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<blockquote data-quote="redwingillini11" data-source="post: 2018137" data-attributes="member: 9229"><p>There has obviously been a lot of talk over the past year or so over on the basketball page of where we might turn if Brad Underwood, for one reason or another, was no longer our coach. But as far as I can recall I don't think we have discussed as much here on the football page. Now, I don't bring this up to say that Bielema has to go or that he hasn't been a satisfactory coach so far. Despite the couple of five win seasons, I have been very impressed with what Bielema has done, and I can't think of anyone off the top of my head that would be better at helping us stay afloat in the B1G. </p><p></p><p>But I am more curious as to <em>where we stand </em>in this current college football climate. Let's say that Bielema decides he is over coaching and just wants to be a dad and steps down. What kind of coach are we looking to hire? What kind of coach could we actually pull in? Is there anyone specific out there that is a no brainer most likely candidate? I feel like we are in an really interesting spot of not having been a top half of the Power 5 job, but now that we are moving into the Power 2 how desirable of a job do we have? Also keep in mind that you have coaches like Chip Kelly leaving bottom half of the B1G job to be a coordinator at OSU. Does a coach want to take a Big 12 or ACC job and try to win that conference, or does a coach want to take perhaps a higher paying job here to fight to be bowl eligible? Thinking of the main grouping of candidates, I am curious as to where we are looking:</p><p></p><p>MAC head coaches: There was a period of time where it made all the sense in the world to look to the cradle of coaches. But other than Leipold, who was an explicable exception, the pipeline of MAC to B1G has seemed to dry up. Too many whiffs and the MAC is just not on a competitive enough level to be ready to take over a B1G program. I'm also not sure if there is any logical candidate for us in the MAC right now. The only name I can think of is Jason Candle, but as obviously as Candle is not Beckman, can we really hire another Toledo coach? So I just see this as our likely path.</p><p></p><p>Non-Power 2 Power 5 head coaches: This is also a path I would be surprised if we went, although perhaps it is becoming more and more possible. Here you have Leipold, Kleiman, Campbell, maybe Dave Doeren. All fantastic coaches (not sure about Campbell but maybe) who I'm sure we'd be thrilled to get. They would never have previously taken a lateral job to Illinois. But this is where maybe this is where being in the Power 2 will pay off. Does someone want to lock themselves into the financial top tier of coaching? I could still see most saying no, as they have already said no to better coaching openings. But does a guy like Matt Campbell decide to "reset the clock" by coming over to Illinois? Not sure. But that would be a great think for us in the new world of college football if that would be considered.</p><p></p><p>Non-MAC Go5 head coaches: This is what Indiana did getting Curt Cignetti. These conference are obviously a better "minor league" for the Power 2 than the MAC is right now. But there is a lower likelihood of midwest or Illinois roots, so I am not sure there will be many candidates who are obvious fits for us. But perhaps this is where we go.</p><p></p><p>Wild cards / retreads: This is where we have gone in the past. Zook, Lovie, Bret. Do we go back to the Wisconsin tree and get Paul Chryst? Or even bring back Jim Leonhard? </p><p></p><p>NFL: I don't see any NFL coordinator taking our job. It would have to be a position coach, and its hard to predict who that could be.</p><p></p><p>College football coordinators <em>du jour: </em>Another common path, but also hard to predict because the hype around those candidates ramps up throughout the season. But idk, if things go well there do we go after a guy like Kirk Campbell who just got the OC job at Michigan? Young, somewhat inexperienced, and try to grab him before he builds a resume good enough that he gets a better job?</p><p></p><p>I know my post is a bit rambling, but I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on what type of coach we would be looking for the next time around and what that says about where Illinois is in this new era of college football.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="redwingillini11, post: 2018137, member: 9229"] There has obviously been a lot of talk over the past year or so over on the basketball page of where we might turn if Brad Underwood, for one reason or another, was no longer our coach. But as far as I can recall I don't think we have discussed as much here on the football page. Now, I don't bring this up to say that Bielema has to go or that he hasn't been a satisfactory coach so far. Despite the couple of five win seasons, I have been very impressed with what Bielema has done, and I can't think of anyone off the top of my head that would be better at helping us stay afloat in the B1G. But I am more curious as to [I]where we stand [/I]in this current college football climate. Let's say that Bielema decides he is over coaching and just wants to be a dad and steps down. What kind of coach are we looking to hire? What kind of coach could we actually pull in? Is there anyone specific out there that is a no brainer most likely candidate? I feel like we are in an really interesting spot of not having been a top half of the Power 5 job, but now that we are moving into the Power 2 how desirable of a job do we have? Also keep in mind that you have coaches like Chip Kelly leaving bottom half of the B1G job to be a coordinator at OSU. Does a coach want to take a Big 12 or ACC job and try to win that conference, or does a coach want to take perhaps a higher paying job here to fight to be bowl eligible? Thinking of the main grouping of candidates, I am curious as to where we are looking: MAC head coaches: There was a period of time where it made all the sense in the world to look to the cradle of coaches. But other than Leipold, who was an explicable exception, the pipeline of MAC to B1G has seemed to dry up. Too many whiffs and the MAC is just not on a competitive enough level to be ready to take over a B1G program. I'm also not sure if there is any logical candidate for us in the MAC right now. The only name I can think of is Jason Candle, but as obviously as Candle is not Beckman, can we really hire another Toledo coach? So I just see this as our likely path. Non-Power 2 Power 5 head coaches: This is also a path I would be surprised if we went, although perhaps it is becoming more and more possible. Here you have Leipold, Kleiman, Campbell, maybe Dave Doeren. All fantastic coaches (not sure about Campbell but maybe) who I'm sure we'd be thrilled to get. They would never have previously taken a lateral job to Illinois. But this is where maybe this is where being in the Power 2 will pay off. Does someone want to lock themselves into the financial top tier of coaching? I could still see most saying no, as they have already said no to better coaching openings. But does a guy like Matt Campbell decide to "reset the clock" by coming over to Illinois? Not sure. But that would be a great think for us in the new world of college football if that would be considered. Non-MAC Go5 head coaches: This is what Indiana did getting Curt Cignetti. These conference are obviously a better "minor league" for the Power 2 than the MAC is right now. But there is a lower likelihood of midwest or Illinois roots, so I am not sure there will be many candidates who are obvious fits for us. But perhaps this is where we go. Wild cards / retreads: This is where we have gone in the past. Zook, Lovie, Bret. Do we go back to the Wisconsin tree and get Paul Chryst? Or even bring back Jim Leonhard? NFL: I don't see any NFL coordinator taking our job. It would have to be a position coach, and its hard to predict who that could be. College football coordinators [I]du jour: [/I]Another common path, but also hard to predict because the hype around those candidates ramps up throughout the season. But idk, if things go well there do we go after a guy like Kirk Campbell who just got the OC job at Michigan? Young, somewhat inexperienced, and try to grab him before he builds a resume good enough that he gets a better job? I know my post is a bit rambling, but I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on what type of coach we would be looking for the next time around and what that says about where Illinois is in this new era of college football. [/QUOTE]
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