Report: Lovie Smith Lining Up New Job
March 5th, 2016
Ordered to remove his belongings from One Buc Palace two months ago, Lovie Smith seems eager to leave the NFL for the remainder of his coaching days.
Per various sources, including Bruce Feldman at FoxSports.com, Lovie is the frontrunner to be named head coach of the University of Illinois football program.
But there’s a very interesting sub-head to Feldman’s story: “The former NFL coach could be wooed if he can add his sons to the Illini staff.”
Hmm, you mean nobody else in the NFL wanted Lovie’s sons on their staff? What a shocker!
News of Lovie heading to Illinois is somewhat surprising, considering Lovie has been an NFL guy for 20 years, and he seemed so sure the Bucs were on the right track and growing by leaps and bounds. Also, Lovie has $10 million left to be paid by Team Glazer. Joe would have thought Lovie would sit out 2016 and hope to be interviewed for another NFL job.
Perhaps Lovie, who turns 58 in May, realized coaches rarely get a crack at an NFL head coaching job with a third franchise.
Joe wishes Lovie well. And Joe is saving his nickels to wager against Lovie’s pass defense next season.
March 5th, 2016 at 9:30 pm
The fighting Illini are going to be whooping each other’s a$$$es after witnessing the garbage a$$$ defense Lovie will bring to Champaign.
March 5th, 2016 at 9:33 pm
Nepotism destroyed our secondary last two yrs. Good Luck Illinois.
March 5th, 2016 at 9:35 pm
Praying for the poor kids
March 5th, 2016 at 9:35 pm
Lovie is certainly doing his sons no favors by continually providing jobs for them that they would never get on their own.
At some point, the cord must be cut.
March 5th, 2016 at 9:36 pm
Worried about Lovie’s recruiting “skills” at the college level also.
March 5th, 2016 at 9:36 pm
OK, I will ask it!!! What is the better job? head coach of Illinois, or Defensive Coordinator of The Ohio State??????
March 5th, 2016 at 9:43 pm
WHAT AN AWESOME WIN FOR THE LIGHTNING!!!!!!
March 5th, 2016 at 9:49 pm
Schiano was better in almost every facet of Head Coaching Realist. He had more wins as a Bucs coach with less talent and he has the better job currently.
March 5th, 2016 at 10:04 pm
Hands down Coach Schiano was far superior!!! What is the better job though? Coordinator at Ohio State or head coach of Illinois???
March 5th, 2016 at 10:07 pm
A guy wr/kr just ran a 4.19 40 @ regional combine! Holy $hit
March 5th, 2016 at 10:26 pm
That way incompetent Lovie Smith l doesn’t have to leave the physical legendary basement as he pulls the Crying Illini into the NCAA conference basement.
Yikes!!
March 5th, 2016 at 10:34 pm
Any chance Mike Jenkins decides reprise his collegiate education at Illinois while he plays a little corner for LovieDaddy?
March 5th, 2016 at 10:37 pm
Why does this article have the classic picture of McCown farting a gerbil?
March 5th, 2016 at 10:37 pm
First of all, I was one of the many voices that wanted Lovie gone. His assinine approach to defense (a different cornerback every game, for example), was just plain outrageous. He was incompetent.
Now, the surprising statement.
Lovie took the firing like a real professional man. No complaints. No attacks on anyone. He simply packed up and moved out of the building. That’s more than can be said for Tom and the Giants. Reports are that he spent the interview time in Philly, bitching about what happened in NY.
Lovie was a man about it and we should at least recognize that and appreciate the professional way he took it.
March 5th, 2016 at 11:10 pm
Good luck lovie! will the Bucs save money if he takes the job?
March 5th, 2016 at 11:11 pm
Good Luck to Lovie Smith. The guy finished his NFL HC career with 89 wins and 87 losses. Not really good but above 500 nonetheless.He had 11 winning seasons in Chi-town and 2 losing yrs with our Bucs. I’m sure he will do well with his 1st HC College coaching job. HE’s had more wins than our..golden boy Koetter at both levels. Don’t feel sorry for Lovie (You haters here don’t of course) After all, How many of YOU…will collect millions from the Tampa Bay Cheaponeers for the next 3 years and get a real good salary from Illinois. Answer…None of you nor me. After all, You can’t keep a good man down. Just ask Dungy..or Doug Williams..or Steve young..or Dilfer..They moved on and did well.. Marin might too!
March 5th, 2016 at 11:22 pm
You guys talking about nepotism………are so funny!!
March 5th, 2016 at 11:57 pm
Per: The Buc Realist
Smh, Funny
March 6th, 2016 at 12:01 am
Mike Johnson
Get your facts correct sir… your ignorance is laughable just like Lovie’s coaching record. Lovie was in Chicago 9 years not 11 and he only had 5 winning seasons. Lovie was a failure simple as that regardless of his color which is all you care about. 8-8 is breaking even not winning. The best part is Loser Lovie gets to look up at Raheem and Schiano’s above him on the bucs all time win list. Lovie is a fraud….
counting the bucs lovie had 7 losing seasons in 11 years that’s laughable
BigHogHogHaynes
Lovie’s sons were not qualified assistant coaches for a nfl team. Hiring unqualified relatives is the definition of nepotism. it’s not racial they were unqualified it’s factual… Lovie is a fraud who stole from the glazers simple as that….
March 6th, 2016 at 12:07 am
I guess the Illini will be on the verge of a Bowl appearance for the next 5 to 7 years…
March 6th, 2016 at 12:10 am
I wasn’t a fan of Lovie but you have to admit this is a huge hire for Illinois. He’s got the NFL connection and that is the most important recruitment tool.
March 6th, 2016 at 12:23 am
Mike Johnson
oh and another fact you screwed up was Koetter was a college Head Coach from 98 to 2006 and he accumulated a 66 – 44 .600 record… stop the race baiting and learn how to use google it’s your friend. Lovie will never accumulate 66 wins at Illinois..
March 6th, 2016 at 12:41 am
🙂
March 6th, 2016 at 12:56 am
tmaxcon Says:
March 6th, 2016 at 12:07 am
I guess the Illini will be on the verge of a Bowl appearance for the next 5 to 7 years…
…………..
THIS
March 6th, 2016 at 1:32 am
But here is the BIG question…are they Murray State ready???
March 6th, 2016 at 7:28 am
@Dean
You could not be more wrong!!! How do you think that a phone call between NFL GM Licht and lovie got out in to the media as “he was fired by telephone” the very next day!!! And unlike Coach Schiano, who with class even though he was treated terribly by the local media, still held a press conference to thank the fans, and opportunity the Glazers gave him at some hotel down the street!! And lovie went silent , giving the double silent treatment to NFL GM Licht!!
NO Class in my book, There are many other things that the Tampa2 mafia has done working in the background!! No Class lovie got exactly what he deserved!!!!!!
March 6th, 2016 at 8:24 am
Lovie only wants the job if he bring bring his worthless sons.
Lovie Smith is pure garbage. He was never 100% here and treated this as a job fair for his worthless children.
Lovie sucks.
March 6th, 2016 at 10:23 am
Note to tmaxcon. Race baiting? Wow! Its evident you need that Anti Trump fox News step down there son. I’ve never mentioned race. But..YOU DID!!
And like I said. Lovie Smith will do well. As many other Buc Fires have done. The man will collect millions and still be a college HC. That’s what I call, dusting yourself off and getting back in the game sir. He didn’t lie around sulking because our Bucs have no vision. He makes his own..there..Hater!.
March 6th, 2016 at 11:35 am
@Mike Johnson
…to be honest…you have been messing up a few facts lately.
March 6th, 2016 at 12:48 pm
I can’t off the top of my head say which conference Illinois is even in, I’m guessing they are surrounded by Ohio St., Michigan regular and St., and the others, so that conference? Indiana sucked and has improved, Illinois seems so obscure. Lovie’s about to make a name for himself and that team, comatose.
March 6th, 2016 at 2:15 pm
@tmaxcon….hey bro I don’t agree with everything Mike J. said but your reaction to it is the problem with America buddy especially since he DIDN’T mention race. I’m a white guy who’s married to a “sista” and our two kids are mixed. I’ve seen the hatred towards them because of their black side. It’s effin ridiculous. The kids had to have learned hatred from their parents. But instead of us white America trying to defend or denounce every “racial” claim just listen with an open mind and realize that alot of claims are bs…but not alot are not. Instead of rebutting the racism in America, embrace it and work towards making it better. Teach our kids right and eventually the sickness goes away. That goes for black people as well. Cause alot of them don’t think it’s racism because they are angry or have been discriminated against and take it out all us white people. Well…it is.
March 6th, 2016 at 5:21 pm
Ok..so I messed up a few facts. who hasn’t at one or the other during their lives.I//was just wishing Lovie Smith well unlike a lot of you who blame our Bucs ills..all on Lovie. Which is a croc. Its like when I hear people say, we gotta take our country back? Huh? I been here for over 50 yrs as a white man payin taxes and workin. And the USA is still here. Always will be. WELL SAID THERE DAVID…People make inferences. I never ever mentioned race in my postings. I only said, check out our history with certain coaches and players. Maybeee..some guilt somewhere set in with a few fans here. I have been a Bucs fans since inception. But I refuse to eat the crap of, Yes, we are better. Not yet. They still gotta prove it.
March 6th, 2016 at 5:29 pm
Have to agree with Tmax on this one 100%
And this post proves to me the reason why lovie is not our coach, he was asked to can his unqualified sons and he refused. As stated above, he put them before our Bucs. I withdraw my well wishes for his future.
March 6th, 2016 at 6:59 pm
jBeachbuc…I’m sure Lovie feels the same for you sir.