Lovie's Out
- Thread starter redmen85
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Jim Leonhard - Defensive coordinator at Wisconsin.
Phil Longo - Offensive coordinator at UNC. UNC has utilized their offensive skill positions players great the past couple of seasons. He has worked in a program at a basketball school already, and one that wasn’t considered good within their own conference.
Phil Longo - Offensive coordinator at UNC. UNC has utilized their offensive skill positions players great the past couple of seasons. He has worked in a program at a basketball school already, and one that wasn’t considered good within their own conference.
Leonard wants to coach in the NFL, so I doubt he will want that job
This will be a tough job to fill.
unrealistic expectations, underfunded compared to competitors, in a remote location compared other schools and in a state where they just lost a year of high school football.
unrealistic expectations, underfunded compared to competitors, in a remote location compared other schools and in a state where they just lost a year of high school football.
Sadly Lovie is another casualty of a poor program, just like Matt Nagy will soon discover. Bring on the next temporary leader.
I would love to see someone who has a good grasp of the Chicago and Illinois high school football scene. I'm going to go way outta the box...as the Illini learned with the Mike White hiring 40 years ago, a high-powered offense will put some butts in seats.
How about Don Beebe, the head coach at Aurora University? Obviously, he has a great high school coaching history with multiple titles at Aurora Christian. He has a great knowledge of the Chicagoland athlete, having run House of Speed. He quickly transformed a mundane Aurora U offense into one of the highest scoring machines in D3. I just don't know if the Illini have the horses to run his offense - nothing against Rod Smith, who has a good running first offense, but the systems are so different. If not the head coach, perhaps the new coach should consider him as OC...
Other Illinois oriented picks? Some of the previously mentioned - John Holecek, former Illini all big 10 linebacker & head coach at Loyola; Derek Leonard, Rochester; Rob Zvonar, Lincoln Way East.
JIm Harbaugh anyone?
How about Don Beebe, the head coach at Aurora University? Obviously, he has a great high school coaching history with multiple titles at Aurora Christian. He has a great knowledge of the Chicagoland athlete, having run House of Speed. He quickly transformed a mundane Aurora U offense into one of the highest scoring machines in D3. I just don't know if the Illini have the horses to run his offense - nothing against Rod Smith, who has a good running first offense, but the systems are so different. If not the head coach, perhaps the new coach should consider him as OC...
Other Illinois oriented picks? Some of the previously mentioned - John Holecek, former Illini all big 10 linebacker & head coach at Loyola; Derek Leonard, Rochester; Rob Zvonar, Lincoln Way East.
JIm Harbaugh anyone?
Malzahn at Arkansas as OC then Arkansas State as HC and Auburn. Tom Allen at Indiana as well. Two quick examples
If Indiana football can be turned into a winner then Illinois can especially in the Big 10 West. Whitman is committed to spending lots of money on football with coaches contracts and facilities. The school is within a few hours of Chicago, Indy and St Louis so not all that remote. Talent in the state is as strong as Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska. Big difference is most kids in Illinois do not grow up dreaming to play for the Illini while kids in those other schools do dream of putting on the jersey for the state school. That has been the story for a long time and no coach is going to change that overnight. Turning around a program can be done if you get and support the right coach. Look at how bad Wisconsin was before Barry and Northwestern before Barnett.
Stunned no one has mention Jeff Monken' from Army's name here yet
I believe it is down to $2.6 million. Part of the extension greatly reduced the buyout...
I think South Carolina is going to make a big play on him. I think Liepold is a great choice, he’s won everywhere he went...he turned Wisconsin Whitewater into a powerhouse and Buffalo is killing it with him.
Without a doubt hire Jeff Monken. He's been a winner wherever he's been. Knows how to win with lesser talent. He has the Illinois ties to keep the in state talent. Will be tough to prepare for what he will do on offense in one week.
Unrealistic expectations? I seem to recall upping my I Fund donation after probably the worst year in Illini football history, the 0-11 fall of 1997. Hmmm...does the administration remember this? I believe Josh Whitman, Illinois AD, was a freshman on that 0-11 squad. He also was on the 1999 team that beat Michigan, Ohio State, and Iowa en route to putting up 63 points in the Micron PC bowl...If anyone has a strong grasp of the expectations of the Illinois football program, it should be Josh Whitman...Unlike the crazy expectation places that find 8 win seasons untolerable, consistent 8 win seasons will get a coach a statue in Champaign...
Remote? No more so than Purdue, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, or Penn State...
Underfunded? Definitely. But a solid turnaround has massive income potential...30,000 often empty seats could generate lots of fresh cash - once the governor thinks it is safe to watch sports live...
Because I don't see Monken as "one of those coaches" who bails. That's why he's done so well at Army, he's legit. I would be shocked if he left for "greener pastures."
Who knows? He’s built a solid program at ISU and it would be tough to walk away. Illinois is a lot of pressure to build a contender in the Big 10. I see him leaping to Purdue, where he was D coordinator, if that ever opens up. But money could talk.
If PJ Fleck were not at Minnesota I think he would be a prime possibility being from IL.
What's everyone's thoughts on Beebe?
What's everyone's thoughts on Beebe?
Frank Lenti or Dan Sharp. Only because Gordie Gillespie has passed on.
I cant ever see them making this move. And if offered, I cant see him turning it down, especially with a salary upwards of $5 million.
In addition, they now have some of the nicest facilities in the big 10. Lovie made $5 million last year. That puts him among the top 30 paid coaches in America.
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