AD Whitman talks Lovie Smith

DrewD007 · Nov 27, 2017

FiveStar said:
2.5 months? Is that normal?

After signing day.

StateFarmCenter · Nov 27, 2017

There's a December signing day, and almost all of our recruits will sign then. Waiting that long seems stupid.

JucoIllini10 · Nov 27, 2017

StateFarmCenter said:
There's a December signing day, and almost all of our recruits will sign then. Waiting that long seems stupid.

+1

Is Ligs or Paul Williams responsible for any of our current recruits? Don't think we would lose anyone if they were let go tomorrow.

TheGMan · Nov 27, 2017

Maybe they also want to find replacements?

the Castle on Daniel · Nov 27, 2017

Thor015 said:
I'm good with Lovie for 5+ years easy. Unless our teams just show no desire to play. I'm not going to be foolish to think we will be able to get a higher profile coach then Lovie.

Even if the next 2 years are 2-10, I'm still fine waiting.

aiwpfan said:
But, what I do expect is that when the team loses, they will lose close. To me that will be significant progress. Then in 2019, I expect we will turn many of those close losses into close wins. If those things do not happen, I expect we will see significant changes.

I feel as though I recall people saying the losses would be close this year

.

I don't expect a bowl appearance next year, but I do think our window of opportunity is shrinking if we don't pull out some Big Ten wins. Our schedule is a joke for 2018.

v. Kent State
v. W. Illinois
v. South Florida
v. Penn State
@ Rutgers
v. Purdue
@ Wisconsin
@ Maryland
v. Minnesota
@ Nebraska
v. Iowa
@ Northwestern

As of today, the only games I'd put down as certain losses are South Florida, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Northwestern. Everyone else is beatable to some degree in my opinion. If we go 2-10 again in 2018 (wins against Kent State and W. Illinois), this program will not go low level bowling until 2020 at the earliest. By that point, I think apathy will be so high there will be little hope for the Illini. We're already nearly there...You couldn't give away tickets to games these days and as others have said, the atmosphere in the stadium is akin to a somewhat lively funeral.

Second and Chalmers · Nov 27, 2017

StateFarmCenter said:
There's a December signing day, and almost all of our recruits will sign then.

You sure about that?

IlliniJim20 · Nov 27, 2017

Mike55 said:
Movement happens post 2/7/18

Wow. I get that is after the signing day, but that seems like a long time off so ca he's who are allegedly bad apples or not good fits.

In your opinion, are these coaches aware they will be moving on? If so, how will thus affect their recruiting whole at Illinois?

Thanks for your input btw

Hoppy2105 · Nov 27, 2017

Second and Chalmers said:
You sure about that?

S and C! Where you been man??

Second and Chalmers · Nov 27, 2017

Hoppy2105 said:
S and C! Where you been man??

I'm around. Been trying to cut back on the social media. This board has seen my struggles to post in moderation

To finish my point, this new December signing period is a wild card, who knows what will happen?

aiwpfan · Nov 27, 2017

Second and Chalmers said:
You sure about that?

Who dis, new phone

Hoppy2105 · Nov 28, 2017

Second and Chalmers said:
I'm around. Been trying to cut back on the social media. This board has seen my struggles to post in moderation

To finish my point, this new December signing period is a wild card, who knows what will happen?

I feel like it should have mirrored it off of basketball and had a signing period earlier than December. Maybe September?

I'm just not sure what December provides. Sure plenty of kids will probably sign but what is the reason behind it?

FT35 · Dec 1, 2017

Hoppy2105 said:
I feel like it should have mirrored it off of basketball and had a signing period earlier than December. Maybe September?

I'm just not sure what December provides. Sure plenty of kids will probably sign but what is the reason behind it?

This is the reasoning behind it:

The NCAA says that by mid-December, most prospects are far enough along in the recruiting cycle that they have their minds made up about where they want to attend. They are tired of incessant texts and calls and want to have some certainty about their college destinations shortly after the fall semesters of their senior years.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...signing-day-period-ncaa-rule-recruit-national

ILL_INI · Dec 1, 2017

FT35 said:
This is the reasoning behind it:

"Blah blah blah blah. It's all about the student-athletes. Blah blah blah."

Click to expand...

Sorry, FT35, I know it's not your quote, but I don't buy it. This is done so coaches can lock up players early to lessen flipping on signing day. It's after the high school season ends so they won't get stuck with a player who develops a career ending injury during the season.