We blew a winnable game at PSU and lost to crappy to mediocre Minnesota, Purdue and OSU teams. We win 2 or even maybe 1 of those and it's hard to imagine Zook gets fired. Of course he likely would have gone 2-10 or 3-9 the next year anyway so it only delayed the inevitable by a year.
Illini Football 2022
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Honestly we weren't in a terrible spot, if Zook could have lasted 1 more year maybe we don't get embarrassed by Sumlin and don't hire Beans and Weenies and someone else makes that mistake Toledo shows Matt Campbell was the real prize stallion and we go after him instead.
in comedy and in life, timing is everything
at the time , we all thought Butch Jones was being kinda of a d#$k by turning us down to stay at Cincy.
Little did we know at that time , but it was really all about him not wanting to work for Mike Thomas
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He really was the right guy for us at the time.
Many people on here, (but not me) thought BB was a clown , based on "what they saw or heard" . But he was an Illinois born and bred guy, and his agent had obviously let Josh know he wanted the job. Likely very similar to BU's people letting JW know he wanted the basketball job in 2017 after only one year at oSu. .
This is really how many coaching vacancies are filled.
Bielema's press conferences, and overall demeanor, is head-and-shoulders above recent Illini head football coaches. It's a pleasure to watch/listen to him.
I didn't think he was a clown, but wasn't thrilled about him either. I questioned his thought-process for leaving Wisc, and his coaching ability for getting fired at Arkansas. (Yes, this was based on a surface-level following of his career.) But listening to him, seeing the staff he assembled and what he did with the team last year, I believe we got the best guy at the time. And as time goes on, I think he may be ideally suited for taking on the unique challenges of the Illinois job with the best chance to turn it into a sustained success.
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
You guys are spot-on. Seems appropriate to throw this out again. We're in pretty good hands right now. And keep in mind the mess that BB inherited just over a year ago. He's coached only one season (12 games), and he tied for 8th in the overall BIG10 standings.
Bielema's Overall Coaching Rating:
Football Intelligence (Depth & Breadth) - A
Experience / Coaching "Chops" - A
Overall People Skills - A
Dealing with the Media - A
Hiring, Coaching & Overseeing Staff - A
Relationship with AD - A
Investment: Apparent Buy-in to the Illinois Program - A
Recruiting - C-/D+ (evaluation incomplete; to be revisited in 2024/25)
To be honest, I think even BB admits that he he was immature and arrogant when he left Wiscy and went to Arkansas. He brought up when he was hired how getting married and having kids settled him down and changed his thinking a bit. I also think spending some time in the NFL was probably good for him to learn some new concepts and ideas while working with people he knows are more knowledgeable than him.
Im 60 years old, and I'm still growing up and learning things.
I used to be quite the a-hole boss, demanding that everything be done my way. But recently things changed in my life personally, and I have learned that it's not all about me anymore.
Some of us learn this at 40, some at 60, and some never do.
I know this, that anyone who says they have it all figured out at age 40, at 50 or at age 60 , is a fool. You learn stuff about life until the day you die
Good take on BB. I think you are pretty harsh on the recruiting though. If our worst classes can land in the 50's or 60's and have the transfer portal we will be more than fine. I go by the Composite Ranking instead of just one recruiting site. 2022 class was in the mid 40's, 2023 class is in the mid 50's and still time to add on. Throw in of now Kicker David Olano factors into the 2023 rankings and has no stars(top 10 kicker). We will be fine.
The only thing fans are waiting on is a Quarterback that can take us to the next level. Still hungry and waiting for that day to come.....
Serious question about win-loss records this year and going forward. What would you be happy with this year and in the years coming? I have been a life long Illinois fan and there have been some good years but it just seems like Illinois football is a 500 program at best. Is it possible to ever become like a Wisconsin team that seems to almost always be good but never great or to at least be like Iowa, that has quite a few 500 or below 500 seasons over the last 20 years but then sprinkles in some 10 win seasons? I realize we won't ever be an Ohio State.
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
For me, I would love to have 6-6 and a minor bowl as the floor. 8 wins the "normal" and an occasional double digit victory season, when the stars align, playing for the conference title. In my 40 years of watching Illini football, we haven't been able to maintain this for any serious length of time. So, yes, I guess like WI and IA.
Northwestern has done it. You need to give Fitz a lot of credit
We can do it and we must do it. we should often win 7-8 games, even get to 9 once in awhile.
The year(s) we lose more than 6 games need to be rare, not common.
Good recruiting and good coaching is a huge part of this.
We can do it and we must do it. we should often win 7-8 games, even get to 9 once in awhile.
The year(s) we lose more than 6 games need to be rare, not common.
Good recruiting and good coaching is a huge part of this.
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Penn State called to say "yes."
Underwood rebuilt the roster in 2 years. Not fun to watch but have to take the good with the bad.
Building a football team just takes time. BB almost took us to a bowl game last year with dismal QB play. I love the direction he is taking us and think if we are going 6-6 or better this season we have to start out at least 3-1 in the first 4 games between Wyoming, Indiana, Virginia and Chattanooga.
I look at the Kentucky football program as a team we would like to resemble. Ton of struggling years and been a consistent bowl team lately. I would love Illinois to be a consistent 6-8 win team with any extra being a bonus. Honestly will have to see how all the expansion plays out as well. Adding USC and UCLA(whoever else down the line possibly) will not make it any easier.
I just want a season where we don't have to cycle through multiple QBs. Hated seeing Peters deteriorate from injuries
Speaking of Peters, he was just let go by the Chargers. McCourt is still on their roster though!
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I am always so impressed by Coach B when he speaks. The man is a wealth of success, teaching, and leadership. He may have be a d''k at Wisconsin. He belongs to us now and I love the man. Great hire. I hope he gets in better shape and stays with us for a long time to come! Great hire and staff!
Exactly
Loved that little throw in on the Training Camp Scrimmage interview about the Center position. Said the last 6 Centers that have started for him have been drafted in the NFL. Not only motivation for those on the roster but for random recruits to hear those "free marketing remarks" is priceless. Smart guy! Easy to believe in a product when the person selling it believes in it as well and has the track record to back it up.
Wyoming is our opponent. 
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