OT: Lovie Smith

[bandhammer]

Tampa 2 was fine in Chicago as well. Lovie isn't a bad coach, but like many said, Kiffin struggled at UT and USC. The scheme is unimaginative and he's not going to have the oodles of talent that he had like Urlacher, Mike Brown, Alex Brown, Lance Briggs, Peanut Tillman, Nathan Vasher, Adewale Ogunleye, Tommie Harris, etc. All those guys were pro bowl players. Illinois is a job that can be a good job though. Makovick, Turner, and Zook all had a few great seasons. They just never found long term success. I hope Lovie does well as he is a likeable guy, but I see him as Droopy Dog and I can't imagine him on the recruiting trail.

 

[58straight]

yup lovie needs a very good 3 technique for his defense to work, once tommie harris injured his knee and lost his explosiveness the bears defense wasnt the same, plus offenses continue to find ways to exploit that scheme. but for illinois you cant do much better than lovie. there is no reason they cant have success every so often like an iowa or wisconsin they have better homegrown talent or at least equal talent but they tend to go to the national programs since illinois has been so horrible, he'll have to find a way to keep kids like antonio morrison, laquan treadwell etc home

 

[maurice3p]

Two coaches in the B10 that has coached NFL teams in a SB the last 10 years. Lovie Smith & Jim Harbaugh.

 

[MarcoD70]

Where I could see this helping a lot for Illinois - is that some of the other Big Ten bottom/middle teams pull quite a bit of kids from Illinois.

For example - Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa typically have quite a few of their better players from Illinois. Maybe he gets some of those kids stay home now.

I don't think it will make Illinois into a powerhouse by any means - and the Big Ten will always be run by Ohio State and Michigan as long as Coach Urban Meyer and Harbaugh are there - but his hire could boost Illinois above some of those other mid-tier schools in the short term.

Illinois has all it needs to be the best of the B1G West! Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Purdue can all be had when Illinois has the right coach.

If Lovie wins the West, is competitive in the B1G championship and his bowl games, and he'll see the end of his contract.

The other big deal hiding just under the surface is just the fact that he just calms and stabilizes a football and athletic program that has been slowly dying over last few years. Bad coaches, multiple scandals, really bad losses and some of the worst recruiting ever. Since then theyve seen state schools like Northwestern and even Div II Illnois State become more legit than them.
Lovie checks every box to stabilize and legitimize that program.