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Supinie: Hoops insiders love Underwood hire

Brad Underwood
Brad Underwood (USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN -- My college basketball coaching search began in early February. Another home loss, this one to Penn State, pushed us over the hump. The Illini needed a new coach.

After speaking with several insiders in the college basketball world, a name bubbled up toward the top. Brad Underwood was a career grinder who worked his way up the ladder in college basketball after playing for legendary Jack Hartman at Kansas State.

A solid recruiter who lifted unknown Stephen F. Austin to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances after dominating the Southland Conference, he was a first-year coach at Oklahoma State. So when indications led us in other directions during the last week, Underwood’s name didn’t reappear until this morning.

Suddenly, Underwood was named Illini coach, an impressive move and the most inspiring hire by the Illini athletic department since grabbing up Bill Self in 2000.

Evidently, Oklahoma State had low-balled Underwood, who kept his options open. Underwood will be announced as Illini coach officially during a Monday press conference. Until then, we will rely on basketball insiders to update us on Underwood, a Kansas native who spent time as a Western Illinois assistant, worked under Bobby Huggins and Frank Martin at Kansas State and South Carolina and climbed up the hard way.

He’s considered an old-school coach who wants toughness and playing the right way on the court, yet he also knows how to get players in the slick world of college basketball recruiting.

Chicago recruiting analyst Joe Henricksen doesn’t know Underwood, but he knows people who know Underwood.

“Just through all of my coaching contacts over 20 years of working with basketball recruiting, people speak incredibly well of Brad Underwood,’’ Henricksen said. “Just today alone, I’ve heard from several Big Ten coaching staffs. They told me that’s a big-time hire for Illinois. He has a proven track record.’’

Underwood is a former mid-major coach who dominated his league, which says something. Unlike his predecessor, Underwood isn’t a flash in the pan. He built the best team in the conference.

“That says something to me rather than just getting hot in the conference tournament,’’ Henricksen said.

In contrast, John Groce was 34-30 in the MAC, won the conference tournament twice after failing to finish better than third in the regular season, then jumped to Illinois. He failed to build a steady winner. Meanwhile, Underwood is just the opposite, leading his teams to the NCAA Tournament in all four years as a head coach.

Paid a little more than $1 million per year, Underwood was underpaid at Oklahoma State. The Illini stole its coach from a school that didn’t know what it had. Kansas State fans are jealous. Boosters there are ticked off the Wildcats didn’t make room to hire Underwood a year ago. By keeping Bruce Weber, Kansas State kept Underwood in the market.

Two weeks ago, Underwood didn’t shut the door to interest outside of Stillwater.

“I’ve been here for one year,’’ Underwood told the Daily Oklahoman newspaper in Oklahoma City. “I don’t know who wants me. I know I’m the basketball coach at Oklahoma State. I’m going to be here until they put me in the ground or something else happens. Seriously, I have no control over 99 percent of it. And speculation, it’s great to feel wanted.’’

Who is Underwood? A native of McPherson, Kan., he played under Hartman, a Big 8 Conference legend who was known as a hard-nosed guy who didn’t take any crap. Hartman was also a coaching whiz. After serving as a head coach at two jucos and working as an assistant at Western Illinois hen the Leathernecks went toe-to-toe with Valpo for a conference championship, Underwood returned home to K State as the director of basketball operations then worked as an assistant coach.

He spent several years under Huggins, then Martin. Underwood is considered a strong recruiter who has the ability to rebuild the link between the Illini and Chicago recruiting.

Stephen F. Austin isn’t the usual stepping stone to the bigs. One guy told me it’s the pits. So is Western Illinois, where Underwood helped create a competitive program. In his first chance to coach in a power conference, Underwood took an Oklahoma State program that won three conference games last season and finished with a 9-9 mark this year, after winning 10 of 11 games late in the season.

He’s got the tenacity of Lou Henson and the scoring offense of, say, the Flyin’ Illini. The Cowboys ranked eighth nationally with 85.7 point a game this season. They were also eighth with a 40.2 three-point shooting percentage.

This is a guy who wins while scoring points in an entertaining style.

“He had a fun offensive team,’’ said Tom Dienhart, the Big Ten Network analyst. “It should be an exciting style of basketball.’’

Even if Underwood might not have the flashy personality as Self, he might be better on the sidelines and could prove to be just as effective as a recruiter. A program that desperately wants to return to the elite status, the Illini made a home run hire by grabbing a guy under the radar for Joe Fan but known as a fast riser with coaches and administrators.

While Archie Miller of Dayton might have been the focus for plenty of folks as a possible candidate, another guy whose team played in Indy during the NCAA Tournament this week proved to be the pick. The Big Ten just got a little tougher.

As Groce’s hiring left questions over a man’s ability to build a championship program because of an inability to win a regular season as coach at Ohio, Underwood built a program, then moved up and turned Oklahoma State around in less than a year. This kind of hire has the same feel as bringing Self here from Tulsa.

It’s a big move forward for the Illini.

“Coaching basketball at the University of Illinois is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,’’ Underwood said. “The players, fans and administration have been absolutely incredible, and I want to thank them. However, during my time at Western Illinois, I always saw the Illini coaching job as one of the truly best in the nation.’’

It appears Whitman worked his way through the process, and Underwood may not have been the first choice. That’s OK. Even Self was a second option for Ron Geunther, who first chased Kelvin Sampson in his hunt to fill the vacancy created by Lon Kruger’s jump to the NBA. Nevertheless, Underwood bubbled to the top, and Whitman made the biggest hire in his career.

“In searching for a new coach, we were looking for a proven winner who would build upon our proud tradition while developing an unmistakable identity for Illinois basketball,’’ Whitman said. “Brad's teams play a fast, aggressive style and show unyielding toughness. They have a tremendous energy that I believe will ignite the Orange Krush and our fans to once again make State Farm Center one of the most intimidating venues in all of college basketball.

“Off the court, Brad builds strong, personal relationships with his student-athletes. His winning combination of strong Midwest values and tenacious work ethic are a perfect fit for our community and the Illini Nation.’’

You’ve never heard much about Underwood? Don’t worry. His peers already know him, and they think he’s a major-league hire for a program that wants to get back to the top.

John Supinie is a columnist for Orangeandbluenews.com. During the day, he’s an Audi Brand Specialist at Green Audi in Springfield. Call or text him at 217-377-1977 if you’re looking for an Audi, Volkswagen, Toyota or preowned car. Ask for the Illini deal.

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