Their careers don’t cross paths but like Hauck he’s from the Rocky Long coaching tree.
Coaching Carousel (Football)
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Their careers don’t cross paths but like Hauck he’s from the Rocky Long coaching tree.
I know that and in fact the first clause in my original post says that essentially. Just too big of a Patriots connection to write it off and label this merely as a “Hauck hire.”
I have been underwhelmed by some of the hires, but the addition of Bradford to the D backfield where he will be paired with Corey Parker has the potential to be a grand slam. Bradford's recruiting results at USC were top of the line.
Ronnie Bradford, Safeties Coach (FB), Illinois Fighting Illini
Ronnie Bradford is the Safeties Coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini247sports.com
Care to elaborate about what’s been underwhelming by the hires ? Maybe some names you would’ve rather had for the open spots instead ?
Agree … Bradford was a home run hire …
Who on this staff was actually in demand? Like who did we beat out to land any of these guys? It’s a lot of small‑school hires. Sure, some of them might work out. But it feels like fishing in small ponds, you usually catch small fish. That doesn’t make them bad fish, but it doesn’t make them impressive catches either.
Every single coach we hired had other opportunities … NFL and College both in many cases …
We went and got Thomas from BC who if you ask Myles Garrett himself was instrumental for him …
Hauck … Veteran … Proven coach at a Lower level and I’m willing to give him a shot … He brought Bradford who’s just an absolute home run hire and Cooper who could’ve stayed at Montana but also had offers from other P4 schools … That guy can flat out coach ball …
Wheatley was a sitting HC … Look at the RBs he’s worked with … Oklahoma was interested in him …
I think Bret is showing everyone his vision … We have coaches coach and do a little recruiting here and there … But Bret is turning this into the NFL model … His coaches need to coach first and foremost … Bret himself will do both but that’s why we have a giant personnel staff now … They need to go find the talent, evaluate the talent and then ask for coaches opinions …
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Is any of that stuff true of people who have been on Bielema's staff previously?
George McDonald I guess. Pulling Kevin Kane from a DC role at SMU to a fancied-up position coach was a good one.
But Barry Lunney was a small school hire, Ryan Walters was getting quasi-pushed out at Mizzou, Jamison was fleeing a bad situation at Purdue much as Thomas is at BC.
I dunno, I am left being both very skeptical of the whole Hauck 3-3-5 plan, while also totally disagreeing with the notion that he's not a "big" enough coach for the job, and that kinda carries along with everyone he's brought in.
Yeah no doubt there would have been a market for Wheatley as an RB coach. I think the only question there is how hungry is he for that job? He obviously wanted to pursue head coaching and it hasn't worked out.
I guess I just look at it as good coaches and players can come from anywhere …
BB never was in New England with BOB or Vrabel. The key to this hire Imo is his experience in this defense and a player and coach. All of the guys we have brought in on defense have experience in the Rocky Long/ Hauck 3-3-5
1. If they had the chance to take an NFL job they would have. Simple.
2. If he was so instrumental and well respected he would be at a better job than 2-10 Boston College.
3. Hauck didn't even coach the best team in his own state of Montana lol. I am willing to give him a shot. But its FCS ball at the end of the day.
4. Wheatley was a downright horrible HC. Could he be a good RB coach? maybe. We'll see how motivated he is after failing.
5. That part i can agree with. Its a different model. Will it work? I am hoping so. Just a big risk.
I don’t understand the people being skeptical of the 3-3-5 defense. I think some people on this board just want to complain about something. When I hear people speak negatively about the 3-3-5 defense they don’t know what they are talking about. Go on YouTube and the Big Ten Network and Watch Urban Meyer break down Nebraska’s 3-3-5 defense. Urban Meyer said he hates playing against the 3-3-5 . He said the multiple blitz combinations
drives coaches crazy. Urban said the 3-3-5 defense is very difficult for offensive coaches to prepare for.
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ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
And this is dumb analysis, I know, but I can't help it. You know what staff at Illinois was absolutely loaded with people who have had high-level success at major programs both before and afterward and with which we were (justifiably!) thrilled at the time?
Tim Beckman's first staff.
We all know about Alex Golesh's success now taking the Auburn HC job, with Tim Banks in tow after his success at Penn State and Tennessee. You might have noticed Chris Beatty becoming the Bears interim OC after Matt Eberflus got fired. Luke Butkus fled back to the NFL immediately after and has been the Packers OL coach throughout Matt LaFleur's tenure. But did you know Billy Gonzales was Florida's interim HC this year? Did you know Tim Salem is the Special Teams Coordinator for the huge turnaround at Georgia Tech? Did you know Steve Clinkscale was the co-DC/DB coach for the Michigan team that won the national title?
And that was one of the least professional operations I've ever seen in college football.
Tim Beckman's first staff.
We all know about Alex Golesh's success now taking the Auburn HC job, with Tim Banks in tow after his success at Penn State and Tennessee. You might have noticed Chris Beatty becoming the Bears interim OC after Matt Eberflus got fired. Luke Butkus fled back to the NFL immediately after and has been the Packers OL coach throughout Matt LaFleur's tenure. But did you know Billy Gonzales was Florida's interim HC this year? Did you know Tim Salem is the Special Teams Coordinator for the huge turnaround at Georgia Tech? Did you know Steve Clinkscale was the co-DC/DB coach for the Michigan team that won the national title?
And that was one of the least professional operations I've ever seen in college football.
It really shows just how extraordinary the man in my avatar was.
Fortunately for us, the current man up-top is juuuuust a smidge more competent.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
My skepticism isn't whether that defense can work, it absolutely can and has. It's whether turning over that side of the ball to something new in Bielema's career that we might not have the players to execute well and which might not suit the overall game management/game control strategies that our success has been built around will actually survive contact with reality in 2026.
Bielema Ball is an all-of-program philosophy, everything is built to compliment everything else. Bret obviously feels that certain aspects of it were living on borrowed time in the new college football, and I don't doubt his wisdom in that. But change like this brings risk.
mattcoldagelli
- Script Illinois Enthusiast
I have - gloriously - been able to mostly check out of recruiting since the advent of the NIL/Transfer Portal Era, so this is an honest question: is "being a stud recruiter" still what it was in the Beforetimes (painting with a broad brush: usually a young, energetic guy who was exceptionally comfortable in a HS/living room setting)? Because there seem to be a lot of people talking about it that way.
I really think the Indiana game and Curt Cignetti and Indiana’s National Championship season had an effect on Bret . After the Indiana game I knew Bret was going to make big changes in the offseason. Go listen to the Chicago Score radio 670 interview with Bret. He said that although Illinois has had success over the last couple of years he’s not satisfied. He said his goal is making the playoffs and winning a National Championship. Bret is super smart and an excellent football coach. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He knows what type of coaches he needs to win a national championship. I trust his plan. Fans just need to be patient. The season hasn’t even started yet.
I'll start off by saying, I am a casual football observer/fan, but I've been living in that capacity for almost 40 years (born 1980). I do not have any of the connections/access or internal knowledge of the program as some of you do that consistently provide us additional information. I greatly appreciate you and others, and as I've stated before in any post that was at all critical of a hiring addition - I hope I end up being wrong about any initial negative impressions I have. That said, below is a brief overview of how I see the hires and departures. Take it for what it's worth and I hope I'm underestimating the staff individually and collectively.
Jordan Thomas named IL Defensive Line Coach - I think there's a potential that this could be a vg hire, but I think it's a downgrade compared to what we had in TJ, but it's a decent replacement and hopefully he can grow into what TJ ultimately was the last couple years with us. 7/10
Tyrone Wheatley named IL Running Backs Coach - I think he'll be a vg recruiter in the state of MI and potentially NY/NJ too as it looks like that's where his ties are. He was successful in this role before and then used that success to get lower level HC jobs. Those didn't work out but that doesn't mean he's not still a very good position coach. 8/10
Roger Cooper named IL Inside Linebackers Coach - this feels like a reach. He's making a lateral move and getting what would appear to be the same or only a slight downgrade and he lacks divinity of experience as it looks like he's only ever worked for Hauck. 5/10
Ronnie Bradford named IL Secondary Coach - I was really impressed with his resume. Looks like a good recruiter, experienced at multiple levels that will have everyone's respect on day 1. 9/10
Bobby Hauck named IL Defensive Coordinator - this is the biggest one. I think we lost out on the guy we really wanted and then quickly pivoted and made a somewhat rushed call. Was that so we could say that the whole thing w/Partridge didn't happen? Was that because it was getting later and later in the hiring cycle? I dont know, This also then dictates that there will be a lot of change for the defensive position coaches. .4/10 hire.
Jared Elliott named IL Tight Ends Coach - this one felt a little meh. There were rumors of bigger names I believe, but it also seemed to be a decent hire and likely an upgrade over Discher. 6/10
Robby Discher to Ohio State - had to happen - well handled by BB.
Aaron Henry to Notre Dame - didn't 100% have to happen - but should be the best move in the long run - mostly well handled by BB, but did we enter the cycle a little later than we wanted to so BB could make sure Ahen landed on his feat and could save face a little? This was probably tough and I think coaches see how other coaches handle things so BB likely gets a perception/goodwill increase among peers which could always be beneficial down the road.
Trent Harris to Duke - bummer as I see him as being superior to the replacement
Terrance Jamison to the Buffalo Bills - Bummer, but happy for TJ. I think this is also an example of BB developing his assistants and can be used to attract young coaches w/advancement aspirations.
Thad Ward to Kansas State - Thad did a good job for us. That level of talent in the RB room rose significantly while he was here. I did not want him to leave. It looks like it was getting the additional pay/title bump that made him move on?
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
Does it matter as much as it did in 2007? No, not close.
Does it still matter? Yes.
Competing with Georgia, UM, TTU is very much going to be a dollar and cents discussion. No recruiter (beyond serious family connections) is going to matter.
Competing with Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska is where recruiters will still matter.
MoCoMdIllini
- Montgomery County, Maryland
Who is going to be the big guy in the middle of the front 3?
Who might be the "does this guy get all the tackles?!" guy among the linebackers?
Who might be the "does this guy get all the tackles?!" guy among the linebackers?
The NIU job is an awful job … There is zero chance Henry or Lunney would even consider it …
They both made more than Hammock here last year as Coordinators …
Year 3 they got to a bowl game with possibly the worst talent we have had since the end of the Jim Valek era. Beckman was a clown in many, many respects, but he obviously has an eye for coaching talent.
Recruiting ability is important, but coaching ability is more important. And if you can coach and develop your existing talent, you will get access to more talent. And coaching talent is not restricted to P2 programs - there are a lot of good/great coaches at all levels.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
aiwpfan
- Springfield, Il
Yes but Sacramento State going to the MAC gives us the Ball-Sac GameThem leaving the MAC is blasphemy against sports and America.
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