The Illinois Coaching Staff Search

[The Rock Says]

All the Illini message boards soiled their trousers with joy over Garrick McGee.

Resumes can be misleading in both directions.

I-L-L.

 

[ILL2010MJ]

I lived in Dallas up until Oct and Ash did a great job with very little talent. I watched most if not all of the Longhorn games and this last year, the Texas offense made more mistakes where it put the D in short field situations.

Texas had very little talent on D? That really isn't close to being true. Texas had the most talent on D of any Big 12 team

 

[mhuml32]

Tony Petersen Named Fighting Illini Offensive Coordinator - University of Illinois Athletics

Petersen has directed some of the nation's most exciting and prolific offenses during his 30-year college coaching career.

fightingillini.com

What stood out to me from this release:
"During Petersen's run as co-offensive coordinator at Minnesota, the Golden Gophers had three straight seasons (2003-05) in which they averaged more than 250.0 rushing yards per game. Minnesota ranked third nationally and set a school record by averaging 289.2 rushing yards per game in 2003. The averages of 273.1 yards in 2005 and 256.8 yards in 2004 rank second and third, respectively, in program history."

So, it seems that Petersen is a guy familiar with a run-heavy system that Bielema likes to run.

2003-2005 was an ice age ago in college football. I'm glad he had success with Maroney + Barber but his more recent performances are going to carry more weight with me regarding his future performance at Illinois.

 

[jbutts718]

My disappointment is that OC was probably the position I was hoping for the biggest splash. Bielema hangs his hate on defense, so I can understand not bringing in as big of a name at DC knowing that Bielema will have his hands on that unit. I was initially worried about his passing preference at ECU and La Tech due to weather concerns as the season goes on but this past year at App. State makes me think he can successfully run the ball.

I get all of the stipulations: Bielema wants this guy and it's his show, so let's hope it works out....but as a fan I'm underwhelmed.

Rushing at Minny pretty good.

 

[ChiefGritty]

i don’t need retreads like Enos, Canada, the guy at TN.

Uhh, Petersen was fired at East Carolina after having one of the worst offenses in the country in 2018.

Petersen was making $200k this year at App State. Hard to imagine we're doing anything short of tripling his salary.

Judging on the initial OC hire proved to offer a misleading portrait of where Lovie's initial staff would end up. We would be wise to have the same view toward the whole in this case. We can cross any narrative arcs when we get there.

But Petersen is a baffling hire. Just a career duffer with no connection to Bielema at all. There are 20 of the same guy out there, why him?

 

[jbutts718]

Uhh, Petersen was fired at East Carolina after having one of the worst offenses in the country in 2018.

Petersen was making $200k this year at App State. Hard to imagine we're doing anything short of tripling his salary.

Judging on the initial OC hire proved to offer a misleading portrait of where Lovie's initial staff would end up. We would be wise to have the same view toward the whole in this case. We can cross any narrative arcs when we get there.

But Petersen is a baffling hire. Just a career duffer with no connection to Bielema at all. There are 20 of the same guy out there, why him?

I’m guessing there is a connection and we will hear about it shortly.

 

[JJE]

Lol. Some of you guys need to take a deep breath.

 

[Deleted member 186590]

You have no idea who BB wanted......he coached in Big 10 against BB and Minny had great rushing numbers while he was there. BB knows him. Why don’t we see what he puts together.

i don’t need retreads like Enos, Canada, the guy at TN.

You do realize that was 15 years ago BB coached against him in the Big Ten

You are right I don’t know who BB wanted but I assume Petersen was on his short list given he announced him first - which was my point. But his most important hire, given BB is not an offensive coach, he hired a guy he has never coached with, who is not known as a good recruiter, making $200k at App St - it just seems really odd

 

[Bevoillini]

Uhh, Petersen was fired at East Carolina after having one of the worst offenses in the country in 2018.

Petersen was making $200k this year at App State. Hard to imagine we're doing anything short of tripling his salary.

Judging on the initial OC hire proved to offer a misleading portrait of where Lovie's initial staff would end up. We would be wise to have the same view toward the whole in this case. We can cross any narrative arcs when we get there.

But Petersen is a baffling hire. Just a career duffer with no connection to Bielema at all. There are 20 of the same guy out there, why him?

That’s who he decided to hire. BB is the only guy who knows who was available Can’t be worse than what we have had!

 

[ChiefGritty]

Can’t be worse than what we have had!

At OC it really, really can. Rod Smith is objectively higher regarded in the profession than Tony Petersen is.

Now, Petersen is no Miles Smith. He's not Hardy Nickerson. He's a grizzled career guy, he's qualified for the job. We can assess the staff when it's complete.

But what is objective fact right now is that Bielema and Petersen are now making salaries for Illinois football that outstrip their market values by leaps and bounds. I tire of being taken for a sucker.

 

[Illinivek23]

I’m guessing there is a connection and we will hear about it shortly.

Isn't Dooley the connection here between BB and TP?

 

[jbutts718]

Isn't Dooley the connection here between BB and TP?

Dooley and Peterson at Missouri together.

 

[Bevoillini]

What is Peterson being paid?

 

[illini0440]

At OC it really, really can. Rod Smith is objectively higher regarded in the profession than Tony Petersen is.

Now, Petersen is no Miles Smith. He's not Hardy Nickerson. He's a grizzled career guy, he's qualified for the job. We can assess the staff when it's complete.

But what is objective fact right now is that Bielema and Petersen are now making salaries for Illinois football that outstrip their market values by leaps and bounds. I tire of being taken for a sucker.

You can’t offer BB 2 mil to be a power 5 head coach though....4 mil is about market value nowadays

 

[Ander1345]

At OC it really, really can. Rod Smith is objectively higher regarded in the profession than Tony Petersen is.

Now, Petersen is no Miles Smith. He's not Hardy Nickerson. He's a grizzled career guy, he's qualified for the job. We can assess the staff when it's complete.

But what is objective fact right now is that Bielema and Petersen are now making salaries for Illinois football that outstrip their market values by leaps and bounds. I tire of being taken for a sucker.

Is this really true? Because I had huge questions about Rod Smith and I don't think he answered them. Not saying you're wrong fwiw, but I had never heard of Rod Smith until they talked about his relationship with Khalil Tate. Talk about a supreme talented supremely wasted.

 

[illini0440]

What is Peterson being paid?

Bout 750k same as rod

 

[AutoPoster 3000]

I get that it’s counterintuitive but “I never heard of the guy and there’s no clear case for hiring him but you never know how things will turn out and who’s to say it won’t be great so I’m totally cool with plucking this random name from the Sun belt conference” is actually not the rational, level-headed reaction to this announcement.

 

[JFGsCoffeeMug]

Doesn't make any sense. Bielema asks for an increase in the salary pool, and then announces this guy as his first hire? Landing Petersen shouldn't have put any stress on the original pool whatsoever. It just feels like we were targeting some splashier candidates but whiffed. Plus Bielema said he would start with the top four positions and then utilize them to fill in the rest of the staff. Who's coming to Illinois specifically to coach under Petersen?

It could still work out. But things are pretty obviously not going to plan so far.

 

[ChiefGritty]

You can’t offer BB 2 mil to be a power 5 head coach though....4 mil is about market value nowadays

Mack Brown makes 3.5, Justin Wilcox makes 3.35, Dave Doeren makes 3.25, Chris Kleiman makes 2.5!

4.2 for Bielema is a joke. That isn't a criticism of the hire per se, and it's only in the loosest and most minute possible sense my money, but that is using overpayment to mask the odor of hiring a retread coach. AD's should not do that.

 

[Ander1345]

Doesn't make any sense. Bielema asks for an increase in the salary pool, and then announces this guy as his first hire? Landing Peterson shouldn't have put any stress on the original pool whatsoever. It just feels like we were targeting some splashier candidates but whiffed. Plus Bielema said he would start with the top four positions and then utilize them to fill in the rest of the staff. Who's coming to Illinois specifically to coach under Peterson?

It could still work out. But things are pretty obviously not going to plan so far.

I'm optimistic about the Peterson hire. I watched about 4 App State games and if we run something similar to that scheme I think IW can excel.

 

[mhuml32]

Mack Brown makes 3.5, Justin Wilcox makes 3.35, Dave Doeren makes 3.25, Chris Kleiman makes 2.5!

4.2 for Bielema is a joke. That isn't a criticism of the hire per se, and it's only in the loosest and most minute possible sense my money, but that is using overpayment to mask the odor of hiring a retread coach. AD's should not do that.

To add to this, Cristobal just got an extension from Oregon and he's only getting $100k more per year than Bielema.

 

[Bevoillini]

Mack Brown makes 3.5, Justin Wilcox makes 3.35, Dave Doeren makes 3.25, Chris Kleiman makes 2.5!

4.2 for Bielema is a joke. That isn't a criticism of the hire per se, and it's only in the loosest and most minute possible sense my money, but that is using overpayment to mask the odor of hiring a retread coach. AD's should not do that.

4.2 million is not a joke. Who did you want to hire? The Illinois program does not have proven rebuilders knocking at the door. BB wasn’t my first choice but probably the best available .

 

[illini0440]

Mack Brown makes 3.5, Justin Wilcox makes 3.35, Dave Doeren makes 3.25, Chris Kleiman makes 2.5!

4.2 for Bielema is a joke. That isn't a criticism of the hire per se, and it's only in the loosest and most minute possible sense my money, but that is using overpayment to mask the odor of hiring a retread coach. AD's should not do that.

All I’m saying is that the average salary for a power 5 head coach is 4.4 mil
Also I’m not defending the OC hire by any means....nor am I sayin the BB hire is a sure fire thing.

 

[ChiefGritty]

4.2 million is not a joke. Who did you want to hire? The Illinois program does not have proven rebuilders knocking at the door. BB wasn’t my first choice but probably the best available .

Bielema would have taken the job for 3.5, and probably less, let's not kid ourselves.

Colorado hired Karl Dorrell for 3.2 instead of Bielema.

 

[northillini2342]

I think we all just got reminded that we are illinois fans. Last chance coaches and low level guys wanting a raise is what we are gonna get. It was nice to dream tho wasn't it