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Illinois Basketball: Stop comparing John Groce’s start to Lou Henson’s first five years

By Rees Woodcock

Feb 26, 2017; Lincoln, NE, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach John Groce laughs with an official during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Illinois won 73-57. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2017; Lincoln, NE, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach John Groce laughs with an official during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Illinois won 73-57. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The position Illinois basketball is in right now is unique. They have a fan base that is completely divided on the future of the head coach role, but they want the same end result.

There are two sides to the debate whether or not John Groce should continue being the head coach of this great basketball program. Honestly, none of the debate even matters because one man, Josh Whitman, will decide his coaching fate at Illinois.

Many fans are arguing on their choice of social media outlet about how Groce should be let go or how he should still be the coach heading into the future. One reason to retain Groce that I heard from some fans is that it took Lou Henson six years to get to the NCAA Tournament, so give Groce time.

When you look at when Henson took over the program back in 1975, this argument would be correct. It did take him until his sixth season in Champaign to get to the NCAA Tournament. But there are so many flaws in this mindset, though.

Henson took over an Illinois program that made the NCAA tournament one time in the previous 23 seasons of basketball. The fact that he elevated this team to the postseason in only six years and then went on to be a legend is incredible.

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The Illini were 5-18 and 8-18 in the previous two seasons before Henson took the job. Those are records of the bottom feeders of college basketball. He then took the program and transformed it into a national powerhouse.

What Groce took over wasn’t even in the same galaxy of what Henson had to deal with. He took over a program that had a disappointing season the year before only finishing 17-15. But, that team had good talent and was just in the NCAA tournament the year before.

In the tenure of Bruce Weber, the Illini only missed the postseason three out of the nine years he coached. That is a team that doesn’t have great coaching but can still get good players into the program. Even in Weber’s final season where Illinois only had 17 wins, that team was built well. They just floundered down the stretch.

Groce took over a team that was ready to win some games in his first season. The team even went to the NCAA tournament in year one. He also inherited an Illinois team that had the No. 13 recruiting class in 2011 and he had the No. 20 recruiting class coming in for 2013.

So let’s get the record straight here. Groce took over a program that was in a much better situation than Henson. To add to that fact, I think Groce’s setup was pretty nice coming into the Illinois job. To have that much talent on the team and a good recruiting class awaiting him, I can’t think of a better setup than that.

Next: Illini officially on the NCAA Tournament bubble

No matter what happens with the future of the head coach position of the Illini, please stop comparing Groce’s beginning to Henson’s. I think a while ago I even wrote something comparing them, but it just isn’t the case.

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