sacraig
- The desert
I do remember that. I was a student at the time. Rough.
Bret Bielema Takes Reins of Illinois Football
I do remember that. I was a student at the time. Rough.
In the two interviews I’ve watched, Bielema seems certain what his offense will be like. That leads me to believe he knows who’s going to lead that for us. He also claims its evolved since he’s been in the NFL. Any guesses what that will be? Im hoping less zone read (always seems to have an awkward pause in the backfield) and more quick vertical shots downfield.
Honestly it seems to be a feature of Rod's offense. He calls for a lot of counter movement from the RB and QB to gash the defense. I feel like it's feast or famine. We will get a massive gain or nothing. With the talent we have on the OL you gotta just let em go hit people.
Two points:
1. The holier-than-thou, "BB's a jerk and a creep and a terrible human being and therefore I'm not gonna watch" stuff is laughable. He obviously impressed JW enough to fork over 4.2 per, and all the feedback since the announcement from past, present, and future stakeholders is at least congenial, if not outright praise.
2. Zero in on the B10 West and one would have to be a fool to say BB isn't *at least* in the conversation about "So, who are the top 2-3 coaches in this division?" I mean, I think one would be kidding themselves if they didn't think Brohm, Frost, Fleck, even Fitzee haven't felt at least a pang or a shiver over who we just hired.
1. The holier-than-thou, "BB's a jerk and a creep and a terrible human being and therefore I'm not gonna watch" stuff is laughable. He obviously impressed JW enough to fork over 4.2 per, and all the feedback since the announcement from past, present, and future stakeholders is at least congenial, if not outright praise.
2. Zero in on the B10 West and one would have to be a fool to say BB isn't *at least* in the conversation about "So, who are the top 2-3 coaches in this division?" I mean, I think one would be kidding themselves if they didn't think Brohm, Frost, Fleck, even Fitzee haven't felt at least a pang or a shiver over who we just hired.
Question for the X's and O's guys. Why would Bielema switch to a 3-4 defense? His 4-3 obviously worked at Wisconsin. Just throwing random thoughts out there but maybe he learned it in the NFL and fell in love with it? Maybe he thinks its easier to recruit for? Or does he think it gives him an advantage when he goes up against Wisconsin and Iowa?
Wokker
- "The Good Land", WI
Both of these are absolutely not true.
I think wisconsin runs a 3-4, iowa might too or its a 4-2-5, im not 100% sure. So idk if we’d have an advantage to running it over the 4-3 but it cant be much worse than what we’ve seen for past 10 years or so lol
The division coaches would of been happier with Monken or LL. Some if those coaches just sharted after BB hire.
How telling that THE question around Lovie when he was hired, turned out to be absolutely blazing white hot "No".
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Not that I actually know what I'm talking about, but my understanding is that it is easier to cover the RPO and late TE releases in the 3-4.
I have a feeling this isnt the first time BB and sharted have been used in the same sentence.
Bielema has the most Big Ten titles of all the active coach in the conference right now with three. Second most titles after him is a tie between Ferentz and Ryan Day who both have two. Ferentz hasn't won one since 2004. I think this hire probably made a lot of coaches nervous.
Wokker
- "The Good Land", WI
Lovie was the only coach with a super bowl appearance until a week ago.
I thought this was a “what have you done for me lately?” Business.
Harbaugh?
Ryllini
- Lombard
The defense can be more multiple that way and more speed on the field.
I thought Belichick was a big fan of the 3-4.
Yes, shame on Lovie, though I don't think anyone expected or asked him to become some kind of recruiting demon. Best case scenario would have been for him to bring in an aggressive young assistant who could do that and possibly work his way up to heir apparent. That didn't happen and Lovie's approach toward assistant coaches almost seemed designed to infuriate fans purposely.
I'm glad BB has made a first-day public gesture to build recruiting within the state. However, even if he and his staff do everything right, I'm not sure how much fruit the good-faith gestures will bear on their own. Yes, they'll say nicer things and they'll continue to push us to give their sub-B1G level players scholarships out of some sense of state loyalty. However, it's always seemed to be one-way loyalty. When it comes down to in-demand players, I expect to hear the same, "Illinois did a great job, but he just couldn't say no to Michigan/Notre Dame/Wisconsin/Iowa/etc."
This isn't like some other B1G states where there is significant social pressure for top players to go to the state school regardless of coach, record and other offers. If a high school in Nebraska had a highly rated kid every year and none ever became a Husker, that coach would be questioned about it. How hilarious is to think about a situation like that in Illinois no matter how much sugar we slopped over the state's high school coaches? Hopefully, we get to the point someday where we get some sort of home-state benefit from Illinois players, but I suspect that if were that to happen, it would be an effect of us posting winning records, rather than a cause.
I made it clear I didn’t want BB for this job.
That being said, I like a lot of what he has said in the last 12 hrs. The call to the IHSFCA was a very shrewd move. If you can lock down a bulk of your recruiting in state, that makes your job way easier. Even when he was at Wisconsin, BB had coaches that would recruit Florida for skill players (NCSU’s Doeren being one of them).
if we can be multiple on offense that can run the damn ball with good QB play, I am here for it.
That being said, I like a lot of what he has said in the last 12 hrs. The call to the IHSFCA was a very shrewd move. If you can lock down a bulk of your recruiting in state, that makes your job way easier. Even when he was at Wisconsin, BB had coaches that would recruit Florida for skill players (NCSU’s Doeren being one of them).
if we can be multiple on offense that can run the damn ball with good QB play, I am here for it.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Everybody relax! This is a no brainer hire! Bret is like riding the Kingda Ka coaster at Six Flags instead of floating down the lazy river in Disney's Lagoon!
This gives Nate Scheelhaase 4-6 years to get ready!
The buyout is $19.99 and a years supply of Peanut M&M's!
Now point me to the stripper and cocaine!!
This gives Nate Scheelhaase 4-6 years to get ready!
The buyout is $19.99 and a years supply of Peanut M&M's!
Now point me to the stripper and cocaine!!
Very strange the amount of “if you don’t think BB is an improvement and the guy to lead us to the promised land you’re an idiot” posts, And the only thing worse than thinking that a coach’s character matters is to actually admit that feeling in public. Bielema has the best resume of the coaches that apparently were considered and Illinois had a real chance of hiring, but that doesn’t make him a sure thing. Nor does a coach having a “lesser resume” mean he couldn’t have succeeded at Illinois. It’s a crap shoot people. We’ll see what happens. I hope Bret succeeds because I’m an Illini fan. And I hope he doesn’t embarrass the school while he does suceed because I’m an alumnus. If that makes me stupid or not a real Illini football fan then so be it.
I've been embarrassed for a while now, nothing new for me
Ryllini
- Lombard
Whatever today is, today is the day Illinois Football returns. I don't have a strong feeling towards Bret one way or the other. All I know is I'm going to support him until I can't and we need to move on. I just have a strong feeling this is going to work. Also, is he a two t Brett or a one t Bret?
And what had Ed O done lately to get the LSU job. What had Mack Brown done lately before he was hired at UNC? Heck Paul Chryst was a .500 coach at Pitt before he was hired at Wisconsin.
Bielema has had success in this league before. I am not saying he is going to be in the company of the coaches listed above, but I would say he is the safest bet among the candidates available to Illinois to get us to be a consistent winner.
Not sure if any of you had a chance to listen to his interview with Rob but damn, Bielema is growing on me. Sounds like he has a plan and is happy to be closer to family. My hopes are high.
Mack Brown has history at UNC so that doesn't compare. Coached there from 1988-1997.