Bruce Weber came to the University of Illinois in time for the 2003-04 basketball season, arriving on campus from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where he had been the head coach of the Salukis for five seasons. In his second season, Weber coached the Fighting Illini to a 37-2 record, with the season ending in a loss to North Carolina in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship game in St. Louis.
Since that season, which featured players recruited by the previous Illinois coach, Bill Self, Weber’s record in Champaign-Urbana is 124-70. While this is respectable in many aspects, the Illini have failed to advance past the second round of the NCAA Tournament in any season, losing in the first round twice and failing to make the tournament in two other seasons. After a disappointing 2009-10 season which saw Illinois finish with a 21-15 record and an appearance in the NIT Quarterfinals, the Fighting Illini entered the 2010-11 season with high hopes and expectations.
Instead, the team has underachieved. Returning all five starters from the previous season, Illinois opened the season ranked 13th in the polls. While the team has scored victories over programs such as Maryland, North Carolina, Michigan State and Gonzaga, it has also suffered embarrassing losses to teams such as Illinois-Chicago (at the United Center, a building that Illinois typically does not lose in), Penn State and an Indiana team in a rebuilding year. At times, the Illini have looked lost, unmotivated and even uncaring during games. Weber’s biggest success at Illinois was with players that were recruited by his predecessor. He has not been able to recruit his own players, nor has he been able to keep them motivated to play well. The defensive effort displayed by this year’s team has been, at best, disappointing, which has been a major reason why they have lost as many games as they have.
The University of Illinois would like us, as fans, and the rest of the nation to believe that it has an elite men’s basketball program. Until the Illini win a championship game, however, this is a dream, not a reality. The sad fact of the situation is Bruce Weber is showing us that he is not the coach to lead the U of I to a championship. While we respect his contributions to date and thank him, it is time for the university to pursue a coach that can not only be a good X’s and O’s person, but also an effective leader and motivator.
— Colby Huff, Normal
