Illini Football 2016

#26      

Hoppy2105

H
Little Rock, Arkansas
Hoppy2105
Cubby Blue said:
I myself think Teko can have just as good a year as Ward had. :thumb: People talk about Dude K coming back, but forget about Teko.
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Tell Powell? He has been plagued with the injury bug his whole time here. I'm not holding my breath for him to make an impact but I do hope he can come back and have a solid, injury free season!
 
#27      

chief2007

C
chief2007
With no injuries I see a 5-7 season. It could go down hill fast with some key injuries. This will be Cubit's last year.
 
#28      

AaronB28

A
AaronB28
Our offense has the potential to be our best returning unit.....may throw our defense off with the learning curve of the new 4-3
 
#29      

Jacob

J
Jacob
Cubby Blue said:
I myself think Teko can have just as good a year as Ward had. :thumb: People talk about Dude K coming back, but forget about Teko.
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Teko and Svetina have been injured for 2 years straight. I wish them luck in returning but I don't hold out hope
 
#31      

UIGrad03

U
UIGrad03
I'm still a little confused on how the Cubit extension effectively torpedoes 2 recruiting classes? The new coach we theoretically could have hired in earlier Dec would have been unlikely to recruit much better in a couple months time than what Cubit did, and unless Cubit puts together one heck of a season in 2016, it's pretty unlikely he is even around to sign the next class. 2016 was going to be pretty rough regardless.
 
#32      

Second and Chalmers

S
Second and Chalmers
UIGrad03 said:
I'm still a little confused on how the Cubit extension effectively torpedoes 2 recruiting classes? The new coach we theoretically could have hired in earlier Dec would have been unlikely to recruit much better in a couple months time than what Cubit did, and unless Cubit puts together one heck of a season in 2016, it's pretty unlikely he is even around to sign the next class. 2016 was going to be pretty rough regardless.
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Kinda having it both ways here.

First of all, the big disadvantage of the freaking miracle Cubit was able to pull off in signing something resembling a lower-level Power 5 class is that those guys are not handpicked for the culture and system of the next coach. Even if the next coach may not have been able to improve significantly from a talent perspective (and they might have), their guys would not have had the washout rate that Cubit's 2016 class are likely to.

And then for 2017, the difference is likely to be huge. That first full recruiting class is usually a big one for a new coach. That can is now kicked down the road to 2018, guys who will be redshirt freshmen when Mike Dudek and Keshawn Vaughn and Jamal Milan etc are seniors. That's gonna be a team full of odds and sods, and one that has very little chance to win.
 
#33      

WesterveltVictoryCigar

WesterveltVictoryCigar
WesterveltVictoryCigar
UIGrad03 said:
I'm still a little confused on how the Cubit extension effectively torpedoes 2 recruiting classes? The new coach we theoretically could have hired in earlier Dec would have been unlikely to recruit much better in a couple months time than what Cubit did, and unless Cubit puts together one heck of a season in 2016, it's pretty unlikely he is even around to sign the next class. 2016 was going to be pretty rough regardless.
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It's pretty simple, the recruiting class during a transition season is usually a weak one, as you noted. We chose to make that transition last for 2 seasons instead of one by giving our interim coach a second year.
 
#34      

Bomb Squad 217

B
Bomb Squad 217
Second and Chalmers said:
Kinda having it both ways here.

First of all, the big disadvantage of the freaking miracle Cubit was able to pull off in signing something resembling a lower-level Power 5 class is that those guys are not handpicked for the culture and system of the next coach. Even if the next coach may not have been able to improve significantly from a talent perspective (and they might have), their guys would not have had the washout rate that Cubit's 2016 class are likely to.

And then for 2017, the difference is likely to be huge. That first full recruiting class is usually a big one for a new coach. That can is now kicked down the road to 2018, guys who will be redshirt freshmen when Mike Dudek and Keshawn Vaughn and Jamal Milan etc are seniors. That's gonna be a team full of odds and sods, and one that has very little chance to win.
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WesterveltVictoryCigar said:
It's pretty simple, the recruiting class during a transition season is usually a weak one, as you noted. We chose to make that transition last for 2 seasons instead of one by giving our interim coach a second year.
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This is why I believe that if the wins are there next season, Cubit gets an extension or a new contract. We saw what the staff managed to do with everything working against them. I would like to see them work having everything they can in their corner. IE:Cubit with a full contract and coming off a winning season with a bowl victory.
 
#36      

Hoppy2105

H
Little Rock, Arkansas
Hoppy2105
Bomb Squad 217 said:
This is why I believe that if the wins are there next season, Cubit gets an extension or a new contract. We saw what the staff managed to do with everything working against them. I would like to see them work having everything they can in their corner. IE:Cubit with a full contract and coming off a winning season with a bowl victory.
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The biggest issue here is getting the wins. We saw what happened last year with this offense. I'm guessing more of the same next year.
 
#37      

Deleted member 590820

D
Guest
Deleted member 590820
I see Illinois going 8-4. With Dudek back and some versatility on offense 8-4 a definite possibility. Injuries as always will dictate.
 
#38      

Poe's Law

P
Poe's Law
Second and Chalmers said:
I am very confident the wins will not be there next year.
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I'm concerned due to roster make up (all the upper classmen) the wins will be there next year, force Whitman's hand into an extension and then it will be 3 more years without a bowl before the plug gets pulled.
 
#39      

Flight 33

F
Flight 33
tjjohnso said:
I'm concerned due to roster make up (all the upper classmen) the wins will be there next year, force Whitman's hand into an extension and then it will be 3 more years without a bowl before the plug gets pulled.
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The schedule is not easy though. The most interesting game might be that WMU match up. If we crush them, it helps Cubit's case and probably is not ideal for Fleck's chances of moving upward. However, if they crush us, maybe that turns Fleck into a top or the top candidate for the Illini job because Cubit will have a tough time finding 6 wins if he doesn't get that one.

I mean, Whitman did mention rowing the boat in his inaugural press conference...
 
#40      

Poe's Law

P
Poe's Law
Flight 33 said:
The schedule is not easy though. The most interesting game might be that WMU match up. If we crush them, it helps Cubit's case and probably is not ideal for Fleck's chances of moving upward. However, if they crush us, maybe that turns Fleck into a top or the top candidate for the Illini job because Cubit will have a tough time finding 6 wins if he doesn't get that one.

I mean, Whitman did mention rowing the boat in his inaugural press conference...
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I like where your head is at.
 
#41      

ColorMeBad

C
ColorMeBad
tjjohnso said:
I'm concerned due to roster make up (all the upper classmen) the wins will be there next year, force Whitman's hand into an extension and then it will be 3 more years without a bowl before the plug gets pulled.
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I going to put my faith in the fact that Whitman is too smart for that. It's going to be a combo of winning and recruiting success. If he lines up both especially we the deck stacked against him, he probably earned it. I have my own simplistic formula for judging Cubit. His recruiting class has to be on Pace to finish in the big ten at same level as his win total. 5 wins he needs a top 5 class. 6 wins a top 6 and so on. If he wins 10 a top 10 in big ten class. I'm admittedly hard on him cause I do prefer a change. Yet it's got to be a combination of recruiting and wins.
 
#42      

UIUC1867

UIUC1867
Christian County, IL
UIUC1867
4-8 (wins against Murray St., Western Mich., Purdue, and Minnesota)

Cubit will get fired in November.
 
#43      

oldbutinterested

O
oldbutinterested
Flight 33 said:
The schedule is not easy though. The most interesting game might be that WMU match up. If we crush them, it helps Cubit's case and probably is not ideal for Fleck's chances of moving upward. However, if they crush us, maybe that turns Fleck into a top or the top candidate for the Illini job because Cubit will have a tough time finding 6 wins if he doesn't get that one.

I mean, Whitman did mention rowing the boat in his inaugural press conference...
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I am not for using someone else's motto i am officially starting ours
"paddle the canoe"
 
#44      

GameOfThrows

G
GameOfThrows
Hoppy2105 said:
The biggest issue here is getting the wins. We saw what happened last year with this offense. I'm guessing more of the same next year.
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Dudek and Hardee were out last year. We played two true Freshmen at WR.

AT RB, Brown and Corbin were out affecting our depth. Ferguson missed half the games.

TE's were a thin position to begin with and several battled injuries throughout the year. I think there were a handful of games we had about two healthy TEs.

Tough to utilize your playbook when so many key contributors are injured and not playing. If people are willing to give Groce a pass this season because of all the injuries we have on the hoops team, then those same people should give Cubit a pass for last season. His hands were tied when it came to game-planning and play-calling.

Unless the same perfect storm of injuries happens again this season, there is no reason to expect "much of the same on offense"

And I didn't even bring up all of the dropped passes by the WR corps. With Dudek and Hardee back and Murdock gone, that improves right there.
 
#46      

Deleted member 590820

D
Guest
Deleted member 590820
GameOfThrows said:
Dudek and Hardee were out last year. We played two true Freshmen at WR.

AT RB, Brown and Corbin were out affecting our depth. Ferguson missed half the games.

TE's were a thin position to begin with and several battled injuries throughout the year. I think there were a handful of games we had about two healthy TEs.

Tough to utilize your playbook when so many key contributors are injured and not playing. If people are willing to give Groce a pass this season because of all the injuries we have on the hoops team, then those same people should give Cubit a pass for last season. His hands were tied when it came to game-planning and play-calling.

Unless the same perfect storm of injuries happens again this season, there is no reason to expect "much of the same on offense"

And I didn't even bring up all of the dropped passes by the WR corps. With Dudek and Hardee back and Murdock gone, that improves right there.
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Cubit deserves a chance. Offense should be much improved with WR depth and RB depth. We'll see how the defense does with replacing some key losses.
 
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#47      

Hoppy2105

H
Little Rock, Arkansas
Hoppy2105
GameOfThrows said:
Dudek and Hardee were out last year. We played two true Freshmen at WR.

AT RB, Brown and Corbin were out affecting our depth. Ferguson missed half the games.

TE's were a thin position to begin with and several battled injuries throughout the year. I think there were a handful of games we had about two healthy TEs.

Tough to utilize your playbook when so many key contributors are injured and not playing. If people are willing to give Groce a pass this season because of all the injuries we have on the hoops team, then those same people should give Cubit a pass for last season. His hands were tied when it came to game-planning and play-calling.

Unless the same perfect storm of injuries happens again this season, there is no reason to expect "much of the same on offense"

And I didn't even bring up all of the dropped passes by the WR corps. With Dudek and Hardee back and Murdock gone, that improves right there.
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All good points, but I'm still doubtful. Play calling was awful at times and cost us some drives (possibly even games). So while, sure, we are going to get back 2 good WRs and RB depth, we are also losing a potential NFL WR and RB. (Based off current draft projections) We will also have to fill some O line gaps.

Basically, the guys coming back will have to perform much better than those that left to help beat crappy teams like Minnesota (a team we should have handled last year)

I don't see it but...who knows right?
 
#48      

kevinb1

K
kevinb1
Just got a score update of an Auburn DE transferring to UI. Didn't get a chance to read it before I accidentally deleted it. Anyone hear anything? Apologies if I misread it.
 
#50      

kevinb1

K
kevinb1
Thanks Dan. Was just coming back to post his name.
Didn't seem to play much at Auburn, but we need all the
help we can get.