CRISIS MODE

George Raveling’s voice resonates with me daily and I can hear him say: “When faced with a crisis such as today, it reveals your true personal makeup and how you choose to respond and counter those challenges...”

Former Wisconsin-Milwaukee Head Coach Rob Jeter takes over at Western Illinois replacing the well-liked Billy Wright. It’s such a difficult task to construct & sustain a certain amount of success at the mid-major level. That’s why guys who win, keep-it-mov’n! Jeter, a Chicago native, brings a wealth of experience and success to Macomb. He’s knowledgeable enough to where he can accelerate the Program to the top of the Conference in a hurry. Jeter has a career mark of 184-170 (520 winning). Anticipate Macomb being a newfound popular destination.

University Illinois at Chicago named La Salle Peru native Luke Yaklich as its new coach, replacing Steve McClain who had five years at Helm. Yaklich spent last season as an assistant at Texas before landing Longhorn Country, he was on the staff at Michigan prior to that, he had an undistinguished four-year stay at Illinois State where he worked under his College buddy Dan Muller who happens to hold the dubious distinction as the most unpopular College Coach in Illinois. Now, Yaklich can move pass all the framing/fluff and demonstrate from the onset that the front man in the band has necessary principles and sources to lead a Program that was on the brink of surpassing the five hundred mark and being looked upon as one of the top teams in the upper half of the Horizon League. Stay tuned!

Yaklich hired former Freeport IL & Butler University standout Willie Veasley as his Assistant. The local guy has to get off and running as much as he can inhouse, he’s got some hurdles to climb.

Plano native and former Southern Illinois player & Assistant Coach, Brad Korn was recently named Head Coach at South East Missouri State, he replaces Rick Ray. We expect Brad to do a heck of a job at this Ohio Valley stop.

Long-time friend Rodney Watson has retired after a successful run at Southern Indiana where he compiled 251-82 (.754). Watson became the all-time winningest Coach in school history. The Southern Illinois native had a run of 7 NCAA II Tournament appearances, and a Semi-Final showing in 2019. He will be missed!