Lovie Smith Named Illinois Football Coach
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Lovie would be an awful hire never got his offense right in 12 years in the NFL, has made the playoffs 3 times in 10 years with the Bears and hasn't coached in college in 21 years. Zero personality or charisma to attract high school kids. Hates media. We need a young college coach.
hooraybeer
- Pittsburgh, PA
i find it hard to believe that anyone could possibly say that Lovie wouldn't be a HR hire for the program in it's current state
Because no one should be keen on coming here. No one.
I think he'd be good at recruiting, ignoring his on field, his players always really liked playing for him which you'd imagine would have some kind of translation to recruiting.
Bears hot takes die hard. And some people are just curmudgeons.
How many times have the Bears been to the playoffs since he left?
I wasn't a huge fan of his, but the way some of you are talking you'd think any sane person would want to come coach this team lol. We would rate out at about a D in the desirability category at this point.
I feel better after seeing this :thumb:
This is the part that worries me. The "recruiting trail" is a beast these days. Hope Lovie would be hungry & motivated to do it & excel at it.
Frazier built a college program (Trinity) from scratch and 8 years later they named the field after him.
Guessing Lovie's son will be a defensive coach. Mikal Smith, longtime Lovie employee.
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.
Sports writers hate Lovie because he hates sports writers.
Smith was also DC for the rams when they went to the superbowl in 2001, and they had one of the top defenses in the league that season. Just pointing it out. Couldn't hurt for a recruiter
Deleted member 29907
D
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You forgot the Zooker for special teams...
hooraybeer
- Pittsburgh, PA
have to hope for JW's sake at this point that it is a big name hire. expectations are high now
Gotta be. Otherwise they would squash this right now.
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.
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.
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