Howard Named Assistant Coach: Former Illini point guard returns to alma mater

Sept. 19, 2007

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber announced today the hiring of Jerrance Howard as an assistant coach on the Fighting Illini basketball staff.

A native of Peoria, Ill., Howard was a four-year letterwinner for the Fighting Illini from 2001-04. During his career, Illinois compiled a record of 104-31 overall and 48-16 in the Big Ten. The Illini won three Big Ten championships, a Big Ten Tournament title and appeared in the NCAA Tournament all four years, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2001 and the Sweet 16 in both 2002 and 2004.

Howard played point guard for the Illini, backing up All-Americans Frank Williams, Dee Brown and Deron Williams. He quickly developed a reputation as the program's inspirational leader and went on to serve as tri-captain as a junior and senior. He was also a two-time winner of the Kenny Battle Award, an accolade voted upon by the players and coaches and given to an Illini who earns the respect of his teammates through hard work and effort in games and practice each day.

"We are thrilled to have Jerrance join our staff and welcome him back home," Weber said. "Jerrance has tremendous passion for the University of Illinois and our basketball program. He connects with everyone, his attitude and personality is contagious, and he'll work tirelessly to develop relationships on the recruiting trail. At the same time, he'll benefit our current players with the energy and intensity he will bring to the gym each and every day, just as he did when he was a player here. I've said this many times before, but when I think back to our first season, I really believe he was the MVP of our team because of the way he kept us together during the transition."

Howard joins the UI program after serving for the past three-plus years under Billy Gillispie at Texas A&M as an administrative assistant and at Kentucky in basketball operations. Howard, 27, earned a bachelor's degree in speech communications from the University of Illinois in 2004. In August he married the former Jessica Wordlaw, who is also an Illinois graduate.

Howard Named Assistant Coach: Former Illini point guard returns to alma mater

Notes on Webster and possible replacements

Mentions three guys who could be considered for the opening: Billy Garrett, Brian Davis and Robert Smith...

Notes on Webster and possible replacements

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Illinois loses Webster, Chicago ties

Illinois loses Webster, Chicago ties

And from yesterday...
Webster release

Well, as "hard" as Webster worked the Chicago area recruiting for the Illini, he sure didn't reap many rewards, Jereme Richmond notwithstanding. Reading between the lines, the short, cliche farewell statement from Coach Weber seems to hint at possible personality issues between he and Webster. Whatever the case may be, this looms as a very important hire for Coach Weber: He must get Illini basketball back in favor with Chicagoland - more so than Coach Webster had done.