Shaka Smart turns down Illinois.....

[5hrenergy]

Smart makes $1.3 million at VCU and his wife reportedly loves it there.

I think it's great that he is not chasing the money, he apparently is his own man with his own plans and goals.

Not sure it played a factor but they just had a daughter last year as well and if the wife loves it there she may not want to move quite yet....

 

[WTSooner]

but I think he can wait and see if there are more promising opportunities than Illinois.

What jobs, outside of the obvious power houses (Duke, NC, Kentucky, UCONN, Indiana, and UCLA) would you say are significantly better than Illinois? Are there really that many?

 

[campbest]

What jobs, outside of the obvious power houses (Duke, NC, Kentucky, UCONN, Indiana, and UCLA) would you say are significantly better than Illinois? Are there really that many?

There isn't, Illinois is a real good job, Top 15 quality.

 

[WaymanFan]

What jobs, outside of the obvious power houses (Duke, NC, Kentucky, UCONN, Indiana, and UCLA) would you say are significantly better than Illinois? Are there really that many?

Other than Kansas, you listed all the coaching jobs which are better. While I am a bit surprised he passed on Illinois, I do think the UCLA and UConn jobs might be opening up in the next year or two.

 

[Max Power]

I wouldn't compare Illinois to Colorado or Nebraska though. I really think Illinois is very high on the 2nd tier job list. If he is holding out for tier 1, that offer may never come.

Maybe he is content where he is. That's cool. I get and respect that. I just thought this might be a good opportunity for him.

But would you compare Illinois to OU pre caple?

 

[WTSooner]

But would you compare Illinois to OU pre caple?

Probably, but I think Illinois has some advantages that OU doesn't. Largely the recruiting hotbed of Chicago.

That said, just how attractive would the OU job had been had Kelvin left for Indiana, but we didn't have the sanctions looming? I don't know. Considering we're a football school first, our location, and stuff like that, I really think the Illinois job is probably more attractive. And that certainly isn't downplaying OU. I lover our history, and our program. I just don't think outsiders see it the same way.

 

[campbest]

Probably, but I think Illinois has some advantages that OU doesn't. Largely the recruiting hotbed of Chicago.

That said, just how attractive would the OU job had been had Kelvin left for Indiana, but we didn't have the sanctions looming? I don't know. Considering we're a football school first, our location, and stuff like that, I really think the Illinois job is probably more attractive. And that certainly isn't downplaying OU. I lover our history, and our program. I just don't think outsiders see it the same way.

This, perception nationwide, Illinois is a better job. The recruiting in-roads for the Illini are a huge bonus too. Like WT said, not a slight at our program at all.

 

[dubyac]

Texas is more fertile than Chicago.. Illinois is behind Indiana, Mich. St., Mich. Ohio St. In the B1G as it is.. & right now Wisc.

 

[garyeb2]

The answer is kind of yes and no as to whether Chicago is a recruiting hotbed. One of my poker buddies was a head coach at Western Illinois. His time there overlapped with Kruger's at Illinois.

He told me that to even talk to a prospect from Chicago, you have to pay the AAU coach. He went on to say that Kruger did a great job at Illinois. But, that he took them as far as he could take them because he wasn't willing to do what he had to do to make inroads into Chicago.