Ah, the coaching carousel. What would any college basketball off-season be without a few coaching changes to stir up the competitive mix?

For the first time in a while, this national mix-up might actually mean something to the NIU community.

After Roy Williams bolted from Kansas for his alma mater, North Carolina, Illinois coach Bill Self filled the void in Lawrence, thus leaving an opening in Champaign.

This is where things get interesting, at least for people around these parts.

Many names are being tossed around as suitors for the job, and one happens to be our own hoops coach Rob Judson.

But, Judson would be the least known name, at least nationally, among the likes of Marquette’s Tom Crean, Creighton’s Dana Altman and Gonzaga’s Mark Few.

What Illinois would get from Judson, however, is a career.

Unlike previous coaches Lon Kruger and Self, Judson would be completely happy ending his career in Illinois.

Judson played at Illinois from 1976 to 1980 before returning as an assistant coach from 1996 to 2001.

He would be more than happy to return “home” just as Williams and Self did.

The question remains: Does Illinois want Judson?

They know he never would leave Illinois, but taking him would cause most of the nation to say a collective “who”?

If Illinois does in fact want Judson, they are caught between a rock and a hard place.

Take some criticism now, or risk the chance of not getting him in the future.

As former Kent State and current Arkansas coach Stan Heath proved, it takes only one good season to make the jump to a big-time school.

With Judson on the heels of turning around a dormant program, his big-time job could be a season away.

If Illinois signs someone other than Judson and the second-year coach leads the Huskies to the top of the MAC, he could be headed some place other than Illinois.

Is that something the Illini want?

We soon will find out.