Well, yes. But that isn't counted toward the 9 allowed on-field assistant coaches.
Illinois Football Staff Thread
Well, yes. But that isn't counted toward the 9 allowed on-field assistant coaches.
Illinois88
- United States
Well, if the system is awarding on merit then "diversity" really doesn't matter unless you want it to count as the SAG (Screen Actors Guild Awards) and Oscars.
TE/RB Tim Brewster
LB John Holecek
DB Cornell Ford
ST: Dave Toub
Keep Hecklinski, Bellamy and Nate on in support staff roles. I would also like the idea of bringing in Terry Hawthorne in some support staff capacity. I want someone who has recruited St. Louis effectively in the past and I can't think of anyone who has done it better than Ford.
Well first of all with the experience we have on staff now I would have no issue with Lovie's son as DB coach.
If we can't get Spencer then I would go with a younger up and coming coach at RB. Connected to a recruiting area.
I would like Holcek in a best case situation.
I originally wanted Brewster, but would rather have team and staff unity. Too many people say he is a jerk.
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Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
I like it. Especially, the support staff. I'm sure there will be different guys, but those guys look good to me.
The crazy part is that the first time in forever I feel like we have a "realistic" shot at anyone so here goes.......
RB- Red Grange's Ghost
LB- Dick Butkus or alternate Brian Urlacher
TE- Tony Gonzalez
DB- Deion Sanders
ST- Devin Hester
One thought on openings that haven't been filled yet or we haven't seen much speculation yet, is I saw Werner tweet some of the current staff have been told they are done, and some are still up in the air. So I thought we can take a look at the current staff to see who we think might come back?
Phair - likely returning as DL coach
Tim McGarigle - I know he coached at WMU under Cubit so seems like a Cubit guy, but also noticed he played at Northwestern while McGee was there.
Paul Williams - Don't see any connections to New HC/OC/DC
AJ Ricker - replace by Butkus, gone
Scheelhaase - returning - coach or admin spot?
Hecklinski - possible returnee?
Bellamy - sounds like he is gone/replace by Hayes-Stoker
Seamonson - Don't see any connections to New HC/OC/DC
Think the only one still being considered is Hecklinski, but makes you wonder why those haven't been hired yet. Seems like Lovie is after his guys. Don't think any of the others on that list are coming back as assistant coaches.
sacraig
- The desert
I think it was Werner who said yesterday that many of the former staff have already been told they aren't in consideration but there were a few who were still possibilities and that they were pretty much in wait-and-see mode. He didn't elaborate on who those were or for which positions they were still be considered.
sacraig
- The desert
I'd hope so. That's the classy move here, especially for the ones who literally just got here.
Ubermensch
BOOM! Feed my ego.
Holocek won't be on staff. Grapevine stuff.
For those that haven't read these, they are pretty good articles and Barb Wilson keeps saying the right things. Lots of good information in here.
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2016-03-09/lovies-allowance-4-million.html
http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/...016-03-09/tate-lovie-shifts-illini-brand.html
Says possible 2.7 million for "other coaches" released.
Luke Butkus was just announced on the team twitter
Dan
Admin
The official announcement of Luke Butkus
http://www.fightingillini.com/news/...urns-to-illinois-as-offensive-line-coach.aspx
http://www.fightingillini.com/news/...urns-to-illinois-as-offensive-line-coach.aspx
Y'know when the job posting for an offensive coach went up on the University's website before Lovie was announced, my thought was that that might represent a compromise of sorts with HR. Get an exception to bring in Lovie quickly in exchange for going through those hoops with the assistants (which I don't remember being posted in the past). So my guess was that the official announcements of the assistants would have to wait until the posting closed on the 13th.
But now Butkus is official. He was the first one to be confirmed on Twitter too, but I wonder if him being the only one who was previously a U of I employee makes his hiring simpler from an HR perspective as well?
Who knows about the machinations. Seems clear enough that whatever the official Twitter page says, McGee, Nickerson, Butkus, Hayes-Stoker and obviously Phair are all on board and everything else remains a question mark.
With the Bears. Hiestand was the Bears OL coach under Lovie from 05-09. Butkus was his assistant from 07-09 and stayed in 2010.
Andrew Hayes-Stoker was also a lower-level assistant with the Bears from 06-12, Hardy Nickerson was LB coach for the Bears in 07, and Mike Phair was DL coach from 11-13.
Phair and Butkus were also both on Pete Carroll's first Seattle staff together in 2010.
And of course Hayes-Stoker, Phair, and Nickerson were all on Lovie's staff in TB.
Lots of inter-relatedness.
McGee's only connection to this whole thing is that Lovie recruited him to Arizona State as a player back in the early 90's and they have apparently remained close ever since. He was at Northwestern during Lovie's first few years in Chicago, so maybe he has interacted with some of the others as well.
Another fun fact about Luke Butkus that you may not know is that he is apparently some sort of woodland gnome:
Another fun fact about Luke Butkus that you may not know is that he is apparently some sort of woodland gnome:
This is what an offensive line coach SHOULD look like.
illinipioneer
- Richmond, VA
Another fun fact about Luke Butkus that you may not know is that he is apparently some sort of woodland gnome:
The Illini welcome gnomes of all geographical areas!
More diversity! Hooray!
I am really surprised there were no more leaks today. Wonder if we are still courting people. Or if they just aren't ready to announce.