New Illini coaches energize suburban fans

The moment Illinois head football coach Tim Beckman was handed the microphone, he hopped out of his seat and started pacing back and forth in front of the crowd.

"I'm not much of a sitter, so I'm going to stand up," Beckman said with a booming voice that didn't need the electronic assistance he was handed.

As he spoke, Beckman raised his right arm into the air to show the crowd his orange bracelet inscribed with the word "ONE," which he said stands for "Operation New Era." The slogan, created by his wife, reflects Beckman's pledge to have everyone on the team focus on one down, one series and one game at a time toward its singular goal of playing in the Big Ten title game on Dec. 1, 2012.

When it was his turn to talk, Illinois head basketball coach John Groce, carried over Beckman's energy as he recalled a story of being unable to communicate with his players during a timeout at Assembly Hall because the home crowd was too loud. That's the kind of homecourt advantage he wants to build upon, he said. Turning to his rebuilding plan, he spoke about the value of finding players with the right fit who are willing to do more than expected, such as Brandon Paul of Gurnee, a 6-foot-4 wing player who will be a senior next season.

About 250 Illinois supporters came to the Illini Caravan luncheon in Rolling Meadows Thursday to meet the new faces of the Illinois football and men's basketball programs in an event sponsored by the Daily Herald as part of its Subscriber Total Access program.

The energetic temperaments of Beckman and Illinois head basketball coach John Groce were on full display throughout the two-hour event, which included remarks from Beckman, Groce and their boss, Illinois Director of Athletics Mike Thomas, and a question-and-answer session with the audience. The stop was the second on a nine-city trip through the state that the coaches will complete by the end of the month.

The Illini Caravan offered both coaches one of their first opportunities to interact with fans and share their plans for rebuilding. Beckman has been working on spring football since being hired in December, while Groce's roughly 50 days on the job have been focused on recruiting and getting to know his players.

With both coaches looking to rebuild programs that faltered after strong starts last season, Thomas said he already has seen collaboration between Beckman and Groce in their limited time together.

"It's interesting, because when they get together, even though they're coaching different sports, they compare notes with their recruiting and coaching philosophies, and what books have you read and this and that," Thomas said in an interview before the event.

The two coaches have similar pedigrees, Thomas pointed out. Both spent time as assistant coaches at Ohio State before taking over Mid-American Conference programs - Beckman at Toledo, Groce at Ohio University. Beckman led his team to an 8-4 record last season, and Groce is coming off a Sweet 16 appearance and a near-upset of North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.

"What's unique about the situation is that, he was in the process of building a program at Ohio U, and we were in the same process at Toledo," Beckman told the Daily Herald before the luncheon. "We both were able to do some things with those programs to give us this opportunity."

Both coaches are also known for their high energy and enthusiasm, something several fans commented on during the question-and-answer session. Groce said their up-tempo coaching styles will help them connect with their players.

"You can tell from being around Tim, in a very short period of time, that he's very detailed, that he's very energetic, he's very organized," Groce said. "I think his kids, his student-athletes, respond to him well because of that energy."

Questions asked by the audience ranged from whether the Illini will play a game at Soldier Field to how the recruiting efforts are going for Simeon's Jabari Parker, a 6-foot-8 junior next fall who is regarded as the top player in the country.

In response to the first question, Thomas said he would like for the Illini to play a game at Soldier Field in every season they don't play Northwestern in Evanston. Due to NCAA regulations, Groce could only confirm that they were recruiting Parker and could not comment further. In March, after Groce's hiring, Parker's father told espn.com that Jabari would consider Illinois among his options.

Both coaches also stressed their commitment to recruiting in-state talent, particularly among Chicago and suburban schools.

"I've been around programs that had a great tradition of in-state football players," Beckman said. "If you look at the national championship teams, a majority of their players are coming from the state they're in."

Although Thomas was widely criticized for failing to land a big-name hire in either sport, he defended his choices Thursday in his interview with the Daily Herald.

"I'm certainly confident in hiring coaches from not necessarily even BCS leagues," he said. "You can look at the Mid-American Conference's history, in football and men's basketball. A lot of great coaches have come from there, including a lot of coaches that are in the Big Ten right now."

Overall, Illinois ranks 15th in the country with the success of all its athletic programs as measured by the Director's Cup through April. Thomas said the goal is to consistently finish in the top 10, including the football and basketball programs.

The luncheon, at Meridian Banquets in Rolling Meadows, was part of the Daily Herald's Subscriber Total Access program, which offers special programs and opportunities for members. Previous events have included attending the "Fittest Loser Challenge" contest ceremony, a movie showing with Daily Herald critic Dann Gire, and a Q&A buffet with baseball experts Bruce Miles and Scot Gregor as well as columnists Mike Imrem and Barry Rozner.