Go Nats 88 Illini
Fairfax, VA
Watching VA Tech v Clemson. Very smart coaching by Tech. They likely will lose, but not giving Clemson time to adjust. Obviously Clemson is better, but a clever approach on offense.
Iowa 35, Illinois 21 Postgame
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
I live across the Potomac from you and, apparently, we graduated the same year. I grew up in Columbus and saw the Illini play in '80 and '81 when Dave Wilson and Tony Eason were at QB, White's first two seasons when he rebuilt the program with California JuCo players. In 1980 Wilson passed for 621 yards against OSU, which was an NCAA record at the time. The BT had never had that sort of passing ever. Illinois was down 28-7 at half and lost 49-42. I recall after the game that OSU fans stood and applauded the Illinois team as it left the field. I had been going to OSU games since 1973 and I had never seen anything remotely like that for an opposing team. The following year the Illini lost a very close game in Columbus and you could tell they were going to get over the hump and win the conference soon.
I'm with you on memories of the mid-'80s volleyball team in Kenney Gym, which was a fantastic atmosphere, and the hoops. And even hockey. You and I were also in grad school at the same time in '89 with the Final Four.
I made a crummy dips**t post earlier today in the pregame thread about remembering the 3-3 Illini-Michigan tie in 1985 when we were unranked and they were #4. The game ended with a Michigan defender getting a couple fingertips on Chris White's FG attempt into the horseshoe end as time expired. It hit the crossbar and bounced back onto the field. For some reason that's one of the most memorable college football games I've ever seen. A cold, overcast November day sitting in the east balcony of Memorial Stadium with my friends and having the time of my life. 35 years later I still can't believe the way the game ended. But I looked forward to it all week long and it was thrilling to be a part of that. A 3-3 tie. Really. It was amazing. And #2 Michigan had played #1 Iowa just a couple weeks earlier, and lost.
I want students at the university NOW to have these football experiences and memories of them decades later. I don't want middle-aged farts like us to reminisce about them and have the younger fans with nothing to grab onto but defeat. And most of all I want decades of players on the field to have these memories of competing on behalf of the university and being competitive game in and game out.
It starts with someone who is smart, savvy, young enough to beat the bushes for talent, build a brand, and have an unfettered passion to succeed. JW needs to find the guy. If your marketing tag line is WE WILL WIN, then props but you need to figure out how to make it happen. Mike Thomas' tag line seemed to be "I WILL COLLECT A SALARY."
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How so? I think we need a guy that can recruit the area of the Midwest, knows how to win in the Big 10, and also has the connections to bring together a strong staff. You’d be hard pressed to find a better resume for Big 10 football than Bret Bielema. No doubt it in my mind. And if you can, then I’d love to hear the names.
If we want to build a program that can consistently compete with Iowa, NW, WI, Minn then what better candidate is there? We all talk about “why can’t we be as good as those teams”. Well it’s coaching, and you need a guy in here that knows how to build a Big 10 college program. It’s being able to hire strong coordinators, recognizing who is attainable in recruiting and developing those players from your area, and creating a system that you can sustain. There not many coaches out there that you’d feel more comfortable saying “this guy can consistently build an 8 win team at Illinois bc he has the system in place” than a Bielema,
Bret Bielema has never built anything. He was handed a ready made program at Wisky and had Barry Alvarez behind him every step of the way. When he thought he was really somebody and left for Arkansas he cratered immediately. And he is a major league tool to boot.
I think Lou Holtz is available
Bielema is suing Arkansas. Absolutely zero chance JW hires that dilrod
Bielema is not hungry for success. I personally think he’s done as a head coach.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
Myself being a DC resident, still woefully looking for that "winnin feeling" having been outright spoiled during high school/UI days 82-92. To me John Mackovich was our best football coach seen since the 60's - aka, four consecutive wins against the Buckeyes. Total command and control guy, coach, AD and ballet aficionado all at once. Recruited legends Jeff George, Dana Howard, Kevin Hardy, Simeon Rice, Derrick Brownlow, John Holecek - a time of great offensive and defensive coaches (Lou Tepper) and NFL talent. These two ingredients, coaching and recruiting, still haven't found the recipe.
I don't think forcing the ball is Peters problem at all. I think it's a combination of Rod trying to scheme guys open at the cost of consistency and Peters not having a secons read or the confidence to go to a second read. I think he actually takes more bad sacks and gets a little gun shy than anything.
The turning point was the middle screen on third down when we were up 14-0 and had a Iowa on their heels. We get the score to 21-0 and their game plan was shot. We let them back in and it as ball game
Deleted member 380722
D
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Bielema is one of the worst clock management coaches I’ve seen. His clock management against Michigan State in 2011 cost them a chance to play for the national championship. Paul Chryst calling plays and the system and culture that he inherited is why he had some success at Wisconsin, but he failed miserably at Arkansas without his supporting cast. Dudes a hack.
I thought after peters took the hard hit close to their own end zone, peters and off did not play well. No idea why that play design had the qb run up the middle on a likely run play. peters was lit up. Hit Washington next play, but then went like 0/5 right after that.
BTW had what appeared to be a nice ball to Navarro in 4th, but Navarro hesitated for some reason. Maybe it was uncatchable anyways, but does suck to be benched after that. IW had many positive plays.
not sure, but maybe Iowa def ends made adjustment to push farther up field and 2 drives. Broke up a lot of run plays, and better pass rush.
Illinois started with positive play every play, but then negative plays/ mistakes kept building up. Offense play calling seemed unbalanced.
Trying to add more likes...
I want to be mad, but I saw it coming. I want to be upset, but I’m exhausted. It’s time to move on. I know due to COVID, we missed some “easy” wins in Bowling Green and whoever else, but 17-37 through year 5 just isn’t cutting it. This would be a great MAC team but unfortunately, we play in the Big Ten. I hope this is the last season of Lovie ball. I’ve seen 5 seasons of it and I don’t want to see any more.
Amen. We certainly have long periods of "morass."
Let's not stoop to Ice-9. Enough morass. Lovie was a grand idea originally, but Cubit or Beckman, maybe even Moeller, probably could have duplicated the results.
Enoyed 4 years of Moeller myself. Typo seemed appropriate.
2 more games, maybe.
Happy for NW and Indiana, as long as it is not hoops, why not us?
GO ILLINI!
Enoyed 4 years of Moeller myself. Typo seemed appropriate.
2 more games, maybe.
Happy for NW and Indiana, as long as it is not hoops, why not us?
GO ILLINI!
2008 was a great year
I am interested in how players and recruits regard Lovie. They were little kids when he was the Bears’ coach. Does his experience really attract them? I can see the appeal of it to parents.
I keep thinking of Bob Blackman who had great success in the Ivy League before becoming head coach at Illinois. Blackman wound up in the College Football Hall of Fame. His Illinois teams were in the middle of the Big Ten standings every year but could never get more than 6 wins. I have read that players felt he was too old, he didn’t connect with them. Don’t know if that’s true.
I’m simply wondering if there’s a similarity here with Lovie; great resume but the experience doesn’t translate to the current position.
I keep thinking of Bob Blackman who had great success in the Ivy League before becoming head coach at Illinois. Blackman wound up in the College Football Hall of Fame. His Illinois teams were in the middle of the Big Ten standings every year but could never get more than 6 wins. I have read that players felt he was too old, he didn’t connect with them. Don’t know if that’s true.
I’m simply wondering if there’s a similarity here with Lovie; great resume but the experience doesn’t translate to the current position.
Illinivek23
- Gurnee
When we hired Lovie, thought we were getting great defense - game planning, adjustments, talent upgrade. At least total upgrade on that side of the ball. System to recruit to and excel at - like perennial Top 10 good. Not so.
Next! Kids that chose to come here deserve it.
Next! Kids that chose to come here deserve it.
I thought that missed pass to Navarro really hurt. If Peters hits him TD. That hurt.
I so remember that Michigan game. I was in the horseshoe directly behind the goalpost. Maybe my memory has embellished it (like Rennie dunking on Shaq), but I swear it bounced twice on the crossbar.
Head scratcher for me from Saturday’s game. Defense looked sound until Woods, Tolson and Hobbs we’re injured. Why do we put in Marchese, a walk on, instead of Cooper, our 4 star recruit? Why do we put in Smith a little used Senior, instead of Beason, our 4 star recruit?
What a terrible look for recruiting for multiple reasons. Does this happen because of misguided loyalty to players that have been in the program for 4-5 years, or is it simply coaching ineptitude? Shouldn’t Cooper and Beason be better and be playing ahead of Marchese and Smith? If not, we are doing a terrible job of developing the few 4 star recruits we get.
Is Lovie actively trying to destroy all recruiting at the university before the keys are taken away from him (hopefully sooner than later). I would not be surprised to see Beason and possibly Cooper leave at the conclusion of the season.
What a terrible look for recruiting for multiple reasons. Does this happen because of misguided loyalty to players that have been in the program for 4-5 years, or is it simply coaching ineptitude? Shouldn’t Cooper and Beason be better and be playing ahead of Marchese and Smith? If not, we are doing a terrible job of developing the few 4 star recruits we get.
Is Lovie actively trying to destroy all recruiting at the university before the keys are taken away from him (hopefully sooner than later). I would not be surprised to see Beason and possibly Cooper leave at the conclusion of the season.