Illinois Football Thread

[Parade_Rain]

Smith's failed power grabs have been exhaustively documented at this point. The decline of the Bears draft success post-2006 directly coincided with Smith gaining more input into the process. He compounded that with disastrously awful staff decisions (remember his initial staff was hired for him): Firing Rivera, elevating Babich, assuming DC for himself, and the OCs...my God, the OC debacle! He wielded similar power in TB, being hired before Jason Licht, and the results were similar. His 2014 FA acquisitions were among the worst in the NFL: Michael Johnson (5/44), Darelle Revis (6/96) who should have been a self-evidently awful fit as a Cover 2 CB, etc. He again put together a poor staff in Tampa, was unprepared to replace Tedford and opened himself up to charges of nepotism by hiring his son. Smith's tenure in TB was so awful that Licht, who was essentially hired to work for Smith, was able to stage an insurrection and grab power away from his old boss.

I say all that as someone who likes Smith as a HC, but only as a HC. One that needs to be closely supervised to save him from himself. He can't choose his own staff, he can't run his own defense and HC at the same time, and he should have very little input into personnel decisions. All things that he's likely going to have to do in college. Plus recruit. Ick.

Lovie's initial staff was not hired for him. He wanted an offense similar to greatest show on turf and that's why Shea even got an interview. Lovie pulled the plug on that one quickly, which is how Turner returned to the Bears as OC from Illinois. Lovie was not the person who negatively impacted the Bears by pulling the Cutler trade. Lovie is not in a situation with a terrible GM as his boss. His defense will be run by the current IL DC whose name is Mike Phair. Phair has NFL experience. Phair also played for Lovie at ASU. What will matter greatly is his OC choice and I'm hearing names like Pep Hamilton and Mike Sherman being thrown around. I wasn't a huge fan of Lovie as the Bears HC, but much of that was due to the McCaskey running the show as well as Angelo. This is a solid hire. Lovie's defensive philosophy will be very good at the college level. Lovie is a good, decent man and has respect in the locker room. He will be able to put together a fantastic staff and the big boosters are behind this. Bold move and excellent hire by Whitman. This isn't the old Illinois regime.

And for your comments to the Tampa situation, LOL. Tedford became ill. How many last second OC replacements do you know of are going to step in and do great in a rebuild situation with lousy quarterbacks? He picked up Koeter and he was so good with the new rookie QB that the Glazers panicked and fired Lovie to keep the OC away from Miami. The biggest complaint was that Lovie could not get the offense right. Cutler never has gotten the offense right. Thanks, Angelo. Lovie figured it out between Tedford and Koetter. Again, his staff will be impressive by P5 standards.

 

[Parade_Rain]

As an Illini fan this sucks. Another 3 or 4 years of Lovie. Maybe he'll hire Rex to be the QB coach. :lol:

Lovie is a great hire and I was not a huge fan of Lovie in Chicago. I will be very surprised if IL doesn't become a regular bowl attendee in a few years.

 

[Parade_Rain]

With his experience I think the team is going to be better, I think this is a good fit really and I don't think Lovie was a failure. He really didn't get a shot in Tampa and only the second coach in bears history to go to the superbowl so I don't think it's a Dave Wannstedt reincarnation.

No. It's probably more like a Pete Carroll or Jim Mora Jr deal. Look at it this way. Lovie was more successful at the Professional level than either Bobby Petrino or Nick Saban.

 

[fatbeard]

Lovie's initial staff was not hired for him.

Ron Rivera and Dave Toub were not hired by Lovie. They were ID'd beforehand by the organization and he was allowed a courtesy interview with them.

I wasn't a huge fan of Lovie as the Bears HC, but much of that was due to the McCaskey running the show as well as Angelo.

No one with the name McCaskey has had a hand in Bears football operations since Virginia fired Mike McCaskey in 1999.

This is a solid hire. Lovie's defensive philosophy will be very good at the college level.

Will it? The success of the Tampa 2 depends largely on having superior talent, because there is so little blitzing, confusion, or misdirection. Lovie is going to have to knock recruiting out of the park in order to succeed. Can he do that with Michigan, Ohio St., Wisconsin, and Missouri poaching all his talent? I have my doubts.

 

[dweebs19]

As an Illini fan this sucks. Another 3 or 4 years of Lovie. Maybe he'll hire Rex to be the QB coach. :lol:

As an Illini fan, we can't be too choosy. I never expected us to get a Lovie Smith type coach. Do I want Lovie coaching my NFL team, NO..But to coach my Illini, HELL YEA. Tired of losing recruits to the likes of Toledo and Nebraska. Now we can lose them to the likes of Ohio State and Alabama

 

[Parade_Rain]

Ron Rivera and Dave Toub were not hired by Lovie. They were ID'd beforehand by the organization and he was allowed a courtesy interview with them.

Neither one of those guys have a last name of Shea, who ran the offense.

No one with the name McCaskey has had a hand in Bears football operations since Virginia fired Mike McCaskey in 1999.

So George McCaskey had nothing to do with pulling the plug on the Emery/Trestman experiment. Good to know.

Will it? The success of the Tampa 2 depends largely on having superior talent, because there is so little blitzing, confusion, or misdirection.

You're assuming Lovie will be running the Tampa 2 as his base defense. You're also assuming that college offenses/coaches are as patient and as adept as pro offenses at not making mistakes and beating the Cover 2. Both Rivera and Marinelli blitzed as needed when coaching for Lovie.

Lovie is going to have to knock recruiting out of the park in order to succeed. Can he do that with Michigan, Ohio St., Wisconsin, and Missouri poaching all his talent? I have my doubts.

Illinois has never had a dominant amount of Illinois talent. Never. Even when at their highest level of success in the past 50 years during the Mike White era, that team was built with JC recruits from California and White's recruiting grounds. Zooker got recruits from Florida and there are recruiters on staff who recruit Texas, as well. Zookers first OC (Locksley) got talent out of the DC area. Missouri is headed downhill very quickly. No poaching will be done by them. If you have a chance to play for Dantonio for a staff loaded with NFL coaches, who are you going to play for? Wisconsin has never taken a ton of Illinois talent. When they were there best, they took a 5th year senior and poached him from North Carolina State. As for Wisconsin's philosophy, Barry Alvarez never did fancy. Good line play, 4-3 and solid run game. Lovie may not be the most exciting, but the Wisconsin model is a good one to follow. You're free to have your doubts, but your comments don't indicate a lot of familiarity with UIUC. He is going to be competing for 4-5 stars, not the leftover MAC talent in Ohio, IMHO.

Also, IL competes in the B1G West. They don't see Michigan and Ohio State every season. They are competing with Indiana, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota. Ferentz at IA will not be there much longer. NW is OK, but beatable. Wisonsin? We don't know if Chryst can keep that ship going. Minnesota is headed for a dumpster fire. Riley at Nebraska hasn't been a huge hit. All Smith has to do is keep Illinois over water and go bowling at 7-5, 8-4 with the occasional 10 win season. I think he can do that. National recognition and positive recognition for Illinois.

 

[fatbeard]

Neither one of those guys have a last name of Shea, who ran the offense.

You think you're making some kind of point here, but I have no idea what it is. That Lovie is "good at putting together staffs" because he fired the first OC he himself fucking hired? After one year? And by all means, let's ignore the other ten years of Smith's HC resume that were also marked by underwhelming staffs. Because that's not a track record or anything...

So George McCaskey had nothing to do with pulling the plug on the Emery/Trestman experiment. Good to know.

Do you understand the difference between an organizational decision and a "football" decision? If not, I'll be happy to explain it.

 

[Parade_Rain]

You think you're making some kind of point here, but I have no idea what it is.

Your claimed the entire staff was picked for him, It wasn't.

That Lovie is "good at putting together staffs" because he fired the first OC he himself fucking hired? After one year? And by all means, let's ignore the other ten years of Smith's HC resume that were also marked by underwhelming staffs.

Solid strawman on your part.

Because that's not a track record or anything...

Marinelli was a good DC. Did you see why he (Smith) got fired at TB? Almost universally, the decision was criticized. He had the O coordinator thing figured out.

Do you understand the difference between an organizational decision and a "football" decision? If not, I'll be happy to explain it.

You've also created a nice big fat deflection here, IMHO

 

[GalePayton]

Lovie Smith Hired As New Illinois Fighting Illini Head Coach

Breaking news ...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-lovie-smith-illinois-football-20160307-story.html

A Twitter photo can say it all.

It was clear Illinois has selected former Bears coach Lovie Smith as its next football coach after athletic director Josh Whitman posted two photos on Monday morning with Smith at Memorial Stadium.

Illinois is expected to introduce Smith today.

Whitman fired former coach Bill Cubit on Saturday on Whitman's first day on the job.

................

Smith agreed to a six-year deal with payments of $2 million annually for 2016 and 2017, $3 million for 2018, $4 million for 2019 and $5 million annually for both 2020 and 2021. He will have opportunities for earn more through incentive bonuses.

His appointment will be presented to the board of trustees for approval on March 16.

 

[iueyedoc]

........

 

[Novak]

This was breaking news 2 days and 4 threads ago

 

[GalePayton]

This was breaking news 2 days and 4 threads ago

Really?!?! ... Lol

Man, I haven't been around. My apologies to the board. Mods, can you please nuke this thread ...

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Illinois hires Lovie Smith as next football coach

A Twitter photo can say it all.
Illinois has selected former Bears coach Lovie Smith as its next football coach after athletic director Josh Whitman posted two photos on Monday morning with Smith at Memorial Stadium.
Smith agreed to a six-year deal with payments of $2 million annually for 2016...

More...

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Illinois views Lovie Smith's mediocrity and condescension as a step up

I think it’s so cute the way some people are so excited about Lovie Smith coaching Illinois.
I think it’s so cute that they believe it will make a difference, nearly as cute as the Twitter pictures of Smith standing next to Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman and holding a sign reading "#WEWILLWIN''...

More...

 

[Parade_Rain]

The threads were speculation before, Gale. Now they even have a picture of Whitman and Smith signing the contracts and the introductory presser will be at 2p.

 

[Urblock]

Lovie

WDWS.com is the local sports radio talk station. Press con at 2. Lovie is already here.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Lovie Smith named Illinois head coach

Former Bears coach Lovie Smith has been named head coach at the University of Illinois. He will be introduced later today at a press conference in Champaign.

More...

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

I can't wait for Boers and Bernstein today.

 

[Parade_Rain]

I bought season tickets this morning.

 

[brett05]

I bought season tickets this morning.

I thought you lived in FLA?