ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
"us" and "fans" are two different things. The only butt I can put in a seat is my own.
Football Coaching Staff / Coaching Carousel Thread
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"us" and "fans" are two different things. The only butt I can put in a seat is my own.
South Farms
- near Ogden & Rt 83
I'll even go a step further than that. Firing a head coach then requires finding one you are 100% convinced will be BETTER.
Our situation is not radioactive toxic, but its far from an ideal place to attract football people.
Its been a coaching graveyard ever since Mackovic left, and you could even argue since 1967 by saying Mac was an outlier.
We aren't the only ones who know that. Lets be real, its Lovie's job for awhile. It is what it is.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I'm not the world's biggest fan of that hire, but Les Miles to Kansas proves this train of logic wrong forever and ever.
You make a coaching change when the future is brighter moving on, considering the situation in total. It's literally never an 100% or 0% proposition, it's about figuring out which side of 50% you're on.
For a variety of reasons, I think keeping Lovie for next year was the right move at the time. A close and tough decision, but the right one. But there's no more rope at this point.
No school has ever let the same coach just wallow in suckitude for the better part of a decade on end. Not Kansas, not Vandy, not 80's Northwestern, not post-Death Penalty SMU, not couldn't-care-less-era Duke, nobody. We are not unique in being down on our luck as a football program.
I agree. The process has been trusted and painful and it is time to see progress. I don't see any way forward with Lovie if we win 5 or less games next season. The roster is experienced, the 3rd years guys have some talent and have a ton of experience at this point and your rebuild should be nearly complete. Personally only 6 wins would be a bit underwhelming for me, but it would certainly be an accomplishment Lovie could point to for progress
South Farms
- near Ogden & Rt 83
I don't think we disagree.
You fire a coach when you are COVINCED he's wrong for the program AND you are confident you can find a guy who you are CONVINCED can do a better job.
Saying that, I'm not implying we can never attract upper level coaching talent again. We can, and when the day comes when Lovie quits or is fired, we will. But the pool of available coaching talent for us to attract is WAY smaller than most schools.
Hiring coaches is such a crap shoot for schools like us, AD's like Whitman are not going to pull the trigger that quickly. We cant do what UGa did and just hire the DC off 'Bama.
Les Miles took the UK job because he wanted one last chance to make some real money for 4 years with the chance to make it for 7 years. That was the best Power5 job he was going to get at his age and his history. Most of the kind of players he needs can probably get accepted there, not so much at UI. All in all, a great hire for UK and not that bad a job for a 65 year old Les Miles.
I have 20 people that work for me at my company. I fire guys when they do something worth firing. It happens , thankfully not often. But in todays market for labor, I tend to give people extra time when I am only disappointed in their production. If a guy is a C- or so level guy, finding a guy off the street who can do better is no sure thing. I'll give him more time to either improve, or until I find someone better. Seriously, the "help wanted" sign is out in front of our shop all the time. In my business, finding reliable , hard working people is not easy. From all the other business people I talk to, its the same everywhere. Everyone is always looking for them.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
If you really really cared you would procreate (many times) and help us solve the attendance issue.
Coach Smith could have gone for the quick fix and we would have had the same problem in three years, he instead built the program the right way play the young guys and when you get close sprinkle in grad transfers and other transfers, we just happen to get lucky and the transfers we are adding are studs.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Schiano is looking for a job now...?
That would be the rom-com "if we're both still single at age 50" marriage
EDIT: Oh, you probably meant for DC. That would be kinda wild.
Deleted member 633632
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Can someone other than me please start the hire Greg Schiano for DC thread please?
I nominate Kris Richard for DC.
RedRocksIllini
- Morrison, CO
There were rumblings a while back about the DC already being on the staff (maybe probably possibly Lovie?) Anybody know how much truthiness there is to that?
Illini_1979
- Oregon
I prefer to think of it as good planning.
90% chance lovie calls the Defense next year
Deleted member 4333
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Calling the defense is the easy part. Getting them to execute it is where we need help.
TMC999
- Not Iowa
This is it. Win. At home. Think how we've filled our diaper:
UNC sellout. Laid an egg.
Homecomings. More eggs.
Get people's attention by winning ONE game that you're not supposed to. Then follow it up with consistent competitiveness. And when that next sellout comes, deliver for your home fans. We're starving for that scenario.
First post on here. Current clemson student but always been an Illini fan. Middle of nowhere really. Odd timing I know. But I just want to say after that bowl game and two national championships later... clemson was on a 5 game losing streak to our rival and stuck in slightly better mediocrity. Coaches have to have game planning and success, but two things stood out after Dabo got hired. One was his hire of a phenomenal DC in Venerbales, but second is that he is a good person truly and morally. Lovie has that positivity and is generally a good man who cares about his players personal lives. Like dabo said in the postgame comments, anyone can do it. We have very good momentum and I think good things happen to good people, and Lovie has his coming. Just personal opinion I see similarity, let’s see this DC hire next.
Deleted member 633632
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Thank you for this post! I sure hope IW, Rob, and Lovie were watching the initial postgame interviews with Dabo & TL and getting as motivated and inspired as i am!!
I hope you were Watching Isaiah!!! In the words of KG... "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!"
I can’t get hyped about this. It just feels like we failed to find a DC as opposed to this being the plan all along.
I think Lovie’s a players coach, he just gets it and does it just as much for the good of the players as winning, that means something when it gets down to it, combine that with his and the staffs’ the nfl experience. I think Lovie is someone who they simply believe in. Likely means he also knows which guys have that mindset and I think this class is solid. Need a DC who can push and be a mastermind as venerables has done imo, big choice for Lovie if illini0440 is right that’s he’s calling DC plays next season, let’s hope these recruits and transfers can help flexibility with the schemes
My only concern is that it’s unkniwb to me how much lovie has been involved in the defensive preparation, game planning, and defensive calls during the game for the past ~15 years since he has only been a head coach at this time. Seems a little counterintuitive!! But it just seems he was letting the coordinators run with gameplanning and calls the last few years . Optimistically I can say lovie was busy with more macro issues for the program, and now the foundation is set can devote more time to details for the defense. Also, like duh, of course he was involved in the defense, and knows what he’s doing!!! I don’t know how the team was operating up to this point.
On the other hand, hope there is no adjustment period.
Hope the dc is brought in to enhance teaching for the defense, whether they call the plays or not. its interesting, can give a big chunk of money.
Plenty of resources to get a quality DC. Sounds likes Lovie is betting on himself here.
RedRocksIllini
- Morrison, CO
So you're saying we should poach Venables to be our DC? /s
Seriously, tho, thanks for posting and nice win last night!
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I have no objection to Lovie calling the defense himself, but that DC title and those resources need to then be used to find an excellent recruiter and teacher of technique.
It's a month after the end of the season and our defensive coaching staff remains a 28 year old, a guy who never coached in college before this year, Tyler Underwood and an empty chair. It is no coincidence we were among the worst defenses in the country with a staff like that. Dramatic overhaul is needed.
Someone will have the DC title I’m sure and they are going to use those resources to try and get two good defesnive assistants. Also that 28 year old was a big reason for the results in the early signing period.
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