For me, going 6-6 in your fourth year, and that being a high water mark, should not be deemed a success. It's improvement, but it needs to be sustained and further improved to feel good about the hire. Lovie is still very much a question mark as a hire. For me, winning 6 games in 2019 doesn't make it a success. I'm afraid to give an extension because there still is a lot of risk. Has Lovie proven he can win? 2020 should be the high watermark, but does Illinois go off a cliff starting in 2021?
I say all of this rooting for Lovie to get an extension at the end of next season. If he doesn't, the team got 5 wins or less and we're hitting the reset button yet again. If he does, improvement was made. If it was incremental improvement, you give it to him knowing you might regret it in 12-24 months. If the team makes a big step forward (7-5 or 8-4?), then we all feel great about the extension.