Bret Bielema Takes Reins of Illinois Football

#451      
ChiefGritty
Henson71 said:
at the time it was widely know Matt Campbell was the real rising star at Toledo and instead we hired the lame duck head coach blocking him.
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To my point about how people pretend things were obvious in retrospect, this is not remotely true.

First of all, there is no such thing as a widely known MAC offensive coordinator, period. Especially not a 31-year-old in his second year in the role.

Secondly, if Campbell were so highly sought after he would not have been at Toledo another four years.

You only had to look at the numbers to see that Campbell was doing a good job and the plan when we hired Beckman was to bring him along as OC, but it was a genuine surprise that Toledo handed him the keys with such a light resume, and he had made his name in the coaching world SINCE then.

Basically every word of the maximalist case against Mike Thomas is a hazily smudged exaggeration. A bad time under a bad AD that is thankfully behind us, but the propaganda alternate history of it all is really annoying.
 
#453      
skibdaddy
the Castle on Daniel said:
I am not a fan of the hire and would have rather had Lovie stay on for another year and take our time courting someone. I'm guessing the next four years will go something like 3-9, 2-10, 4-8, 4-8, Bret fired. This is among the worst jobs in the P5. There are probably MAC jobs that are more attractive. It's a tough one to sell and we should probably spend at least a year seriously pitching it to prospects. We've literally just set that process back 4+ years.

Would love to be wrong, but I'm thinking I'm right.
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With the way recruiting and specifically transfers are now I would think that BB would be able to put a decent roster together sooner than later. Our current roster has no depth as evidenced by the steep drop off after injuries/covid sit outs. I wasn't a fan of BB at first, but I think he wants to be here and he wants to stick it to Wisconsin - that alone makes him worth my optimism for a few years.

I mean, this year without covid Lovie would have gone 5-7 (with 3 patsy's in the non-con)... you don't think BB can do that?
 
#454      
Illwinsagain
the Castle on Daniel said:
I am not a fan of the hire and would have rather had Lovie stay on for another year and take our time courting someone. I'm guessing the next four years will go something like 3-9, 2-10, 4-8, 4-8, Bret fired. This is among the worst jobs in the P5. There are probably MAC jobs that are more attractive. It's a tough one to sell and we should probably spend at least a year seriously pitching it to prospects. We've literally just set that process back 4+ years.

Would love to be wrong, but I'm thinking I'm right.
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I believe he will do better than that. There is enough talent on the roster to win 4-6 games next year, without transfers, which is what I am banking on.
 
#456      
illinoistradition
ChiefGritty said:
To my point about how people pretend things were obvious in retrospect, this is not remotely true.

First of all, there is no such thing as a widely known MAC offensive coordinator, period. Especially not a 31-year-old in his second year in the role.

Secondly, if Campbell were so highly sought after he would not have been at Toledo another four years.

You only had to look at the numbers to see that Campbell was doing a good job and the plan when we hired Beckman was to bring him along as OC, but it was a genuine surprise that Toledo handed him the keys with such a light resume, and he had made his name in the coaching world SINCE then.

Basically every word of the maximalist case against Mike Thomas is a hazily smudged exaggeration. A bad time under a bad AD that is thankfully behind us, but the propaganda alternate history of it all is really annoying.
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I agree with what you said about Thomas. I did, however, get a kick out of his “definitely did not write this himself” Wikipedia page.

Mike Thomas=Greatest AD Ever
 
#457      
lh1216
I think their could be an argument made in a typical year where there is more coaching turnover Illinois may not be able to hire a coach like Bielema or there would at least be a lot more competition. This year I believe we are seeing a lot of schools hold onto coaches that they would typically fire. In a year where there is more turnover if one school misses out on their top few candidates then someone like Bielema would be their next call.

I think the next two years in particular there will be more turnover than usual due to a combination of programs having more stable revenue, some top tier programs having coaches on the hot seat, and some of the low to mid tier programs having coaches that could be a flight risk. You could make the argument that almost all current Big Ten coaches could be replaced within the next year or two.

Ryan Day- flight risk to the NFL
James Franklin- hot seat due to program expectations
Jim Harbaugh- hot seat due to program expectations and flight risk to NFL
Paul Chryst- stable unless current performance repeats next 1-2 years
Kirk Ferentz- currently 65 years, old could see him retiring
P.J. Fleck- flight risk to bigger job
Pat Fitzgerald- flight risk to NFL
Scott Frost- hot seat due to program expectations
Tom Allen- flight risk to bigger job
Jeff Brohm- honestly could make the argument for hot seat or flight risk to bigger job depending on performance year to year
Mel Tucker- secure next 1-2 years
Mike Locksley- hot seat
Greg Schiano- not going anywhere

Throw in a few more midwest schools like ISU and Pitt possibly looking to replace head coaches in the next 1-2 years and I think there are a lot of possible landing spots for Bielema.
 
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#459      
Joel Goodson
lh1216 said:
I think their could be an argument made in a typical year where there is more coaching turnover Illinois may not be able to hire a coach like Bielema or there would at least be a lot more competition. This year I believe we are seeing a lot of schools hold onto coaches that they would typically fire, so there isn't much competition. In a year where there is more turnover if one school misses out on their top few candidates then someone like Bielema would be their next call.

I think the next two years in particular there will be more turnover than usual due to a combination of programs having more stable revenue, some top tier programs having coaches on the hot seat, and some of the low to mid tier programs having coaches that could be a flight risk. You could make the argument that almost all current Big Ten coaches could be replaced within the next year or two.

Ryan Day- flight risk to the NFL
James Franklin- hot seat due to program expectations
Jim Harbaugh- hot seat due to program expectations and flight risk to NFL
Paul Chryst- stable unless current performance repeats next 1-2 years
Kirk Ferentz- currently 65 years, old could see him retiring
P.J. Fleck- flight risk to bigger job
Pat Fitzgerald- flight risk to NFL
Scott Frost- hot seat due to program expectations
Tom Allen- flight risk to bigger job
Jeff Brohm- honestly could make the argument for hot seat or flight risk to bigger job depending on performance year to year
Mel Tucker- secure next 1-2 years
Mike Locksley- hot seat
Greg Schiano- not going anywhere

Throw in a few more midwest schools like ISU and Pitt possibly looking to replace head coaches in the next 1-2 years and I think there are a lot of possible landing spots for Bielema.
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I'm of the strong opinion that this is close to a perfect year to be hiring a new coach. For Illinois, anyway.
 
#460      
EyeoftheIllini
gibb52 said:
One of the first calls he makes is to the president of the IL coaches association. Great first step and something Lovie never did.
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Shame on Lovie for never having made such calls. But does anyone think it strange that the president of said association never called Lovie? I mean isn’t part of his job having good relationships with programs in state? Did he or the then president call Lovie to congratulate and welcome him when he was hired? Doesn’t excuse Lovie, but kind of confirms my opinion of in-State coaches.
 
#462      
illini80
ChiefGritty said:
I'd call it a subsidiary issue of THE issue which is that from Day 1 until last Sunday Lovie never felt he had to run his program up to the industry standards of college football. One tendril off of that was that he never built a coaching staff capable of success on the recruiting trail, but there were others.

Remember how many practices Lovie just called off during that first spring ball, satisfied that enough work had been done? It wasn't just one, it was like 3 or 4. There were flashing red lights all along the way.
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Reminds me of the discussion about last seasons bowl game. There was a lot of talk about how important it was for the program because you are allowed an extra 15 practices and that was huge for player development. He used a little more than half of that and then laid an egg in the bowl game. I think that is why people are so ready for a high energy guy and maybe why Whitman leaned his direction.
 
#465      
Love the Illini
Every football coach in the state knows that Lovie did not go out of his way to build relationships with the high school coaches in the state. That was very evident for any coach that attended the state coaches clinic at the U of I. Talked to every head Illinois coach since Tepper at some point and never had a conversation with Lovie or saw him go out of his way to speak to a high school coach. This was shown by his inability to recruit the state didn't get any of the top 25 players in the state this year. Lovie was a pro coach who never really adjusted to the college game especially the recruiting part of it. I know Coach Bielema and he is a college coach through and through and will hire much more of a college type staff. He knows Illinois and the midwest and I think he will recruit locally much better than Lovie did. Bielema can coach he was a highly thought of defenisve coordinator under Snyder at K-State and was brought to Wisconsin as DC to be the replacement for Alvarez. Whether he is the guy who can turn the Illinois program around or not I don't know but I believe he will be hungry to prove himself as a college coach again and overall a good hir.
 
#467      
IlliniFanHere
Lovie had a template for every presser after another los..." Well....we had just too many mistakes today...blah, blah.". I view BB as someone is gonna do a lotta screamin in practice and challenge his players. We're going from a level 1 in enthusiasm to Defcon 10.
 
#468      
BretMyBeachHouse
ChiefGritty said:
To my point about how people pretend things were obvious in retrospect, this is not remotely true.

First of all, there is no such thing as a widely known MAC offensive coordinator, period. Especially not a 31-year-old in his second year in the role.

Secondly, if Campbell were so highly sought after he would not have been at Toledo another four years.

You only had to look at the numbers to see that Campbell was doing a good job and the plan when we hired Beckman was to bring him along as OC, but it was a genuine surprise that Toledo handed him the keys with such a light resume, and he had made his name in the coaching world SINCE then.

Basically every word of the maximalist case against Mike Thomas is a hazily smudged exaggeration. A bad time under a bad AD that is thankfully behind us, but the propaganda alternate history of it all is really annoying.
Click to expand...
You make some good points. But I also remember plenty of people wondering why we're hiring a former DC whose team had given up 60+ points twice that season.
 
#469      
IllinoisOKC
illinoistradition said:
I agree with Ligs and Lou.

What is with the love for Cory? He got some recruits that he directly coached. Besides that, he has followed through with very few others from that area. On top of that, we have no idea what his coaching is even like. It was a risk I was willing to accept from Lovie, but I don’t think it’s paid off.
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He was lead recruiter I believe on non trinity guys like wisecarver this year(top recruit),okpala(was good get at the time maybe not as much now) kevin tyler and kieth randolph last year. I’d agree he hasn’t brought in 20 kids from stl like we hoped for but i think he still provides upside, but thats just me, and coaching wise I’d have no idea, but if bb keeps him that’d answer those questions.
 
#472      
BretMyBeachHouse
lh1216 said:
I think their could be an argument made in a typical year where there is more coaching turnover Illinois may not be able to hire a coach like Bielema or there would at least be a lot more competition. This year I believe we are seeing a lot of schools hold onto coaches that they would typically fire. In a year where there is more turnover if one school misses out on their top few candidates then someone like Bielema would be their next call.

I think the next two years in particular there will be more turnover than usual due to a combination of programs having more stable revenue, some top tier programs having coaches on the hot seat, and some of the low to mid tier programs having coaches that could be a flight risk. You could make the argument that almost all current Big Ten coaches could be replaced within the next year or two.

Ryan Day- flight risk to the NFL
James Franklin- hot seat due to program expectations
Jim Harbaugh- hot seat due to program expectations and flight risk to NFL
Paul Chryst- stable unless current performance repeats next 1-2 years
Kirk Ferentz- currently 65 years, old could see him retiring
P.J. Fleck- flight risk to bigger job
Pat Fitzgerald- flight risk to NFL
Scott Frost- hot seat due to program expectations
Tom Allen- flight risk to bigger job
Jeff Brohm- honestly could make the argument for hot seat or flight risk to bigger job depending on performance year to year
Mel Tucker- secure next 1-2 years
Mike Locksley- hot seat
Greg Schiano- not going anywhere

Throw in a few more midwest schools like ISU and Pitt possibly looking to replace head coaches in the next 1-2 years and I think there are a lot of possible landing spots for Bielema.
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Great list.

If I'm reading it right and remembering my conferences right, we had 11 P5 coaching changes after last season. That's the kind of market our program wouldn't do well in.
 
#473      
OrangeSoda
Great in-game interview. Mentioned again his intent to adapt to the speed of the game on O and D but keep the big upfront guys. Excited to see where this goes.
 
#474      
FollowMeDontFollowMe
Keisersose said:
No. Bret was the first choice and had been for a long time.
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Sometimes this board can’t overcome the echo chamber. I called it with my first post, and created this account for sole purpose of sharing that info, but somehow posters preferring Leipold over BB created enough noise to make Leipold’s hiring seem like an inevitability.
 
#475      
altgeld88
Egads. I just returned from a long walk to find that we've given up 42 points to a weak PSU team in the first half. Does anyone recall when we were down 56-0 to them at half in 2005 on Homecoming evening in Champaign? This seems much worse. What a way to end an era.
 
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