Lovie was never uncriticizable. The truth is that he has received considerable criticism from day 1. It has been one of his biggest obstacles. This recruiting season has quieted his critics, but they are waiting for another bad game or more bad news. Whitman has absorbed much of the pushback and he will likely bend when the criticism comes from new sources (ex lovie fans) not the same sources. It is no surprise tha this season is big. Improvement will lead to him staying. Especially if we can get some good 2020 guys.
Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
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Lovie was never uncriticizable. The truth is that he has received considerable criticism from day 1. It has been one of his biggest obstacles. This recruiting season has quieted his critics, but they are waiting for another bad game or more bad news. Whitman has absorbed much of the pushback and he will likely bend when the criticism comes from new sources (ex lovie fans) not the same sources. It is no surprise tha this season is big. Improvement will lead to him staying. Especially if we can get some good 2020 guys.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
A winning record in their particular conference I should say. Yup. At least twice. Even Rutgers.
That is one wild opinion you've got there.
I'm not sure I've ever seen a new coach be greeted with such rapturous hope and joy than Lovie Smith at Illinois in early March of 2016. And deservedly so! It just hasn't gone the way we hoped so far. There's still time.
Just throwing this out there... take it for what you wish
I heard rumblings months ago about the ND QB coming to illini even before it was known he was going to transfer. I didn’t think much of it at the time but now. It was from a reliable source FYI.
This article is from Christmas
https://www.indystar.com/story/spor...brandon-wimbush-graduate-transfer/2411445002/
"It won't necessarily be the showiest program that lands Wimbush."
Hey, that's us.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
Just throwing this out there... take it for what you wish
I heard rumblings months ago about the ND QB coming to illini even before it was known he was going to transfer. I didn’t think much of it at the time but now
Wow! Be still my beating heart.
Lovie certainly generated a ton of publicity and hope to Illinois, but not all donors were happy. A considerable number didn’t like the hire. They didn’t like lovie in Chicago and never stopped pressing the point. There was no shortage of pushback. They didn’t like that he hadn’t coached college. They didn’t think he was skilled at dealing with the media. They didn’t think he was smart enough. The list goes on. However, New donors came out of the woodworks. Several of my friends amped up their donations and Lovie took on celebrity status. And no one cares. But no shortage of old timers didn’t/don’t like lovie. Homecoming is when a lot of the negativity spreads. But it doesn’t matter, this upcoming ear is all that mattwrs
KrushCow31
Former Krush Cow
- Chicago, IL
Just throwing this out there... take it for what you wish
I heard rumblings months ago about the ND QB coming to illini even before it was known he was going to transfer. I didn’t think much of it at the time but now
I'll look for him on campus next week and ask him myself. I'll let you know.
#InsiderStatus
Deleted member 746094
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Just throwing this out there... take it for what you wish
I heard rumblings months ago about the ND QB coming to illini even before it was known he was going to transfer. I didn’t think much of it at the time but now
I have no inside connections in regards to my previous comments on Wimbush and or Hurts. Was just making a general assumption as they are most talented possibilities. That being said, he is a season changer. By that I mean if he wants to come to UofI for a season you role out the red carpet and it’s his job to lose. He puts us in bowl contention from Day 1 in RSmiths offense.
Thanks for the intel.
ivwilsoniv
- Aurora, IL
FTFY
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I don't doubt that you're right. He was a divisive figure with the Bears by the end and surely our donor class has a lot of big Bears fans. And the thing the bolded is really expressing was of course always going to be a background aspect of this. But the public-facing reaction to the Lovie hire was overwhelmingly positive. And it should have been, that's a heck of a hire for a school like Illinois, especially considering the big commitment to staff numbers and budgets that came with it.
Deleted member 633632
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Yes that is exactly who I was talking about! Thank you!! Also, thank you for bringing up Coran Taylor! I was confusing him and Cam Thomas and thought he transfered out!
Man Cam Thomas would have been a hell-of-a slot receiver in this offense had he stayed!! Dude had vision and playmaking skills with the ball in his hands!!
When was the last time you saw an Illini O-line that didn't need all the help they could get blocking?
I have a feeling those donors would NEVER be happy with any hire (and certainly not a minority) and if they were happy they're the donors that turn on the coach like mad dogs after a single bad season. For now, I'm very happy with our AD and coaches. Our program required a field strip and total rebuild. We weren't a dumpster fire or in the basement, we were the fire in the dumpter in the cave underneath the sub-basement that looked up on the bottom of the MAC. We went about the rebuild the hard way and we went about it the right way (unlike the quick fixes to our football stadium). I have confidence we improve this year, we get the athletic center up and running, we go bowling and then we start raising money to fix our half stadium. In three or four years we might be de-Guenther'd. Maybe we'll look back and think, "Gee. This is what a real AD can accomplish with some solid support (and I'm not talking world class golf and tennis programs either)." And Ron Guenther is out there... somewhere... collecting that pension... like forever.
I like this WImbush storyline.
Although I’m doubtful, anyone have info on this?
Although I’m doubtful, anyone have info on this?
Deleted member 746094
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This is the most recent rumored spot because of Locksley. Some of the others that have been mentioned are Oklahoma(if Kyler leaves), Auburn, Miami, and TCU.
He will most likely have his pick.
FT35
- Naperville
Two are left if Cooper ends up signing with us.
They are pushing an OL who was an ECU commit according to Jeremy Werner:
https://247sports.com/player/jeff-woods-46057140/
They certainly need at least one more HS OL. If it's Woods, so be it. Let's see if we can get him on campus. He's a project but we wouldn't need him on the two deep until 2021 anyways.
I am anything but an insider but here's my take for the remaining scholarship if we can get someone like Woods:
I'm guessing Dominic Moore is no longer an option? I hate to speculate about the kid but if they aren't pushing for him then it's probably because of academic issues. Otherwise, from the outside looking in, he's an obvious take as a CPL kid. Jeremy Werner changed his CB pick for him from Illinois to cloudy after interviewing him. He took an official visit to New Mexico before the December signing period.
I'm also guessing that Rajae Johnson is not coming here either for similar reasons. If everything was in order I'd imagine that more teams would be pushing for him and he said he's not signing until the Spring which is a red flag to me. It seems like Kansas is even backing off a bit or at least hasn't been pushing for him. He went to Jennings High School in North St. Louis so Patterson is probably still in touch.
They probably want to leave one scholarship open for a potential transfer in late May/early June like we saw with Stampley last year. It could be someone like Johnson, a grad transfer or even Adeoye.
It doesn't sound like there will be much more attrition if any at all. I'm guessing there are some RS Juniors who could retire but they are guys the staff probably like and don't want to push out. Maybe some guys leave after the Spring? We've seen that before with guys like Tre Nation and Eli Peters. We also saw Evan Jones leave right before training camp but a transfer like that just opens up a scholarship for 2020.
NBB1979
UIUCFAN1
- Springfield, IL
I've got 7 years on you - but I don't see how age and past experience is relevant - you would have been a senior in high school or a freshman when they made the championship game - you've seen a rose bowl... they are in the middle of a rough spot - but football is for sure looking up. I HATE the defensive scheme that Lovie runs - but with the recruits he's bringing in and how good we should be on offense - I'm certainly not calling for him to be fired. It seems like you WANT him to fail - and I'm certain that you are EXPECTING him to fail. When criticism is warranted, criticize, but to rain on what Lovie is currently doing - I just don't get it. Put your fan cap on and just cheer for your team!
#GoIllini
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I desperately want him to succeed and I'm certainly skeptical that he will though I remain hopeful. So you have me 100% wrong. I've been a Lovie fan from day 1 with the Bears, I've always thought he's a great coach.
What you are picking up on, I suspect, is my distaste for being peed on and told it's raining.
It's not just rebuilding, it's not a dumpster fire they inherited, it's not a roster of worthless players they had to get rid of, Lovie Smith and Brad Underwood have TO THIS POINT been absolute titanic, unmitigated failures. They've put some of the very worst teams out there that this University has ever seen, miles and miles and miles below any reasonable expectation based on the admittedly pedestrian situations they inherited.
I strenuously object to the idea that you have to deny that reality in order to support and root for and believe hopeful things about the future of those two coaches.
NBB1979
UIUCFAN1
- Springfield, IL
Lovie had probably the worst defense ever at Illinois last year - which is mind boggling considering that is supposed to be his Forte. However, the program as a WHOLE is trending up. He took his lumps with the one of, if not the youngest teams in NCAA football the last two seasons. The results were 2 and 4 wins.
Lets not look forward - because i'm optimistic about the future - but lets look backwards.
1) Do you think Rod Smith is capable of not ruining this offense?
2) Do you think that the defense, with the added experience of another season, can maybe get back to the middle of the pack in NCAA defense (say ranked #80? they were #122 last year according to the site below - of 130)
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ncaadef
3) Do you believe the influx of talent coming in is sustainable if we see progress (from 2 to 4 wins - what if we get to 6, or even 7 next year)
If you believe those things - then I don't see how you could possibly not think Illinois is trending up in football - just my 2 cents
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I couldn't imagine us being worse in 2018 than we were in 2017. And we weren't. We were ever-so-marginally better. 39% worse than the average FBS team, up from 45% worse per the F/+ ratings. Both deep into triple digits in the country.
Similarly I think there's no way we can possibly be worse in 2019 than we were in 2018. So in that sense I agree that we're trending up.
I think it's extremely possible that it's another piddling marginal increase, that we'll still be total garbage and it will be time to admit defeat. I also think it's possible that we'll be one of the most improved teams in the country and we'll be off to the races. The future is uncertain, that's what makes it fun!
Lovies true fresham class are just going to be juniors. Let it play out man. I feel like you are completely over exaggerating the failures while underplaying what they inherited(especially lovie). If a couple of our worst seasons ever wind up setting us up for a 10 year or longer span back at the top half of the B10 I'm all for it. I remember the first year or 2 he was here the number of kids that were benching over 250 or something like that doubled. There's progress being made and I think it will finally show up on the field next year. I know its frustrating but Lovie decided to plant a seed and let the tree blossom to bear fruit instead of going to the tree farm. It's a little harsh to say you are getting peed on. Settle down
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