Lovie Smith Named Illinois Football Coach

Lake Camelot · Mar 5, 2016

Lovie

I find it hard to believe I am the one throwing cold water on this. I think Lovie is a good coach. He would be a big improvement to what we have had. However, I am not sure he is the final answer. He doesn't seem to fit the college game. Not a high intensity kind of guy. Also, if he doesn't snag some good young recruiters from somewhere I think he will have a hard time recruiting. He doesn't have that kind of personality.

So, I would be happy with the hire. It would be an improvement. But it wouldn't surprise me if 5 years down the road we are looking again. College just doesn't seem to fit him.

ColorMeBad · Mar 5, 2016

One thing I gleamed from that press conference that really excites me was a comment on why he didn't retain Cubit. It pertained to the hiring of additional support staff that he felt the program needed. It sounded like his thinking was either he felt it would be hard to attract top talent or he would just be uncomfortable hiring more people with a high likelyhood of them being replaced next year. Either way, I don't care, I'm just so happy somebody realizes we have been doing football !!! backwards for decades. Are we about to do this football thing right? Are we actually going to hire a reasonable support staff? I'm sick and tired of reading that Illinois has a 4 person support staff while OSU and Alabama have 40. We may have found a gem in Whitman folks.

cmore · Mar 5, 2016

Love My Alma Mater said:
Long time lurker, finally signed up, first time poster

I am happy to see Whittman has the guts to make such a move. When my son told me, I thought, why not? Why not find a coach now, adjust in 2016 but get the ball rolling. The other option (IMO) was to essentially gut 2016 and 2017. 2016 might have had some success under Cubit due to retuning talent, but recruting would have taken a huge hit due to uncertainty of next coach or because next coach would have little to no time to recruit.

I see some some are excited to see Lovie Smith bandied about. However, the caveat seems to be "under the circumstances." I am not one who would be excited about this hire.

Advantages:
a players coach
NFL experience
Super Bowl experience.
Recognizeable name

Disadvantages:
Hasn't been in NCAA for long time.
Not charismatic, despite the name
Defensive scheme is soft, bend don't break.
Offensive scheme (IMO) is too conservative. It seems like many strong DC types " don't screw it up for the defense. We will win it for you"

Questions:
He was a "players'" coach as an NFL man. However, while he treated them with respect, a great attribute, will he install discipline in college kids?

Will this translate to recruiting beyond name recognition?

Can he assemble a college type (i.e. Recruiters) staff, especially this late in game. And I am not buying into the Frazier and Singletary's of the world leaving NFL potions for college coordiantor especially at Illinois.

Despite all the chatter, I am doubting Lovie will be willing to restart a career in the NCAA.

Strange that the Lovie Smith camp hasnt squashed this rumor yet if what you say is true. Lovie Smith will be our next head coach.

MarkyMarkTrestman · Mar 5, 2016

illinibb76 said:
Who cares what these sports writers think! If it is Lovie and he walks into your home and sits on your coach and starts talking to you and your son and has his Superbowl ring on..... I'd take a team with 5* and 4* kids over looking for Diamonds in the rough kids! At that point coaching will catch up with the talent.

Has no Super Bowl rings, 0-2.

Fillory · Mar 5, 2016

Lake Camelot said:
I find it hard to believe I am the one throwing cold water on this. I think Lovie is a good coach. He would be a big improvement to what we have had. However, I am not sure he is the final answer. He doesn't seem to fit the college game. Not a high intensity kind of guy. Also, if he doesn't snag some good young recruiters from somewhere I think he will have a hard time recruiting. He doesn't have that kind of personality.

So, I would be happy with the hire. It would be an improvement. But it wouldn't surprise me if 5 years down the road we are looking again. College just doesn't seem to fit him.

Hi! I'm Lovie Smith. I coached in a Super Bowl. My defenses were among the best in NFL history, and I'd like to rebuild that dynasty at Illinois. Are you in?

That's a heck of a pitch.

ChiTownJH · Mar 5, 2016

Wow I just remember discussing this nearly two months ago with other posters. This would be a Home Run Hire!

/When I heard that Lovie Smith fired, I do not know why, but I was like I would love to have him as the coach of the Illini. Yes, the weakest part of his coaching, is offense. If I was Lovie and wanted to coach the college game, first I would find an coach who was under Gary Patterson or Art Briles to run my offense. Then I would go recruit the 5-star defensive players, who would want to learn from a defensive genius (yeah I said genius, deal with it), who would to help cultivate them for the NFL. And these 5-star players (as other players) want to be prepared to play in the NFL.

At the end of the day, this is all a pipe dream, but if I was Lovie, I would consider thinking about coaching in college, since some folks these days feel he should be a DC and not a head coach. FYI: I still think he can be a head coach in the NFL, he just needs to work on his offensive coaching scheme.

http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showthread.php?p=1178992#post1178992

illini8507 · Mar 5, 2016

Fillory said:
Hi! I'm Lovie Smith. I coached in a Super Bowl. My defenses were among the best in NFL history, and I'd like to rebuild that dynasty at Illinois. Are you in?

That's a heck of a pitch.

Multiple superbowls*

dweebs19 · Mar 5, 2016

Not sure if hiring Lovie Smith would really turn much around. He is a big name though. There would be more excitement around the program and I would actually watch the games. However, I don't think our record will improve that dramatically. Nor do I think that recruiting would improve as well. I grew up a Bears fan, and I don't think I would want my kid playing for Lovie Smith over Michigan or Ohio State or Alabama or most of the SEC schools for that matter.

ThreatLevelMidnight · Mar 5, 2016

From a TB Bucs reporter...

@JennaLaineBucs
What I can report at this time on Lovie Smith and the Illinois job: There have been talks between the two. Nothing finalized.

Fillory · Mar 5, 2016

dweebs19 said:
Not sure if hiring Lovie Smith would really turn much around. He is a big name though. There would be more excitement around the program and I would actually watch the games. However, I don't think our record will improve that dramatically. Nor do I think that recruiting would improve as well. I grew up a Bears fan, and I don't think I would want my kid playing for Lovie Smith over Michigan or Ohio State or Alabama or most of the SEC schools for that matter.

A big name defensive minded coach with winning pedigree in the B1G. This would be a slam dunk hire for a program like Illinois.

cmore · Mar 5, 2016

dweebs19 said:
Not sure if hiring Lovie Smith would really turn much around. He is a big name though. There would be more excitement around the program and I would actually watch the games. However, I don't think our record will improve that dramatically. Nor do I think that recruiting would improve as well. I grew up a Bears fan, and I don't think I would want my kid playing for Lovie Smith over Michigan or Ohio State or Alabama or most of the SEC schools for that matter.

How about over Iowa, northwestern, purdue, indiana, minnesota, etc....

bredhartmann · Mar 5, 2016

delete

Second and Chalmers · Mar 5, 2016

bredhartmann said:
False.

http://www.totalprosports.com/wp-co...is-rams-2000-super-bowl-championship-ring.jpg

That was not while he was there. He was the DC for the 2001 Rams team that lost to the Pats.

Fillory · Mar 5, 2016

dweebs19 said:
Not sure if hiring Lovie Smith would really turn much around. He is a big name though. There would be more excitement around the program and I would actually watch the games. However, I don't think our record will improve that dramatically. Nor do I think that recruiting would improve as well. I grew up a Bears fan, and I don't think I would want my kid playing for Lovie Smith over Michigan or Ohio State or Alabama or most of the SEC schools for that matter.

I don't think anyone thinks we can reasonably out recruit OSU or Bama, but the fact is a Super Bowl caliber coach will land recruits. There's so much talent out there.

Maybe Rex Grossman can be our quarterback:thumb:

JimmyTheLayup · Mar 5, 2016

ThreatLevelMidnight said:
From a TB Bucs reporter...

Just saw this. Sooooo much smoke.

hooraybeer · Mar 5, 2016

dweebs19 said:
Not sure if hiring Lovie Smith would really turn much around. He is a big name though. There would be more excitement around the program and I would actually watch the games. However, I don't think our record will improve that dramatically. Nor do I think that recruiting would improve as well. I grew up a Bears fan, and I don't think I would want my kid playing for Lovie Smith over Michigan or Ohio State or Alabama or most of the SEC schools for that matter.

how about over some of the mid-majors CFB that we've been losing recruits to recently?

Dan · Mar 5, 2016

Strong source tells me Lovie is the #Illini's guy.
https://twitter.com/wischlist/status/706241071228043264

ivwilsoniv · Mar 5, 2016

Maybe Lovie kept all his orange and blue stuff from the Bears?

cmore · Mar 5, 2016

Relevancy.

dweebs19 · Mar 5, 2016

cmore said:
How about over Iowa, northwestern, purdue, indiana, minnesota, etc....

Oh yea...don't get me wrong. I agree that we would be getting some better players and we would improve as a program. (Not very hard to improve from where we started though). However, people are talking about how Illinois will start landing 5 star players very easily. I don't think that will be the case.

hooraybeer · Mar 5, 2016

cmore said:
Relevancy.

i feel like i need to be pinched

cmore · Mar 5, 2016

dweebs19 said:
Oh yea...don't get me wrong. I agree that we would be getting some better players and we would improve as a program. (Not very hard to improve from where we started though). However, people are talking about how Illinois will start landing 5 star players very easily. I don't think that will be the case.

Ok, sorry misunderstood your post.

hooraybeer · Mar 5, 2016

dweebs19 said:
Oh yea...don't get me wrong. I agree that we would be getting some better players and we would improve as a program. (Not very hard to improve from where we started though). However, people are talking about how Illinois will start landing 5 star players very easily. I don't think that will be the case.

he would be walking into houses recruiting players in Chicago that grew up idolizing him. you can't overstate how much that means

MarkyMarkTrestman · Mar 5, 2016

bredhartmann said:
delete

Negative, he was still in Tampa as the LB coach until 2000.

See John Bunting, DC under Vermeil.

dweebs19 · Mar 5, 2016

hooraybeer said:
he would be walking into houses recruiting players in Chicago that grew up idolizing him. you can't overstate how much that means

Maybe I live in a small bubble, but I don't know many Bears fans who still love Lovie Smith. I am excited though. I think we should be able to at least recruit at the Northwestern level. I hope he finally figures out the offense

Lovie Smith Named Illinois Football Coach

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