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Illinois Basketball: Five Head Coach Candidates to Replace John Groce

By Eric Bruce

Dec 21, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; The Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleaders run on the court before a basketball game against the Missouri Tigers at Scottrade Center. Illinois won 75-66. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; The Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleaders run on the court before a basketball game against the Missouri Tigers at Scottrade Center. Illinois won 75-66. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 17, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Dayton Flyers head coach Archie Miller speaks with the media during a practice day before the first round of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Dayton Flyers head coach Archie Miller speaks with the media during a practice day before the first round of the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 5 Archie Miller

Miller is the outstanding current coach of the Dayton Flyers.  I’m not alone in my opinion that he would be a good fit at Illinois.  Dayton is in the A10 Conference, and yes that is a “mid-major.”  But this guy is easily one of the best coaches in the mid-majors and he brings much to the table that Illini fans could feast on.

At the helm of the Flyers, he has a record of 130-59 over a six year period to date.  Miller came to Dayton as a head coach in 2011.  That year the Flyers made the NIT.  The following year they floundered.  But since 2012-13 season Miller has guided the Flyers to the NCAA Tournament each year and appears on track to do it again this year (Lunardi currently as them as an 8 seed).  In each of those years, the Flyers amassed 25 wins or more (including tournament play).  The Flyers made it to the Elite 8 in 2014.

This year they sit at 19-5.  The Flyers are 3-3 against the RPI top 50 and 8-4 against the top 100.  Though currently unranked, they have an RPI of 30.  These are great numbers for this program.

Miller has never had a top 40 recruiting class to work with at Dayton and yet look at what he has achieved.  That is a sign of an excellent coach.

I think Miller has one of the highest ceilings of any coach out there.  He is very young, though (38), so the question would be, if he wanted to come to Illinois, is it because he sees it as a chance to stay and build his reputation or is he looking to move on in a couple of years, like Self?

We know he has the coaching chops.  With the power and prestige of the University of Illinois and the Big Ten behind him, you have to think he could recruit very well.  With his relative youth perhaps Miller could even surpass the tenure of Combes and Henson if he found his home at Illinois.

Unquestionably, Miller will move on from Dayton.  This seems like it might be a good time for that to happen.

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