More importantly he needs to show he can put kids into the NFL. Bobby would have been the first real example for people. I know Nick just got drafted but considering he was under Butkus, I feel as if that negates the situation.Lovie needs to show the fans and recruits that he is building something. The record isn't as important. First and foremost, he needs to show he knows how to defend a 2020 college offense with collegiate defenders.
That didn't really help Ron Zook. And I think a decision, one way or the other, will be made well before the next NFL draft.More importantly he needs to show he can put kids into the NFL.
That didn't really help Ron Zook. And I think a decision, one way or the other, will be made well before the next NFL draft.
Lovie needs to show the fans and recruits that he is building something. The record isn't as important.
I don't care about FanDuel's O/U. The more I look at this schedule, the more I am convincing myself that we could go into the Michy game at 5 - 0.
This year's squad of Jrs and Srs need to draw their line in the sand about Neb and say enough is enough and turn the tables on these guys this year.
Then, the Minny game becomes the early season trap game. Trying to beat a team 2 years in a row is not easy (at least for us). As for Michy, just don't blown out. So then, beyond Michy, eh...cloudy except for Rutgers, but would really like to finally also turn the tables on IOWA (I Owe the World an Apology, er, by the way). Been waiting for a Big V over them for a while.
No bro, your good. My point was just that. You responded with a very good point about Zook. You deserved the best touché gif I could find. No sarcasm needed.OK, so I guess I missed your point. In a discussion about Lovie being retained, you said getting players into the NFL is more important than showing improvement, no? Please clarify and accept my apologies in advance.
What? No. No.Lovie needs to show the fans and recruits that he is building something. The record isn't as important. First and foremost, he needs to show he knows how to defend a 2020 college offense with collegiate defenders.
Respectfully disagree completely.What? No. No.
The record is the only thing that matters. It's year 4 and he has to show actual progress in terms of wins and losses. Not subjective beauty contests or feel good stories or hey he got 1 guy in the NFL rationalizations. It's year 4 and it absolutely has to be win 6 and get to a bowl game or get fired. Period.
If Whitman brings back Lovie for year 5 without a bowl, he should be sent packing back to Division III.
What? No. No.
The record is the only thing that matters. It's year 4 and he has to show actual progress in terms of wins and losses. Not subjective beauty contests or feel good stories or hey he got 1 guy in the NFL rationalizations. It's year 4 and it absolutely has to be win 6 and get to a bowl game or get fired. Period.
If Whitman brings back Lovie for year 5 without a bowl, he should be sent packing back to Division III.
That he has to reach six wins in his fourth year seems pretty subjective. Why are you so absolute on these numbers? Why not require, for example, five wins in his fourth year, and six wins in his fifth, which would still show progress in his W-L record? Or why not up the requirement to seven wins in his fourth year? Is the large number of bowl games defining for you what makes a successful coach?What? No. No.
The record is the only thing that matters. It's year 4 and he has to show actual progress in terms of wins and losses. Not subjective beauty contests or feel good stories or hey he got 1 guy in the NFL rationalizations. It's year 4 and it absolutely has to be win 6 and get to a bowl game or get fired. Period.
If Whitman brings back Lovie for year 5 without a bowl, he should be sent packing back to Division III.
That he has to reach six wins in his fourth year seems pretty subjective. Why are you so absolute on these numbers? Why not require, for example, five wins in his fourth year, and six wins in his fifth, which would still show progress in his W-L record? Or why not up the requirement to seven wins in his fourth year? Is the large number of bowl games defining for you what makes a successful coach?
And if Illinois sneaks by with a victory in six games, but gets blown out by 40 points or more in every other game, including the bowl game, and recruiting tanks, do you still keep him because he hit that magical six wins?
Lovie, nor Whitman, is/are going anywhere.
Whew, I was worried that the Blue Bloods might sweep in and steal them.
No. Winning football games defines what makes a successful coach. Not eye tests. Not moral victories because we only gave up 63 points once instead of 3 times. Not subjective statements like "well they were competitive for a half in most of their games"Is the large number of bowl games defining for you what makes a successful coach?
Yes.And if Illinois sneaks by with a victory in six games, but gets blown out by 40 points or more in every other game, including the bowl game, and recruiting tanks, do you still keep him because he hit that magical six wins?
All of those programs were in as bad of shape or worse than Illinois.
Illinois fans have they football program they deserve.
I believe they all started in much better situations.
Got to say it's hard for me to take this statement as a given. I won't argue that 2016 to present Lovie Smith is a better college football coach than all of these people listed, but I believe they all started in much better situations.
I mean, I'm not even including a program like UAB where literally the program was dead for 2 years, and they went to bowl games in years 1 and 2 after the program started back up.
Here's the winning percentage the previous 3 years before the head coaches I mentioned took over.
How bout the previous 5?
- Illinois (2013-2015) 0.405
- Syracuse (2013-2015) 0.378
- Virginia (2013-2015) 0.305
- Purdue (2014-2016) 0.222
- Iowa State (2013-2015) 0.222
- Washington State (2009-2011) 0.194
Previous 10?
- Syracuse (2011-2015) 0.435
- Illinois (2011-2015) 0.387
- Virginia (2011-2015) 0.377
- Iowa State (2011-2015) 0.322
- Purdue (2012-2016) 0.245
- Washington State (2007-2011) 0.229
- Washington State (2002-2011) 0.404
- Illinois (2006-2015) 0.403
- Virginia (2006-2015) 0.401
- Syracuse (2006-2015) 0.390
- Purdue (2007-2016) 0.349
- Iowa State (2006-2015) 0.333
Illinois isn't unique. Illinois isn't the only place that sucked for a long period of time. All of these programs were in as horrible, or worse, shape than Illinois any point over the past 10 years. Those programs however, finally had an AD that made a good hire. And those good hires haven't required even 4 years to get to 6 wins and a bowl. I mean, I'm not even including a program like UAB where literally the program was dead for 2 years, and they went to bowl games in years 1 and 2 after the program started back up. Or Baylor which went though a horrible scandal, lost every coach, a ton of players, and Matt Ruhle gets them to a bowl in year 2.
Again, Illinois isn't unique when it comes to losing. Where Illinois is unique, is in having incompetent ADs make horrible hiring decisions, and then compounding those mistakes sitting idly by while those coaches continue to auger the program further and further into the ground.