Illinois Coaching Staff Carousel

#51      
I'm assuming Ward leaves too since he's a Beckman guy - if so could that be an opportunity for Holocek to come as an assistant (LB coach)? I love the idea of a prominent alum like him coming back as head coach someday down the road, but it'll never happen if he stays in the high school ranks forever. Could be worth a roll of the dice to see how he fits in the college game.
 
#52      
I'm assuming Ward leaves too since he's a Beckman guy - if so could that be an opportunity for Holocek to come as an assistant (LB coach)? I love the idea of a prominent alum like him coming back as head coach someday down the road, but it'll never happen if he stays in the high school ranks forever. Could be worth a roll of the dice to see how he fits in the college game.

Given the current state of our program, it's probably a bigger risk for him.
 
#53      
Could be worth a roll of the dice to see how he fits in the college game.

Well, we've already earmarked the entire 2016 season as a grand experiment in short-term interim coaching with a full expectation that the staff will be tossed to the sidewalk following next year's final game, so why not try out any left-field crazy idea. How about three co-defensive coordinators? Simon Cvijanovic for tight ends coach? Bring back the split-T as our primary offensive formation? I mean, why does any of it matter if the whole point of the 2016 season is to kill time until the "permanent" AD can select the "permanent" head coach and any decision made between today and next November is just going to be overwritten in due time anyway.
 
#54      
I'd prefer the split-T over some of what I've seen the past few years.
 
#55      

Kramer

Des Moines, Iowa
It seems to me that most on here predict 5-7 wins next year. What happens if they win 6 or 7 and go to a bowl? I would think more than likely they would stay. It seemingly would tie the new AD's hands to keep them.

That all kind of sounds backwards...
 
#56      

217sports

Springfield
I'm assuming Ward leaves too since he's a Beckman guy - if so could that be an opportunity for Holocek to come as an assistant (LB coach)? I love the idea of a prominent alum like him coming back as head coach someday down the road, but it'll never happen if he stays in the high school ranks forever. Could be worth a roll of the dice to see how he fits in the college game.

He's not going to leave only to get let go in a year. Maybe if the next coach asks him to come around
 
#57      

TheSecretWeapon

ILLINI NATION!
It seems to me that most on here predict 5-7 wins next year. What happens if they win 6 or 7 and go to a bowl? I would think more than likely they would stay. It seemingly would tie the new AD's hands to keep them.

That all kind of sounds backwards...

I anticipate a worst-case scenario of recruiting absolutely tanking this year and next, but Cubit winning 6 games next year. Then he is either allowed to coach in 2017 (and maybe even another extension-yikes) or he is fired and we get the same ol' story: a new coach comes in with a weaker roster, only wins a few games, and people start !!!!!ing that we should have never fired Cubit and hired the current bum.
 
#58      
I anticipate a worst-case scenario of recruiting absolutely tanking this year and next, but Cubit winning 6 games next year. Then he is either allowed to coach in 2017 (and maybe even another extension-yikes) or he is fired and we get the same ol' story: a new coach comes in with a weaker roster, only wins a few games, and people start !!!!!ing that we should have never fired Cubit and hired the current bum.

It will depend on how bad the player/coach defections get this offseason.

But yeah, the scenario you're talking about is very possible. Yet another reason it would have been more prudent to give Cubit a substantively longer extension, if you absolutely must go the Cubit route. Let him, and thus Tim Beckman, and thus Mike Thomas, play the fall guy for the now-inevitable 2017 disaster, and put yourself on a footing to build upwards.
 
#59      
Banks did a 180 this season. Was a very good coach and improved our D immensely.

The 180 started last year, the defense was probably the better of the 2 units then as well.

It seems to me that most on here predict 5-7 wins next year. What happens if they win 6 or 7 and go to a bowl? I would think more than likely they would stay. It seemingly would tie the new AD's hands to keep them.

That all kind of sounds backwards...

I highly doubt we win 7 next year if we couldn't with this year's schedule.
 
#60      

dsboyce

Golden, IL
It seems to me that most on here predict 5-7 wins next year. What happens if they win 6 or 7 and go to a bowl? I would think more than likely they would stay. It seemingly would tie the new AD's hands to keep them.

That all kind of sounds backwards...

On yesterday's Tay and J show, Mark Tupper said that Cubit acknowledged to him that he is just a "bridge" to the next coach. It doesn't sound like Cubit has any illusions that he will be here for long.
 
#63      
On yesterday's Tay and J show, Mark Tupper said that Cubit acknowledged to him that he is just a "bridge" to the next coach. It doesn't sound like Cubit has any illusions that he will be here for long.

Well, we all have been begging the administration to bring the bridge program back for the football team :eek:
 
#69      

Sal Iacuzzo

Yonkers, NY
The defense has been great since Banks got players that fit his system. I hope he is retained when we bring a new coach in.
 
#70      
If Banks leaves I hope it's him getting a big time raise not because we dumped him. That offense coordinator though... oh, wait. :(
 
#71      
The issue with Banks is recruiting.

The staff is just short on recruiters right now... of everyone on staff now - you maybe have Bellamy as what you would consider a strong recruiter.

Cubit2, Seamo as average

Scheelhaase and Phair don't really have much of a track record at Illinois so unknown on how strong they are

Brattan, Banks below average.

Not a great make-up of staff for recruiting. The 2 openings need to go to strong experience recruiters with connections. Open up the checkbook if necessary.

Also not convinced Brattan sticks around and I see Phair going to back to NFL once NFL staffs start turning over in the off-season.
 
#72      
The issue with Banks is recruiting.

The staff is just short on recruiters right now... of everyone on staff now - you maybe have Bellamy as what you would consider a strong recruiter.

Cubit2, Seamo as average

Scheelhaase and Phair don't really have much of a track record at Illinois so unknown on how strong they are

Brattan, Banks below average.

Not a great make-up of staff for recruiting. The 2 openings need to go to strong experience recruiters with connections. Open up the checkbook if necessary.

Also not convinced Brattan sticks around and I see Phair going to back to NFL once NFL staffs start turning over in the off-season.

Yeah, but you don't get rid of good coaches when there is little to no chance we make an improvement. Recruiting will tank. It's going to happen. Dumping good coaches to find recruiters to try to patch up a bad decision will just waste the final year for our 2016 senior class.
 
#73      
The defense has been great since Banks got players that fit his system. I hope he is retained when we bring a new coach in.

Imagine if he could get some real talented players in there. We could be elite defensively. Get some speed at linebacker and corners who aren't clueless in pass coverage and we are looking good.
 
#74      
I'm not convinced recruiting will tank. It won't be top 20. But, I still think it will be better than most think. We have had three kids commit with an interim coach. How often does that happen? Keeping Cubit probably allows us to keep most of this class. Which, while it is not great, is an average class nationally.
 
#75      

MoIlliniMoProblems

St. Louis, MO
I'm not convinced recruiting will tank. It won't be top 20. But, I still think it will be better than most think. We have had three kids commit with an interim coach. How often does that happen? Keeping Cubit probably allows us to keep most of this class. Which, while it is not great, is an average class nationally.

I'm starting to think along these lines. Most of the kids this staff has recruited only received one or maybe two B1G offers, it seems. Walking away from Illinois may mean resigning oneself to a MAC or CUSA career. That's a tough step for a kid who thought he'd be playing in the B1G for months. Perhaps Cubit/Bellamy can keep this class together.