Illinois Football Staff Thread
Garrick McGee became OC at Arkansas after *gasp* Paul Petrino left for Illinois.
What tangled webs we weave.
What tangled webs we weave.
Chambana13
- Charleston, IL
I don't think McGee calls the plays. Probably just the OC title and QB Coach.
Yeah, I wonder that too. My only thinking would be that if he is the OC under Petrino, is he really calling the plays? Could be where he sees a shot to completely control an offense with Lovie focusing on D.
South Farms
- near Ogden & Rt 83
in college and pro football, there is only at most 2 degrees of separation with any two given coaches.
He can come in call the plays and be a stud recruiter. Don't think I like it as much as Sherman, but it makes sense.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
My thought exactly, need to bring in some younger coaches with strong networks and can connect with student-athletes.
He's AHC/OC/QB Coach and is getting paid a ton of money. He was also reportedly Bob Stoops' first choice for OC last year before they hired Lincoln Riley.
He was also Northwestern's first OC under Fitzy, but left for Arkansas to become QB coach. Was he fired? Does anyone remember?
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
A lot of it is about relationships too. That would be one of the biggest considerations for me in a lateral move.
No. Start TBD.
Best guesses given current intel:
OC - Garrick McGee (new info calls him "clear top target")
RB - Scheelhaase? I've also heard he was offered a non-coaching role with the team
WR - Andrew Hayes-Stoker
OL - Tim Holt
DC/LB - Hardy Nickerson
DL - Mike Phair
DB - ? I know that Miles Smith is going for his Master's; is Mikal still in play? If not, Gill Byrd has been with Lovie at pretty much every stop.
ST/Assoc HC - Dave Toub (not sure he'd be interested)
That would be a pretty insane coaching staff. If one more big name signed on, it would be over the top - clearly elite nationwide. My only concern is McGee's mixed track record, but he's clearly well regarded in the coaching community.
OC - Garrick McGee (new info calls him "clear top target")
RB - Scheelhaase? I've also heard he was offered a non-coaching role with the team
WR - Andrew Hayes-Stoker
OL - Tim Holt
DC/LB - Hardy Nickerson
DL - Mike Phair
DB - ? I know that Miles Smith is going for his Master's; is Mikal still in play? If not, Gill Byrd has been with Lovie at pretty much every stop.
ST/Assoc HC - Dave Toub (not sure he'd be interested)
That would be a pretty insane coaching staff. If one more big name signed on, it would be over the top - clearly elite nationwide. My only concern is McGee's mixed track record, but he's clearly well regarded in the coaching community.
Ryan Mallett, not Tannehill.
And he was a disaster as the head coach of a football program at a school that had people doing everything in their power to shut down the football program.
Mike Sherman or Garrick McGee are both HUGE upgrades. I won't complain about either.
I could care less how he was as a head coach. If he can recruit and call good plays on offense it works for me.
I could be wrong, but it doesn't look to me like McGee fits the stereotype of the ace recruiter who doesn't specialize in the X's and O's side of the game. Both Randy Walker and Bob Stoops wanted this guy to be their play caller.
Reading that, you can see what Whitman and Lovie saw in each other.
It's going to be a very different brand and recruiting pitch here as opposed to P.T. Harbaugh's three-ring circus at Michigan, that's for sure.
Thamel is a very well-sourced national CFB reporter. It's as likely to come from him as anybody.
If McGee comes aboard, it will be largely for the opportunity to call plays. The only reason he doesn't currently is that he's coaching under Bobby Petrino. I imagine he's ready for the chance to show his chops managing the flow of the game at a P5 school. Probably a necessary step on the way to a high profile HC gig 3-4 years down the road. This could be a good fit for all parties.
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Apologies if this has already been discussed, but what is McGee's offensive style? And is he known as a good recruiter?
This is just a story written off the original Thamel tweet. Not saying it's inaccurate, but it has no more legs now than it did when Thamel tweeted it.