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Lovie Smith receives 2-year contract extension through 2023
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<blockquote data-quote="jvance1976" data-source="post: 1431721" data-attributes="member: 10237"><p>It baffles me that people are upset with this move. </p><p></p><p>If memory serves roughly 3 years ago: </p><p></p><p>*We fired complete moron of a coach for cause amid embarrassing allegations from former players. </p><p>*We fired a completely incompetent AD who had alienated donors & alumni & due to lack of funding we compromised & settled on all building projects during his tenure.</p><p>*We turned the program over to a coordinator who had previously been fired as a head coach at W Michigan in a move the interim chancellor described as not ideal.</p><p>*With our mens bball program, we clung to hope that somehow our coach could be successful despite every evidence of lack of in game coaching acumen. However, he was a great guy that we all rooted for.</p><p>*We fired our women's bball coach for cause.</p><p></p><p>Those were similar circumstances to Purdue & Minnesota right? No???????????? Hmmmmm! </p><p>(I also believe these 2 programs will be no better next year than they were this year & may regress.)</p><p></p><p>Enter Josh Whitman in the spring of 2016:</p><p></p><p>He promptly hired Lovie Smith & instantly added hope & credibility to our football program. He instantly gained back donors & alumni. Can you name any other coach we could realistically hire that would have instantly brought unity & excitement back like Love did? Granted, Lovie's contract included a mutually beneficial buyout clause. We were a school worried about a coach being successful & leaving. Meanwhile, he was a coach worried about being fired before having the chance to succeed. Since then we have brought in close to 100 million in donations to upgrade numerous facilities. I would argue that every program is in a better position now as opposed to then. I also will just focus on football for the rest of this flipping loooong post. </p><p></p><p>1. No one expected success in the first 2 years & preseason projections put us at 3 wins this year. I can look back & I truly believe we should have won at least 5 games maybe 6. </p><p>2. We fielded a roster that was young, inexperienced, lacked play makers, & had no depth.</p><p>3. Yes, the defense was a complete disaster. I believe that there was more going on behind the scenes with Hardy than any of us will ever know. Also Abram's left the team less than a month before the start of the season.</p><p>4. Yes several of the loses were complete embarrassments. Have any of you coached a young team that makes mistakes & loses confidence in themselves? It can get ugly really quickly. If the loses would have been competitive I believe most would be happy with 4 wins & 2 near upsets.</p><p></p><p>If we don't win 6 games next year Lovie is gone. As many others have said this extension changes nothing in that regard. I don't really see the downside or risk in keeping Lovie for another year. In 2019 we will have a veteran roster, a finished football facility, & an AD that has proven he will stand by his coach & support the program in every possible way. I think he will be in position to hire his choice of many desirable coaches. However, if the team takes a realistic step forward we could turn 4 games we lost this year into wins. Yes that would mean not just 6 but 8 wins. Don't @ me, I am not saying it will happen. I am saying it could, & even that it should! We must make the right hires this offseason & complete the recruiting class by keeping the current commits & adding depth. No I have not been drinking orange kool-aid. </p><p></p><p>So basically 3 years ago we were a complete dumpster fire & now - well were not! Even if Lovie fails next year, I am thankful he came & restored hope & moved us light years forward. I also will believe the next staff will be in a position to win sooner than later.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jvance1976, post: 1431721, member: 10237"] It baffles me that people are upset with this move. If memory serves roughly 3 years ago: *We fired complete moron of a coach for cause amid embarrassing allegations from former players. *We fired a completely incompetent AD who had alienated donors & alumni & due to lack of funding we compromised & settled on all building projects during his tenure. *We turned the program over to a coordinator who had previously been fired as a head coach at W Michigan in a move the interim chancellor described as not ideal. *With our mens bball program, we clung to hope that somehow our coach could be successful despite every evidence of lack of in game coaching acumen. However, he was a great guy that we all rooted for. *We fired our women's bball coach for cause. Those were similar circumstances to Purdue & Minnesota right? No???????????? Hmmmmm! (I also believe these 2 programs will be no better next year than they were this year & may regress.) Enter Josh Whitman in the spring of 2016: He promptly hired Lovie Smith & instantly added hope & credibility to our football program. He instantly gained back donors & alumni. Can you name any other coach we could realistically hire that would have instantly brought unity & excitement back like Love did? Granted, Lovie's contract included a mutually beneficial buyout clause. We were a school worried about a coach being successful & leaving. Meanwhile, he was a coach worried about being fired before having the chance to succeed. Since then we have brought in close to 100 million in donations to upgrade numerous facilities. I would argue that every program is in a better position now as opposed to then. I also will just focus on football for the rest of this flipping loooong post. 1. No one expected success in the first 2 years & preseason projections put us at 3 wins this year. I can look back & I truly believe we should have won at least 5 games maybe 6. 2. We fielded a roster that was young, inexperienced, lacked play makers, & had no depth. 3. Yes, the defense was a complete disaster. I believe that there was more going on behind the scenes with Hardy than any of us will ever know. Also Abram's left the team less than a month before the start of the season. 4. Yes several of the loses were complete embarrassments. Have any of you coached a young team that makes mistakes & loses confidence in themselves? It can get ugly really quickly. If the loses would have been competitive I believe most would be happy with 4 wins & 2 near upsets. If we don't win 6 games next year Lovie is gone. As many others have said this extension changes nothing in that regard. I don't really see the downside or risk in keeping Lovie for another year. In 2019 we will have a veteran roster, a finished football facility, & an AD that has proven he will stand by his coach & support the program in every possible way. I think he will be in position to hire his choice of many desirable coaches. However, if the team takes a realistic step forward we could turn 4 games we lost this year into wins. Yes that would mean not just 6 but 8 wins. Don't @ me, I am not saying it will happen. I am saying it could, & even that it should! We must make the right hires this offseason & complete the recruiting class by keeping the current commits & adding depth. No I have not been drinking orange kool-aid. So basically 3 years ago we were a complete dumpster fire & now - well were not! Even if Lovie fails next year, I am thankful he came & restored hope & moved us light years forward. I also will believe the next staff will be in a position to win sooner than later. [/QUOTE]
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Lovie Smith receives 2-year contract extension through 2023
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