I kinda feel like its the other way around. I think Beason is sold on the coaching staff and Williams is more sold on Illinois as a whole, and more importantly being able to play qb. I think if the next staff wants Williams, they'd probably only need to keep Patterson and/or promise him a legit chance at qb. Beason I think would look elsewhere if the staff is gone, unless Hayes-Stoker stays, but even if he did, I would be more surprised if Beason stayed than if he left.
Football Coaching Staff / Coaching Carousel Thread
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Offense is still very bad
Am I reading too much into it by thinking this is like a last chance for Lovie? Like a, "Here, show us you can start fixing this defense, or you're gone at the end of the season," kind of a move? If Lovie was for sure coming back next year, why not just make the change at the end of the year? I'm pretty sure when Zook revamped his staff it was all in an offseason, not mid-year.
At least that's what I'm hoping this is.
At least that's what I'm hoping this is.
The "health-related circumstances" part is not a lie.
How can you honestly expect people to come out in sub 50 degree weather and cheer on a team that just lost by 30 (should've been over 40) to a team that doesn't have a HC... Make all the excuses you want, but I don't blame even the diehardest fans if they don't show up. This team is as bad as it gets, and there is 0 hope it gets better this year.
Now, when its 75 and sunny in September 2019, sure, but this teams depressing to watch, and the lack of alcohol sold at the stadium doesn't help.
Unless you are at practice everyday, unless you are in the meeting rooms, until you are in the locker room, you have no validity behind this statement if all you base it on is watching the game on television.
While the fans can help winning is still the highest impact. Out of area fans are more likely to make the trips if the team is more likely to win.
I was at College Park Saturday and made the comment at the game, from the moment the team came out of the locker room, that something was wrong. Body language and energy level of players (and coaches I guess) was just off with a couple of very minor exceptions. I’ve never seen a football team so apparently lifeless and going through the motions. It was sad to be honest. I’ve been an Illini fan for a long time and Saturday was as painful as I’ve seen.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I don't even know how to respond to someone putting "Illinois" and "fair weather fan" in the same sentence.
This has to be a joke. You can't actually believe this? The coaches are responsible for their team. They are responsible for the product on the field. This fanbase has been dying just to be somewhat relevant, and only in the sense that the team can kinda maybe compete in their conference games. Just look at the UNC game a couple years ago, and Purdue this year. The fanbase is trying their hardest to be optimistic, but they are being rewarded with noncompetitive blowouts and the worst power 5 football team in the nation.
I’ll point out again, Illinois has the worst record of any Power Five conference football program over the last 15 years. The people who are still here are not fair weather fans by any definition of the term.
lol. All it takes is for the thunderstorm to stop to get our fans excited. We wouldn't know what to do with our hands if we actually had fair weather because I haven't seen it in the last 7 years.
Call me a fair weather fan but here is how I feel about Illinois football: I have been a season ticket holder for 32 years and I will buy season tickets next year. It is really hard for me to drive 2.5 hours each way and watch a team that does not play with any pride. I have no idea where the problem is but there is a major problem. I have given my Minnesota tickets away and I am not sure whether I will come to the Iowa game. All I want is a team that plays hard and is competitive. I saw that team at the Chicago game but I do not know where it has gone since then.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
No one should fan shame anybody about Illinois sports, ever.
Forgive me, cause theres a lot to unpack in this comment. The SEC is a different animal. Football in the south is a religion. Now, you can compare UI to UM or OSU or NU. Well those schools have something we will (probably) never have and that tradition that spans more than the early 1900s. We've never strung together even 3 years of top flight football since maybe the late 80s if you even want to call John Mackovic's run that. You're expecting fans to blinding follow a team (and therefore the leadership) most probably don't believe in. It's human nature to oppose things that are wrong, or else have apathy towards them. Either case, you aren't coming out to the games.
I live in the burbs and I would expect >75% of this board (and the rest of the fan base) lives rough as close or farther than I do from Champaign. Why would I travel 2.5+ hrs, sit in crappy weather, and watch bad football, in hopes that some 18 year old kid picks this team? You can call me fair weather, but its beyond ridiculous to think lack of fan support is the main reason we don't get 4 and 5 star kids committing left and right. And I don't think the win first rhetoric is that crazy. Lovie drew plenty of fan support when he started, 3 years is enough time for most sports fans to quit on a guy, logic be darned.
It's the job of the staff to sell what they have and what could be to recruits. Sure, it would help them if the stadium is packed, but very, very few sports teams have the luxury of unwavering fan support, and without putting too much thought into there, the Cubs and Red Sox are the only traditionally crap teams that got support through the leanest of years, and even still suffered plenty of attrition from their stadiums.
I'll continue to watch the Illini on TV because I am a fan. If I lived in Champaign, I would probably go to the game, but I'd rather only waste 3 hrs instead of 8+ on Saturdays for Illini football. If that makes me fair weather, then I'm fine with that label.
For one reason or another the post I was going to reference is wiped from existence, but somebody pointed to some twitter activity Saturday (not from the ex-players) so props to the poster for that one.
I'd be curious to hear what Bain's opinion is of Phair. As others have suggested that could be a possibility.
I'd be curious to hear what Bain's opinion is of Phair. As others have suggested that could be a possibility.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Schumann is making $900k as Georgia's LB coach while Nickerson was making $550k as Illinois' DC. Guessing Illinois would have to almost double his salary? Would he come to Illinois for $1.5 million? Moot point because Illinois isn't paying that much for a DC (nor does Schumann have any connection to Lovie or Illinois)
Tampa Bay just fired their DC and promoted a guy last week. Jon Hoke is considered to have been 'passed over' by the guy who got the job.
Maybe $1.5 mil would work. But that's why I said he is my dream pick. Usually dreams don't come true.
Mike Phair would make me happy though if we want to think about realistic candidates.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Deleted member 19448
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Blaming the fans is just a waste of oxygen. This fan base has been subjected to decades worth of few highlights & mostly garbage. Even the great moments (2001, 2007) are virtually immediately wiped out. Went from Sugar Bowl to a 1 win team in 2 years. This has created a very apathetic fan base. I'll include myself in that mindset. I care but I don't get mad anymore. I've become "resigned to the fate" if you will. Sadly, same thing is happening across the street it seems.
I've always thought the right guy could make Illinois a player on the gridiron, but we are basically Rutgers West at this point. I was in that stadium for Penn State 1994 & Michigan 2000 (both losses). I know what that place can be like when the games matter but I fear those are just blips & not anything attainable for any real period of time any longer. I hope like hell I am wrong.
I've always thought the right guy could make Illinois a player on the gridiron, but we are basically Rutgers West at this point. I was in that stadium for Penn State 1994 & Michigan 2000 (both losses). I know what that place can be like when the games matter but I fear those are just blips & not anything attainable for any real period of time any longer. I hope like hell I am wrong.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Whoops, that $900k was Mel Tucker's salary. Maybe something like $600k would be enough for consideration?
Either way, will be interesting if Lovie tries to pull in someone who can run his system or if he'll venture out and start fresh.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
A thread discussing an Illini defensive player being arrested for domestic assault was posted over 24 hours ago. There are 6 responses in the thread. Just the fact that you are HERE, on this site at all, makes you a much less apathetic fan than 99% of the current Illinois fanbase. The weird, random hammering of fans who are still at all paying any attention to the athletics department is about as nonsensical as it gets.
I have mentioned before how much I would love to read a write up from Dan on his perspective of how the last 10 years of Illinois athletics has impacted his site. I know it isn't a pretty story, and that alone might keep him from wanting to do it, but man... as a Marketing Researcher, I would just really be engrossed to hear his perspective on the topic. Please consider it @Dan
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