Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

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#626      
the juiceman cometh
RabidDawgClassic said:
How realistic is it though to jump from coordinator to head coach of a power conference? Obviously we saw that with Ryan Walters, and the ultimate backlash on that was that he should’ve gotten head coaching experience at a smaller school first.
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I think the jump from a Big Ten coordinator to one of the lower tier ACC or Big 12 jobs is not entirely unrealistic. Brent Pry was DC at Penn St. before VT hired him. Tony Elliot was OC at Clemson. There are guys that make the jump, but it is typically guys who are coordinators at programs competing at the highest level (we are trying to get there but aren't yet). And yeah a lot of these guys don't succeed, but that's also skewed by the fact that the programs taking risks on first-time head coaches are doing so for a reason. You're never going to see Florida St. hire someone like this, because they are fishing in an entirely different talent pool.

But more to the point, there are G5/G6 conferences that have more resources than the MAC. MAC may be the absolute worst of the G6 conferences. If I'm a Big Ten or SEC assistant wanting a head coaching gig I'm paying attention to openings in the AAC. Much better resources than the MAC. The new iteration of the PAC-12 may end up being close to that as well.

I think If I were Lunney and my goal was purely career progression I'd rank these various choices something like this:

1. P4 HC job (unlikely to get this but if you have the chance you jump at it)
2a. OC for storied and consistently relevant program (we're talking the Alabama/Georgia/OSU/Penn St. tier of program here, which would increase your chances at a job in category #1)
2b. HC for G6 program with resources and playoff ambitions
3. OC for Illinois
4. HC for lower tier G6 program (which would include MAC schools)
 
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#627      
Ander1345
Illiniguy13 said:
Is it?
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Yes, I think so, if the coach is on an upward trajectory. There are G6 HC jobs that would be an obvious upgrade, but outside of Toledo in the MAC I really don't think that's where it's at. Horrendous media deal and midweek games.
 
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#628      
Illiniguy13
the juiceman cometh said:
In recent years, yes this has become the case for the most part. Lunney already makes more as a OC than all but 4 MAC head coaches, and he actually ranks in the bottom half of Big Ten OCs (I think 14th). There are plenty of offensive and defensive coordinators in the Big Ten that make more than the highest paid MAC head coach.
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Hmmm. The more ya know. That makes sense from a financial perspective for sure. It seems like if he had aspirations of being a HC one day it would make sense to eventually take a MAC-level HC gig, but maybe that's not even what he wants
 
#630      
skyIdub
Indy Illini Fan said:
Bret is not going to let Art just walk out that door …

He & Josh will do whatever it takes to keep him here and keep him happy …

Also - Very few of Bret’s position coaches leave … And the ones that have … All have taken worse jobs, besides one and it was a lateral move … Speaking just for CFB … Obviously quite a few guys went to the NFL …

The proof is in the pudding … Bret will get you where you want to go … Art’s only 25 and is making $200k a year and continues to get more and more responsibilities on an ELITE CFB team with an ELITE HC … And he sees that … No reason to chase a few extra dollars and instability with people you don’t really know … Build it here with Bret …
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#631      
GoodePodzMelendez
Indy Illini Fan said:
Bret is not going to let Art just walk out that door …

He & Josh will do whatever it takes to keep him here and keep him happy …

Also - Very few of Bret’s position coaches leave … And the ones that have … All have taken worse jobs, besides one and it was a lateral move … Speaking just for CFB … Obviously quite a few guys went to the NFL …

The proof is in the pudding … Bret will get you where you want to go … Art’s only 25 and is making $200k a year and continues to get more and more responsibilities on an ELITE CFB team with an ELITE HC … And he sees that … No reason to chase a few extra dollars and instability with people you don’t really know … Build it here with Bret …
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I agree, after our successful season this coming year, I would think that Lunney might get a HC job which would lead top AS as. The new OC. BB will not allow both to leave after this season. Art has been learning from Lunney so the transition will be easy.
 
#632      
OskieWowWow
Illiniguy13 said:
Hmmm. The more ya know. That makes sense from a financial perspective for sure. It seems like if he had aspirations of being a HC one day it would make sense to eventually take a MAC-level HC gig, but maybe that's not even what he wants
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He's better off staying put and waiting for a B12 or the Arkansas job to open up
 
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#634      
mhuml32
the juiceman cometh said:
I think the jump from a Big Ten coordinator to one of the lower tier ACC or Big 12 jobs is not entirely unrealistic. Brent Pry was DC at Penn St. before VT hired him. Tony Elliot was OC at Clemson. There are guys that make the jump, but it is typically guys who are coordinators at programs competing at the highest level (we are trying to get there but aren't yet). And yeah a lot of these guys don't succeed, but that's also skewed by the fact that the programs taking risks on first-time head coaches are doing so for a reason. You're never going to see Florida St. hire someone like this, because they are fishing in an entirely different talent pool.

But more to the point, there are G5/G6 conferences that have more resources than the MAC. MAC may be the absolute worst of the G6 conferences. If I'm a Big Ten or SEC assistant wanting a head coaching gig I'm paying attention to openings in the AAC. Much better resources than the MAC. The new iteration of the PAC-12 may end up being close to that as well.

I think If I were Lunney and my goal was purely career progression I'd rank these various choices something like this:

1. P4 HC job (unlikely to get this but if you have the chance you jump at it)
2a. OC for storied and consistently relevant program (we're talking the Alabama/Georgia/OSU/Penn St. tier of program here, which would increase your chances at a job in category #1)
2b. HC for G6 program with resources and playoff ambitions
3. OC for Illinois
4. HC for lower tier G6 program (which would include MAC schools)
Click to expand...

This is a really good list, just thinking about the hypothetical options:

1. Arkansas
2. Penn State (say, Kotelnicki gets a P4 job and PSU offers to double Lunney's salary and point to how their recent coordinators are all head coaches at P4 programs)
3. Memphis
4. Illinois OC
5. NIU

#1 is a no-brainer. #2 is probably a contested negotiation and both programs showing their level of investment. #3 and #5 become a litmus test for how bad Lunney wants to become a HC right now. Also, if I'm Lunney's agent - this needs to be the year. Illinois' offense should be at their peak in 2025 and 2026 seems likely to be a step back. Being a coordinator means you need to get "hot" enough to be a candidate, so waiting may mean you miss your window.
 
#635      
Illini4Christ
Indy Illini Fan said:
Bret is not going to let Art just walk out that door …

He & Josh will do whatever it takes to keep him here and keep him happy …

Also - Very few of Bret’s position coaches leave … And the ones that have … All have taken worse jobs, besides one and it was a lateral move … Speaking just for CFB … Obviously quite a few guys went to the NFL …

The proof is in the pudding … Bret will get you where you want to go … Art’s only 25 and is making $200k a year and continues to get more and more responsibilities on an ELITE CFB team with an ELITE HC … And he sees that … No reason to chase a few extra dollars and instability with people you don’t really know … Build it here with Bret …
Click to expand...
Art is seen nationally as a young coach with great future potential, having already passed on opportunities in the NFL and lower-level FBS programs to stay at Illinois. He is happy here.
 
#636      
TentakilRex
mhuml32 said:
This is a really good list, just thinking about the hypothetical options:

1. Arkansas
2. Penn State (say, Kotelnicki gets a P4 job and PSU offers to double Lunney's salary and point to how their recent coordinators are all head coaches at P4 programs)
3. Memphis
4. Illinois OC
5. NIU

#1 is a no-brainer. #2 is probably a contested negotiation and both programs showing their level of investment. #3 and #5 become a litmus test for how bad Lunney wants to become a HC right now. Also, if I'm Lunney's agent - this needs to be the year. Illinois' offense should be at their peak in 2025 and 2026 seems likely to be a step back. Being a coordinator means you need to get "hot" enough to be a candidate, so waiting may mean you miss your window.
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I will throw in one job more that would be higher than Memphis if not Penn State OC....

UTSA as the successor to Jeff Traylor if he leaves

1. He was OC there
2. They are willing to pay guys, see Jeff Traylor


Also throw in Boise of course as the big non-P4 jobs.
 
#640      
ptgrd23
Most recent successful OC/DC hires
Brent Venables passed on numorous jobs while DC at Clemson for 11 years before taking Oklahoma HC
Dan Lanning was DC at Georgia for 3 years before taking Oregon HC
Michigan promoted OC Moore
ND promoted DC Freeman

farther back - Kirby Smart was Alabama assistant

If I was AD I would prefer HC experience

Recent HC moves
Alabama poaching DeBoer from WA
Florida hiring Napier from Lousiana

I could seeing FSU going after Drinkwitz (Missouri) if they fire Napier (2-10 last season)
Iowa should be interesting if Ferentz retires (69 years old 8-5 last year, son is no longer an assistant)
Oklahoma State is big $spender and may fire Gundy (3-9 last season)
 
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#641      
TentakilRex
From the cheap seats said:
Hearing Myson Johnson-Cook will be back at MacArthur this fall...or maybe even East St Louis...is that true?
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This would be interesting since Texas, A&M, Oklahoma, the Big 12, and plenty more have DeSoto on speed dial. Guess sophomore year was enough of a showcase for the nation.
 
#649      
Ander1345
I love watching HS highlights because the gap between the player you're watching and the other players on the field can be near comedic. Not a knock on the other players, I didn't even play. It's just wild sometimes.
 
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