Weber builds new team with in-state focus

They were talking about what was going on with the Illinois program and the Illini's inability to get things done on the recruiting trail. Illinois had been unable to lock down the elite in-state players in recent years — guys like Shaun Livingston, Julian Wright, Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon. Now Weber is able to sit and enjoy the comments that pertain to the Illini after the head coach and his staff received six early commitments (five in-state kids) from young players, including highly touted junior guard Jereme Richmond. The secret to Weber's success? Don't wait quite as long to put forth a scholarship offer. "It's hard in our state, though, because if you offer a kid early and they want to take, you have to be careful," Weber said. "You have to make certain they are good enough." The risk is that Weber could rub the... [read full story]