Coaching Discussion/Carousel

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#52      

aiwpfan

Springfield, Il
Rumor is that Muschamp is done at South Carolina
 
#54      

illini80

Forgottonia
Sadly, anyone with a strong upward trajectory probably wouldn’t even take a higher salary at Illinois. How many of our past head coaches have moved on to coach again at a P5 level? It is a tough place to win. To me we almost have to take a shot on a guy who is years away from his chance anywhere else. I’d take a shot on Scheelhaase and let him grow into it if he could hire strong assistants. I don’t know if he has enough cache to pull off those hirings yet or not though.
 
#55      
Sadly, anyone with a strong upward trajectory probably wouldn’t even take a higher salary at Illinois. How many of our past head coaches have moved on to coach again at a P5 level? It is a tough place to win. To me we almost have to take a shot on a guy who is years away from his chance anywhere else. I’d take a shot on Scheelhaase and let him grow into it if he could hire strong assistants. I don’t know if he has enough cache to pull off those hirings yet or not though.
While I agree that someone like Fickell or Freeze is a pipe dream, I don't think Illinois is considered so toxic that they have to gamble on someone as inexperienced as Scheelhaase, and I like him.
 
#56      

ILFaninFL

Nature Coast in Florida
In no particular order here are ten names:
Alex Grinch - Defensive Coordinator for Oklahoma - 40 Years Old
Tony Elliot - Offensive Coordinator for Clemson - 40 Years Old
Clark Lee - Defensive Coordinator for Notre Dame - 37 Years Old
Brent Venables - Defensive Coordinator for Clemson - 49 Years Old
Matt Campbell - Head Coach for Iowa State - 40 Years Old
Luke Fickle - Head Coach for Cinncinatti - 47 Years Old
Chris Petersen - Former Head Coach for Washington State - 56 Years Old
Mark Hudspeth - Former Head Coach for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette - 51 Years Old
Mike Elco - Defensive Coordinator for Texas A&M - 43 Years Old
Steve Sarkisian - Offensive Coordinator for Alabama - 46 Yeas Old
 
#57      

illini80

Forgottonia
While I agree that someone like Fickell or Freeze is a pipe dream, I don't think Illinois is considered so toxic that they have to gamble on someone as inexperienced as Scheelhaase, and I like him.
I know I’m waaay out there on it, but I see him in a coordinator position soon and if successful making peoples lists in another 5 years. He has the brains and the drive, just not the experience. Hope he coaches here some day.
 
#58      

illini80

Forgottonia
In no particular order here are ten names:
Alex Grinch - Defensive Coordinator for Oklahoma - 40 Years Old
Tony Elliot - Offensive Coordinator for Clemson - 40 Years Old
Clark Lee - Defensive Coordinator for Notre Dame - 37 Years Old
Brent Venables - Defensive Coordinator for Clemson - 49 Years Old
Matt Campbell - Head Coach for Iowa State - 40 Years Old
Luke Fickle - Head Coach for Cinncinatti - 47 Years Old
Chris Petersen - Former Head Coach for Washington State - 56 Years Old
Mark Hudspeth - Former Head Coach for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette - 51 Years Old
Mike Elco - Defensive Coordinator for Texas A&M - 43 Years Old
Steve Sarkisian - Offensive Coordinator for Alabama - 46 Yeas Old
Lot of good names on there. I just really wonder how many would realistically give us a look.
 
#59      
I think it is time for Lovie to go. You won’t find a more honorable man. He has been a great representative for the school. The list looks good.
 
#61      

SKane

Tennessee
One part of me says that enough money will get a good coach to consider U of I. Plus Whitman has given Lovie more than sufficient time to turn the program into something respectable.

Another part of me says Turner, Zook, Beckman, Cubit, Smith - no coach has left ILL other than by firing since 1991 (Mackovic). That part of me says ILL is a coaching graveyard in a tough conference where even Rutgers and Indiana are committed to improving. This is the part of me that I think is right. I doubt that anyone on the list would come here. Getting beat up by the Gophers does that to a cat.
 
#62      
Maybe the $80mm Smith Center will help us a little bit in recruiting a coach. It is a Top 10 facility in the country.
 
#63      
Josh Heuple Central Florida HC 26-6
  • 42 years old
  • Makes $2.3 million at UCF
  • OC under Bob Stoops
Billy Napier Louisiana HC 24-11
  • 41 years old
  • Coached WRs under Nick Saban
  • Makes $880k
Sonny Dykes SMU is 22-12
  • 50 years old
  • From Texas
  • Coached under Mike Leach
  • Had rough go at Cal 19-30
Jay Norvell Nevada HC 21-20
  • Former Iowa TE
  • OC for Bob Stoops
  • 57 years old
  • Makes $715k
Graham Harrell OC USC
  • Played and coached under Mike Leach and currently runs air raid offense at USC as OC
  • 42 years old
  • Has Texas ties to recruit state
Hugh Freeze
  • Makes $2 million
  • 51 years old
  • Charged with many recruiting violations under his watch at Ole Miss. School had to vacate 33 wins.
 
#65      
I like Napier, wary of Norvel and Heupel.
Although my wife got her undergrad at UCF, I know virtually nothing about the football team (other than they've been successful, including the guy that ND hired/fired for lying on his resumse). Why don't you like Heupel? He's had success, right?
 
#66      
Looks like the coaching carousal will continue. Can't see Lovie sticking around much longer and it's a shame, I like Lovie and was hoping he could turn things around. If they do indeed bring in a new head coach, that person is facing a daunting task like all the others have - turn around a long standing losing program that since 1941 has only been in 19 bowl games. With that said it can be done, look at what Indiana is doing. Question is can this program get the job done - I'm hopeful but won't hold my breath.
 
#67      
I think it is time for Lovie to go. You won’t find a more honorable man. He has been a great representative for the school. The list looks good.
I like Lovie and he’s represented the university much better than Beckman, but I’m getting somewhat tired of the “honorable man” narrative. The honorable thing for him to do would have been to hire qualified coaches instead of hiring his unqualified buddies and trying to get both of his sons on his first staff. The fact that he hired a completely unqualified Miles to be his LB coach instead of someone else who had put in years of work was awful and should have never been allowed.
 
#69      
I have never been a fan of defensive guys as head coaches but this thought is even stronger for me now in today's age of football. Offense wins games now simply because offenses are so much more complex and the rules of football favor offenses now. Look at Saban one of the greatest defensive coaches in history and even he has given up on the idea of trying to hold teams under X amount of points. If you go the defensive route the OC has to be a homerun hire and I think that is more challenging than hiring on offensive guy as HC and bringing in a DC that has a competitive, above average defense that is going to give the offense a chance.....which we don't have right now.
 
#70      

hooraybeer

Pittsburgh, PA
Tony Elliott would be an absolute slam dunk hire imo but already makes 1.6mil as an assistant at clemson. After the 12-1 first season with Scott Frost's team at UCF, Heupel has went 10-3 and now started 4-2 this year. Chris Petersen would be another great hire, but stepped down at Washington due to stress last year.
 
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#71      
Anyone who thinks hiring Alex Grinch as a HC is a good idea is a joke. Please show me what he's done for OU defensively.

Agree about generally hiring an offensive-minded HC. The game favors offense, rules are changed every year that continue that trend. Not to mention losing while scoring 30+ pts is much more appealing then not getting to double digits (most Illinois fan sentence ever?)

Normally, I'd be all in on a home run entrenched guy who's got the pedigree to instantly impact this team. Lovie was about as close to that description as possible. He failed and failed hard. Really, doesn't have any excuses. Give me an up and comer who understands what this game is currently, and fill his staff with experience.

Oh and bring back Thad Ward so I can be excited about recruiting again.
 
#72      
The most important qualities in a new coach will be a hunger and passion to win games, the demonstrable ability to assemble a qualified and equally hungry staff, and recruit well. Of lesser importance - but welcome- will be a head coach with some amount of charisma and the ability to string together a few consecutive coherent sentences (unlike Lovie and Beckman).
 
#73      
I have never been a fan of defensive guys as head coaches but this thought is even stronger for me now in today's age of football. Offense wins games now simply because offenses are so much more complex and the rules of football favor offenses now. Look at Saban one of the greatest defensive coaches in history and even he has given up on the idea of trying to hold teams under X amount of points. If you go the defensive route the OC has to be a homerun hire and I think that is more challenging than hiring on offensive guy as HC and bringing in a DC that has a competitive, above average defense that is going to give the offense a chance.....which we don't have right now.
I really agree with this! My problem is too many of these types of head coaches have hired a great OC and then, completely shut them down.
 
#74      
OC's in order of who I would call(not necessarily hire)
1. Sark
2. Moorehead
3. Elliot(looooooooong shot)
4. Briles (Guy can coach some ball)
5.Joe Brady(Worth the shot to see if he wants a HC job)
6. Harrell (Green but I like him)
 
#75      
Would Todd Monken be interested in coaching college ball again? That’s who has my biased interest.
 
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