Lovie Smith to coach University of Illinois

[oldunclemark]

This came absolutely, positively from nowhere..

....I'm shocked......a second division Big-10 program (to be kind)

 

...This is very, very good for that program.   But Lovie leaves the NFL .....to join Jim Harbaugh in the Big-10

[crazycolt1]

I agree. I don't follow college football a lot but this did come as a surprise to me. Just another branch on the Dungy tree I guess.

[jet1968]

Being an Illini fan I am ecstatic about this hire.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Welcome to my uni, Lovie 

[BullsColtsFan1]

Great hire by the U of I.  I hope this new athletic director turns things around for both the football and basketball programs. Both programs have been awful the past 6-10 years. 

[oldunclemark]

•   I think he will be accepted well by college kids.........He's a quiet authority kinda guy
• If he can recruit St. Louis and Chicago and Cincinnatti....(plus Texas where he's from and Florida where he';s been)....he can get Illinois into the top half of the Big-10..

I wish him well

[Myles]

I think bell be there for 3 years and step down.  

[oldunclemark]

31 minutes ago, Myles said:

I think bell be there for 3 years and step down.  

???

[Myles]

It's a great hire, but I think he will burn out after A couple years. The recruiting ceiling is too low.  With Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Penn State, I think Lovie will tire of 5-7th best in the Big Ten.  

 

He'll have constant offers from NFL teams.

 

[jet1968]

15 hours ago, Myles said:

I think bell be there for 3 years and step down.  

 

Why would he do that. He will be there as long as he wants to be. He monetarily didn't have to take any job. I think Tampa Bay still owes him a boat load of money. Even with Lovie being hired I don't think there is a high ceiling for expectations. I think the Illini fans only want to see improvement as he goes along, which should be easily attainable. He will bring in more of the kids from the Chicago area then Illinois ever has and the talent level will increase and along with that will winning more games. Also I think the new AD is willing to spend some money to get Lovie some better assistant coaches.

[Myles]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 11:41 AM, jet1968 said:

 

Why would he do that. He will be there as long as he wants to be. He monetarily didn't have to take any job. I think Tampa Bay still owes him a boat load of money. Even with Lovie being hired I don't think there is a high ceiling for expectations. I think the Illini fans only want to see improvement as he goes along, which should be easily attainable. He will bring in more of the kids from the Chicago area then Illinois ever has and the talent level will increase and along with that will winning more games. Also I think the new AD is willing to spend some money to get Lovie some better assistant coaches.

I think he'll tire of being 4-7th best in the Big Ten.    Also the drag of recruiting is tough on former NFL guys.  

Having that "boat load" of money will have him realizing that there are other things out there.   Just my opinion.   This is a forum and that is where opinions go.   How long do you think he will stay.  "as long as he wants" is a cop out answer.  

[jet1968]

I guess we will see in three years