Bill Cubit gets 2-year deal as Illinois Head Football Coach

[rhymeswithorange]

:doh:

I'm sure I'm in the minority (and that minority might include only me!) but I think this is the only move that makes sense.

Who in their right mind was going to come to coach here with the university in shambles from top to bottom?

Plan on a 5 year rebuild from this current mess to even determine if we can put together a winning program.

 

[Deleted member 29907]

Does this mean everyone else turned us down?

 

[Second and Chalmers]

Guys, it's been a tremendous pleasure wasting time on here with you all. I'll miss it.

I am no longer an Illini fan.

 

[Illininer]

So they kill recruiting, the fanbase, and likely the donors all in one move. Impressive.

 

[victory225]

I can't believe they did this without interviewing anyone. SMH

 

[Deleted member 29907]

Maybe Cubit has a line on Les Miles as his OC..

 

[HerbertFish]

I'm sure I'm in the minority (and that minority might include only me!) but I think this is the only move that makes sense.

Who in their right mind was going to come to coach here with the university in shambles from top to bottom?

Plan on a 5 year rebuild from this current mess to even determine if we can put together a winning program.

You think someone wouldn't come here now, but would come after we've punted 1 year of recruiting, and now 2-3?

 

[AutoPoster 3000]

I love that Kowalczyk says they wanted to remove the interim title. Two years at $1.2 million IS an interim title.

 

[illini8507]

Well there went any hope I had for Miles, as misplaced as that may have been. At least I had hope once.

 

[mossimo142]

Can anyone explain the rationale of firing Thomas, admittedly for no wrong doing, but wanting a clean slate. And then turn around and hire the OC from that same scandal plagued staff? ??

 

[Deleted member 10676]

Guys, it's been a tremendous pleasure wasting time on here with you all. I'll miss it.

I am no longer an Illini fan.

Ahh, if it were only that easy. And I say that having gone through the 70's.

 

[Ryllini]

I believe Coach Cubit said he had kids waiting for the university to say yes to him, well they said yes, let's see how true that was.

I hope he succeeds and we have as much stability as we can have for 2 years. I must agree, his buyout must be small.

 

[rhymeswithorange]

You think someone wouldn't come here now, but would come after we've punted 1 year of recruiting, and now 2-3?

Yes. I think it's an easier sell when you have a functional athletic department again.

 

[cmore]

Can anyone explain the rationale of firing Thomas, admittedly for no wrong doing, but wanting a clean slate. And then turn around and hire the OC from that same scandal plagued staff? ??

A huge +1.

 

[illinoisfan11]

Can anyone explain the rationale of firing Thomas, admittedly for no wrong doing, but wanting a clean slate. And then turn around and hire the OC from that same scandal plagued staff? ??

There is no rationale behind any of this, much like the entire athletic department. I'd highly encourage everyone who hates this move as much as most of us to show how you feel by ceasing any donations (as I'll be doing) and refusing to attend football games. Maybe money can pry the administration's deads out of their a**es.

 

[sigint]

Disgusting.

 

[sigint]

All members of the bloc: commence the flipping out.

 

[USNIlliniFan]

I believe this cements the concept that the Administration views Athletics, especially football, as a quaint academic exercise....gee, kinda like living in the 1940's and 1950's isn't it?

Beyond me how the "brilliant minds" at this institution can not wrap there thinking around the concept that Athletic excellence can create greater Academic excellence, not to mention a very, very strong source for alumni giving, endowments and a greater edge for research grants...

 

[MTMinded]

This is what I wrote the school:

If what I am hearing about the fball coaching job is true. My first reaction is significant disappointment. Absolute mess. My school's athletics department is in shambles.

How do you extend a coach that was part of the problem that was clearly acknowledged at the beginning of the year? I dont care that he wasn't explicitly implicated in the report, he was a huge part of the staff and to say he knew nothing of what was going on seems far fetched. If he did know what was going on and did nothing, seems worse.

And less important, he didn't do much at Western Michigan and although he didn't lose every game, isn't a world beater here.

Shame on us.

I hope it's not true.

Feel free to pass this on.

Class of 1996

 

[danielb927]

Well, good for Bill. Hope he proves us all wrong.
But I'd love to know the behind the scenes on the decision.

It makes sense if you're the interim AD. First, you can't leave the head coaching situation in limbo after the season. If we lose today, someone has to be accountable looking forward to next season - either a coach, or an AD looking for a new coach. But you're probably not gonna be able to make much of a coaching hire as an interim boss. And you're certainly not going to control how fast an interim chancellor hires a new AD who can hire a new coach. What's left but to give a small extension? It seems to me the options to weigh were "odds of an interim AD making a successful head coaching hire" vs. "odds of Cubit keeping things reasonably on track until a new AD is in place while leaving that AD a reasonably inexpensive buyout."

 

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

Can anyone explain the rationale of firing Thomas, admittedly for no wrong doing, but wanting a clean slate. And then turn around and hire the OC from that same scandal plagued staff? ??

Because it's the worst thing to do. Oh, then extend that status by 2 years so you can really drive recruiting into the ground. What an attractive situation for the new AD! :tsk:

 

[Flight 33]

I'm sure I'm in the minority (and that minority might include only me!) but I think this is the only move that makes sense.

Who in their right mind was going to come to coach here with the university in shambles from top to bottom?

Plan on a 5 year rebuild from this current mess to even determine if we can put together a winning program.

It pays more than a million per year - lots of talented assistants would love to trade in their $100,000 to $400,000 salaries for that kind of (usually guaranteed to some degree) money.

I'd rather we try and find a bright up and coming assistant that punt for two years, which is what we are doing.

The fact is that Cubit has been a head coach and has failed. He's a mid-major retread, not even successful enough to parlay a mid-major job into a better one. And his offense at Illinois was average to poor. I just don't see how this helps us - I don't see him ever as the guy here so we are just wasting time.

 

[Flight 33]

There is no rationale behind any of this, much like the entire athletic department. I'd highly encourage everyone who hates this move as much as most of us to show how you feel by ceasing any donations (as I'll be doing) and refusing to attend football games. Maybe money can pry the administration's deads out of their a**es.

I agree, no more money from me to the University. No more Illini gear until they clean up this putrid mess. Granted it's not a ton, but it's a couple of hundred per year. If many others do the same, maybe they will get the message. Actually I doubt they'll get the message, they haven't responded to declining attendance in the past.

 

[IlliniBuff]

Those of you threatening to never see a game again might as well keep your promise. Having been a fan through Moeller/White/Mackovic/Tepper/Turner/Zook/Beckman...
this is far from the darkest days of Illinois football...and, as a college administrator, this is likely the soundest business decision that could have been made once George (we think) turned us down. Hire George, Cubit likely gets fired. But now, we need to restore sound leadership to evaluate the quality of the program AND maintain a coaching staff that -- I'm sorry to say -- has placed a much better product on the field than some of us have the displeasure to remember.

We ought to be focused on supporting a few wins today (NW and ISU) rather than disavow support for the kids.

 

[Trakis]

well. U of I just lost a doner in me.