Illinois fires Cubit
- Thread starter kyhusker2
- Start date
They are apparently following the Pittsburgh selection model; pick a new guy every year (or less) until you find someone who is going to work. New AD wanted to make his mark on his first day on the job according to this article. Coming this late in the year it will be an interesting selection even if you are not an IL fan.
Peace
Peace
You're thinking of Jonathon Davis from Louisville. It's practically ancient history now, but that was a classic signing day flip if I ever saw one. Poor Joker didn't see it coming either.
The Illini men's BB team isn't doing so hot right now either. Tough time to be a fan of that program right now.
That's just bizarre. You'd think there would have to be something going on off the field with Cubit or the program for that to happen. You just don't give a guy a two year extension and fire him two months later without finding out something really bad going on behind the scenes
They postponed Spring Practice.
Also, the players found out through twitter. The AD didn't tell them first.
Fired Ron Cubit, his OC also. Only 2 fired so far. In Illinois, anything can happen! Presidential elections supposedly bought etc.
At least they aren't Boston College. They didn't win a single conference game in football or basketball this year.
Illinois has always reminded me of UK, a big state U, that should be at least decent in football, but often as not, with rare exceptions, are almost always an also ran in the Big 10, and usually in the lower level of that conference. Just no reason for it.
He took a Rex Grossman QB Chicago Bears team to the Super Bowl....and has a winning all time record as a NFL Head Coach...
Yeah. That along with his charming personality should translate well on the recruiting trail. He's a journeyman coach with no patience for the college game. If it is possible for Illinois to make a worse hire than Ron Zook, this is it,
That's a big first day on the job for the AD
- Fire your coaching staff a week before the spring game,
- Throw another $1,44 million expense min on program for HC and OC buyout alone,
- Don't meet with your team to tell them, leaving them to find out the news on Twitter.
If it wasn't a dumpster fire before it sure has the makings of one now ... Irregardless of who they bring in.
- Fire your coaching staff a week before the spring game,
- Throw another $1,44 million expense min on program for HC and OC buyout alone,
- Don't meet with your team to tell them, leaving them to find out the news on Twitter.
If it wasn't a dumpster fire before it sure has the makings of one now ... Irregardless of who they bring in.
For all his faults Ron Zook did take the Illini to the Rose Bowl...what Lovie Smith has done is something very few coaches have done...have a winning all time record at the highest level of football and he coached as a head coach in the Super Bowl. Plus he was if I'm not mistaken a pretty good recruiter when he coached at the college level as an assistant at Tennessee and Ohio State. Plus that NFL HC Resume will reasonate with many HS Players.
Now the way the AD has handled this is crazy but it is very clear that the now former HC wasn't his choice
Lovie also spent a year as an asst at UK under Curry.
Think Lovie must've stolen Peter's lunch money....or girl.
The Illini AD has already put all of his chips in the "All In" pile. Pretty ballsy move. The common speculation is that he's targeting Lovie Smith. We shall see. Absent a major scandal in the making, his move makes no sense unless he's got his guy waiting in the wings.
God I hoped you disappeared from the board. It's unfortunate that you're back.
Had to hit the "Show Ignored Content" button to see what you were talking about, and essentially had the same feeling you did.
Illinois made it official this morning...Lovie Smith is the new Illini Head Coach:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...illinois-hires-lovie-smith-six-things-to-know
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...illinois-hires-lovie-smith-six-things-to-know
True...it is a bold move and it should help with the fact that even though he hasn't coached at the college level in a while he does have experience in those ranks. As it was noted in the CBS article his hire should be good for Illinois HS Recruiting especially in Chicago.
Key will be what kind of staff he can pull together. Needs primo recruiters for sure.
Very true...looks like Illinois is investing...he got a 6 year $21 Million contract. Didn't know he was on Bill Curry staff until recently in the early 90s for UK.
The B1G is loading up on coaches with Franklin-(Penn State), Fitzgerald-(Northwestern), Dantonio-(Michigan State), Harbaugh-(Michigan) and Meyer-(Ohio State) and now this move.
He's still going to have a difficult time recruiting against OSU, UM, ND and MSU. They don't have very good facilities and they have been bad for quite awhile now. Chicago also doesn't produce a ton of high level players. It's a basketball city. The entire state of Illinois only produced 8 4*s for 2016 and have even less for 2017. I lived in Illinois for about 20 years. At one point they had really good high school football and basketball. It's been more of a basketball state for awhile now. Jordan probably had a lot to do with that. Kids grew up wanting to be like Mike.
And he thought he was running for his life behind the UK offensive line.
Good points....but for Illinois/Smith purposes he needs to out recruit his B1G opponents like Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa...that is doable in the B1G West.
It is also now in hindsight the Illinois AD had this lined up when he fired Cubit.
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