Bill Cubit gets 2-year deal as Illinois Head Football Coach

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#76      

SuperintendentChalmers

SuperintendentChalmers
SuperintendentChalmers
The contract has some perks, too:

Use of car for up to 10,000 miles with 15 cents per mile after that.

Men's room key with cool oversized attachment so it doesn't get lost.

Earthquake-proof office with all furniture conveniently bolted down.
 
#77      

kcib8130

kcib8130
Parts Unknown
kcib8130
IlliniBuff said:
Those of you threatening to never see a game again might as well keep your promise. Having been a fan through Moeller/White/Mackovic/Tepper/Turner/Zook/Beckman...
this is far from the darkest days of Illinois football...and, as a college administrator, this is likely the soundest business decision that could have been made once George (we think) turned us down. Hire George, Cubit likely gets fired. But now, we need to restore sound leadership to evaluate the quality of the program AND maintain a coaching staff that -- I'm sorry to say -- has placed a much better product on the field than some of us have the displeasure to remember.

We ought to be focused on supporting a few wins today (NW and ISU) rather than disavow support for the kids.
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Thanks Rick George, we will take this under advisement.
 
#78      

217sports

217sports
Springfield
217sports
We just extended us being very very bad for 4 years with this death sentence decision.
 
#79      

sigint

S
sigint
illiniguy24 said:
I don't want to be an insider, trust me. My uncle just happened to be down here in the south for Thanksgiving. I like my position on the board where it's at!

But, I think a lot of you are forgetting that the a lot of the players wanted Cubit to stay. And you're all being extremely dramatic. Switching teams? Stop donating? How is that going to help? What kind of coach did you expect us to land without a real AD in place? Yes it's a safe move and not an exciting one, but I think the players will respond today and silence the critics for their new coach. GO ILLINI!
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I can't speak for any of the more dramatic ones, but if I had to guess, I think they just don't intend on wasting their time on Illinois football going forward. And, I totally understand where they are coming from. I mean there isn't really anything to be excited about at all with this program. There's no building. We're just hoping it doesn't get any worse than it already is, which is probably a hope against hope.

I'll still probably be watching on Saturday mornings, though.
 
#81      

victory225

V
Guest
victory225
The competing coaches on the recruiting trail will use this contract against them.
 
#82      

zpfled

Z
Logan Square, Chicago
zpfled
217sports said:
We just extended us being very very bad for 4 years with this death sentence decision.
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I don't get this...do you guys not remember how we used to not win ANY conference games?

Illinois football is a lot better now than it was when I was in school.
 
#83      

mossimo142

M
mossimo142
It's irrelevant if this is / isn't the darkest times in Illini football. The B1G West is there for the taking, and this is what we do. Yes it may have been worse back then, but so was our chances at competing for a top spot.

I want to hear an explanation how Thomas was fired, yet Cubit was extended. And I don't buy the "kids like him excuse ", because guess what kids also liked Beckman and Zook etc. I like wins.
 
#84      

Deleted member 29907

D
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Deleted member 29907
Lovethechief78 said:
THIS 100%. Am I thrilled where things are? Of course not, but reality is a !!!!! sometimes. We did NOT have great options here although, yes, that was largely from the administrations' lack of having a clue or giving a f*&% or some combination of those two. I agree a 4 year contract with a very small buyout would have been much better WITH a very small buyout. But by boycotting games and having tiny crowds, how does that help recruiting? Illinois football **IS** better than the 70's and while that doesn't excite ANY of us, we are NOT going to be a Michigan or OSU until the administration makes football success a priority. They won't do that, so we can hope to become a consistent 7-5, 8-4 team but not much more. Let Cubit continue to stabilize/marginally improve the program, retire in 2 years and hopefully we are hiring from a MUCH stronger position than we would be now. :chief:
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If the perception is that the University doesn't care, then why should the fans? Winning teams draw fans, not hope. The same tenor from last year that Beckman was not the right guy to lead this team in the future turned out to be very true. The feeling is the same about Cubit - so why draw this out?
 
#85      

Fort Worth Illini

F
Guest
Fort Worth Illini
mattcoldagelli said:
Yep.

Not trying to be overdramatic. I just don't know why I would ever devote as much time as this as I once did. Or any at all, really.
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Agree. The sad thing is that I'm not angry at all like I thought I would be. I got more angry at TCU's loss to Oklahoma last week than I did to yet another screw up by the DIA. I don't really care anymore since the university doesn't seem to care either.

And this is coming from someone who didn't miss a home football game from 1988 to 1998.
 
#87      

WesterveltVictoryCigar

WesterveltVictoryCigar
WesterveltVictoryCigar
illinisc said:
I'm surprised there is so much anger at giving Cubit a small extension. This gives the University enough time to do the right thing and bring in a permananent Chancellor and Provost first. I'm not sure many high level Athletic Directors and Head Football coaching candidates would be willing to come over with so much instability at the top of the university. It looks to me that the University is thinking long term even if it's unpopular with the fans.
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That's a reasonable take. My real problem with the decision is not keeping Cubit, but hiring a coach with only a 2 year deal. Making it 4+ years and keeping the buyout relatively low doesn't seem to be that unreasonable and makes the perception outside the program so much better.
 
#88      

CUWPC

C
Geneva, IL
CUWPC
I'm not thrilled but in a year or two the same quality candidates will be available and hopefully there will be more stability in the program. Get an AD then focus on fixing the program. It’s clear that the current administration had no clue what’s going on and need to get this behind them. For them this was the easy decision and it's obvious that the current players want Cubit to stay. He's also maintained the current recruiting class, while adding some decent players during this time of uncertainty. All I ask is that the university hires a new Def Cord. They are saving money on the HC so spend it elsewhere. With all of the turnover this year there will be some good candidates available.
 
#89      

zpfled

Z
Logan Square, Chicago
zpfled
mossimo142 said:
It's irrelevant if this is / isn't the darkest times in Illini football. The B1G West is there for the taking, and this is what we do. Yes it may have been worse back then, but so was our chances at competing for a top spot.

I want to hear an explanation how Thomas was fired, yet Cubit was extended. And I don't buy the "kids like him excuse ", because guess what kids also liked Beckman and Zook etc. I like wins.
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That's a fair point, I just don't get why NOW all of a sudden people are saying that they're done with Illinois.

Things have been worse, for an extended period of time. Why didn't people quit Illinois football then?
 
#90      

danielb927

danielb927
Orange Krush Class of 2013
Rochester, MN
danielb927
zpfled said:
That's a fair point, I just don't get why NOW all of a sudden people are saying that they're done with Illinois.

Things have been worse, for an extended period of time. Why didn't people quit Illinois football then?
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I'm sure they threatened just as much, but in person over Thanksgiving with relatives instead of via web forums to a few thousand other sports nuts.
 
#91      

USNIlliniFan

USNIlliniFan
Jacksonville, FL
USNIlliniFan
Aside from my hesitation over this decision, I believe the real problem is the timing of the announcement. Players wanted Cubit and willing to fight for it....now it's two hours from game time...they got what they wanted... we'll see what the results will be. With the tumultuous coaching scene across the country, as it is now, I feel waiting to make an announcement would have given us some options (or at least "observations" of how things will go) and perhaps get the AD we need before the serious recruiting season starts. In other words, keep Cubit in the mix for the job as he is still the interim coach while other options play out. Can't do that now..
 
#92      

217sports

217sports
Springfield
217sports
The worst thing is that we may be good next year so they'll probably extend cubit after that
 
#94      

illinisc

I
illinisc
WesterveltVictoryCigar said:
That's a reasonable take. My real problem with the decision is not keeping Cubit, but hiring a coach with only a 2 year deal. Making it 4+ years and keeping the buyout relatively low doesn't seem to be that unreasonable and makes the perception outside the program so much better.
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Agree that the structure of this contract will make it difficult for this staff to recruit but this is a clear message that there going to hire the right AD and allow him the option to evaluate Cubit without having a large contract in play. Also although this year was challenging and we'll probably not make a bowl game, I think there is some promise for next year. Our defense looks vastly improved and we're getting key members of our offense back. This might not be the home run hire everyone has wanted for the last 20 years or so but let's be honest. Les Miles was never walking through that door.
 
#95      

Adnarel

A
Adnarel
Kramer said:
I've gone to a few Drake games, I got free tickets in the mail. It's not very good football.
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Oh, God, I didn't know they did that. That's rich.

No the football is not great, lol. I would know, having sat in the band for 4 years. That stadium is a wind tunnel, too. It's totally open to the north and literally acts as a windcatcher.
 
#96      

illiniman711

I
Champaign-Urbana
illiniman711
As much as I want a bowl game for these seniors, this athletic department does not deserve a dime of that bowl revenue.
 
#97      

illiniman711

I
Champaign-Urbana
illiniman711
Who cares. Northwestern will hang 40 on us, but at least we have our "coach"!! What a joke.
 
#98      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Deleted member 29907
Jeffcobrad said:
Don't let the door hit you in the !!! fellas.
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Some people don't mind supporting mediocrity - some do. We all make choices on what takes up our time. I like what the BBall team is doing and feel the turn there. This move, it if plays out - feels like mediocrity and I expect more from my University. You play to win the game.
 
#100      

the national

the national
the Front Range
the national
This is what OHIO ST went through a few seasons ago. Finkel=Cubit. Its a bandaid. Hopefully it won't hurt too much when we have to pull the bandaid off, assuming it can stop the bleeding in the first place.
 
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