Coaching Carousel (Football)
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And he just did…oops lol 15 mil if he leaves ain’t much for this year though.
Coaches want to be politicians. Politicians want to be ADs. Maybe with so many openings we close this circle out by seeing some ADs hired as coaches? (Don't do it JW!!!!)
Yes, you’re likely right. But even taking Indiana out of the equation, if fans and donors have expectations (hopes) of bigger things and those expectations are not met, it is kind of silly for people to think that at some point that isn’t going to catch up to Bret.
A lot of people were looking for big things going into 2023 season, and the team finished 5-7. This year people were talking about the playoffs and the team is in 13th place in conference. Add Indiana’s success back into the equation and the fact that we lost to them by 53 points, well, should it be surprising that some donors are asking questions?
I’m not young and have resigned myself to the idea that Illini very possibly will never make it into playoffs in my lifetime. I’m happy if the Illini have a reasonable chance of winning most weekends during the season. But I’m not making 6 or 7 figure gifts annually to the program or NIL or as crazy as some fans. Success leads to rewards, but also bigger expectations. I don’t think it is crazy to think that we’re not that far from seeing behavior from our fan base that we laugh about when we see it with other schools. One thing I know is fans in general are very good at spending other people’s money and calling for people to lose their jobs.
Yeah but can't imagine he'd agree to that, when he could just as easily not sign anything right now, if he actually had any intention of leaving this offseason.
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
Especially with the extension not increasing his pay this year. There's no benefit to Rhule for signing this. Only would harm your reputation and cost your future employer more money to hire you.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
There are ~40 P4 programs who all want a Cignetti level turnaround, but there might not be another one like it for 20 years.
So setting that as an expectation will almost certainly lead you to heart ache and disappointment.
Curbelo Fanboy
BERTBALL IS LIFE
Cignetti has done tremendously well so far. Is it realistic to think IU is gonna get their money's worth out that big extension they gave him? Time will tell, but I have my doubts. He brought a big chunk of last year's roster with him & they did a great job in the portal. And he's obviously a good coach. However, I just don't see IU being able to go toe to toe with the real big boys consistently virtually overnight. There will be some regression. What happens to the euphoria when that regression occurs.
TBH Bret seems like more of a "slow build" kind of guy. Did last Saturday & the game at IU suck. Absolutely. But we've seen Bret encounter & overcome some obstacles already. I have faith that he knows what he is doing & will do what is needed to fix things. Of course the playoff woulda been great this year but let's be honest, had we made it in as a 12 seed we probably are getting trucked by Bama, Georgia or someone like that in round 1. We still have issues to address & talent needs to be upgraded but we are still on an upward trajectory overall. Perhaps in a few years from now we arrive at a CFP bid with a roster that is actually ready to go head to head with the elites & maybe win a game or more.
I know we are in a new era, but I think a lot of these places that are paying $50 mil to make a coach go away are gonna realize in a few years they replaced him with the same thing. I'd rather continue our 7,8,9 win seasons & keep building on what is underway. I think if Bret gets it there, it's gonna get there in a way that can stay at a high level.
The 15 million dollar buyout SHOULD NOT discourage teams from trying to hire Matt Rhule.
Matt Rhule's coaching should do that.
Matt Rhule out of the running for Penn State coaching vacancy with reported contract extension at Nebraska
Matt Rhule has reportedly signed a contract extension that will keep him at Nebraska through at least 2030.www.cbsnews.com
The Matt Rhule to Penn State storyline has been by far the funniest of this entire coaching carousel to me. Funnier than Big Game James, funnier than Brian “Southern Charm” Kelly, funnier than all of the SEC nonsense.
The pure delusion of Nebraska fans is comedic gold. Your head coach is *checks notes* 18-15 at Nebraska and is *checks notes again* 2-22 against top 25 teams (with the last one coming in 2016). How on Earth do they think Penn State look at what’s happening in Lincoln and think it would be an upgrade over Franklin? It’s SEC levels of delusion and I love it
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
I can't speak for the entire fanbase but I hear from Huskers fans that are relatively split on his performance. I think the scary thing for them is they *might* have a good coach now and they would lose him before he turns the program around. The elephant in the room is losing a coach to another team that has faded from the national spotlight since the 90's would provide another painful dose of self-reflection.
skyIdub
"I can't tell you. Secret."
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Is Penn State Football having an Illini-Basketball-Circa-2012 moment? Proud program that is going to be humbled in its coaching search efforts due to an athletic department regime that coaches don't want to work for??
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
If we decided that Bret wasn't good enough and had to make a change. I wouldn't be looking at the IU model. That has worked once in 30 years. This next example is much more frequent.
I look at Wisconsin and say "why not us?" Or am I playing this game wrong? They had a very solid - good coach and decided he wasn't good enough. They let him go, promoted the DC and decided he wasn't right and then signed the sexy name in the coaching carousel, which all applauded. Now, they are MUCH worse than they were a few years ago and potentially looking again, though rumor has that they will wait til next year.
The thing is, I really think Penn St. might have hired him. I didn't at first. But now you look around, and you see Penn St. and what that job offers, you see the other jobs available and that will become available and you project out potential candidates for those jobs, and you see that Cignetti's off the table, then yeah, it really could have happened. I'd still probably take the field, but Rhule may even have been the most likely candidate to get that job. Which is crazy to think of, because if you'd told Penn St. fans the options were to keep Franklin or hire Rhule, I'm honestly not sure which they'd pick. I don't think they'd have been happy about either.
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
The SEC openings seem to have an obvious candidate the fanbase is DYING to get.
Kentucky? They have been screaming for Sumrall for two years and still haven't fired their coach
Florida? Kiffin!
LSU? Kiffin!
Arkansas? Bring Lashlee home! Gruden is definitely our consolation prize!
Penn State was Cignetti for three days and now they are entering the wilderness of firing your coach with no obvious candidate for replacement.
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
Feels very much like the 'cultish' SEC discussion here a couple days ago. Can you imagine Pritzker fielding questions on the Illinois coach?
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
And Rhule avoided being the post-Franklin rebound guy. Could ride into Happy Valley in a few years as the savior to the program (actual coaching results notwithstanding).
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JMHO... but I think there is a high probability that Ped. St is having their Bo Pellini moment...
MustangWally
- Mayfield
I went to high school with him.
You are correct.
LSU football's ties to gubernatorial politics goes all the way back to Huey Long in the 30s. Louisiana is a strange place.
Curbelo Fanboy
BERTBALL IS LIFE
Yep - the real question is will someone start a Faux Franklin X account in a few years to express that regret for years to come.
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Well, is Cignetti who we think? Perhaps this all continues but I won't be surprised if they revert to the middle of the pack.
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