Ohio State 42, Illinois 19 Postgame

[Hingle McCringleberry]

I don't think it works that way for post game press availability. I don't think I've ever seen an Illinois coordinator post-game, or any other B1G coordinator for that matter. So I doubt that Hauck asked Bailey to answer for his coach's miscues.

Also, not that I disagree with you on handling DC's at Illinois, but curious who do you think we would have had a good chance of landing out of the "good DCs that were scooped up" last offseason?

Here is the list of DC's hired after the end of the season (before the Playoffs though) and up until Aaron Henry took his job at ND (which is when UofI officially opened it's DC search):

Is there any on this list we wouldn't take right now over what we have?

All 25 Power 4 DC hires before February 7​

Date	School	New defensive coordinator	Conference
Dec. 4, 2025	Florida	Brad White	SEC
Dec. 6	Mississippi State	Zach Arnett	SEC
Dec. 6	Syracuse	Vince Kehres	ACC
Dec. 7	Virginia Tech	Brent Pry	ACC
Dec. 7–8	Nebraska	Rob Aurich	Big Ten
Dec. 9	South Florida*	Josh Aldridge	—
Dec. 11	Tennessee	Jim Knowles	SEC
Dec. 12	Oklahoma State	Skyler Cassity	Big 12
Dec. 12	Texas A&M	Lyle Hemphill	SEC
Dec. 15	Iowa State	Jesse Bobbit	Big 12
Dec. 16	Arkansas	Ron Roberts	SEC
Dec. 17	Kentucky	Jay Bateman	SEC
Dec. 18	Texas	Will Muschamp	SEC
Dec. 19	Purdue	Kevin Kane	Big Ten
Dec. 21	Kansas State	Jordan Peterson	Big 12
Dec. 26	Cal	Michael Hutchings	ACC
Dec. 26	Michigan	Jay Hill	Big Ten
Dec. 29	UCLA	Colin Hitschler	Big Ten
Dec. 30	Boston College	Ted Roof	ACC
Jan. 2, 2026	Penn State	D'Anton Lynn	Big Ten
Jan. 2	Utah	Colton Swan	Big 12
Jan. 15	Oregon	Chris Hampton	Big Ten
Jan. 23	USC	Gary Patterson	Big Ten
Feb. 1	Illinois	Aaron Henry's replacement wasn't hired yet	Big Ten
Feb. 6	Rutgers	Travis Johansen	Big Ten

 

[ChiefGritty]

You know a few years ago this crowd was ready to lynch Lunney. Patience with Hauck. It is way too early to draw any conclusions.

One of my most accurate takes is that the First Law of Football Fandom is that your team, no matter how good or bad, always has exactly one (1) Bad Coordinator.

There is always the Good Coordinator and the Bad Coordinator

The only thing I want to add on Hauck is that analytically speaking I think it is MUCH MUCH more relevant that he had both (1) never been a defensive coordinator before ever, at any level, in his whole career, and also that he had (2) retired out of contempt with dealing with the realities of the new college football days earlier, than anything to do with him coming from the FCS.

 

[DeonThomas]

Would you have let Andrej Stojakovic stay in the draft in exchange for a competent linebacking corps?

Instead, I'd have Josh first raise/surface the extra $20M to $25M we need, and then make decisions on a case by case (player by player) basis.

 

[Boricua Illini]

Here is the list of DC's hired after the end of the season (before the Playoffs though) and up until Aaron Henry took his job at ND (which is when UofI officially opened it's DC search):

Is there any on this list we wouldn't take right now over what we have?

All 25 Power 4 DC hires before February 7​

Date	School	New defensive coordinator	Conference
Dec. 4, 2025	Florida	Brad White	SEC
Dec. 6	Mississippi State	Zach Arnett	SEC
Dec. 6	Syracuse	Vince Kehres	ACC
Dec. 7	Virginia Tech	Brent Pry	ACC
Dec. 7–8	Nebraska	Rob Aurich	Big Ten
Dec. 9	South Florida*	Josh Aldridge	—
Dec. 11	Tennessee	Jim Knowles	SEC
Dec. 12	Oklahoma State	Skyler Cassity	Big 12
Dec. 12	Texas A&M	Lyle Hemphill	SEC
Dec. 15	Iowa State	Jesse Bobbit	Big 12
Dec. 16	Arkansas	Ron Roberts	SEC
Dec. 17	Kentucky	Jay Bateman	SEC
Dec. 18	Texas	Will Muschamp	SEC
Dec. 19	Purdue	Kevin Kane	Big Ten
Dec. 21	Kansas State	Jordan Peterson	Big 12
Dec. 26	Cal	Michael Hutchings	ACC
Dec. 26	Michigan	Jay Hill	Big Ten
Dec. 29	UCLA	Colin Hitschler	Big Ten
Dec. 30	Boston College	Ted Roof	ACC
Jan. 2, 2026	Penn State	D'Anton Lynn	Big Ten
Jan. 2	Utah	Colton Swan	Big 12
Jan. 15	Oregon	Chris Hampton	Big Ten
Jan. 23	USC	Gary Patterson	Big Ten
Feb. 1	Illinois	Aaron Henry's replacement wasn't hired yet	Big Ten
Feb. 6	Rutgers	Travis Johansen	Big Ten

Not sure if you're just being facetious, but there are a few DC's in that list that you can argue are having a worst start in their new schools than Hauck, especially considering the talent that they have and their expectations going in.

Just in the B1G, I would argue that these DC's are having at the very least just as bad a start as Hauck is:
Travis Johansen
Kevin Kane (What if...)

Heck...
Chris Hampton with all that talent

 

[WyattEarp]

Interesting…

Coach Hauck at Illinois

egriz.com

 

[Hingle McCringleberry]

Not sure if you're just being facetious, but there are a few DC's in that list that you can argue are having a worst start in their new schools than Hauck, especially considering the talent that they have and their expectations going in.

Just in the B1G, I would argue that these DC's are having at the very least just as bad a start as Hauck is:
Travis Johansen
Kevin Kane (What if...)

Heck...
Chris Hampton with all that talent

Full disclosure, I don't have the time to review each every one of these dudes. So maybe I give you couple that are as bad.

But that's not my point, my point is that we waited until AFTER all these guys had already been through the full interview cycle and been hired BEFORE we officially started our search.

And yes, I understand the concept of "unofficial" searches, but that certainly did not pan out for us at all, as our unofficial candidate(s) bailed once our search became official.

 

[spotter]

Good effort. Saw some strides. No CFP this year. But a December 27 cold weather bowl game is attainable.

 

[Hereforit]

Interesting…

Coach Hauck at Illinois

egriz.com

Yikes. The amount of vitriol for one another here is crazy. Honestly, makes me proud of the way ppl handle themselves on this board (and how Dan manages it).

 

[Chillinini]

Thought I’d never say this but rather have Henry than Hauck at this time.

 

[therealmiket86]

You know a few years ago this crowd was ready to lynch Lunney. Patience with Hauck. It is way too early to draw any conclusions.

We definitely need more talent on defense. My issue is having players out of place. Also the miscommunication with who should be on the field.

 

[BoiseBaller]

Would you have let Andrej Stojakovic stay in the draft in exchange for a competent linebacking corps?

Really?

Why does it have to be one or the other? Why can’t we have both?

 

[Dan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2104314381781651525

 

[MustangWally]

Wasn't Hauck a last second replacement for another hire who bolted before even taking the job? Maybe he's just a stopgap till we get the guy we want. Do we know what his contract looks like?

Looks like more of a stopgap than we could have imagined.

 

[ChiefGritty]

analytically speaking I think it is MUCH MUCH more relevant that he had both (1) never been a defensive coordinator before ever, at any level, in his whole career, and also that he had (2) retired out of contempt with dealing with the realities of the new college football days earlier, than anything to do with him coming from the FCS.

I'd say this aged rather well

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Also, why the F is Bobby Hauck not taking questions after these losses and instead reporters are having to ask Matt Bailey about defensive communication etc...???

I have zero respect for any Coach that makes his players answer for his schematic and communication mistakes.

I don’t think coordinators take questions after games. They only speak to the media on Mondays.

Bailey doesn’t have any control over what reporters ask him.