The Illinois Football Coaching Search
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altenberger22
- South Carolina
Your post screams demonstratively for Luke Fickell or Matt Campbell.
mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Definitely.
To be clear, I'm not bullish on Scheelhaase solely because he played here. In fact, in previous coaching searches I've usually found myself in the role of swatting those suggestions down (John Holecek, for example). It's more because he's attached to one of the fastest-rising young coaches in the entire sport, looks to be a stellar recruiter, and generally seems to leave the impression on people who have been around CFB a long time that he's a future star.
I also think that people need to realize that the question isn't "do you think we should hire him now?" it's "do you think we should hire him?" Because due to the aforementioned seat on the Matt Campbell Express, the strong likelihood is this is the one chance we'll have. Would it be a perfect world if this opening was happening three years from now when he's wrapping up year two of being an OC? Obviously. But that's not the world we're in.
So maybe, given that, your answer is still "no" and that's fine. I would have misgivings myself. But as I commented earlier, Illinois fandom has left me humble enough to realize this is mostly a crapshoot, and I guess I'm just as ready to roll these particular dice as several of the others on (theoretical) offer.
altenberger22
- South Carolina
I didn't mean to argue against you per se, but in general to the Illinois fans that demand an alum every opening. You're post lent itself nicely as UM fans also do the "NEED TO FIND A MICHIGAN MAN" schtick. It was more piling on in my mind...
That said, I do not think you should EVER tell a new head coach who to keep or who they should hire as assistants. That's their job, you should trust them to do a huge aspect of the job, and any coach worth a damn is going to push back on demands like that. Also, I'm still bitter as Illinois missed out on Dana Altman because Guenther demanded he keep McClain...
However, if you are hiring an offensive guru as Head Coach, I could get behind seeing if they'd consider / Whitman making a suggestion about Scheelhaase as an OC. I'd be less enthusiastic about it if you hired a defensive guy (please don't hire a defensive guy).
I get he's a fast rising guy and he's definitely not as out there as those that suggest Holecek, J Leman etc. If you said he was coming in as OC - cool. I just cannot comprehend a 30 year old with no coordinator experience fixing this program from the HC spot.
Here is the thing- Illinois isn’t going to out-recruit 3/4 (or more) of the Big 10. We have a long and miserable history. You may want an exciting and dynamic offense, but what we need the most are wins and a decent reputation for winning. If you want to win and know you can’t currently compete for recruits, the triple option is a proven way to compete when you can’t compete on talent. The Army/Navy offenses and the Paul Johnson Georgia Tech teams have run it with success. If we are going to pull less talent and be thrilled with 2 and 3 star guys at best, I say Monken can come in here and run the offense that has been successful for him. Nothing wrong with adapting your system to the talent you have.
I love the triple option. Don’t understand how anyone can be bored by it.
When we ran it with juice from the shotgun for a bunch of big runs (especially vs Wisconsin) in the rose bowl year I don’t recall anybody complaining.
When we ran it with juice from the shotgun for a bunch of big runs (especially vs Wisconsin) in the rose bowl year I don’t recall anybody complaining.
I agree. The Zook method was a 1 shot. You'll never get that again. The new coach's offense has to be primary run attack. Weather conditions in Big 10 don't permit being an air raid spread team. It'd never work with the wind in Memorial Stadium either. Gotta be heavy run, o line centric, with a coach that has a defensive background. A coach that already had HS coaching relationships in the midwest. That's why my choice is Bielema. I actually think he's going to get the job because he was rumored to be the front runner for Southern Miss, and pulled out at the last minute. Makes me believe another better offering was in the works and I think it's Illinois. Whitman said this would be a quick process. Have to believe he already has his guy lined up.
ChiefIlliniwek
- Omaha, Nebraska
We shouldn't RUSH to judgement based on any flights from there. Certainly many different Subdivisions in this coaching search... illinois alum? Retread? Up and comer? Or someone completely different. A big name doesn't mean its great... Tom Sawyer is a household name but wouldn't be a good coach. If it is a completely new person, how will they be once they are in the Limelight? We can't just get any Fly By Night coach in my opinion.
If none of the above makes any sense to you its because you clearly don't listen to good music. RIP Neil Peart.
Back to the topic... I'm quite surprised it hasn't worked out for Harbaugh at Michigan. I agree with getting the best coach here whether they are an alum or not. Getting NS on the sidelines in some capacity would be good though im sure.
altenberger22
- South Carolina
You're underlying premise is flawed. We do not want to settle for 2-3 star recruits. The Big 10 used to be the Big 2 (OSU and Michigan). Look at it now with the almost incomprehensible (and meteoric?) rise of:
1. Wisconsin - perennial Top 15 because of Barry Alvarez
2. Iowa - perennial Top 15 because of Haden Fry
3. Penn State -- perennial Top 10 (admittedly, they were "added" and not home grown)
4. Northwestern -- recently Top 25 because of Fitz
5. Michigan State - typically Top 25
6. And most recently, throw in Minnesota (Glenn Mason/Jerry Kill/PJ Fleck) and Indiana (Tom Allen)
We need to find a Barry Alvarez or Haden Fry --- not settle. It's all about finding the right program-building coach.
Deleted member 29907
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Guest
We've had good teams with plenty of talent that have won and been successful. Taking on a boring offense based on what we have on the back of the truck today seems like a defeatist attitude and basically you are committing to it for a long time because you're not going to attract any special talent for a long time. Also, everyone seems to assume the triple option here will be successful. There is absolutely no guarantee of that - so its a false narrative to make that jump. We're playing a much higher level of competition here.
We have shown, with good coaches, we can compete and we can attract talent. Of course, I was a student in the early 80s but we seemed to make it work. Minn, Wisc (albeit much more of a ground team), Indiana all show what's possible with the right coaching staff, development and discipline. Although I hate Fleck's schtick.
Illini in OC
In. The. Alley.
Bill O'Brien?
Got it done at Penn St....
Got it done at Penn St....
illini80
- Forgottonia
You laid it out better than I have, it’s not JUST hiring an Illinois guy. He would be a good coach no matter where he was from and he has already proven he can recruit and recruit in state. That too is not the holy grail but for 5 years I’ve heard we don’t care where the players come from and look where we are. In state guys need to be a piece of the puzzle and that has been missing.
All that said I’d give it about a 5% chance we go after him and if we land one of these top guys I’m just fine with that.
Jim tresell. Chris Petersen. Shoot for the moon. Or the astronaut.
altenberger22
- South Carolina
Not a bad name. Unfortunately, he also carries the moniker "former NFL coach"
altenberger22
- South Carolina
I don't think he's coming out this way. Just one year at Pitt, and otherwise Boise is the furthest east he's been. Plus Midwest recruiting??
Unless, of course, he can become Mike White II.
Except that not that long ago Zook was outrecruiting everyone outside of OSU. I know this is going back a ways, but White, Mack and Tepper almost always had recruiting classes in the top 4 of the conference. We won't outrecruit OSU, UM or PSU, but no reason we can't compete with everyone else
The triple option is a play.....we ran a spread offense that year, people aren't excited about the possibility of the flex bone offense coming here with Monken. (Which agree with, don't think it will work in the B1G)
BZuppke
- Plainfield
Who is an Illinois native who wanted the job. Should have grabbed hi when we had the chance.You just described Mr. Row The Boat.
BZuppke
- Plainfield
It won’t translate to the Midwest any better than Bielema’s Wisconsin success translated to Arkansas.
Wow, not that this is going to change anything at NW unless they want to make Fitz the AD there as a reward.
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