Or Billy got tired of the recruiting games and decided to move on to the NBA where he didn’t have to deal with that crap. He didn’t like participating in a system that required a “strong ass offer” to get the talent to come play for you, as well as dealing with the AAU crap. What used to take hard work to get recruits had turned into something else. So if you have the opportunity to not have to deal with that crap, you take it.
Things got tougher when UK brought in Cal and World Wide Wes and upped the ante. It's one thing to go up against the Kitties when they are coached by Tubby, another when you have to face an organization filled with future pros. So, yes, agree with you here. The programs refusing to play that game (like Billy and UF) were at a permanent disadvantage.
Billy was still bringing in the talent to win championships at the time he left. Correct me if I am wrong, but counting transfers, in Billy’s last 2 recruiting cycles, he brought in Devin Robinson, Chris Chiozza, John Egbunu, Alex Murphy, Noah Dickerson, Brandone Francis, Keith Stone, Kevarrius Hayes and KeVaughn Allen. Plus, he had a commitment from John Mooney for the following cycle. Billy never complained about recruiting, but he did complain about the NCAA rules that limited the number of days that he had to work with his players. I think that the latter, plus his desire to be an NBA coach led to his departure.
Had Billy stayed I believe he would have built another contender, yes his last year was awful but as has been posted the previous team went to the Final Four. Sure, it may have taken another couple of seasons to get back on Billy's "track".
That last Final Four team went 21-0 in the SEC and was the top seeded team in the NCAA tournament. It easily could have won it all. The team that went to the Elite Eight 3 years later was coached by Mike White. Put Billy in his place, and that team might have won it all.
