scheme of things. A lot of others have to travel far longer to reach a comparable metro area.
It should make a difference at least with recruits who would like family and friends to attend most of their home games.
I have been driving between Chicago and St Louis every week since early January. It now feels very local. Bloomington is a suburb. Springfield is an exurb. Heck, I even detoured one time to Decatur to get a calzone at Maustell’s.
Did that drive too many times to count. Worst part of the drive to STL is when you pass Springfield and the road consolidates from three lanes to two....and the sign says "99 miles" so you think it'll be a bit over an hour. And it never is.
Sometime during undergrad, a friend and I went to a concert in St. Louis. Late show, we had a place to crash if we wanted. Left Chicago about noon, stopped at a Denny's in Bolingbrook, continued to St. Louis.
After the show, probably 2am, we decided to power home instead. Just north of St. Louis, we saw a Denny's. We decided to skip it - long drive ahead, let's just go to the next one - it'll break up the drive a bit.
Our next Denny's was 3-plus hours later, in Bolingbrook. We had the same waitress, on her next day's shift. She recognized that we hadn't changed.
There's not much between Chicago and St. Louis. As of 20 years ago, not even a Denny's.
After the show, probably 2am, we decided to power home instead. Just north of St. Louis, we saw a Denny's. We decided to skip it - long drive ahead, let's just go to the next one - it'll break up the drive a bit.
Our next Denny's was 3-plus hours later, in Bolingbrook. We had the same waitress, on her next day's shift. She recognized that we hadn't changed.
There's not much between Chicago and St. Louis. As of 20 years ago, not even a Denny's.
I think that funnel is at mile 80. It’s still 6 lanes at Toronto Rd, exit 90, where the Cracker Barrel is. Divernon is exit 80. There was a girl from Divernon at NU. She pretty much wore out one of my fraternity brothers. She said there was nothing to do in Divernon except ****, so I guess she had it mastered.
My point is that UIUC is too far from StL or Chicago to use either city as a draw, not that players won’t travel over two hours to go to school.
I agree with that. And after all we all know NU is Chicago's Big 10 Team......
My point was, it is close enough to both cities that friends and family could attend games. Those cities are fertile recruiting grounds so being close allows the coaches to maximize their recruiting efforts. UIUC already schedules one game a season in each city.
Jim's Steakhouse in Bloomington. Best hamburger in the country. Still there as of a year ago.
Having grown up in Springfield and being familiar with the area, I am absolutely astounded that anyone from Divernon made it to NU. Not much there but grain elevators, coal mines and the back seat of someone's 60 Chevy.
If you want to commit suicide by heart attack, you can always get a horseshoe in Springfield. With AMD and AE Staley (not sure if they are still there) you must have been pretty desperate to got to Decatur. That place stinks (literally)
Of course true, and obviously so...anyhow, besides F&F attending the games, both cities are close enough for players to attend social events on occasions...not as a matter of daily routine, but certainly over some weekends...that is something that many schools cannot offer (no comparable metro area within easy driving distance)...should be an advantage at least with some recruits.
Looks like Illinois point guard Lucas is leaving the program. Hope he goes to play for PB at Milwaukee.