Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

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#576      

Deleted member 654622

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I understand the talk about it, but Rod isn't going anywhere. He is a good recruiter and our offense isn't going to be hurting anytime soon either. I would have to venture a guess that the 200k salary a QB coach would get is a significant pay raise for him. Yes we need to take chances, at positions where a need exist. There is not one at the OC slot currently
 
#577      
He was offered the QB coach position at Purdue and was interviewed for the Eastern Illinois Head Coaching job. I'm not saying they give him the OC right away, but you could if that is what it takes. I don't think he leaves his job for the wide receivers coach position. He's the most talked about HS coach in the state, he would be a slam dunk OC position.

Lovie can’t afford to Hire an inexperienced offensive coordinator. He could do that on defense though.
 
#578      
I understand the talk about it, but Rod isn't going anywhere. He is a good recruiter and our offense isn't going to be hurting anytime soon either. I would have to venture a guess that the 200k salary a QB coach would get is a significant pay raise for him. Yes we need to take chances, at positions where a need exist. There is not one at the OC slot currently
Listen i'm not hating on Rod or anything but no way he would want Derek to come in as the QB coach. It would undercut him and no way he would want Derek sitting in the wings. And trust me when i say that it isn't about money to Derek. He had the Purdue job if he wanted or the EIU job. And who really has Rod gotten. I know he helped with some Florida kids and was a lead guy on dixon, robinson and spann. I'm not trying to be critical but the offense regressed last year and rod had some not great games. Also id bet anything the Derek would get more recruits out of Illinois which many on here have expressed an interest in. It's not happening but Lovie has made bold hires before and experience is way down on the list for a lot of them.
 
#579      
Listen i'm not hating on Rod or anything but no way he would want Derek to come in as the QB coach. It would undercut him and no way he would want Derek sitting in the wings. And trust me when i say that it isn't about money to Derek. He had the Purdue job if he wanted or the EIU job. And who really has Rod gotten. I know he helped with some Florida kids and was a lead guy on dixon, robinson and spann. I'm not trying to be critical but the offense regressed last year and rod had some not great games. Also id bet anything the Derek would get more recruits out of Illinois which many on here have expressed an interest in. It's not happening but Lovie has made bold hires before and experience is way down on the list for a lot of them.

100% in agreement here. I grew up playing against Rochester and Derek Leonard. The guy is the real deal and can call plays as well as coach QB. Last season wasn’t a good year for Rod as a play caller.
 
#580      
100% in agreement here. I grew up playing against Rochester and Derek Leonard. The guy is the real deal and can call plays as well as coach QB. Last season wasn’t a good year for Rod as a play caller.

To be fair to Rod, his offense works much better with a running QB. I think if we can get a guy to run like AJ Bush and pass a bit better like Peters our offense will be really good.
 
#581      
Seems like Lovie likes the idea of Rod being his own man as an OC. Would he trust a guy with little college experience to run his own "kingdom" on the offensive side of the ball? Unlikely. Plus he want a running qb. Sounds like the other guy is a more traditional qb type. Just don't see it happening with Lovie.
Rod was with the same HC for a looooooog time. He is an OC lifer imo. Which means so long as he helps Lovie get 6/7/8 wins he is our OC for the foreseeable future. Only way he goes is if Lovie goes.
 
#582      

Deleted member 654622

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Listen i'm not hating on Rod or anything but no way he would want Derek to come in as the QB coach. It would undercut him and no way he would want Derek sitting in the wings. And trust me when i say that it isn't about money to Derek. He had the Purdue job if he wanted or the EIU job. And who really has Rod gotten. I know he helped with some Florida kids and was a lead guy on dixon, robinson and spann. I'm not trying to be critical but the offense regressed last year and rod had some not great games. Also id bet anything the Derek would get more recruits out of Illinois which many on here have expressed an interest in. It's not happening but Lovie has made bold hires before and experience is way down on the list for a lot of them.
If you just want to go with lead and Dixon/Spann are his big names, those are nice gets. I will also say the Texas QB is a good grab, regardless if he stays committed or not. Like it has been mentioned many times here, it is more of a group effort. Rod definitely was a apart of getting other big offensive names here.
As far as the offense regressing, I disagree. The numbers might be different in certain categories but the QB position going from a runner to a pocket passer is not some wave of the hand fix. Now throw in the fact that the new QB came to campus at the last minute. Rod did an adequate job considering the circumstances. The offense will be more than fine next year.
I understand if neither would like to work together. All I am saying is we don't need an OC, the one we have is pretty good. If Derek doesn't want to check his ego at the door, that is 100% his choice, I wont dog him for that. But the odds are it will keep him at the HS level. When the team starts winning more, the IL kids will want to play there, regardless of some high school coach.
 
#583      
If you just want to go with lead and Dixon/Spann are his big names, those are nice gets. I will also say the Texas QB is a good grab, regardless if he stays committed or not. Like it has been mentioned many times here, it is more of a group effort. Rod definitely was a apart of getting other big offensive names here.
As far as the offense regressing, I disagree. The numbers might be different in certain categories but the QB position going from a runner to a pocket passer is not some wave of the hand fix. Now throw in the fact that the new QB came to campus at the last minute. Rod did an adequate job considering the circumstances. The offense will be more than fine next year.
I understand if neither would like to work together. All I am saying is we don't need an OC, the one we have is pretty good. If Derek doesn't want to check his ego at the door, that is 100% his choice, I wont dog him for that. But the odds are it will keep him at the HS level. When the team starts winning more, the IL kids will want to play there, regardless of some high school coach.
Rod is a very good college OC. And i know he helped in a lot of recruitments. I never meant to suggest otherwise. I'm simply stating that i think Derek would be a nice hire for the staff. I think we are missing someone like him. The staff really only has 1 'Illinois guy". Rod still doesn't have his type of QB and i don't blame him for that. but i thought last year Rod got way too cute instead of trusting a solid line and 2 senior RB's. Derek is a wizard and will be really good wherever he ends up. I just think Illinois should utilize a guy with his talents that's only 60 miles away.
 
#584      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Rod is a very good college OC. And i know he helped in a lot of recruitments. I never meant to suggest otherwise. I'm simply stating that i think Derek would be a nice hire for the staff. I think we are missing someone like him. The staff really only has 1 'Illinois guy". Rod still doesn't have his type of QB and i don't blame him for that. but i thought last year Rod got way too cute instead of trusting a solid line and 2 senior RB's. Derek is a wizard and will be really good wherever he ends up. I just think Illinois should utilize a guy with his talents that's only 60 miles away.

Without a doubt. But he has to be willing to come. And start out as a position coach (QB).
 
#585      
Without a doubt. But he has to be willing to come. And start out as a position coach (QB).
Absolutely. Get in here, recruit, coach up, make your mark and then move on/up..... that's the way it's done.

It was mentioned earlier that Gus Malzahn went from HS HC to NCAA OC but failed to mention that he brought the #1 QB in the nation, Mitch Mustain, an All-American WR in Damian Williams, and 2 others from his Arkansas Championship HS team along with him as part of the deal..... Perspective is everything! I am not going to take the time to look up the other 3 or 4 HS HC to NCAA OC's mentioned but I am certain there were underlying circumstances that don't necessarily pertain to Derek Leonard in the near future......
 
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#586      
Absolutely. Get in here, recruit, coach up, make your mark and then move on/up..... that's the way it's done.

It was mentioned earlier that Gus Malzahn went from HS HC to NCAA OC but failed to mention that he brought the #1 QB in the nation, Mitch Mustain, an All-American WR in Damian Williams, and 2 others from his Arkansas Championship HS team along with him as part of the deal..... Perspective is everything! I am not going to take the time to look up the other 3 or 4 HS HC to NCAA OC's mentioned but I am certain there were underlying circumstances that don't necessarily pertain to Derek Leonard in the near future......

Of course the recruits were part of it. I didn’t bring it up because, unlike some other dumb hires in basketball and football where a coach is just trying to get some recruits and then the HS coach fizzles out, Malzahn has been the real deal. Derek can be the same way. 8 championships in 10 years is unprecedented, along with blowing out a Chicago Catholic school that has been a traditional power this year in the state game. I’m not saying it will or should happen; I am saying it is a risk that a struggling program like Illinois should take, just like they did with Patterson.
 
#587      
Absolutely. Get in here, recruit, coach up, make your mark and then move on/up..... that's the way it's done.

It was mentioned earlier that Gus Malzahn went from HS HC to NCAA OC but failed to mention that he brought the #1 QB in the nation, Mitch Mustain, an All-American WR in Damian Williams, and 2 others from his Arkansas Championship HS team along with him as part of the deal..... Perspective is everything! I am not going to take the time to look up the other 3 or 4 HS HC to NCAA OC's mentioned but I am certain there were underlying circumstances that don't necessarily pertain to Derek Leonard in the near future......
Well your sorta proving our point. Derek would bring in his kids as well as more Illinois kids. And there isn't a big difference between a HS HC and a wr coach. What im saying is that talent determines everything. Derek is getting Head coaching college offers without ever coaching on the college.
 
#588      

mhuml32

Cincinnati, OH
Do we have a list of potential recruits visiting for this upcoming weekend that's been discussed on here?
 
#590      
If Rod Smith leaves for greener pastures in the next few years, then bringing Derek in as OC seems like a smart move. IMHO.

I'm guessing the current staff would welcome him with open arms and help him get up to speed.
 
#593      
Well your sorta proving our point. Derek would bring in his kids as well as more Illinois kids. And there isn't a big difference between a HS HC and a wr coach. What im saying is that talent determines everything. Derek is getting Head coaching college offers without ever coaching on the college.
When was the last time Rochester produced a Power Five football player? Wes Lunt? It doesn't seem to me that Leonard has kids to bring that would move the needle.
 
#594      
When was the last time Rochester produced a Power Five football player? Wes Lunt? It doesn't seem to me that Leonard has kids to bring that would move the needle.
Its not about the specific HS, it is about his reputation within the state and all the ties he has. He does more clinics and speeches than any other HS coach. And i've given a list on here of just the players within his conference in the last couple of years. And Rochester has a P5 WR right now and a O-Lineman with offers. This is from deep-dishillinois- "Leonard has a 145-30 record over his 14 years as head football coach. His team has won seven Class 4A state championships in the past nine years. Over the past 10 years, he has a 43-3 playoff record and averages 46.1 points per game and 503 yards per game." He's known around the state and if colleges are approaching him to apply for positions than i think Illinois should make a run is all im saying, OC or not.
 
#598      
Another 2022 kid that "supposedly" will be in attendance in Rochester 2022 WR/QB/ATH- hank beaty. Seen the kids and i like him as a WR but has gotten offers from ILL st, Western, SIU and central Michigan all within the last couple weeks.
 
#599      

Chilliniwek

Chicagoland
Another 2022 kid that "supposedly" will be in attendance in Rochester 2022 WR/QB/ATH- hank beaty. Seen the kids and i like him as a WR but has gotten offers from ILL st, Western, SIU and central Michigan all within the last couple weeks.
Sign me up for this young man sight unseen. He can complete a pass to himself and then run quickly and athletically for a TD on every snap. And bring Leonard with him!
 
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