2019-20 Coaching Discussion/Carousel

Status
Not open for further replies.
#1,328      

Deleted member 656517

D
Guest
Reading up on Clark Lea’s bio I’d be more than alright with his hire. Come in improve the defense immediately and we’re bowling. Retain Rod Smith, Patterson, maybe Hudson for stability purposes, and imo we’re in business
 
#1,330      
#1,331      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
A look at Jason Candle’s contract and buyout situation at Toledo

Candle’s buyout should he leave for another job increased by 50 percent, but only from $300,000 to $450,000.

If you’re, say, a Big Ten team paying $9 million to your former head coach, a $450,000 buyout to get a 40-year-old head coach with 32 wins already on his resume sounds appetizing to you.

https://footballscoop.com/news/look-jason-candles-contract-buyout-situation-toledo/

Candle obviously knows both Tim Beckman and Alex Golesh super well. Boy would I like to be a fly on the wall to hear the thoughts they would have for Candle about the possibility of taking our job.

I kind of agree with the people who say it could never happen. But man it would be really unfortunate for someone as obviously qualified as Candle to just get crossed off the list.
 
#1,332      

BZuppke

Plainfield
I’ve maintained this in all of our coaching hires since Mackovic. Forget the next hot assistant. Hire a proven college head coach. Illinois can not afford to continue to take chances.
 
#1,334      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
Clark Lea looks interesting. I assume he'd be our youngest head football coach, by quite a margin.

Lea graduated from college in 04, putting him around 37-38. Moeller was 36 when he started, Ray Eliot was 37, and Bob Zuppke was only 34.
 
#1,335      

Illinifan533

Normal, Illinois
Bruce Feldman with a nice overview of the Carousel, albeit behind a paywall (a subscription to the Athletic is worth it, IMO. If you just want to read this, there is a short free trial before you're billed, I believe)
https://theathletic.com/1293876/201...-2019-season-coaching-carousel-names-to-know/

For those who don't want to pay, here's an overview on his thoughts on some of the candidates discussed here.

He doesn't believe Fickell will leave for Illinois even though he says we will be interested. Believes that he may be more interested in Michigan State if it opens up. Leipold is a possibility but he might be more inclined to a Northeast job like Rutgers and Boston College. Otherwise, he does believe Illinois would have a good shot at Candle, Monken, Norvell, and Chip Long . Also brings up Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich and Air Force coach Troy Calhoun (both are pretty unlikely, IMO) as possible candidates.
 
#1,336      
Someone close to Fickell must've told Bruce that Fickell wouldn't be interested if he was willing to put that in the article since I don't think Norvell would be interested either.
 
#1,337      

Deleted member 656517

D
Guest
Someone close to Fickell must've told Bruce that Fickell wouldn't be interested if he was willing to put that in the article since I don't think Norvell would be interested either.
Why the hesitance on Norvell’s interest?
 
#1,338      
What would everyone's opinion be of Whitman if Lovie is retained?

Is this a hypothetical or are there whispers?

I wasn't even in the need a bowl game to keep Lovie camp at the beginning of the season. If Lovie had competitive losses and things looked better he could stay. But really, that's over now. Lovie bet on himself this year with by becoming the defensive coordinator and barring something drastic happening he lost. Josh surely knows this, and I currently trust him to make the right decision at the end of the year.
 
Last edited:
#1,339      
Is this a hypothetical or are there whispers?

I wasn't even in the need a bowl game to keep Lovie camp at the beginning of the season. If Lovie had competitive losses and things looked better he could stay. But really, that's over now. Lovie bet on himself this year with by becoming the defensive coordinator and barring something drastic happening he lost. Josh surely knows this, and I currently trust him to make the right decision at the end of the year.
Hypothetical.
 
#1,340      

Deleted member 654622

D
Guest
Is this a hypothetical or are there whispers?

I wasn't even in the need a bowl game to keep Lovie camp at the beginning of the season. If Lovie had competitive losses and things looked better he could stay. But really, that's over now. Lovie bet on himself this year with by becoming the defensive coordinator and barring something drastic happening he lost. Josh surely knows this, and I currently trust him to make the right decision at the end of the year.
I 100% agree with you.

What is really going to be an issue is if we beat Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern. That would be progress in the W/L record. But we are all pretty sure that is smoking mirrors (I believe that was Gritty's words). I find myself torn between wanting to win every game remaining, but not wanting there to be any doubt that we need a new coach.
I will root for IL to turn the corner. Plenty of time left to do it. Odds that Lovie and staff are going to change my mind....not holding my breath.
 
#1,341      
I 100% agree with you.

What is really going to be an issue is if we beat Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern. That would be progress in the W/L record. But we are all pretty sure that is smoking mirrors (I believe that was Gritty's words). I find myself torn between wanting to win every game remaining, but not wanting there to be any doubt that we need a new coach.
I will root for IL to turn the corner. Plenty of time left to do it. Odds that Lovie and staff are going to change my mind....not holding my breath.

I really doubt they can beat NW. No way the offense will be able to score points. And Purdue is a toss up imo.

The day after the NW loss I expect an announcement from Whitman.
 
#1,343      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
That would be progress in the W/L record. But we are all pretty sure that is smoking mirrors (I believe that was Gritty's words).

The question is whether the team plays better, and plays well enough to believe the current staff would be positioned to take advantage of our very favorable roster and schedule situation for next year. I'm a cheap date, if I'm convinced we've got a winning team next year, why rock that boat?

We're nowhere even close to that right now. That's the problem.
 
Last edited:
#1,344      

mattcoldagelli

The Transfer Portal
I’ve maintained this in all of our coaching hires since Mackovic. Forget the next hot assistant. Hire a proven college head coach. Illinois can not afford to continue to take chances.

Yes, like

[checks notes]

Tim Beckman?
 
#1,346      

Deleted member 746586

D
Guest
How about a proven head coach at least at the B1G level.
 
#1,347      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
How about a proven head coach at least at the B1G level.

Glen Mason is tanned, rested and ready. He already broadcasts half of our games, he could step in seamlessly!

(I googled Glen Mason in preparing this post, and it is my urgent duty to alert you to the following shirt:

Neuhheisel-Mason_1020_t960.jpg


That is all.)
 
#1,348      
https://www.news-gazette.com/sports...cle_57c3f7bf-2659-5052-b4ef-286fb476db62.html

article about Whitman's take on the current state of Illini football. Hopefully he's just keeping up appearances..there's no way he ACTUALLY believes this staff is giving 100% and is still this incompetent. right? right?! Also plays the moral victory card about our fake comeback vs Michigan. Please just be josh-ing me, Josh. There's no way he can actually still trust this staff.
 
#1,349      

BananaShampoo

Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
https://www.news-gazette.com/sports...cle_57c3f7bf-2659-5052-b4ef-286fb476db62.html

article about Whitman's take on the current state of Illini football. Hopefully he's just keeping up appearances..there's no way he ACTUALLY believes this staff is giving 100% and is still this incompetent. right? right?! Also plays the moral victory card about our fake comeback vs Michigan. Please just be josh-ing me, Josh. There's no way he can actually still trust this staff.
Just remember he was fully publicly supportive of Groce, too, until the moment he wasn't right after the season ended.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.