Correct me if I'm wrong, Loyalty dudes, but I think BB's relationship with AHen goes much deeper than just a Coach/Coordinator level. AHen played for BB at Wisky and they developed a close relationship there, from what I understand. My bet is that BB is going to do everything that is humanly possible to set Aaron up for success. Like TheDrinkingLincoln said, his leash is not "infinite", but he will get as many chances at Bret can possibly give him. Given some improvement we saw in the defense toward the end of the season, I believe they think there is still promise. I think would kill Bret to have to let him go.
Coaching Carousel (Football)
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I am surprised that Discher is still here. 
Orrrrr does the University have AHEN on contract for 2 more years at something like 700 to 900k/year and has decided to utilize that money on player acquisition than paying a fired coach and taking on a million/year for a new coordinator?
Mentor/coaching your coordinators is fine and what good HCs do. AHen has shown very little growth IMO. His 3rd and long/4th down stop rate has been abysmal...
Would he get a another coordinator position in the P4/G5 if we let him go? I think we all know the answer.
Mentor/coaching your coordinators is fine and what good HCs do. AHen has shown very little growth IMO. His 3rd and long/4th down stop rate has been abysmal...
Would he get a another coordinator position in the P4/G5 if we let him go? I think we all know the answer.
Agree with all points here …
On last point, I think it’s more than one coach that he’s giving the opportunity to find another job but it’s at least one …
It must be me that thinks Discher hasn't done a bad job.I am surprised that Discher is still here.
Recruiting pass catching TE to Illinois, to me, defies logic. If I'm an agent or a dad and my son is a strong receiving TE, he's not going to Illinois. Illinois is not getting a sniff. It's like being a WR at Iowa. No thanks.
The special teams haven't been spectacular but are P2 solid. Illinois was solid in every phase.
Even last year with punting, look up Robertson's I20 ratio. It's fantastic - 45% of his punts were downed I20. #2 in the B1G behind the all-world all-everything punter at USC. Doing that is going to cut into your yards per punt. He was erratic but overall, he wasn't bad contrary to popular (and Illinois ) opinion.
IMO, if it is Discher, he should get out, he's the fall guy for BB not walking the walk in using a pass catching TE.
Edit - Ok, now thinking Jamo with all the DL defections
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Illini4Chief
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AARON, costing us on the field. I think coach's past with Henry , means he aint movin regardless of output or lack of. Sometime I think coach is blinded by the loyalty at all cost here. I think we could improve with a more seasoned coach, some of the D was just terrible...time to move on from Henry...good point of when do we stop the mentoring on seasoned coaches......times up
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I would disagree about special teams being solid … Anyone can coach Olano … Teams didn’t want to punt to Beatty … That’s fine … But punting hasn’t been great … Giving up special teams TDs … Guys out of position … Just wasn’t quite what I expect from a coaching perspective on that unit …
TE play hasn’t been good enough … TE recruiting has been pathetic IMO and that’s based off what recruits families have told me about relationships and the lack of communication …
Time for a change … IMO …
My guess would be discher
Well Crimmins is only slightly off from last year by most metrics. Illinois pretty much got what they recruited. He's never been good at pinning teams inside the 20. Robertson was great at it, BTW.
As far as TE being productive in the receiving game, I simply won't believe it until it happens on the field. Every year Illinois is going throw to the TE. Every single year. I'll be waiting in 2026 as well. As far as blocking, the Illinois TE's fit like a glove with the rest of the OL blocking. Typically performing no better or worse than the ST's.
Count me in the camp of skeptical that we are going to see some big improvement in TE or ST production given the Illinois ST's were....average and the inability to pay Olano.
Plus TE is a position where we're not worried about losing anyone on the current roster and Houser does utilize his TE's a healthy amount (700 yards receiving from his TE's where we had ~300 yards to our TE's last year), so it's a good opportunity to make a change there and bring in a TE coach that can bring a portal TE with him and make a big impact right away
it’s a chicken or egg thing
what comes first
using the tight ends we have for pass catching
or
recruit new ones which is hard cause we never use them
Didn’t know stepp had a twin brother that coaches Tight ends at Cincy
I keep checking this thread knowing I'll always be disappointed.
The players don’t like him… or so I’m told.
What does he wear on his legs?
If so - that's understandable. Same as with a coach that doesn't fit in with the rest of the staff.
This is the part I don't get. Who is responsible for attracting the players we need? The coaches and specifically AH. Does he have demonstrated success and consequential respect in the P4 coaching community? Do good/great players want to play for him? Do they see his system and his tutelage as factors that will lead to their success? How long will his coordinator development take and is success guaranteed? There's just to much uncertainty here. In the meantime, the program has buttressed itself to offset his shortcomings. Not good IMO.
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