Poll: Lovie Smith Job Performance Fan Eval
altenberger22
- South Carolina
Overall Grade = C+
A - Leadership; Moral Conviction; Player Relations; Discipline
B - Face of the Program; Press Relations
C - Charisma; Program Allure; Being someone that high school seniors really want to play for
D - Recruiting Results
A - Leadership; Moral Conviction; Player Relations; Discipline
B - Face of the Program; Press Relations
C - Charisma; Program Allure; Being someone that high school seniors really want to play for
D - Recruiting Results
Kinda agree with you. Might bump the recruitment if we are grading on a curve
I said C. He’s done about what I’ve expected. Neither exceeding nor failing to live up to my expectations.
Deleted member 654622
D
Guest
D for disappointed at where we are. Still some time to succeed however
Deleted member 29907
D
Guest
tend to agree. Add to that a D or so on coaching hires. Maybe his choices were limited, but he's had a few pretty bad hires based on friendship/relationships.
C because I think a majority of candidates could've gotten us to where we are right now. Back to back bowl games would probably bump him to a C+. These next couple years are by far the most crucial.
Show that you can propel the team forward, rather than just digging them out of a hole they're just going to fall back into again.
Show that you can propel the team forward, rather than just digging them out of a hole they're just going to fall back into again.
Right. It’s time to stack up bowl seasons. 4 out of 5, 5 out of 6. Prove to both the fans and the recruiting base that the program deserves to be taken seriously.
Minnesota has been to bowls in 15 of the last 20 years and 7 of 8.
Wisconsin has been to bowls in 25 of the last 27 years and 18 in a row.
Iowa has been to bowls 17 of 19 years and 7 in a row.
Northwestern has been to bowls 9 of the last 12 years and 4 of 5.
That’s our competition. That’s the company we need to be joining.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
I would give the same ranking (possibly B-). Lovie took the reins of a program that was a complete dumpster fire. The Beckman firing and the PR disaster. "Not ideal", hiring Cubit, New AD. The roster is vastly improved. Great decision to hire Patterson. Great decision to embrace transfers. The bad is almost all of his initial coaching staff hires. McGee was a disaster (but was celebrated at the time). Nickerson was a disaster. Took a while for Lovie to become more flexible with his defensive formation. Recruiting has been perplexing. A number of folks have mentioned a number of concerns (lack of coaches that are focused on recruiting, in-state recruits going elsewhere, late offers that either led to recruits going elsewhere or put them at risk of going elsewhere).
If 2020-21 went poorly and Lovie was fired, I would have no doubt the program would be in much better position to when he took over.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I'll go with a B, without getting too detailed with it. After the EMU loss, it was a D ... given the circumstances and how little we can realistically expect from this program until it is properly built back up, I think the four-game winning streak was literally worth two letter grades. Why? It made us not a joke to other teams' fanbases, and this is a more-than-decent barometer for our standing among your average recruit. His first goal upon being hired was to restore even the tiniest pride in "Illini Football," and that has happened. This year will be the year that makes or breaks him, however ... COVID derailing aside, we need a 6-win season at least, and maintaining momentum would likely require 7.
Major disappointment so far. Given his pedigree and name recognition he had a chance to come in and very quickly improve the program. He made too many bad hires and recruiting has been weak, particularly in state. He has one more year to turn things around, but given a weak schedule needs 7+ wins to do so
I gave him a C, but I was expecting an A when he was hired. I agree with everything you said except for 7+ wins. I bet he stays with 5. It shouldn't happen, but if it does I know there will be an excuse (covid, injury, Beckman, etc.)
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
I gave a C also. I think that he has improved the floor of the program and brought back a sense of credibility off the field. Still disappointed with on the field performance. I really hoped that his name and reputation would have gotten him in a lot more doors.
Deleted member 654622
D
Guest
I actually think I will bump mine to a C. I am not sure we get the new Smith Football Center without Lovie as the HC. That should have a longer lasting impact
B He got us back to a bowl in the time frame I expected, considering the major mess he inherited and the fact that he had no real recruiting class his first year since he was hired so late. Bowl game, biggest comeback in Illinois history and a win over a top 6 team giving us this year's biggest upset.
altenberger22
- South Carolina
Nice comment! These are great benchmarks......and MSU probably needs to be included. 30 years ago we were ending a 10-year string where we were in 5th place in the (adjusted -- and now current) Big 10, behind only OSU, MICH, PSU and NEB.
That leaves Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Purdue and Rutgers currently pulling up the rear. And Indiana is on a nice little run right now.
and Maryland is recruiting very well, PU has gone to bowls in 2 of the last 3 seasons and only missed last year due to injuries, and Rutgers just brought back a coach who went to bowls in 5 of his last 6 seasons there. We need to step it up a few notches
Interesting categories. He comes across pretty low-key, but I'm not sure that's such a bad thing.
Lovie rates high in all categories for me except the D rating for recruiting just doesn't quite cut it. If transfers are included , I would rate him at a C .