AD Whitman talks Lovie Smith
I agree with his take that we are not even at the starting line yet.
Deleted member 236589
D
Guest
I'd say they're out of the gate. They went all in with Freshmen. I love the approach. If you build a solid base, then everything else will follow suit. They absolutely took their lumps this year. Playing this many Freshmen will pay dividends. The experience coming back next year will be significant and the year after it should be a strong and experienced group, with hopefully back to back solid recruiting classes to follow. Lovie is going about this the right way.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Whitman is spot on, AFAIC.
I agree with Whitman 100% that the full rebuild is the way to go. And give the former NFL coach with Super Bowl experience his full five years to complete what would be, by any measurement, a Herculean turnaround, if he can do it.
It blows my mind that some people already want to pull the plug. I still think Lovie is our best chance to reboot this thing, but if he falls short, we have the rest of our lives to cycle through one no-name MAC coach after another. What is this urgency to go back where we came?
It blows my mind that some people already want to pull the plug. I still think Lovie is our best chance to reboot this thing, but if he falls short, we have the rest of our lives to cycle through one no-name MAC coach after another. What is this urgency to go back where we came?
Illini_1979
- Oregon
:thumb:
I would add my concurrence to your post as well.
Herculean is a good word for it. A historically downtrodden program (at least for most of past 20+ years, a coach recently fired for abusing players, an interim coach of sorts, back to back poor AD's and it isn't like Franks and Beans left the program stacked with talent.
Sort of jaw dropping that there is grumbling at this point
I'm 100% behind Lovie and anyone who isn't is a complete idiot. The guy went to the Super Bowl somewhat recently as a head coach. The pinnacle of his profession. Illinois is very fortunate to have him and I'm giving him 3 more losing seasons on top of the last two before I even start to thinking about making a move. If Illinois wants to win a national championship in the next decade (no it won't happen in the next few years) Lovie is Illinois best hope. Don't sleep on him. If he can take a Rex Grossman/Kyle Orton to the Super Bowl, he can take UI to the BCS. Be patient. He has one recruiting class of his and three of Tim Beckmans on the field.
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
Whitman is the man, we're lucky to have him. Agreed with the above that any handwringing about the football team is misplaced. Really hope the basketball team can surprise and take some of the heat off Lovie and Co., they're doing things the right (and only possible, in our situation) way.
I think Lovie can get this done and think that he was a great hire. If you hooked up Whitman to a lie detector and asked him if recruiting was going just as expected under Lovie I don’t think he would pass, however. There were some serious $’s thrown at Lovie and I think the expectation was recruiting would be picking up faster than it is. Maybe the talent evaluation is really good but this is going to be a journey.
Agreed on the recruiting front, but recruiting college football is a different animal. So many players and so many slots to fill. Lovie only has so much time, so hopefully some assistants can get some players in. Basketball is a little different where coaches can focus their efforts on a core of about ten players per class and end up with 1-3 of them every year.
I agree. I thought there would be a bigger impact, but the early returns on Lovie's first class is encouraging.
Roundtree, Hobbs and particularly Williams look like future all conference players to me. Williams imo is going to be absolute star.
On O even though it has been a rocky season I think the 4 Frosh on O-Line have held their own. Personally I believe there is a couple NFL Lineman in that group. Smalling, Dorsey and Epstein look terrific with Dorsey imo being a sure fire NFLer
Illini_1979
- Oregon
Yup, I am excited by what I have seen from the frosh. Give them a year or two to get bigger and more experienced and I think we will have a great nucleus for our team. Hopefully our next recruiting classes will be similar in quality.
I asked a few people this question today when the news came out and I think it's an interesting thing to think about; what do you think the chances are Lovie coaches that first Mizzou game in 2026? I'd personally have to say less than 5% either based on under or over performing expectations. Granted you could give those same odds to any college coach 9 years out I suppose.
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Wow, so he's gonna time travel and assassinate Tim Beckman to lead our 2013 team over FSU in the BCS championship game?
All joking aside, I dont think Lovie is young enough to get this team that far. I'd be happy if by when he decides to call it quits, we are considered a similar team to the Iowa's of the world.
RedRocksIllini
- Morrison, CO
Given Lovie's age (59), the turnover of college football coaches in general and Illinois football in particular, I'd put the odds at not significantly different than 0.
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
Agreed, 10 years at one school is an eternity. Not many D1 coaches make it that long, either due to results on the field, impatient fans bases and/or burnout.
Future Walk-On
- Peoria, IL
Lol it is his second year and half the starters are underclassmen and people want to jump ship.
I say 5 years unless there is some major regression during his 4th.
Kinda odd Whitman even has to spend so much time addressing it.
I say 5 years unless there is some major regression during his 4th.
Kinda odd Whitman even has to spend so much time addressing it.
This is my thought exactly. I figured if there was a lunatic fringe calling for Lovie to be fired it would have been on this board (all due respect). Maybe it's to stave off negative recruiting?
RedRocksIllini
- Morrison, CO
In this "what have you done in the last ten seconds" age, it's not too surprising to me. Just makes trying to take a longer approach to rebuilding the team (and really, the entire athletic department) more difficult.
Agree that we have to be in this for the long haul. I think the decision point has to be after year 4 of the contract (which, to me, is really year 3 of the Lovie era.) After year 4, Whitman is going to need to decide whether to extend or not. Leaving Lovie twisting in year 5 is a dead man walking scenario a la Bill Cubit.
Lovie Smith will be extended before that time. Whitman, like most AD's do not like to have coache with their contracts less than three years. Other coaches pounce on that in recruiting.