The Illinois AD Search

joe4304 · Jan 17, 2016

Jimmy McNulty said:
The problem with trying to put Whitman in a box is everything he's done to this point in his career has shown he's not in that box. Hes excelled at everything he's done outside if the NFL.

In Josh's 4 years at UW-Lacrosse, the football program was 13-27. At Wash U they are 10-10, so in 6 years as a D3 AD, he's 23-37. During that same 6 year time period Illinois is 31-44. Unfortunately during his time at UWL, his program was found guilty of three major NCAA rules violations.

http://www.d3sports.com/notables/2012/04/uw-lacrosse-cited-for-infraction

drillini · Jan 17, 2016

joe4304 said:
In Josh's 4 years at UW-Lacrosse, the football program was 13-27. At Wash U they are 10-10, so in 6 years as a D3 AD, he's 23-37. During that same 6 year time period Illinois is 31-44. Unfortunately during his time at UWL, his program was found guilty of three major NCAA rules violations.

http://www.d3sports.com/notables/2012/04/uw-lacrosse-cited-for-infraction

Realize that the violations started prior to when he was AD. The violations they were guilty of began in 2007-08, but it also stated that these financial aid practices were going on for 20 years prior.

Butkuser · Jan 18, 2016

drillini said:
Realize that the violations started prior to when he was AD. The violations they were guilty of began in 2007-08, but it also stated that these financial aid practices were going on for 20 years prior.

I assumed that had to be the case. We are certainly somewhat dysfunctional right now, but I can't believe we would ever have a serious candidate, if he is one, that was the AD while three separate sanctions were leveled. Certainly not after what we just went through with Beckman.

IlliniBubba · Jan 18, 2016

No rumors or anything else since last Thursday eh? I guess I expected a little more to trickle out soon. Are we assuming that the initial rumor was false, or does everyone think it really is Whitman?

Looking at Korn Ferry's graphic of buzzwords, I wonder what step of the process they're at, even if the proposed dates have all been removed. Perhaps the follow-up interview stage?

LurkLongandProsper said:

InterimLoyalty · Jan 19, 2016

I have no inside information, but does anyone feel strongly that Tiley could be the guy? The fact that he will be wrapping up the Australian Open at the end of January and that coincides with this supposed timeline for a decision strikes me as very interesting. Also, the News Gazette just wrote an article stating how Tiley's wife is from Illinois, UI grad and misses her family.

icengineer · Jan 19, 2016

Seems plausible. I think Tiley would fall into the 'Home Run' type of hire for most fans, would he not?

cmore · Jan 19, 2016

icengineer said:
Seems plausible. I think Tiley would fall into the 'Home Run' type of hire for most fans, would he not?

We fans would most likely talk ourselves out of that feeling a few days before the hire. It's what we do.

mdkIllini15 · Jan 19, 2016

InterimLoyalty said:
I have no inside information, but does anyone feel strongly that Tiley could be the guy? The fact that he will be wrapping up the Australian Open at the end of January and that coincides with this supposed timeline for a decision strikes me as very interesting. Also, the News Gazette just wrote an article stating how Tiley's wife is from Illinois, UI grad and misses her family.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2016-01-19/advantage-tiley-perhaps.html

Link to the article in question. Personally I would love to have this guy. If you read some of his other quotes he seems like a guy who is genuinely driven and can come up with good long term solutions.

Joel Goodson · Jan 19, 2016

I'd put Tiley in the home run category.

IlliniBacker · Jan 19, 2016

Joel Goodson said:
I'd put Tiley in the home run category.

Yes for sure.

The Illinois job would definitely be a step down for him. He does really like Illinois though. The only reason he takes it is if he wants a fresh challenge and to get his wife closer to home.

To me he's the perfect insider, who's also an outsider.

LurkLongandProsper · Jan 19, 2016

https://twitter.com/jawurth/status/689495758819590146

Julie Wurth
‏@jawurth
As most expected, no athletic director item on #UI Board of Trustees agenda for Thursday.

mattcoldagelli · Jan 19, 2016

icengineer said:
Seems plausible. I think Tiley would fall into the 'Home Run' type of hire for most fans, would he not?

I would celebrate a Tiley hire with a gusto not seen since the heady days of #TeamShield

icengineer · Jan 19, 2016

mattcoldagelli said:
I would celebrate a Tiley hire with a gusto not seen since the heady days of #TeamShield

Ahhh yes, I miss those days.

Smacko · Jan 19, 2016

Jeff Johnson ‏@therealJeffJ97
Pretty sure only John Wright SR. had made a push for Tiley for Illini AD. No one else has talked to the guy FWIW. Throwing out names

I know people have differing opinions on JeffJ, but he does tend to have some knowledge.

DaChief4ever · Jan 19, 2016

icengineer said:
Seems plausible. I think Tiley would fall into the 'Home Run' type of hire for most fans, would he not?

Maybe...I would like someone more football/basketball oriented.

icengineer · Jan 19, 2016

Who is John Wright Sr?

KBLEE · Jan 19, 2016

icengineer said:
Who is John Wright Sr?

http://www.fightingillini.com/news/2014/9/25/Where_Are_They_Now_John_Wright_Sr_.aspx

EJ33 · Jan 19, 2016

"Doesn't sound like the last 'push' for the guy in Boulder was successful....who knows where this whole thing ends up?"

Jeff Johnson on Twitter

FanUND · Jan 20, 2016

I got a laugh out of the "animal sciences professor" mentions in this thread. Every year our h.s. football team in SB got killed by a Catholic Ft. Wayne school, and our principal would say at the next pep rally, "last week we got beat by a bunch of animals!"

IlliniBacker · Jan 20, 2016

DaChief4ever said:
Maybe...I would like someone more football/basketball oriented.

I think it would be safe to say the Tiley understands those are the engines that drive the bus, no?

Sybok · Jan 20, 2016

EJ33 said:
"Doesn't sound like the last 'push' for the guy in Boulder was successful....who knows where this whole thing ends up?"

Jeff Johnson on Twitter

So, only one person is pushing for Tiley and the last push for George wasn't successful. I don't believe he knows anything others don't.

IlliniFanHere · Jan 20, 2016

IlliniBacker said:
I think it would be safe to say the Tiley understands those are the engines that drive the bus, no?

Why hire a non revenue sports coach for Illinois. Football and Basketball are the drivers here. No disrespect to Tiley, but someone from outside the USA that believes soccer is football doesn't seem like a good move.

Soxfreak64 · Jan 20, 2016

Total tangent, but this is the most active thread so I have to ask: Am I the only one really creeped out by Jim Harbaugh? Like, to the MAX?

Like I said, totally OT so we can discuss in PMs... Just freakin me out a bit.

WesterveltVictoryCigar · Jan 20, 2016

IlliniFanHere said:
Why hire a non revenue sports coach for Illinois. Football and Basketball are the drivers here. No disrespect to Tiley, but someone from outside the USA that believes soccer is football doesn't seem like a good move.

An athletic director is much more like being a CEO of a company than a head coach of a team. So I don't really think that's a big problem, I think Tiley is smart enough to overcome this.

ChainsawRevItUp · Jan 20, 2016

IlliniFanHere said:
Why hire a non revenue sports coach for Illinois. Football and Basketball are the drivers here. No disrespect to Tiley, but someone from outside the USA that believes soccer is football doesn't seem like a good move.

Because the guy was a non-revenue sports coach a decade ago. Since then he has only been reviving the entire Australian tennis scene and being CEO of the Australian Open.