Illinois basketball fans might read this title and gasp a little. I even did when I wrote it, but the fact is John Groce is not going anywhere.
So grab your popcorn and enjoy the show…
No. 1 The Class of 2017 is Worth Drooling Over
With three four-star recruits and one five-star recruit coming in next season (and potentially more), the Illini should keep Groce around.
Groce deserves a shot with the best class in the Big 10 and the No. 9 class nationally. He put in the work to get these kids, so I believe he will get his shot to coach them next season.
No. 2 This Season is Not Lost Yet
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Yes, Illinois has STRUGGLED on the road this season, and yes, most of their losses were by more than 15 points.
Nonetheless, the Illini have some impressive wins over NC State (by double digits), VCU (by double digits), and BYU. Not to mention the rest of the Big Ten schedule is still up for grabs.
I am not even going to predict what will happen because through three games there are no unbeaten teams left.
My point is, the Illini can still make it to the tournament. They will just have to figure out how to win a couple road games and beat some teams they should not at home.
No. 3 Whitman Does Not Appear to Have a Better Coach Lined Up
I firmly believe John Groce would already be gone if Whitman had a better coach to bring in. Last season was the worst season in school history (let that sink in).
If Whitman knew who he wanted besides Groce as coach, he would have made the change, but he did not. He kept Groce and to me that says that Groce is the best available coach at the moment.
I hope none of these reasons took you by surprise, and I hope you’ve learned to ease up on the “Fire Groce” tweets.
Just a quick note, “John Groce” was actually trending on Twitter after the IU game, and not for good reasons.
Next: 3 Observations From the Indiana Loss
All things considered, I just ask that you relax, and let things unfold. Enjoy the good moments, swallow the bad ones, but just know that Groce will be the basketball coach for the 2017 season.