Football Coaching Staff / Coaching Carousel Thread

[mhuml32]

Part of me wonders if Lovie was told behind closed doors that the only reason he wasn’t let go after this season was his buyout, and that he’ll be canned at the end of this season, bowl or not. So at that point why not get your kid set up?

Why in the world would any AD (or supervisor) tell a coach (or any employee) this?

 

[ChiefGritty]

Why in the world would any AD (or supervisor) tell a coach (or any employee) this?

Who knows, but it's certainly not true. If we're bowling, no way is Lovie getting fired.

 

[NScale]

No wonder we signed only one OL.

 

[Blockhead]

Weird that leading into a make or break season where he is clearly on the hot seat, Lovie chose inexperienced assistants that bring more in recruiting that coaching. The whole staff will be recruiting behind the 8 ball unless the team wins on the field.

 

[KnoxIllini2]

Who knows, but it's certainly not true. If we're bowling, no way is Lovie getting fired.

Then all of the worrying we're having now, becomes null and void... mostly.

 

[Twangers]

No wonder we signed only one OL.

Losing Jakai Clark still hurts but that's not in any way tied to this, neither is Ira Henry's decision. Jeff Woods was a kid we probably got in on too late. Really not sure how it played into the decision of guys like Claiborne but all in all, it's hard to see this having played a significant role in our lack of numbers up front. At least not to me.

 

[mhuml32]

Weird that leading into a make or break season where he is clearly on the hot seat, Lovie chose inexperienced assistants that bring more in recruiting that coaching. The whole staff will be recruiting behind the 8 ball unless the team wins on the field.

I'm not sure we are bringing in more recruiting. We are replacing Ward (recruiter), Abraham (recruiter?), Butkus (coach), and Nickerson (coach) with Lovie (coach), Miles (neither?), and Hudson (recruiter).

 

[ChiefGritty]

Then all of the worrying we're having now, becomes null and void... mostly.

Winning presents a path forward. Winning begets winning.

 

[pvaughn8]

This will be interesting. Lovie will have to come up with actual replacements for the recent openings. If anyone wondered whether the hiring delay was due to lack of interest from outside coaches, we will find out if that was the case here in round 2.

 

[Deleted member 654622]

I had a feeling based on one of your prior posts it was someone else.

Looking forward to Dude saying how it will be good to get rid of these cancerous individuals who haven't bought into Lovie's nepotism. After all, if assistant coaches are insignificant, other staff must be...?

Ask and you shall receive

We lost Nate McNeil....OK....He is in the same boat as Thad. Both were big parts of recruiting a team that lacked major talent. The current recruiting class is a result of Corey Paterson, Austin Clark and AHS. I don't care.

By looking at the growth of our O Lineman, I would say Butkus was a good coach. I think that sucks. If he left because of the Miles Smith hire, then yes I will be more upset. But all indications from our insider is it was Nate McNeil.

Now If Boese is leaving then I am going to be actually concerned. I wrote about his importance just the other day. I do not see anything on the interweb currently about him right now though.

 

[ChiefGritty]

We lost Nate McNeil....OK....He is in the same boat as Thad. Both were big parts of recruiting a team that lacked major talent. The current recruiting class is a result of Corey Paterson, Austin Clark and AHS. I don't care.

Magician-quality sleight of hand

 

[thunderwear]

Well, yes, obviously. But back when he was supposedly sending people to Lovie to re-think this and to let Lovie know about the backlash this would receive JW had the power to flat-out veto the hire. Just because you hire a head coach and "give him the reigns" doesn't mean you personally lose all power within the program. You are the AD. You're there to support and advise. Especially when you are a football guy yourself.

And, Illini0440 - I wasn't implying you fire Lovie. I'm saying you call him into the office and say "this is clearly broken, but not dead. With the appropriate moves and tweaks we can get this thing moving again". I can't believe he said "Lovie, this is all you. Whoever you hire (whether I agree or not) I will ultimately bless and support". That's bad management, JW.

If Whitman wanted to veto this hire, he would have. There are legitimate grounds to veto the hire. I don't think this was a veto problem.

This looks like a mismanagement problem. I don't think they communicated the idea with the staff. Or there are more serious problems that has people running for the hills (including an inability to hire).

 

[Deleted member 654622]

If Whitman wanted to veto this hire, he would have. There are legitimate grounds to veto the hire. I don't think this was a veto problem.

This looks like a mismanagement problem. I don't think they communicated the idea with the staff. Or there are more serious problems that has people running for the hills (including an inability to hire).

If there was ever a time to just sit back and wait for the end result (coaching staff), this has got to be it. What else is there to do.

 

[Q I-L -L]

These announcements really hurt ! Even if Lovie can find lateral quality replacements the optics of a team is so important . A wholesale bale out of his coaching staff is unbelievably horrific especially when he moves his untested son in as a linebacker coach and then decides he will be the DC , really who’s going to believe he couldn’t find at least one legitimate replacement . This makes it appear , and rightly so , assistantships coaches not only for the Illini but everywhere see a Head Coach drowning . Sure Lovie can try to sell after so many losing seasons the coaching staff needed to be purged and upgraded but I for one don’t believe it will work .

 

[thunderwear]

Obviously he's just leaving for the promotion. Nothing to see here, guys. Move along. Everything is fine.

Where are all the guys who told us yesterday to quit complaining?

I'm still here. I just don't have any information on why the coaches are leaving. I am inclined to believe that this is not because of Miles Smith, but obviously I don't know. I mean, I also don't know when the Miles Smith decision was made. Also, if Lovie fails next year, we get a new coach who should be able to start with a team that can qualify for bowls three or four years in a row. That should attract a great coach.

 

[ChiefGritty]

I'm still here. I just don't have any information on why the coaches are leaving. I am inclined to believe that this is not because of Miles Smith, but obviously I don't know. I mean, I also don't know when the Miles Smith decision was made. Also, if Lovie fails next year, we get a new coach who should be able to start with a team that can qualify for bowls three or four years in a row. That should attract a great coach.

Yes, this.

Resist the forces that tell you the instant Lovie gets fired that every player on the roster is "MAC talent" that must first be purged before we can be any better than Kansas. Never has been or will be a scintilla of truth to it.

 

[Deleted member 654622]

Yes, this.

Resist the forces that tell you the instant Lovie gets fired that every player on the roster is "MAC talent" that must first be purged before we can be any better than Kansas. Never has been or will be a scintilla of truth to it.

You really going to try and play this card again. Even after all the numbers and rankings that have been presented tell the story of an untalented team. This coaching staff is bringing in talent. Unquestioned. If it doesn't translate into wins, then the next coach will have something to work with.

 

[ChiefGritty]

This coaching staff is bringing in talent. Unquestioned.

Putting a pin in this until 247 updates their "team talent composite" for the 2019 season.

Lovie's first team, what he inherited, was 64th in the nation. We were 61st last year.

 

[LHIllinis]

Uh, these guys are leaving for promotions or the NFL. It is not like they are leaving for lateral moves or taking a step back. Not a lot of assistants are going to ignore it when the Packer's call you. Boese may leave to rejoin his buddy at Cincy in the NFL. The offense did improve a ton last season, so there should be no surprise that guys on that side are getting offers.

 

[illini0440]

Uh, these guys are leaving for promotions or the NFL. It is not like they are leaving for lateral moves or taking a step back. Not a lot of assistants are going to ignore it when the Packer's call you. Boese may leave to rejoin his buddy at Cincy in the NFL. The offense did improve a ton last season, so there should be no surprise that guys on that side are getting offers.

Butkus could have left last year for the raiders and didn't. He is not a fan of the decisions Lovie has made.

 

[KnoxIllini2]

Butkus could have left last year for the raiders and didn't. He is not a fan of the decisions Lovie has made.

Neither are we.

 

[OB_OG]

I'm still here. I just don't have any information on why the coaches are leaving. I am inclined to believe that this is not because of Miles Smith, but obviously I don't know. I mean, I also don't know when the Miles Smith decision was made. Also, if Lovie fails next year, we get a new coach who should be able to start with a team that can qualify for bowls three or four years in a row. That should attract a great coach.

If Lovie fails next year and is fired, what makes you think this roster will stick around with the era of "Free Agency"/transfer portal we've entered into?? I could see many players seeing this as a "get out of jail free" card and bouncing.

To your previous post- Whitman not veto-ing the hire but having the concern to supposedly send multiple resources to Lovie about the backlash and why this may not be a good idea is a sign of JW's management abilities (or lack thereof). He's done well in other areas where an AD needs to do so, therefore I will not pull the "fire JW" card yet.

Also, to the point another poster made about leaving for "promotions" an ASSISTANT to the OL coach in the NFL is not really a promotion from a Power 5 OL coach in college. And with Butkus having left an ASST to the OL coach at the NFL level twice to come back to his alma mater makes me believe he wants this program to do well and he wants to be a part of that staff. But he sees the dumpster fire Lovie has started (and Beckman in Luke's first round as an Illini coach) and he leaves out of frustration from lack of direction.

 

[Deleted member 654622]

Putting a pin in this until 247 updates their "team talent composite" for the 2019 season.

Lovie's first team, what he inherited, was 64th in the nation. We were 61st last year.

Done going over the issues with the "overall rankings"

 

[South Farms]

Part of me wonders if Lovie was told behind closed doors that the only reason he wasn’t let go after this season was his buyout, and that he’ll be canned at the end of this season, bowl or not. So at that point why not get your kid set up?

ZERO % that this scenario happened

 

[ChiefGritty]

Done going over the issues with the "overall rankings"

Smart, gotta make sure to defeat anything that would invite empiricism or analytical rigor into what is fundamentally a religious conversation.