Illinois Football Thread

[FirstTimer]

Over the past ten years we have had a hillbilly coach who couldn't coach worth a shit and was a trainwreck in every way. (Remember, he ran into a ref during play more than once, and was flagged for tobacco use in game!)

We then went the polar opposite as far as respectability, but Lovie was married to an outdated scheme and wasn't committed to recruiting.

I don't expect miracles. I don't expect top players flocking to UI in the next couple years. But Leipold clearly can coach, and that is something we haven't seen in a long time. It's a big job to catch up to several other programs, but being able to actually coach at the college level is a good place to start.

I think Leipold is the type of coach who can get the yearly win expectation O/U to about 6.5. There is enough talent in Illinois to win some games. Keep those kids that don't go to the ND's, OSU's, etc of the world home and you've got a base.

 

[FirstTimer]

Well, That speaks even more highly to his coaching ability then I guess. I don’t expect him to start pulling kids down to Champaign that are otherwise going to Notre Dame or Ohio State but if he can get the kids that were otherwise going to go to Minnesota or Iowa it certainly will be a step in the right direction.

Didn't see this response, but spot on. Also, let's keep in mind his staff will be really important to recruiting too. I haven't dug TOO much on him, but Leipold strikes me as more the CEO type re: recruiting where he leans on his assts's to do it and he helps close it.

 

[FirstTimer]

He hasn't recruited all that well at Buffalo. And he just doesn't seem like the kind of guy that's going to get high school kids excited about coming to Champaign.

What did you expect him to do at Buffalo? I'm not trying to stan for Leipold here, but, what's your standard for him "not recruiting well" at Buffalo?

 

[Parade_Rain]

No, it's 100% right. You're acting like I didn't talk to people at Illinois about this. There was a zero percent chance Fickell would come here. There were zero conversations with Fickell, or even his reps, about him taking the job. Whitman took the temperature of engaging and was told not to even bother. That somehow turned into the silliness you saw on MB's.

I was specifically responding to your “no real reach out” comment. You’ll find out soon enough. As for having a shot at Fickell, if he didn’t take the MSU job, he probably wouldn’t take the gig at Illinois, but any decent AD in the B1G has to ask.

 

[Parade_Rain]

He hasn't recruited all that well at Buffalo. And he just doesn't seem like the kind of guy that's going to get high school kids excited about coming to Champaign.

Have you ever been to Buffalo? Also, stop looking at recruit rankings by numbers recruited. His class by stars is ranked 2nd in the MAC.

 

[dennehy]

He looks like he's got a decent recruiting base in Florida and Ohio, and he hits NY hard at Buffalo which is a solid sign for UI. Get 5-8 of the top 25 in state every year, maintain ties in a couple hotbeds, it's workable.

Lovie's efforts recruiting in IL were historically bad. Almost like he'd actually have to actively not recruiting IL to be that bad.

 

[Parade_Rain]

He looks like he's got a decent recruiting base in Florida and Ohio, and he hits NY hard at Buffalo which is a solid sign for UI. Get 5-8 of the top 25 in state every year, maintain ties in a couple hotbeds, it's workable.

Lovie's efforts recruiting in IL were historically bad. Almost like he'd actually have to actively not recruiting IL to be that bad.

Lovie had to think his name carried weight in recruiting when taking the Illinois job. It didn't.

 

[dennehy]

Lovie had to think his name carried weight in recruiting when taking the Illinois job. It didn't.

He didn't really seem interested in doing anything that a college coach needs to do to be successful on the field.

 

[FirstTimer]

Lovie had to think his name carried weight in recruiting when taking the Illinois job. It didn't.

Weird. Who could have predicted this?

 

[FirstTimer]

I was specifically responding to your “no real reach out” comment. You’ll find out soon enough. As for having a shot at Fickell, if he didn’t take the MSU job, he probably wouldn’t take the gig at Illinois, but any decent AD in the B1G has to ask.

I don't need to "find out soon enough". I already know.

 

[Parade_Rain]

I don't need to "find out soon enough". I already know.

OK.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Lovie had to think his name carried weight in recruiting when taking the Illinois job. It didn't.

So when do you admit that you were wrong?

 

[Parade_Rain]

Was Lovie hired to call the Buffalo defense tonight? Jeesh.

 

[TL1961]

I was thinking "Gee, this offensive coach has no defense. Kind of like our defensive coach."

 

[JimJohnson]

Leipold wanted to impress Illini fans tonight!!

 

[TL1961]

Several big offensive plays. Another TD as I type.

He can leave the D coordinator in Buffalo, though. (actually, I see their D was one of the MAC's best, but they must have opted out of tonight's game.)

 

[Hawkeye OG]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1340293919288901634

 

[dennehy]

Unbelievably stupid.

 

[FirstTimer]

This is really surprising. Bielema was the 1B to Leipold. I'll be interested to hear why talks with Leipold broke down. It was already being talked about that Leipold was informing people at Buffalo two days ago that he was likely gone, and some at Buffalo are blaming it for the flat performance last night. Who got cold feet and why?

On to BB, I've said in this thread(and maybe another) that ILL is the type of job where you need to grab a retread coach or try to hit on an up and comer. Whitman got one his top two choices and they fall into that category. I don't hate the hire like I did Lovie, but I'm not over the moon about it either. My one fear is that BB's pitch relied too much on he knows what it takes to "win in the BIG10 or BIG10West" when the underlying is "at Wisconsin". Different situations. Will he try to out bully Iowa and Wisky? In the end , I'm most interested to hear/see his recruiting strategy to keep Illinois kids in state. B or B+ hire with A upside if he can get the program rolling.

Also, as per the above, I think BB is the type of coach who gets you to that 6.5 O/U W-L expetancy.

 

[FirstTimer]

OK.

Remember about how you keep being wrong about things?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1340307959486812160