Illinois Football Staff Thread

#1      

warhog6g

W
warhog6g
Coaching staff update:

HC: Lovie Smith

OC/QBs: Garrick McGee
DC: Hardy Nickerson

WR: Andrew Hayes- Stoker
OL: Luke Butkus
DL: Mike Phair
LB: Tim McGarigle
DB: Paul Williams
ST/TE: Bob Ligashesky
RB: Thad Ward


(Thanks warhog6g)




-----------------------------------------------------
Ok so far we know that Phair and Nate will be retained. Lovie is bringing two of his kids with him.

What are the potential hires for the other vacant positions?

Two names for OC that would excite me are Jeff Tedford and Pep Hamilton
 
Last edited by a moderator:
#2      

CUWPC

C
Geneva, IL
CUWPC
warhog6g said:
Ok so far we know that Phair and Nate will be retained. Lovie is bringing two of his kids with him.

What are the potential hires for the other vacant positions?

Two names for OC that would excite me are Jeff Tedford and Pep Hamilton
Click to expand...

I'm still hoping for an ex-NFLer to come in and be a position coach and help with recruiting.
 
#4      

Ransom Stoddard

Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
Bloomington, IL
Ransom Stoddard
dsg said:
Wish List:

Peyton Manning - quarterbacks coach
Click to expand...

That would be incredible, but I don't think Peyton would coach at any NCAA program not named Tennessee. Maybe Lovie's history with Tennessee could help us there.

:D
 
#5      

hooraybeer

hooraybeer
Pittsburgh, PA
hooraybeer
Logan mankins, 7-time pro bowler, just retired from the Bucs. We have our OLine coach? ;)
 
#7      

Jacob

J
Jacob
hooraybeer said:
Logan mankins, 7-time pro bowler, just retired from the Bucs. We have our OLine coach? ;)
Click to expand...

http://www.und.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/harry_hiestand_792671.html

This is out there elsewhere, he was the top recruiting O-Line coach in the country 2 years in a row and coached at Illinois as well. All 7 lineman he coached through their senior year at Illinois signed NFL contracts. Only trying to poach a top position coach from Notre Dame as a lateral move. When is the last time that happened?
 
#8      

illynifan34

I
That's a winner!!
OH
illynifan34
Bob Babich will be on staff right? He has coached a lot with Lovie and has been a college head coach. Not at a BCS school though.
 
Last edited:
#10      

MadSeason

MadSeason
MadSeason
illynifan34 said:
Bob Babich will be on staff right? He has coached a lot with Lovie and has been a college head coach. Not at a BCS school though.
Click to expand...

Maybe as a Co-defensive coordinator if we assume Phair is going to stay as DC..Babich has a gig in San Diego next season and probably make pretty good money as long as he's been around
 
#11      

icengineer

I
Southern Illinois
icengineer
FrankDavis said:
Josh Freeman was just released by the Colts
Click to expand...

And? :D Kidding. I doubt he thinks his NFL days are over just yet. And I'd hope we have a long list of potential coaching staff personnel we'd have to exhaust before settling on a Josh Freeman.
 
#13      

TheDrinkinLincoln

TheDrinkinLincoln
TheDrinkinLincoln
Any body think that Mike Sherman could be the OC? He actually did a hell of a job at Texas A&M getting talent and building a team that made Pat Sumlin look really good. It also checks the box for someone that we know can recruit. Also his style of offense (Run Heavy West Coast) fit what Lovie would like.
 
#14      

RyanK

RyanK
RyanK
Guess right now is Sherman/Phair. Hoping we can bring Borax here, though. I love the Chicago connection.

Wouldn't rule out Wiestand, either.
 
#15      

RyanK

RyanK
RyanK
Also, copied this post of mine to this thread in case some missed it. Broke down a few other possible candidates for OC.

Rob Boras - Went to Glendbard West (!!!), former assistant at Texas, coached TE's for Lovie's Chicago teams, current OC for LA Rams

Pep Hamilton - longtime UI fan favorite, longtime success in CFB, current QB coachof Cleveland Browns (yuck)

Mike DeBord- Midwest guy, former B10 experience, former TE coach in Chicago, current Tennessee OC

Jeff Tedford - proven success at the college level, worked with Lovie in TB

Mike Bajakian - current QB coach in TB, former college experience
 
#16      

icengineer

I
Southern Illinois
icengineer
RyanK said:
Also, copied this post of mine to this thread in case some missed it. Broke down a few other possible candidates for OC.

Rob Boras - Went to Glendbard West (!!!), former assistant at Texas, coached TE's for Lovie's Chicago teams, current OC for LA Rams

The only way I see this happening is if Boras does NOT want to live in LA.

Pep Hamilton - longtime UI fan favorite, longtime success in CFB, current QB coachof Cleveland Browns (yuck)

I can see this happening. Cleveland is a mess.

Mike DeBord- Midwest guy, former B10 experience, former TE coach in Chicago, current Tennessee OC

Lateral move to a lesser program? Don't see it.

Jeff Tedford - proven success at the college level, worked with Lovie in TB

I think he'd be the most likely from this list.

Mike Bajakian - current QB coach in TB, former college experience

With Winston looking good, I don't know if he makes this move. Depends on how tight he may have been with Lovie in TB.
Click to expand...

My personal pick over all these would be Sherman.
 
#17      

FrankDavis

F
FrankDavis
Is Pep Hamilton a good coordinator or did he merely ride the coattails of Luck all the way to the NFL?
 
#19      

FatGreg

F
FatGreg
Re: the OC position, I think in terms of likelihood it goes:

1. Jeff Tedford
2. Mike Sherman
3. Mike Bajakian
4. Pep Hamilton
5. Tim Brewster

Any of the top four would be home run hires. I'd prefer Pep Hamilton, but I don't think he'd leave his current job to come here. I have a gut feeling it will be either Tedford or Sherman. Can't be mad about either of those guys.
 
#20      

icengineer

I
Southern Illinois
icengineer
FatGreg said:
Re: the OC position, I think in terms of likelihood it goes:

1. Jeff Tedford
2. Mike Sherman
3. Mike Bajakian
4. Pep Hamilton
5. Tim Brewster

Any of the top four would be home run hires. I'd prefer Pep Hamilton, but I don't think he'd leave his current job to come here. I have a gut feeling it will be either Tedford or Sherman. Can't be mad about either of those guys.
Click to expand...

Heck yeah! Former pro and NCAA HC's!?!?! I'll take that all day. We've talked a lot lately on the basketball side about how nice it would be to have a former HC on the bench adding some experience. It would definitely be a plus, or even more so, on the football side. :thumb:
 
#21      

champaignchris

C
champaignchris
I would have been fairly happy if Jeff Tedford had been hired to be Illinois's head coach at a any point over the last 5 years. 9 winning seasons and 8 bowls in 11 years at Cal is the type of success we only dream of here. I'd be ecstatic to have him as OC.

His record as OC and HC of sending qbs to the pros is amazing. David Carr, Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, Kyle Boller, Billy Volek, AJ Feely, and some guy named "Rah-Jahs." Some of those guys were highly recruited out of high school/JC, but most were not.
 
#22      

Deleted member 526137

D
Guest
Deleted member 526137
champaignchris said:
I would have been fairly happy if Jeff Tedford had been hired to be Illinois's head coach at a any point over the last 5 years. 9 winning seasons and 8 bowls in 11 years at Cal is the type of success we only dream of here. I'd be ecstatic to have him as OC.

His record as OC and HC of sending qbs to the pros is amazing. David Carr, Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, Kyle Boller, Billy Volek, AJ Feely, and some guy named "Rah-Jahs." Some of those guys were highly recruited out of high school/JC, but most were not.
Click to expand...

Tedford has health issues. His experience with Lovie helped cost him his job. I can't see Lovie hiring him again.
 
#23      

FatGreg

F
FatGreg
Presumably Mike Phair remains DC, right? I guess there's a chance he could be demoted to DL/Asst DC. Any guesses on the defensive staff? I'm thinking something like this:

DC - Mike Phair
DL - ? Don't have a good guess here beyond double duty for Phair
LB - John Holecek
CB - Gill Byrd
S - Mikal Smith