Lovie Smith to coach Illini

[SpecialKHawk]

I think this is potentially a really good hire for IL. Maybe the best they could hope for under their current status.

Lovie has major NFL experience and ties. Players have loved playing for him and he's well known in IL from a long run with the Bears. With this background he's gotta chance to get players and actually coach them up.

This is not good for MSU, Wisky, NW & Iowa who recruit IL and STL pretty hard not to mention they are in our division.

Unless he's totally unmotivated and just doing this for money this has a chance to work.

 

[eyekwah]

The AD is taking a big risk. Have you seen the salary that goes with his hire? In later years of the contract Smith will be making $5M. On BTN it was mentioned that Illinois football facilities are in the bottom half of the Big Ten. The state government of Illinois is in terrible shape financially and had to use Illinois endowment funds to finance itself. Unless the Alumni can come up with $120M I do not see that changing things.

The biggest positive for Smith is Illinois is a big population state as far as recruiting goes. The problem is that South Bend, Iowa City, Madison, Evanston, and W. Layfayette are within 250 miles or less of Chicago. Everyone recruits Illinois. In an era where facilities attract talent just a coach's personality won't cut it. In the Big Ten you have multiple coaches with NFL experience. If Smith has only moderate success will it be enough to meet expectations?

 

[hawkdrummer1]

If Illinois and Nebraska become good, is Iowa screwed?

Illinois and Nebraska have been good before and it didn't hurt IOWA. Illinois went to the Rose Bowl in 1984 and 2008. The following years were two of the greatest teams in IOWA history... 1985 and 2009.

Illinois may land an Illinois kid or two that Iowa wants...(Iowa does have 14 current Illinois kids on the roster) but it won't be a big deal. Similarly, Iowa and Nebraska have always competed for recruits...regardless of record.

If we win, they will come.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

It's such a crap shoot as to if this hire will work out. They are banking on him being able to recruit Chicago and in state better and that would help them a lot right there. But it'll take time as their program pretty much needs an overhaul. If they have a stud QB to work with that'd be a good start but I'm not sold that they do.... He can't do with them what Harbaugh is doing. Harbaugh had a roster full of 4 star kids. Hoke left him a cupboard full of good players he just couldn't coach worth a darn or develop a qb. Harbaugh got JR to fall in his lap to right their ship and he's off and running. Lovie won't have anything close to that luxury. So does that contract he got give him a lot of rope? And who's to say if the NFL doesn't come calling in a couple years if (when) they are still struggling and he decides to go back to that would he go? I know Tampa dumped him but that was because they wanted to keep the OC on staff to coach their young rapist of a qb around. I think Lovie is still well thought of in the NFL. It'll be interesting if he can indeed close off Chicago and Il recruiting wise to schools like us and how things go..

 

[westender]

The AD is taking a big risk. Have you seen the salary that goes with his hire? In later years of the contract Smith will be making $5M. On BTN it was mentioned that Illinois football facilities are in the bottom half of the Big Ten. The state government of Illinois is in terrible shape financially and had to use Illinois endowment funds to finance itself. Unless the Alumni can come up with $120M I do not see that changing things.

The biggest positive for Smith is Illinois is a big population state as far as recruiting goes. The problem is that South Bend, Iowa City, Madison, Evanston, and W. Layfayette are within 250 miles or less of Chicago. Everyone recruits Illinois. In an era where facilities attract talent just a coach's personality won't cut it. In the Big Ten you have multiple coaches with NFL experience. If Smith has only moderate success will it be enough to meet expectations?

Don't know what their weight room looks like, but they have had a fairly nice indoor football facility for quite a while. Was there since at least 2007. The stadium is kind of okay but not great. No idea what the locker rooms or meeting facilities would be like.

Guess they will need to send out Lovie on a fundraising tour.

The key to Lovie is the strong NFL connections (RECENT) and he was an NFL HEAD COACH, not a recruiting coordinator or position coach. If I was a kid being recruited by him I would definitely be paying attention. Let's also see who he attracts for assistant coaches.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

If you are Illinois, you take this risk every time. Cubit only had a 2 year deal so not so bad really.

I could be very wrong but I think it's a good hire, maybe a great hire. We probably won't know for a year or 2, maybe 3.

They basically--while STILL paying Bruce Weber for b-ball--just told every future applicant, "We'll screw you at less than a million for a guy we'll pay 2 million". In other words, they have no choice BUT to pay through the nose for any/all future coaches.

It isn't JUST that they screwed Cubit, but also his son. Nobody else will EVER trust that AD. And they lost the players' confidence with the way they found out.

Then again, it's Illinois. That place has been a train wreck for a couple years now.

 

[westender]

They basically--while STILL paying Bruce Weber for b-ball--just told every future applicant, "We'll screw you at less than a million for a guy we'll pay 2 million". In other words, they have no choice BUT to pay through the nose for any/all future coaches.

It isn't JUST that they screwed Cubit, but also his son. Nobody else will EVER trust that AD. And they lost the players' confidence with the way they found out.

Then again, it's Illinois. That place has been a train wreck for a couple years now.

The AD was just hired. So any person hired to run a business or anything else should not make changes based on what they believe that business or entity needs to be successful??? You make the changes you think are right. It's his ship. Any future employee should respect that. Shows decisiveness if you ask me. Also if they need money and need to sell tickets, who is going to be more successful at that Cubit or Lovie? Lovie was successful at the highest level. Cubit had moderate success at MAC level. All I can say that if it were Iowa hiring Lovie last year when half this board wanted to fire Kirk, you all would have been peeing down your legs in excitement.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

The AD was just hired. So any person hired to run a business or anything else should not make changes based on what they believe that business or entity needs to be successful??? You make the changes you think are right. It's his ship. Any future employee should respect that. Shows decisiveness if you ask me. Also if they need money and need to sell tickets, who is going to be more successful at that Cubit or Lovie? Lovie was successful at the highest level. Cubit had moderate success at MAC level. All I can say that if it were Iowa hiring Lovie last year when half this board wanted to fire Kirk, you all would have been peeing down your legs in excitement.

Agree, in part, except I would NOT be excited about a Lovie hire. Even though I'm a Bears fan, never have been sold on him.

Folks that go ga-ga over his taking them to the Super Bowl forget the Bears were beneficiaries of NFL "loser-gets-a floater" schedule. Just not a believer.

But yes, an AD DOES need to be able to make his "moves".

 

[trj]

Agree, in part, except I would NOT be excited about a Lovie hire. Even though I'm a Bears fan, never have been sold on him.

Folks that go ga-ga over his taking them to the Super Bowl forget the Bears were beneficiaries of NFL "loser-gets-a floater" schedule. Just not a believer.

But yes, an AD DOES need to be able to make his "moves".

He did that with Rex Grossman as QB. Rex bleepin Grossman. He got bounced after having a 10-6 season, Bear fans I know would kill for that right now. John Fox and Lovie Smith are basically the same dude. Bottom line, he was probably the best guy to get to take the job.

 

[Duke]

Whoa! Hold your horses!!!!! The Athletic Department at Illinois is a perfect reflection of the university, which is a cesspool. Both the lady Chancellor and the lady Provost resigned last summer as they were subverting the Freedom of Information Act by using a private email server and address. Can you imagine any woman in a high government office having the balls to subvert the public's right to know?