Chicago Tribune candidates for new Illinois football coach
With the firing of Lovie Smith and his iconic beard, Illinois is now in the market for a new football coach. Here's the list of candidates the Chicago Tribune thought would be in the running:
- Bret Bielema (We all know Bert. B1G redemption tour?)
- Luke Fickell (do not that he turned down MSU, so Illinois probably of zero interest)
- Marcus Freeman (Fickell's D coordinator at Cincy, coached LBs at Purdue and OSU)
- Lance Leipold (Buffalo OC, notes dynamic offense may be the qualifier, but bulk of experience is in Div III)
- Sean Lewis (34 year old head coach at Kent State, youngest HC in FBS, runs a dynamic offense)
- Jim Leonhard (Wisc DC)
- Tom Manning (Iowa State OC, no ties to B1G)
- Jeff Monken (Army HC, turned around Army, Illinois native)
- Jay Norvell (Nevada HC, has coached at Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin)
So, anyone jumping out there as a replacement for Harbaugh?
The Trib thought Monken was a strong get for Illinois. I guess they don't want the usual MAC coach (after Beckman bombed), but there are two on the list, one which is really young, so he'd probably be itching to move up to the B1G.
December 15th, 2020 at 12:58 PM ^
Honestly, not a bad list.
If done correctly, a good coach can be found, you hear that Warde?
December 15th, 2020 at 1:00 PM ^
Oh how I do miss old Bert. Bring back that fat bastard!
December 15th, 2020 at 5:58 PM ^
sure, so he can send blockers into or DLs knees. love that.
December 15th, 2020 at 6:54 PM ^
....and his hot wife please....
December 15th, 2020 at 8:06 PM ^
Pretty sure she's not crazy.
December 15th, 2020 at 9:33 PM ^
pull out the matrix to check!
December 15th, 2020 at 1:00 PM ^
If I were Illinois, my first call would be to Leipold, second would be to Monken.
If I were Michigan, Leipold is the only person on that list I'm seriously pursuing (assuming Fickell is a hard pass)
December 15th, 2020 at 2:10 PM ^
Fickell would be a priority if I was Warde. He's won quite a few games at Cincy and he can recruit Ohio and he knows where the OSU bodies are burried.
December 15th, 2020 at 6:34 PM ^
I am not sold on Fickell. I also hear how great a recruiter he is but am not seeing it. Cincinnati's last 4 years on rivals was: 39, 89, 47, 63. I know it is Cincinnati, but that does not give any indication of being a great recruiter. Was this reputation garnered while he was at OSU? I think he is doing well against subpar competition. He may be good but I'm not sold.
December 15th, 2020 at 4:46 PM ^
I know Leipold's older (though younger than Harbaugh), and the jump from Buffalo to Michigan is large, but I honestly wouldn't mind that hire. The guy seems to know how to build enduring programs.
I have a feeling he's going to end up somewhere in the Big 10 and beat Michigan. Not to mention he could do it right now with his MAC team.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:00 PM ^
No. If not a proven X's and O's/talent developer like Campbell then it has to be a strong recruiter. I like the idea of Tony Elliott as a guy who runs a high powered spread offense and has proven recruiting chops.
Of those I'd say Leonhard is probably the most intriguing. Obviously a great defensive coach but, being at Wisconsin, his recruiting ability is very much an unknown.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:08 PM ^
The Trib gave points to Jay Norvell as a recruiter given he got NC State to where they where they had a winning record his last 3 years there. Clearly, we need to improve recruiting, so I agree with that being a hard requirement. So, Urbz is the man?
December 15th, 2020 at 1:31 PM ^
Norvell needs to show more at Nevada, but he clearly has the team on an upswing and Nevada is a difficult job.
Either him or Monken would be nice choices for Illinois.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:03 PM ^
Leipold would be the smartest hire, so he's obviously out.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:36 PM ^
Illinois ain't Michigan
December 15th, 2020 at 3:16 PM ^
But they ARE a H U G E rival.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:03 PM ^
We have some stunning PTSD from the Hoke hire if we think the Illinois and Michigan prospective coaching lists are going to be identical.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:08 PM ^
That's a list for Illinois, and I'd say that Fickell and Leonhard don't belong on it. Fickell already has a better job, and Leonhard can do better than UI if he wants to leave Wisconsin. Illinois is a place where football coaches go to die. However, I think that Lance Liepold would be a great get, along with Jeff Monken. If Illinoise could get Monken, it'd be quite the coup...
Bert may be gettable, if he wants to be in charge again. A P5 bottom feeder is attainable for him.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:10 PM ^
I don't remember if Bert left Wiscy on good terms or not, but at Illinois, he'd get a chance for revenge every year.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:11 PM ^
Bert doesn't leave any place on good terms
December 15th, 2020 at 1:25 PM ^
I don't think Wisconsin (read: Barry Alvarez) has anything good to say about Bert, considering how he left. Bert had a lot going for him at UW, and dumped it all without warning.
December 15th, 2020 at 3:04 PM ^
Respectfully disagree that Fickell has a better job at Cincinnati unless your only criterion is "best stepping stone to the Ohio State job". Cincy is still a G5 school.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:11 PM ^
They should hire an anthropomorphic Lovie's beard.
Otherwise, there are some very good candidates on this list. I'm a big Jim Leonhard admirer. He's pure Wisconsin, though, so not sure if he would leave if given the opportunity. I assume he's coach-in-waiting material after Chryst hangs up the coaching cleats.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:26 PM ^
If we are looking at an Illinois list for Harbaugh replacements our fan base has lost their mind.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:26 PM ^
Who says Beckman bombed? Those press conferences were gold, Jerry. GOLD!
December 15th, 2020 at 1:30 PM ^
Lance Leipold. IMO he should be Ferentz' successor at Iowa. So he would be a home run hire for Illinois. And frankly I think he'd be a great hire here too. Built a powerhouse at UWW and has Buffalo at a higher level than ever in program history. Best team in the conference this year easily. And at season's end 2019 I think also the best team in the conference.
December 15th, 2020 at 4:50 PM ^
Leipold would indeed be a home run for Illinois. Is Ferentz leaving soon? Leipold is 56 so I'm not sure how much longer he'd want to wait. Could also see him going to Nebraska if Frost has another bad year or two. Right now he's well below even Pellllini's standard
December 15th, 2020 at 1:30 PM ^
I'm not as high of Leipold as others, but him or Monken would be good coaches at Illinois. None of the names listed really feel like fits at UM.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:38 PM ^
Agreed, it's a very nice list for Illinois, but show a conundrum out there for Michigan. It just doesn't feel like there's a long list of good names for Michigan to go find this year(although I admit I am coming around a lot more on the Clemson OC than I thought I would).
December 15th, 2020 at 1:35 PM ^
I’d love Monken for no other reason than I love the triple option. Service Academy games are always entertaining for old souls like me!
December 15th, 2020 at 1:39 PM ^
One would hope he would update or add wrinkles to the offense as going triple option didn't really seem to elevate Georgia Tech.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:02 PM ^
Correct. But I don’t believe there is any scheme that is destined itself to elevate the program. Players need to be taught the proper fundamentals for execution of the place. And coaches need to call a good game.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:53 PM ^
If Miami (O) is (or used to be) the cradle of coaches, Illinois is the coffin of coaches. Not sure why anyone with good prospects would want to tackle that Sisyphean task.
December 15th, 2020 at 4:04 PM ^
They're kind of one of those "Sleeping Giants" in my opinion. Their recruiting foot print is great. They have the Chicago and St. Louis recruiting beds in their own state (splitting the St. Louis Metro Area). Close to Tennessee which is producing better and better talent. If they got someone competent and familiar with the area, they could dig up the same types of guys Iowa and Wisconsin get. I mean hell, the Panisuks, Jack Sanborn, AJ Henning, Jimmy Garappolo are all from the Chicago metro. Not saying they get all of those guys, but if they fenced off their yard and just had to compete with Northwestern for instate recruits, they'd be a contender out of the West.
Although, they haven't done it since Zook, Illinois is secretly a good job if you know the terrain. Only problem is, the last guy to get in good locally was Zook and since his departure that's been the biggest recruiting focus of Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern. They start winning at home again, they could be something.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:03 PM ^
At this rate, Illinois may pass up Mich like Indiana did. Michigan is looking like the 9th best team in the Big 10 going into next year.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:10 PM ^
Which 5 teams do you consider worse?
December 15th, 2020 at 2:56 PM ^
Rutgers, Purdue, Illinois, Nebraska, Maryland, but it's close.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:08 PM ^
Bret Bielema would be phenomenal to have back in the B1G (at Illinois not UM).
December 15th, 2020 at 2:09 PM ^
How about Bo Pelini? My god Faux Pelini twitter would just be awesome.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:27 PM ^
I honestly think if you're Illinois Id go for Sean lewis or Lance Leipold. Both have midwest roots and have higher ceilings/most realistic. Fickell ain't coming, Norvell most likely isn't coming. Tom Manning, I would be surprised, but if you could get Manning I'd put him up there with the other 2.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:51 PM ^
A program like Illinois would just consign itself to another 4-6 years of mediocrity if it hired somebody who runs the triple option.
December 15th, 2020 at 3:02 PM ^
I'd like to see Jim Leonhard at michigan.
I doubt he would stick around, but someone of his caliber would be fantastic.
December 15th, 2020 at 4:16 PM ^
I hung out with Lance Leipold for 3-4 hours at a Buffalo Bisons game a couple of summers ago. Super cool guy. If he were Michigan's coach no one would ever be able to shut me up about it. EVER. That's the only thing I would ever talk to anyone about.
December 15th, 2020 at 5:07 PM ^
Do it, Illinois
December 15th, 2020 at 5:14 PM ^
I don’t know how their facilities are but I feel like Illinois could be a good program. I feel like they could be a better program if a young guy came in and provided energy.
December 15th, 2020 at 6:02 PM ^
Bert would probably be a good fit for them if they can't get Ernie.
December 15th, 2020 at 8:12 PM ^
Pretty sure Bert & Ernie are a combo hire.
December 15th, 2020 at 10:04 PM ^
Lived in Wisconsin before moving to Michigan and going to Michigan. Probably would’ve ended up at UW if I didn’t move. Wisconsin fans are Alvarez people. They HATE Bert for supposedly backstabbing Alvarez.
December 16th, 2020 at 2:20 PM ^
I can’t understand considering Bert and not Malzahn. Catch those recently damaged goods!