Lovie

[Secondo1]

What is the over/under for 4 wins for the Illini next year? Does anyone really, really believe that Lovie is the coaching answer at Illinois?

Are they really any better than before Lovie?

I'm sure he is a great guy, and he was a heckuva defensive coordinator in the pro's, and he won 56% of his games as the Bear head coach. So, if he wins 56% of his college games in a 12 game college season, the best he will generally do is 7-5 or 6-6. This will get him to a bowl game, which he will lose most years.

 

[ClownBaby]

Upsetting Wisconsin will be the high water mark the last two games they just looked bad.

 

[brucealmighy]

What is the over/under for 4 wins for the Illini next year? Does anyone really, really believe that Lovie is the coaching answer at Illinois?

Are they really any better than before Lovie?

I'm sure he is a great guy, and he was a heckuva defensive coordinator in the pro's, and he won 56% of his games as the Bear head coach. So, if he wins 56% of his college games in a 12 game college season, the best he will generally do is 7-5 or 6-6. This will get him to a bowl game, which he will lose most years.

Consistently winning 6 or 7 games is something Illinois has not done in the last 30 years. If he can do that then he is doing a good job. The bar for Illini football is very low but you have to be realistic as a fan. They are clearly behind Iowa and Wisconsin in the west. If they can compete with the other 5 teams and spring an upset here and there then that should be fine.

They will win more than 4 games next year. They will be 4-0 to start the season and will have chances to win half of their remaining games. They will return 16 starters. The teams was missing its top 4 wrs for the end of the season including the bowl plus a few key defensive starters. They had a few players sitting out this year due to transfer rules and injuries that will be stars next season.


Bottom line is that the state of Illinois is not very talented and those few 4 star players that are coming out of the Chicagoland area have no interest in playing in Champaign due to the recent performance of the team. Even if they land all the best kids from Illinois, the Illini would still get smoked by Michigan, OSU and Penn State. Hopefully a decent couple seasons can change that and the Illini can find a mix of instate players, kids from the south and transfers to be competitive for a bowl game year in year out with an occasional run at the Big Ten west title.

 

[Secondo1]

If winning 6-7 games a year is the expectation, then it will never be any better than that. But I'm not sure he can even get that done. His biggest advantage for recruiting is that the good players can play immediately and not have to wait in line.

North Central College (D3 Champs) would have beaten Illinois this year. More talent, more creative coaching staff, etc.

While I don't see them being 4-0 to begin the season, you can probably count on 2-2, maybe 3-1...maybe So that means they need to go 4-4/3-5 in the final 8. Look, I hope am wrong, would Lovie to be wrong!

 

[mc140]

North Central College (D3 Champs) would have beaten Illinois this year. More talent, more creative coaching staff, etc.

No they would not have.

 

[ClownBaby]

Consistently winning 6 or 7 games is something Illinois has not done in the last 30 years. If he can do that then he is doing a good job. The bar for Illini football is very low but you have to be realistic as a fan. They are clearly behind Iowa and Wisconsin in the west. If they can compete with the other 5 teams and spring an upset here and there then that should be fine.

They will win more than 4 games next year. They will be 4-0 to start the season and will have chances to win half of their remaining games. They will return 16 starters. The teams was missing its top 4 wrs for the end of the season including the bowl plus a few key defensive starters. They had a few players sitting out this year due to transfer rules and injuries that will be stars next season.


Bottom line is that the state of Illinois is not very talented and those few 4 star players that are coming out of the Chicagoland area have no interest in playing in Champaign due to the recent performance of the team. Even if they land all the best kids from Illinois, the Illini would still get smoked by Michigan, OSU and Penn State. Hopefully a decent couple seasons can change that and the Illini can find a mix of instate players, kids from the south and transfers to be competitive for a bowl game year in year out with an occasional run at the Big Ten west title.

False which state in their division produces better talent? Nebraska? Minnesota? Wisconsin? Iowa? Indiana?

Bleacher Report ranked talent produced by state from 2010- 2017 and here is what they came up with:

15. Hawaii
14. North Carolina
12. Washington
11. New Jersey
10. Illinois
9. Pennsylvania
8. Virginia
7. Ohio
6. Louisiana
4. Georgia
3. California
2. Florida
1. Texas

There is talent in this state, Ron Zook got it he just couldn't coach it. Lovie is an average coach and below average recruiter which says 6-6 since he can schedule 3 non conference wins a year and go 3-6 in conference.

 

[JCHillmen]

No they would not have.

Yea. You just can’t make that statement. They wouldn’t have beaten Rutgers and Rutgers was absolutely terrible as power 5 teams go.

D3 is just so many tiers below Big Ten football. There’s power 5, then group of 5, then FCS, D2, and then D3.

Surely a D3 national championship team has players who could contribute at a power 5 level, but the number is minimal. And every player in the Big Ten was targeted by FBS schools. Even the 85th scholarship player on a bad big ten team would likely be good enough to have some role on the D3 national champs, even if minimal.

 

[AmbroseBlack]

North Central College (D3 Champs) would have beaten Illinois this year. More talent, more creative coaching staff, etc.

James Madison is playing for the FCS championship this year. They are a FCS powerhouse reaching the championship games 3 out of the last 4 years. Their only loss this year is to a 5-7 West Virginia team. I have a great deal of respect for what NCC accomplished this year and hope they continue, but not only would NCC not beat Illinois, it would not even be close.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

No they would not have.

And it wouldn’t be close.

 

[ClownBaby]

Is there a bigger indictment of how bad the program is at Illinois then the fact that someone would even say a D3 team would beat them? Or is it the fact they didn’t sign one in state kid last week?

 

[JCHillmen]

Is there a bigger indictment of how bad the program is at Illinois then the fact that someone would even say a D3 team would beat them? Or is it the fact they didn’t sign one in state kid last week?

No, the quote and suggestion were woefully off base. Illinois has its problems but that quote was just nonsensical.


I am an Illini supporter who received the Lovie hire fairly well. I am now firmly in the camp that Lovie will not be the answer at Illinois. That said, next year sets up for 6 to 8 wins with the schedule and returning starters. But then I foresee falling off a cliff in 2021. Hoping Lovie wins his 7 or 8 games next year and then rides off into retirement because I know he sees the cliff coming too.

 

[ClownBaby]

No, the quote and suggestion were woefully off base. Illinois has its problems but that quote was just nonsensical.


I am an Illini supporter who received the Lovie hire fairly well. I am now firmly in the camp that Lovie will not be the answer at Illinois. That said, next year sets up for 6 to 8 wins with the schedule and returning starters. But then I foresee falling off a cliff in 2021. Hoping Lovie wins his 7 or 8 games next year and then rides off into retirement because I know he sees the cliff coming too.

Massey projects a score of 49-24 not something any power 5 school with 85 scholarships and a multi million dollar budget should be hanging their hat on.

 

[JCHillmen]

Massey projects a score of 49-24 not something any power 5 school with 85 scholarships and a multi million dollar budget should be hanging their hat on.

Illinois went 4-5 in the Big Ten and While it is certainly fair to criticize their historical underperformance, this year is an exception even if it is an abberation.

Purdue, Nebraska, and Northwestern are far more deserving of any of this criticism this year. A bowl qualifying big ten team, no matter how limited, is not even in the same conversation as any division 3 team.

and Massey projections for Big ten vs d3 teams seems the definition of an exercise in futility, no? Again, a woeful Rutgers would dominate them and it wouldn’t be close.

 

[caravan8]

North Central College (D3 Champs) would have beaten Illinois this year. More talent, more creative coaching staff, etc.

North Central College would get curb stomped by every single FBS team in the country, no exceptions. Illinois would look like ESL playing against a 3A team if they played NCC.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

North Central College would get curb stomped by every single FBS team in the country, no exceptions. Illinois would look like ESL playing against a 3A team if they played NCC.

Southern Illinois would whip NCC.

 

[JCHillmen]

Southern Illinois would whip NCC.

and it really is disrespectful to NCC for those even trying to draw them into the conversation. They have a great program and had a great year. Anyone who is actually suggesting they would stay within 20 or 30 points (and someone even suggesting they would win) of a middle of the road big ten team is just unnecessarily inviting all of this deserved criticism of that ridiculous claim.

stop comparing NC to anyone in the Big ten, stop pulling up Massey projections, stop saying NC has more talent, just stop.

 

[caravan8]

Agree 100%. NCC had a great season and accomplished something special this season. This reminds me of the people who always would ask if Bama could beat the Browns?

 

[corey90]

I thought I heard Lovie was interviewing for the Bears coaching job? LMAO

 

[mchsalumni]

North Central College (D3 Champs) would have beaten Illinois this year.

Say no to drugs @Secondo1.

Just under the wire for top 5 dumbest posts I've seen on the board in 2019!

 

[mchsalumni]

This reminds me of the people who always would ask if Bama could beat the Browns?

And the answer every year, forever, will be no.

 

[corey90]

And the answer every year, forever, will be no.

Totally agree. It’s like saying Alabama beating the Cleveland Browns or any NFL team. Not going to happen! Ever!

 

[doctor_d]

NCC over Illinois? The Illini are far from elite, but give me a break.

Somebody’s making a late push for dumbest post of the year.

 

[ClownBaby]

and it really is disrespectful to NCC for those even trying to draw them into the conversation. They have a great program and had a great year. Anyone who is actually suggesting they would stay within 20 or 30 points (and someone even suggesting they would win) of a middle of the road big ten team is just unnecessarily inviting all of this deserved criticism of that ridiculous claim.

stop comparing NC to anyone in the Big ten, stop pulling up Massey projections, stop saying NC has more talent, just stop.

How is it disrespectful it’s fantasy match up on a message board? Last year Drake played a top 25 Iowa State and led late into the 3rd quarter before falling 27-24. Drake is the equivalent of a top tier D3 team so some in this post suggesting that only a moron would think a D3 team could play with a bad power 5 team have already been proven wrong. I don’t think NCC would beat U of I they would probably lose by a lot but the fact that there is even a debate says a lot about the state of things at U of I. The Illini wanted to make splash hire and they missed the mark like usual.

 

[JCHillmen]

How is it disrespectful it’s fantasy match up on a message board? Last year Drake played a top 25 Iowa State and led late into the 3rd quarter before falling 27-24. Drake is the equivalent of a top tier D3 team so some in this post suggesting that only a moron would think a D3 team could play with a bad power 5 team have already been proven wrong. I don’t think NCC would beat U of I they would probably lose by a lot but the fact that there is even a debate says a lot about the state of things at U of I. The Illini wanted to make splash hire and they missed the mark like usual.

There is no debate. Happy new year clown baby.

 

[Secondo1]

Say no to drugs @Secondo1.

Just under the wire for top 5 dumbest posts I've seen on the board in 2019!

Folks, I was making a point regarding a mythical NCC/U of I game. It appears my point was in fact made and taken too seriously by some. Apologies to those I offended... and to those who understood my point, let's hope for a better Illinois outcome.

 

[Secondo1]

Totally agree. It’s like saying Alabama beating the Cleveland Browns or any NFL team. Not going to happen! Ever!

I agree. Let's try LSU!!

 

[Kevin JCHS 81]

Can't we all just get along? If another poster says something you think is stupid maybe just treat them like you would treat your own kids.

Cheers and a happy New Year!

 

[FCHS2019]

So when watching Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl today, I should be thinking how North Central would beat them???

 

[greatgig13]

Is there a bigger indictment of how bad the program is at Illinois then the fact that someone would even say a D3 team would beat them? Or is it the fact they didn’t sign one in state kid last week?

I’m surprised nobody has suggested ESL could beat The Illini.

 

[JCHillmen]

I’m surprised nobody has suggested ESL could beat The Illini.

Haha. True story. What I really don’t understand is why these silly theories are being concocted in a year in which Illinois was a middling Big Ten team. At least after the 15, 16, 17, and 18 seasons the Illini were a cellar dweller. After those seasons you could argue Illinois was one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, or even in all power 5 leagues. And they still would have pounded any d3 team. But to make up these stories now makes even less sense.

 

[corey90]

Haha. True story. What I really don’t understand is why these silly theories are being concocted in a year in which Illinois was a middling Big Ten team. At least after the 15, 16, 17, and 18 seasons the Illini were a cellar dweller. After those seasons you could argue Illinois was one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, or even in all power 5 leagues. And they still would have pounded any d3 team. But to make up these stories now makes even less sense.

It’s more about NCC than Illinois. I think people get carried away when their team has success.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Next years schedule brings a world of opportunity for the Illini...

Illinois State in Champaign on dumb Friday nite opener...win.
UCONN in Champaign...win.
Bowling Green in Champaign...win.
Bye.
Rutgers away...win...anything less than 4-0 will be disappointing.
Nebraska away...win?
Purdue Homecoming...win?

A 6-0 & ranked start is very possible next fall with 16 returning starters, and some massive talent influx - like Carterville's Luke Ford at TE after the transfer year off.

But then the Gophers, at the Badgers, and Hawkeyes...6-3 may result.

At Hoosiers, Buckeyes, at Wildcats...8-4 is on the radar.

Josh Whitman spoke to the Fighting Illini Fan Council the afternoon of the Old Dominion hoops game. Discussion ensued when a council member asked about the steady diet of MAC schools and if schedule improvements were on the horizon. Consensus was that at least one Power 5 non-con per year would be desirable, and the schedule has already started moving that way...'21 @, '22 home Virginia...'23 @, '24 home Kansas...'25 @, '26 home Duke...and football bragging rights returns '26 home, '27 @, '28 home, '29 @ Mizzou...yes, you read that right, two Power 5 non-con home games for the Illini in '26. No, Alabama & Texas aren't coming, but it is an improvement...

 

[JCHillmen]

Next years schedule brings a world of opportunity for the Illini...

Illinois State in Champaign on dumb Friday nite opener...win.
UCONN in Champaign...win.
Bowling Green in Champaign...win.
Bye.
Rutgers away...win...anything less than 4-0 will be disappointing.
Nebraska away...win?
Purdue Homecoming...win?

A 6-0 & ranked start is very possible next fall with 16 returning starters, and some massive talent influx - like Carterville's Luke Ford at TE after the transfer year off.

But then the Gophers, at the Badgers, and Hawkeyes...6-3 may result.

At Hoosiers, Buckeyes, at Wildcats...8-4 is on the radar.

Josh Whitman spoke to the Fighting Illini Fan Council the afternoon of the Old Dominion hoops game. Discussion ensued when a council member asked about the steady diet of MAC schools and if schedule improvements were on the horizon. Consensus was that at least one Power 5 non-con per year would be desirable, and the schedule has already started moving that way...'21 @, '22 home Virginia...'23 @, '24 home Kansas...'25 @, '26 home Duke...and football bragging rights returns '26 home, '27 @, '28 home, '29 @ Mizzou...yes, you read that right, two Power 5 non-con home games for the Illini in '26. No, Alabama & Texas aren't coming, but it is an improvement...

Big ten requires a power 5 or equivalent on every schedule now. Illini have gotten waivers for USF and UConn to count in recent years, which is standard practice.

last thing Illinois needs to worry about now is beefing up non conference schedule. With 9 big ten games, one power 5 noncon, and Illinois’ recent struggles, there is no need to daydream about adding more rigorous power 5 opponents. That would be getting back to Guenther level scheduling stupid which set the program into the Stone Age in the early 00’s.

Non con slate looks good for next five years until they go to that year with two power 5 non con games which is a mistake unless the ship has been righted by then.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Big ten requires a power 5 or equivalent on every schedule now. Illini have gotten waivers for USF and UConn to count in recent years, which is standard practice.

last thing Illinois needs to worry about now is beefing up non conference schedule. With 9 big ten games, one power 5 noncon, and Illinois’ recent struggles, there is no need to daydream about adding more rigorous power 5 opponents. That would be getting back to Guenther level scheduling stupid which set the program into the Stone Age in the early 00’s.

Non con slate looks good for next five years until they go to that year with two power 5 non con games which is a mistake unless the ship has been righted by then.

Nobody is suggesting a return to the insane schedule of my senior year when the Illini played USC in the Coliseum and Colorado in Boulder...of course, Jeff George's Citrus Bowl year could handle that. But trading Eastern Michigan for Kansas looks better on the schedule, even if Kansas is winless...

Wasn't too long ago that only 4 Big Ten teams had winning records (early '90s). But ESPN needs teams for programming...err, Bowl games need teams, so 6 wins became so much more important for the extra practices & TV revenue. Hence, a steady diet of MAC schools...Now, though, the consumer prefers to sit on his couch watching his big screen instead of watching MAC blowouts. The circle has come back to wanting better sounding matchups to attract fans back to the stadium...

Be realistic, does anyone schedule Kansas, Rutgers or Vandy to upgrade their schedules...given the Illini's luck, however, Kansas might be on one of those short runs to respectability when they play...

 

[JCHillmen]

Nobody is suggesting a return to the insane schedule of my senior year when the Illini played USC in the Coliseum and Colorado in Boulder...of course, Jeff George's Citrus Bowl year could handle that. But trading Eastern Michigan for Kansas looks better on the schedule, even if Kansas is winless...

Wasn't too long ago that only 4 Big Ten teams had winning records (early '90s). But ESPN needs teams for programming...err, Bowl games need teams, so 6 wins became so much more important for the extra practices & TV revenue. Hence, a steady diet of MAC schools...Now, though, the consumer prefers to sit on his couch watching his big screen instead of watching MAC blowouts. The circle has come back to wanting better sounding matchups to attract fans back to the stadium...

Be realistic, does anyone schedule Kansas, Rutgers or Vandy to upgrade their schedules...given the Illini's luck, however, Kansas might be on one of those short runs to respectability when they play...

It’s really a trade of Kansas for UConn as the power 5 equivalent. Not too much of a change really. With 9 conference games and a 10th like Kansas/Virginia/Missouri/south Florida that is as full as the schedule needs to get. Memorial stadium being half full is solely because of the product on the field and the indifference decades of mediocrity has created. Quality of opponent has very little to do with putting Illini fans in seats (obviously a conference game against Nebraska or OSU draws a big crowd but that is largely due to visiting fans).We should be playing at least two MAC and FCS schools each year.

I did not attend a single game this year for the first time in two decades. Plan on being back next year for at least a few.

 

[eireog]

Lovie is a good guy a decent coach. He should never have been hired by Illinois. I can’t blame him for taking the money. He doesn’t want to recruit. Go kiss a bunch of 17 and 18 year kids and their parents asses after being an NFL head coach? He was in his late 50’s when he was hired and now 61. The Illini knew what they were getting.

 

[mchsalumni]

Drake is the equivalent of a top tier D3 team so some in this post suggesting that only a moron would think a D3 team could play with a bad power 5 team have already been proven wrong.

No they are not the equivalent of a top tier D3 school. Pioneer League teams would destroy all D3 schools.

Did I wake up in an alternate universe?

 

[ClownBaby]

No they are not the equivalent of a top tier D3 school. Pioneer League teams would destroy all D3 schools.

Did I wake up in an alternate universe?

Putt NCC, UWW and Mt Union in there this year and they finish ahead of everyone not named San Diego.

 

[Paliakas1]

Next years schedule brings a world of opportunity for the Illini...

Illinois State in Champaign on dumb Friday nite opener...win.
UCONN in Champaign...win.
Bowling Green in Champaign...win.
Bye.
Rutgers away...win...anything less than 4-0 will be disappointing.
Nebraska away...win?
Purdue Homecoming...win?

A 6-0 & ranked start is very possible next fall with 16 returning starters, and some massive talent influx - like Carterville's Luke Ford at TE after the transfer year off.

But then the Gophers, at the Badgers, and Hawkeyes...6-3 may result.

At Hoosiers, Buckeyes, at Wildcats...8-4 is on the radar.

Josh Whitman spoke to the Fighting Illini Fan Council the afternoon of the Old Dominion hoops game. Discussion ensued when a council member asked about the steady diet of MAC schools and if schedule improvements were on the horizon. Consensus was that at least one Power 5 non-con per year would be desirable, and the schedule has already started moving that way...'21 @, '22 home Virginia...'23 @, '24 home Kansas...'25 @, '26 home Duke...and football bragging rights returns '26 home, '27 @, '28 home, '29 @ Mizzou...yes, you read that right, two Power 5 non-con home games for the Illini in '26. No, Alabama & Texas aren't coming, but it is an improvement...

Northwestern thought they had an easy win a couple of years ago when they invited the Redbirds to Evanston. ISU left with the win. Don't chalk up that win so quickly Illini. Illinois is always good for one big choke game in the non-conference.

Missouri Valley teams hang in very well with Power 5 programs. This season, Iowa St needed 2 OTs to beat Northern Iowa and South Dakota St had the lead and the ball late against Minnesota before fumbling away the victory. ISU might not win, but don't expect it to be a blowout either.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Northwestern thought they had an easy win a couple of years ago when they invited the Redbirds to Evanston. ISU left with the win. Don't chalk up that win so quickly Illini. Illinois is always good for one big choke game in the non-conference.

Missouri Valley teams hang in very well with Power 5 programs. This season, Iowa St needed 2 OTs to beat Northern Iowa and South Dakota St had the lead and the ball late against Minnesota before fumbling away the victory. ISU might not win, but don't expect it to be a blowout either.

Valley schools are dangerous in all sports...SIU had a multi-game hoops & football contract with Indiana a few years back, the Hoosiers had to move the football game and the Salukis coerced them to play the hoops game in Carbondale to amend the contract. Salukis ended up winning both games...