Illinois hires Lovie Smith as head coach

[YoloinOhio]

I give them credit for trying to be relevant again. They have forever been hiring nobodies and can't compete in the Big 10 let alone nationally. Their last few HCs have been disasters and theoretically there is no reason they shouldn't have a more competitive program. Is Lovie a good HC? I don't know. His last college coaching job was DBs coach at OSU in 1995. But I think he should be able to recruit and that's about 75% of it.

 

@mcmurphyESPN

Lovie Smith receives 6-year deal worth $21 million as Illinois new coach

Edited March 7, 2016 by YoloinOhio

[Canadian Bills Fan]

Good luck Lovie!

 

 

Always respected him as a coach

 

I hope he can make good things happen in Illinois

 

 

 

 

CBF

[H2o]

He may be better suited for the college game. From all reports he is a great person and seems like he would make a great leader for young men to look up to, rally behind. His NFL pedigree should also help greatly in recruiting. Good for Lovie.

[YoloinOhio]

He may be better suited for the college game. From all reports he is a great person and seems like he would make a great leader for young men to look up to, rally behind. His NFL pedigree should also help greatly in recruiting. Good for Lovie.

180 degrees from the guy who made kids play through terrible injuries and physically assaulted them. Lol

[26CornerBlitz]

@RapSheet

#Bucs owed Lovie Smith $10M over the next 2 seasons. Illinois pays Smith $2M in '16 & '17 ($21M over 6 years). #Bucs now owe Lovie $4M less.

@CBSSportsCFB

Illinois officially hires Lovie Smith as football coach: Six things to know http://cbsprt.co/1TlYHJb

[Captain Hindsight]

Program trying to gain some respectability back. Lovie Smith is a stand up dude that should help there

[3rdand12]

Program trying to gain some respectability back. Lovie Smith is a stand up dude that should help there

Good all around i think.

[26CornerBlitz]

@NFL_CFB

Lovie Smith says he wants @IlliniFootball to be final coaching stop --> http://bit.ly/1U8ONtb

[YoloinOhio]

he will be such a good recruiter. IMO.

[Paup 1995MVP]

Lovie is going to get wiped in the Big 10. He was way overrated as an NFL coach. And I don't see what he will bring to a college program. Had to have been one of the most underwhelming head coaches I have ever seen on an NFL sideline. Good luck playing Nebraska, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa every year. And than crossing over to play Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan every couple of years. Yikes. The Illini haven't been relevant since the days of Jack Trudeau and Jeff George. And that's a long time ago.

[YoloinOhio]

Any parent who names their son "Lovie" should receive 10000 lashes.....

is that his real name? Never looked it up...

[hondo in seattle]

89-87 in 11 years in the NFL.

 

He's an average NFL coach... which I think would make him an above average college coach if coaching at that level required the exact same skill set which it doesn't.

 

His success will depend on his ability to recruit players and subordinate coaches to his program. And his ability to relate to - and understand - younger players.

[C.Biscuit97]

Lovie is going to get wiped in the Big 10. He was way overrated as an NFL coach. And I don't see what he will bring to a college program. Had to have been one of the most underwhelming head coaches I have ever seen on an NFL sideline. Good luck playing Nebraska, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa every year. And than crossing over to play Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan every couple of years. Yikes. The Illini haven't been relevant since the days of Jack Trudeau and Jeff George. And that's a long time ago.

Went to the SB with Rex Grossman and nearly took Jay Cutler there. He had 8 wins or more in 6 out of 9 years in Chicago.

 

I'd kill to have an overrated coach like that on the Bills. I predict he will turn that program around. He seems like a guy parents would want to send their kids to.