Illinois has fired Weber

[covufan]

Illinois didn't waste any time - fired Weber already.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/story/_/id/7664755/illinois-fighting-illini-bruce-weber-loses-job

This article has mentioned Shaka Smart as possible replacement.  On another thread it was suggested that Scott might be interested in the Illinois job.  I don't see him leaving Baylor and the Big 12 for Illinois.  If it was all about the money for Scott, I could see the move.  I don't for him.  I'm looking forward to seeing Valpo in the NIT and Baylor in the NCAA.  GO DREWS!

[valpotx]

Scott has a fertile recruiting ground, faith-based institution, and university committed to athletic image (in the last decade at least).  Just like with Bryce, it would take the perfect opportunity for him to leave.  Scott has a longer leash at Baylor than he would have at Illinois.

[covufan]

This site mentions Scott as a potential candidate, but not top tier:

http://www.athlonsports.com/college-basketball/coaching-candidates-replace-bruce-weber-illinois

[covufan]

Scott has a fertile recruiting ground, faith-based institution, and university committed to athletic image (in the last decade at least).  Just like with Bryce, it would take the perfect opportunity for him to leave.  Scott has a longer leash at Baylor than he would have at Illinois.

I agree.  Every program can have a year or two lull, and to have that leash is a good thing.  Too many are fired after just one mediocre season.

[valporun]

Don't forget, Scott had a hell of a lot more adversity to overcome than just helping a team get back to a winning way. Not every coach can be blessed with the ability to clean up a broken image of a school after a scandal that was ready to put the program on the death penalty. Scott was blessed majorly, and he's re-energized the program faster than anyone associated with Baylor thought he would. Why do some of you feel Scott should leave Baylor because another job opened up? Scott has never struck me as a coach who only goes where the money is. Maybe he has a goal set that he hasn't matched 100% to want to look at other jobs yet.

Heck, a high school football coach in my area just left a team that he has coached to state titles in Illinois in two different classes in consecutive years for the worst team in the same conference because he met all of the goals he had set for himself. He also left a school that had won 54 consecutive conference games for a school that has won 4 games in the last 4 years. He certainly didn't follow the money with this job change.

We're just all caught up in the coaches leave for the better jobs either because it's a better name school, or they want more money. Some don't leave for that reason. I mean look at Ron Hunter. He was at IUPUI for so many years, and we know he was going to be there for a long time, but when he saw the writing on the walls that the administration wasn't going to support the basketball program, that's when he left. He didn't do it for his bank account or family. He did it because he was frustrated by the lack of institutional support for the work he was doing with the program. I'd want to leave a mess like that too, regardless of what my coaching record was.

[valpotx]

BTW, congrats to Hunter on his 21-11 year at Georgia State.  It doesn't look like that team gets many more fans than IUPUI did, with 2,400 as the most at home this year, and an average around 1,500 (800 against Drexel???).  However, he is playing against some solid competition in the Colonial Athletic Association, and already accepted a CIT bid for next week, something that would have been hard at IUPUI.  Though he was annoying to watch, glad that the move appears to have paid off in his career.

Baylor beat Kansas today, and is a program on the rise.  Even though they have been a national player for the last few years, they have really done some great stuff this season.  Why the heck would Scott leave a team that is consistently pulling in top talent and is a national player, for one that is in rebuilding mode?

[vufan75]

Nice win by Baylor over Kansas yesterday in the Big 12 tournament! The Chicago Tribune this morning has Scott listed as one of the potential candidates for the now vacant Illinois job, along with multiple other potential candidates. I guess time will tell whether there is any interest at all on Scott's part.

http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/030912aaa.html