The Illinois Football Coaching Search

[Deleted member 747784]

Really when you look at the reaction to the idea of Bielema on here and twitter, maybe he should bring in Nate in a co-OC role to try to get that support back. Lots of Bielema haters out there.

haters gonna hate

 

[JFGsCoffeeMug]

I think there's going to be a lot of movement, regardless of who the new coach is or if Lovie was kept. The combo of the covid year and no sit-out year means it's going to be crazy this year.

I'm assuming this is part of the reason why Josh pulled the trigger on firing Lovie and is trying to get his replacement in place as soon as possible. Don't want to lose the opportunity to use the upcoming movement to build our roster.

 

[IllinoisOKC]

Its not like hes the only coach who went to sec and failed. I’d assume hes hungry and wants to be here. He’ll ultimately bring in the best staff of all the candidates so recruiting should improve alot and player development shouldnt be an issue. Offensive play style will be Intresting but hopefully he adjusts to the current team’s strengths instead of trying to be Wisconsin like from day 1. That is if hes the next hc and all.

 

[Ander1345]

It gets even crazier with no sit out rule.

 

[Jet Jockey]

So who’s been watching the Flight Track

 

[ILL_INI]

Not trying to troll, honestly. But, we'll see what happens today. Not claiming insider status, and have no connections to staff, but have some info and running with it.

I don't know his history at Arkansas, and why he was fired, or any of that controversey, but just looking at the football aspect it makes sense.

Past success in Big10, has successfully recruited Illinois, improved Arkansas from 0-8 to 5-3 in SEC his first 3 years there, NFL experience under Belichick.

It seems that you're our Sir Yacht. Are you promising the announcement will be today, because it's OK if it's not?

 

[Illinois_2_AZ]

Funny how a lot of the up and comers from a few years ago are flaming out: Fuentes, Babers, et al. Hire a proven power 5 head coach.

And don't forget about Kevin Sumlin. A few years ago we would have taken him in a heartbeat. Today we probably wouldn't touch him.

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

if it is Bielema , he will no longer be just the big oaf on the sidelines , he’ll be our big oaf .

I’m okay with him , but just really am still hoping for Leipold

This is where I’m at too. Bielema is not my first or second choice, and probably not my third, but if after doing his due diligence JW is OK with him then so be it.

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

Really when you look at the reaction to the idea of Bielema on here and twitter, maybe he should bring in Nate in a co-OC role to try to get that support back. Lots of Bielema haters out there.

I’d hope whoever is signed brings in the people he wants. I wouldn’t mind seeing JW encourage him to keep Patterson on but I want nothing dictated to him.

 

[Deleted member 747671]

I’d hope whoever is signed brings in the people he wants. I wouldn’t mind seeing JW encourage him to keep Patterson on but I want nothing dictated to him.

Yeah I agree. Was just throwing it out there because if it is BB, there's gonna be a lot of people unhappy about it. If something like that did happen, there's no way BB would make Nate full OC. He's going to bring in someone he trusts to run the offense. I just figured if he wanted Nate, he'll need to give him a better position/promotion, even if in name and salary only.

 

[bluemountain]

BB wouldn't be my first choice, but he is a real coach who knows how to build a staff and manage a P5 program. maybe he has been humbled by what happened to him at Arkansas.

 

[KrushCow31]

Past success in Big10, has successfully recruited Illinois, improved Arkansas from 0-8 to 5-3 in SEC his first 3 years there, NFL experience under Belichick.

That's only impressive if you ignore the success they had just a year before minus the weird interim scandal year. 5-3 is also only impressive if you stop in 2015. Unfortunately there's two more years there which paint a very discouraging picture.

2010: 6-2
2011: 6-2
2012: 2-6 (Scandal year)
2013 : 0-8 (Bielema 1st year)
2014: 2-6
2015: 5-3 (where you stop)
2016: 3-5
2017 1-7 (fired)

 

[illiniblue]

That's only impressive if you ignore the success they had just a year before minus the weird interim scandal year. 5-3 is also only impressive if you stop in 2015. Unfortunately there's two more years there which paint a very discouraging picture.

2010: 6-2
2011: 6-2
2012: 2-6 (Scandal year)
2013 : 0-8 (Bielema 1st year)
2014: 2-6
2015: 5-3 (where you stop)
2016: 3-5
2017 1-7 (fired)

can we buy out fickell???

 

[KrushCow31]

But in Nate's defense he was on our staff, but actually landed in a better position at Iowa St. Not sure Nate is ready for the HC job, but the fact that he is not currently on our staff has nothing to do with it and his experience with Campbell is more of a positive attribute.

If ISU's OC is also a hot commodity according to some lists, Nate could find himself promoted to OC at Iowa State sooner rather than later just by sticking around.

 

[Deleted member 747671]

That's only impressive if you ignore the success they had just a year before minus the weird interim scandal year. 5-3 is also only impressive if you stop in 2015. Unfortunately there's two more years there which paint a very discouraging picture.

2010: 6-2
2011: 6-2
2012: 2-6 (Scandal year)
2013 : 0-8 (Bielema 1st year)
2014: 2-6
2015: 5-3 (where you stop)
2016: 3-5
2017 1-7 (fired)

Honestly the scandal was pretty significant and led to a completely random interim year with John L Smith. It's not like he just stepped in to Petrino's team.

 

[ChiefGritty]

Yeah I agree. Was just throwing it out there because if it is BB, there's gonna be a lot of people unhappy about it. If something like that did happen, there's no way BB would make Nate full OC. He's going to bring in someone he trusts to run the offense. I just figured if he wanted Nate, he'll need to give him a better position/promotion, even if in name and salary only.

It's interesting to wonder whether Bielema would be the same coach he was 3 years ago after spending some time in the pros, and having had such a negative reaction upon leaving.

Potential coordinators he's worked with before are plausibly available all over the place. Matt Canada, Dan Enos, and probably Jim Chaney on offense, Paul Rhoads and Charlie Partridge on defense, he could throw together a totally conventional Bielema staff very easily. Does he want to?

As for any complaining about his hiring, there's plenty of reason for skepticism, his desire to go back to the college HC duties he was openly sick of most of all, and another retread doesn't necessarily thrill me, but his tenure at Arkansas kinda grows in retrospect, and while he's definitely a jerk, is he any more so than Brad Underwood if we're being honest?

 

[TheGMan]

The best candidate available coached defense.

That depends on who you consider the best candidate available.

 

[KrushCow31]

can we buy out fickell???

For $3.5 million (if we wait till after Jan 1)? Sure. We can do anything. The real question is if we will fork over that money. His salary is currently $3.4 million as well so I'd assume we'd have to pay him at least $4.5 to come here, which is $500k more than Lovie. Seems silly to talk contract amounts though before there's much smoke on him.

 

[Deleted member 747671]

For $3.5 million (if we wait till after Jan 1)? Sure. We can do anything. The real question is if we will fork over that money. His salary is currently $3.4 million as well so I'd assume we'd have to pay him at least $4.5 to come here, which is $500k more than Lovie. Seems silly to talk contract amounts though before there's much smoke on him.

No way Fickell comes here for less than 5 mil a year, probably more. I don't really consider him a serious option, but would love to be surprised.

 

[KrushCow31]

Honestly the scandal was pretty significant and led to a completely random interim year with John L Smith. It's not like he just stepped in to Petrino's team.

To my understanding, most of the coaching staff was retained minus the DC who retired. The coaching hire was an absolute joke, and there were tons of injuries.

 

[Deleted member 747671]

It's interesting to wonder whether Bielema would be the same coach he was 3 years ago after spending some time in the pros, and having had such a negative reaction upon leaving.

Potential coordinators he's worked with before are plausibly available all over the place. Matt Canada, Dan Enos, and probably Jim Chaney on offense, Paul Rhoads and Charlie Partridge on defense, he could throw together a totally conventional Bielema staff very easily. Does he want to?

As for any complaining about his hiring, there's plenty of reason for skepticism, his desire to go back to the college HC duties he was openly sick of most of all, and another retread doesn't necessarily thrill me, but his tenure at Arkansas kinda grows in retrospect, and while he's definitely a jerk, is he any more so than Brad Underwood if we're being honest?

Sign me up for Bielema with really any of those guys. Probably like Canada best on OC, maybe Rhoads as DC, but I just learned he's Arizona's DC (yikes). He would definitely be able to put together a good staff, at least on paper.

 

[KrushCow31]

No way Fickell comes here for less than 5 mil a year, probably more. I don't really consider him a serious option, but would love to be surprised.

I definitely agree. I made sure to include the "at least". $5 would put him at #5 highest paid in the B1G tied with Frost.

 

[illiniCA]

Sign me up for Bielema with really any of those guys. Probably like Canada best on OC, maybe Rhoads as DC, but I just learned he's Arizona's DC (yikes). He would definitely be able to put together a good staff, at least on paper.

The more I think about the more I am ok with it

 

[AutoPoster 3000]

If Bielema is the target, someone had better take scientific measurements of the size of the chip currently resting on his shoulder. It needs to be huge and he needs to come here angry and determined to prove something. Let’s not again be the Roth IRA for a 50-something brand-name coach already in semi-retirement mode.

 

[EthanM]

First-hand meaning saw what was happening between him and MUCH younger co-ed when he was the head coach at Wisconsin.

Considering that Whitman made an assistant in one of our programs step down for similar issues, I think there is no chance that Bielema gets hired based on this alone.