2. Glenn Box – Indiana Hoosiers Associate Head Coach
A coach who has ties to the area and knows the Big Ten would be beneficial. Someone like Glenn Box would be an intriguing candidate for the next head coach of the Illinois basketball team.
Box is actually from the state of Illinois. He is a native of Cairo, Illinois, which is a little over three hours south of Champaign. He also spent time coaching at the junior college ranks in Illinois.
The coaching experience is there with Box as well. He went from coaching in junior college to being an important part of various teams over the past decade or so. He made stops at Western Michigan, Saint Louis, and Akron before landing with the Indiana Hoosiers.
Since Box joined the Hoosiers, he has helped build the program into a contender. Just two seasons before he came aboard, the Hoosiers were 15-16 overall and 4-14 in the Big Ten. They made back-to-back NIT appearances in his first two years, and Indiana won the NIT in year two.
Indiana is now on the verge of making four-straight NCAA tournament appearances. This includes a run to the Elite 8 last season. The Hoosiers should be a top-four seed this year as well.
I love the fact Box is from the state of Illinois. He has a great winning pedigree as well. He would be a great option as the next head coach of the Illini.