Poll: Is it time to fire Lovie?
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Did Ford even play today?
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I'm 100% in the fire lovie camp and not even beating Ohio St will change my mind at this point. Unless the AD already knows who he wants there's no point in firing him until the season is over. I don't like the idea of going the majority of the season without a big chunk of the coaching staff.
I've seen this question about Ford asked a lot. I don't think I've seen it answered yet. I would really like to know why we aren't seeing him on the field!
DaChief4ever
- Urbana
Dump Lovie and take that FAHEY with him....both losers, that continue losing..over their heads.
IlliniwekKDR
- Colorado Springs, CO
Wait until this year is over is my vote. This season is lost, so it's not going to be like the Blues switching to Berube in the middle of the season. And it's not like you're finding your home run hire in November anyway. We can wait six more weeks.
A resounding yes
RedRocksIllini
- Morrison, CO
Odd that it was after a very poor start and a particularly demoralizing loss to Minnesota a year ago that I was 100% in favor of a regime change. Then some sort of light bulb went on with the defense starting with the Michigan game the following week that carried over to the winning streak he had last year. I don't get the feeling that anything like that is going to happen this year but I'd say ride it out. I don't see much point in firing him during the season, especially without a reasonable interim replacement currently on the staff. Plus you'd need to find a DC and a linebackers coach or whatever Miles is pretending to be doing.
The Lovie Smith experiment has to end. This was to be Lovie's best team.
IlliniwekKDR
- Colorado Springs, CO
It was Jeff Brohm
A high school JV coach couldn’t coach the defense any worse than Smith. Get rid of Smith.
Illinivek23
- Gurnee
Let Patterson take over in the interim like Rutgers did last year with their former HS coach on Ash's staff. Get the list ready.
Whitman has to have short list ready, but wow are his hands tied. I applaud him for the risk he took. I remember thinking Josh was a stud the day Lovie was hired, but it was really just a huge gamble. Unfortunately the dice ended up as snake eyes. I wish Lovie would do the honorable thing and quit. Wouldn't that be a blessing! I hate that my son, who is a sophomore at Illinois, is having such a terrible fall experience. I wish he could have a 1989 year like I did. Bring on Basketball!
Asmussen’s article today seems to indicate that Whitman will wait one more year. If he does, the transfers and increased fan apathy could be horrendous. Surely he is working on a short list? I am a long time season ticket holder, tailgate in 31, etc. but can’t see any reason to buy tickets next year if he doesn’t make a move at season’s end. Tailgating is lots of fun, but why waste the money to go inside and watch that?
Heard a story from a friend about a 4 star kid (from IL) that visited and Lovie didn’t even greet him. He starts for Cincinnati now.
Lovie got testy last night in the post game interviews. Surely those arrogant reports don’t deserve to ask him any questions. He’s the great Lovie!
Please Josh, read some of these boards or social media and make a decisive decision at season’s end to move the needle. We are lost. Lost.
Heard a story from a friend about a 4 star kid (from IL) that visited and Lovie didn’t even greet him. He starts for Cincinnati now.
Lovie got testy last night in the post game interviews. Surely those arrogant reports don’t deserve to ask him any questions. He’s the great Lovie!
Please Josh, read some of these boards or social media and make a decisive decision at season’s end to move the needle. We are lost. Lost.
JJE
- Bethalto, IL
From my point of view I would wait to fire him till the end of the year. You fire him now and other schools start the process of poaching our roster and coaches. You will still have other schools do that either way, but if Whitman does it right it will minimize the damage.
If I were Whitman I would be talking to donors to help with his buyout while simultaneously narrowing down the list of potential head coaches.
Football for me has always been a hold over for me till basketball starts, but that doesn't mean I don't want to see them be successful. For too many years this program has predictably bad. It would be nice to see consistently decent.
If I were Whitman I would be talking to donors to help with his buyout while simultaneously narrowing down the list of potential head coaches.
Football for me has always been a hold over for me till basketball starts, but that doesn't mean I don't want to see them be successful. For too many years this program has predictably bad. It would be nice to see consistently decent.
There are two reasons to fire a head coach before the end of the season. One is to get a head start on finding a replacement. The other is because you're afraid the team might win enough games to make the firing "difficult." I don't think he needs to be fired right now, but Whitman might as well get a head start at some point before season's end. Another strike against right now is having to name an interim coach with a bump in pay at a time when funds are tight. Which reminds me, didn't a lot of the assistant coaches get a huge raise this year?
I think I would wait till the end of the year strictly bc I do not want Rod as the interm.
Also, can't wait to start the coaching candidate polls when he is gone.
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