Our player average # is 8 in the B1G for this class, and that doesn't include 5* TE transfer Luke Ford who has 3 years left, 5* Oline transfer Pettibone from Alambama or the Oklahoma WR transfer. Love didn't really have a 1st year class since he came in so late, so this is his 2nd class. Looking at the whole roster doesn't say a whole lot about the current staff.
Football Coaching Staff / Coaching Carousel Thread
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Our player average # is 8 in the B1G for this class, and that doesn't include 5* TE transfer Luke Ford who has 3 years left, 5* Oline transfer Pettibone from Alambama or the Oklahoma WR transfer. Love didn't really have a 1st year class since he came in so late, so this is his 2nd class. Looking at the whole roster doesn't say a whole lot about the current staff.
Dren1
- Glenview, IL
My point is that there are some good things occurring such as improved recruiting alongside the negatives (which I pointed out I am concerned with). I don't think that quite reaches the level of "dumpster fire," at least not to me.
I will admit, I had never heard of "team talent composites." I just looked at the lists, and I still contend that it is too much of a black and white look at a situation that is much more complex. The talent in the program is much more thorough than it was under Beckman, but ultimately if Lovie doesn't perform this year, I think we can all agree it won't make a difference, besides leaving a decent roster for a new coach.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
All of that will be included when that ranking is updated for the new season.
We're gonna go up most likely. The question is how much.
I'm trying to be empirical, and deriving my view of the situation from the best available information. I have the utmost respect for those who prefer to just be supportive and optimistic. I have considerably less time for those who try to enforce the latter by strained fakery of the former.
And for the record I totally, totally agree that our 2020 roster will be worthy of optimism regardless of who the coach is. We'll be among the most experienced teams in the country.
I believe that this is the primary subtext to the rest of these discussions. It's indirect insight into Lovie's state of mind right now. He knows the talent and experience he's built on the team, and he sees the upcoming schedule. Lovie thinks they're about to start winning and bowling. He's not acting like someone who thinks he's on thin ice. He knows he could hire a bell dummy for LB coach and if we go bowling then no one will care, and the bell dummy might start getting interviews. Lovie is the ultimate insider, and he's all in.
I disagree. NFL > any comparable college job. In the NFL, you coach, period. In college you coach and you have to travel around and recruit. I'd wager he's being paid more in Green Bay as well.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
The money effects who we're able to hire as the next coach and, critically, what sort of resources we're able to give them. And it's about beyond 2019.
You still might be right. I just think on balance giving Lovie the chance to move forward was the better option under the circumstances, both on the chance we improve under Lovie, and the more favorable circumstances of looking for a coach next off-season as opposed to this one.
The stuff that's happened with the coaching staff honestly haven't radically changed my thoughts on what Lovie is creating here, this was kinda already my impression of the situation tbh.
Hard to say what he'd make as an assistant positional coach. Salaries across teams there vary wildly. At the around 340-350K he was making though, it's highly doubtful he went backwards in compensation.
The real rub here is simple, did he leave solely because of the current staff makeup or is the eventual end game for him career wise to end up in the pros? My best GUESS (Heavy emphasis): A little of both.
I agree, but we don’t need to (and really shouldn’t) chase a huge name coach that’s gonna require 5+ mil a year. The guy I really liked was Neal Brown. He got 6 years, 19 mil. That’s significantly less than the Lovie contract. A similar type hire is all we need.
Please read what I write before responding. I never said to use overall rankings. I agree that’s lazy. As is using average player rating when comparing a class of 13 to a class of 25. I’m saying to make it fair and compare our small class to the top 15 or so of the other classes. Every school outside of the elites fills out their classes with some lower ranked players. We didn’t because we had so few scholarships.
And this is Lovies third recruiting class. He was hired March of 16. So he’s recruited 17, 18, and now the 19 class.
I think it is a big mistake not hiring a defensive coordinator. Hiring your son also big mistake. I also feel they could have aimed much higher than Hudson.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Too many people with different opinions but the same avatar!
I respect the reply. You are correct that the roster-exodus is entirely an "IF" statement but man, despite the fact that we have actually had relative success with the offseason free agency this year I just see kids transferring so freely as an overall detriment to college athletics. And I see a coaching change as something that will only trigger a few that will leave this roster as far less desirable if JW doesn't get the next hire right.
I really hope I'm wrong and Lovie's vision is spot on. Just very hard to remain optimistic given the smoke. I have a fair amount of confidence based on connections that Butkus wasn't just jumping to Packers gig because it was the natural progression in his career path....there were other, more recent factors that add to the aforementioned smoke.
And for those who think calling this a "dumpster fire" is dramatic, that's fine. I guess being an Illini fan all these years has caused varying amounts of patience among us and I hope I can look back and say I was overreacting but we've certainly seen our lame ducks here before. I just don't look at this staff, at Lovie's demeanor and see sustained success. And creating controversy and a divide in your own football office by hiring you own, under-qualified son, is generally not the path to success.
Deleted member 649710
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The most disappointing thing about this staff turnover is that it immediately followed the Lovie staff's best recruiting season so far, and threatens to kill all the momentum that created. Only way to get it back is with some solid coaching hires . . .
I think the situation warrants concern. But the point most of us are making is that the concern won't do anything. We don't want to fire Lovie now and his successful past warrants the benefit of the doubt, even if there is more doubt. He hasn't done anything warranting firing before the season and firing before the season would likely cause a dumpster fire. Also, it is clear that Lovie needs to win this year. I respect that if he fails, he wants to burden the blame. It is his defense, he is running several defensive coaching positions with his family. I am not opposed to this given that this could be his last season as an Illini. This puts all of the balls in his court. If it doesn't work, it is because he didn't get the job done. It would be worse to have a DC that didn't mesh with what Lovie wants to do and then he failed.
Coaches leaving is troubling. Why are they leaving? Is it poor communication or messaging between Lovie and staff? Are there tensions? Is there poor management? Do people think we are going to lose? Do people have better opportunities? It is probably some combination of all of them. Either way, it doesn't matter. This is put up or shut up time. If we have a successful season, great! Then clearly it was more personal choice than premonition of things to come. If we are unsuccessful, then leaving could have been signs of things to come. But at this point, who cares? The best thing to do is to see how Lovie does.
When it comes to recruiting, I am not as concerned as some. We have solid coaches and recruits, but the illini football recruiting model right now is Lovie's celebrity and reputation. People, and their kids, want to play for Lovie. Lovie has name recognition unlike most coaches around the league. Getting some motivated recruiters should be fine. Especially for a year. If this works, then Lovie will bring in more coaches to support his vision (this is what I assume).
And, if Lovie leaves, we will lose recruits. The question is how many recruits will we lose? It is currently unclear, but I doubt that most will leave after they have started.
At this point, all we can do is cheer and if we lose this upcoming season, we look for a bunch of new coaches.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Illinois would be better of with Saban, but that would cost north of 30, hence it will not happen.
What? This is his 3rd full class.
And how many non-Lovie guys are even on the roster in 2019? 12-13 maybe. This year the vast majority of the roster has been brought in by Lovie. So, yes, the whole roster is a reflection of the staff we have now. Maybe 85% this year, and then 100% in 2020
South Farms
- near Ogden & Rt 83
Im not sure there is any school in P5 that has burned through more asst coaches in the last 12 years as we have
with Zook , and with Beckman, we were constantly moving guys thru the door. Its no different with Lovie.
Good thing we don't have to pay a sign painter to letter the glass with gold leaf outlined with black on the doors anymore.
We'd go broke
with Zook , and with Beckman, we were constantly moving guys thru the door. Its no different with Lovie.
Good thing we don't have to pay a sign painter to letter the glass with gold leaf outlined with black on the doors anymore.
We'd go broke
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Pretty sure it's only 10 now. Reggie Corbin, Stanley Green, Dele Harding, Caleb Reams, Trenard Davis, Dre Brown, Justice Williams, Jamal Milan, Kenyon Jackson and Tymir Oliver.
At this point, this is a Lovie team. Even the people that stayed are now Lovie guys, if they weren’t, they would have left
Deleted member 656517
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Cmon now deep down we know Lovie and Miles are just place holding DC and LB coach until Urlacher and Peanut are ready to jump on board. As far as the new oline coach’s concerned a little birdie told me Olin Kreutz’s real possibility.
S
So, is Whitman running the athletic department or is Lovie? This whole thing has potential to blow up in both their faces.
So, is Whitman running the athletic department or is Lovie? This whole thing has potential to blow up in both their faces.
Deleted member 654622
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I thought is was very interesting on the Jeremy Werner show today that he mentioned "Luke Butkus is a hard guy to get along with" multiple times. He also said Larry Boyd did not like working under him either. I have no idea if that played a part in him transferring, but if someone is not happy, its hard to focus on a science project.
In the end, Luke gets to go back to the NFL where he doesn't have to recruit, which he didn't do much of while he was here.
I would love to see Coach give Rod Smith the ability to fill out the remaining offensive coaching spots. Bring in his people that know his system, much like the other side of the ball.
In the end, Luke gets to go back to the NFL where he doesn't have to recruit, which he didn't do much of while he was here.
I would love to see Coach give Rod Smith the ability to fill out the remaining offensive coaching spots. Bring in his people that know his system, much like the other side of the ball.
Deleted member 29907
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It may be pretty simple. Whitman is giving Lovie this hire, if Lovie does not perform well next year, Whitman fires Lovie's hire and then the chips fall.
Not sure if this has been said, but sometimes don't coaches hold off with transfer, new gig announcements until the recruits are all signed up out of respect for the program/head coach? ie. could the timing just be as simple as final signing days?
I am not close enough to this to know - but it would seem to me that if you've been around football and coaching long enough you know there are preferential hires (whether they are sons/friends of buddies or son/friends of the HC) so while you might get annoyed as a coach when this happens, I don't see anyone leaving just because of one hire (unless of course they took your promo).
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