Big Ten: Land Of Lost Bucs Coaches
March 6th, 2016
Heading back to the State of Illinois.
Yes, there were two shockers yesterday in the football world, three if you include the Miami Dolphins wooing free agent defensive end Mario Williams.
The first would be late-morning yesterday when it was learned Illinois coach Bill Cubit was fired (along with his offensive coordinator son) just three months after having “interim” removed from his title.
Also, Illinois was just days away from the beginning of spring practice. Just who in the name of Chief Illiwek fires its coach right before spring practice?
I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Hours later, it was learned from various credible sources that former Bucs coach Lovie Smith is expected to take over the Fighting Illini.
(Anyone care to wonder who throws out the term “backstabber” first and in what context?)
Lovie hasn’t been on the college sidelines since he was defensive backs coach at Ohio State under John Cooper in 1995. Lovie should know the Big Ten a little bit, having also served as linebackers coach at Wisconsin in 1987.
Then again, two decades ago in the world of football is an ice age ago.
This whole thing is interesting to Joe. First, just what kind of staff could Lovie throw together now? Just what coach is going to leave on the eve of (or during) spring practice? And what NFL coach would leave with the draft just around the corner?
Off the top of Joe’s head, the only guys who would jump ship are guys either unemployed (if you are an unemployed football coach in March, there is probably a good reason why), or small college coaches who would dive at the chance to coach in the Big Ten and hope rubbing elbows with Lovie will open doors down the road.
Is Jeff Tedford available, perhaps?
Sadly, Illinois doesn’t play The Ohio State this year. Joe would have loved to be within earshot of Buckeyes defensive coordinator Greg Schiano comparing Bucs notes with Lovie prior to kickoff.
Joe is going to guess Urban Meyer eventually will watch film of how Lovie’s defense got ripped to shreds by a spread-option quarterback (Marcus Mariota) and Meyer won’t be able to wipe the drool off his face.
Joe is going to also guess offensive coordinators in the Big Ten slept well last night.
March 6th, 2016 at 6:32 am
Ah, first staff hires — Lovie’s kids
March 6th, 2016 at 7:47 am
maybe its time for mike Jenkins to take coaching.
March 6th, 2016 at 7:50 am
Reasons why lovie will love it in college
1.) he can play a whole new secondary roster everygame due to roster size!!!!
2.) Reporters are used to the ” I know and you don’t” routine and bulling that lovie does!!!
3.) both were considered “great” in the past, though no one seems to remember why!!!
4.) In trying to close mid-level recruits, his answer to as why they should be Illinois football players. “its as simple as that”!!!!!
5.)When thing go south at Illinois someone will say ” But he went to the superbowl with Rex Grossman”!!!!
March 6th, 2016 at 7:53 am
Good luck Lovie.
I’m sure you can have very positive impact on college kids as you are a class act, unlike many bucs fans and local media members who have never coached their way out of a paper bag.
March 6th, 2016 at 8:18 am
Eric…I actually really DO think I could coach better than Lovie Smith. I think you could too.
March 6th, 2016 at 8:18 am
@Eric
we have very different definitions of “class” While your seems to be if you have called plays in football on some level. My definition is treating people with respect ( not just your all-star players). maybe even thanking fan for their support or thanking your boss for the employment opportunity!!!
To me lovie is giving the double silent treatment to NFL GM Licht and all of Tampa!!! He has no class in my book!!!!
March 6th, 2016 at 8:22 am
I’m just glad Monken is staying, something about his energy and fire that excite me. Reminds me of Pete Carrol. Players respond to that type of mojo.
March 6th, 2016 at 8:24 am
Oh my, Nos-Bos just took a shot at lovie!!!!! Is that why the team was so flat the last two years!!!! lovie has no mojo as reported by Nos-Bos!!!!
March 6th, 2016 at 8:28 am
I suspect even Eric could have coached the defense better than Lovie did last year. I also suspect that Lovie benefited from the talent and skills of the coaches and players around him for any success he had. I would not want him back as a position coach much less as a DC or HC. At least Dungy could coach defense, but he never would have won a SB without Jim Caldwell and Peyton Manning. They’re both nice guys, but they have their limitations. Neither one would have ever won a SB with the Bucs. I believe Koetter has a staff that can get it done, and not too far in the future. Lovie will be unemployed again pretty soon, and forced to retire. He doesn’t have the personality to work on TV.
March 6th, 2016 at 8:45 am
I wish Lovie well, just NOT with our team. The guy may be a good person, but as has already been pointed out here, the guy couldn’t coach for crap. How did he get the job at Illinois? I honestly believe he took this job simply to find work for his idiot sons, since no one else is foolish enough to let them coach on a collegiate or professional level. It says a lot about what kind of “professionals” they are that they keep following Daddy everywhere. Say what ya want about Layne Kiffin, but at least he wasn’t solely dependent on Daddy to find him work. As a football family the Smith’s are a complete joke.
March 6th, 2016 at 8:45 am
Lovie….I guess keeps his $10mil & picks up another paycheck…..Illinois wants his kids too….If Lovie wants to continue coaching….this seems like a good move for him because his NFL days are likely over.
As for the class act….I can’t disagree with that but it has nothing to do with NFL coaching ability. That is simply a separate charcter issue…..but it would seem to be an asset for him going forward.
March 6th, 2016 at 9:40 am
All you guys are HATERS, pluse a lot more, you want to kick him when he down that’s not right, never heard that much hate towards, TOES ON THE LINE, LOVIE don’t owe 1987 a damn thing, nor Tampa Bay a damn thing, there is LIFE after being BACK-STABBED by the GM he helped bring to TAMPA, you get fired you move own. GOOD LUCK LOVIE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TWO YEARS OF SERVICE!!!
March 6th, 2016 at 9:53 am
Well the fact that you guys take this news, not to wish a good guy like Loview well, but to further bash him speaks volumes on the class issue.
Lovie has not said a word, by comparison.
And yes I am sure your phones are ringing off the hook to bring you in all in on an NFL coaching staff. Water boy maybe if they couldn’t find anybody else.
Once again good luck Lovie. Didn’t work out here but the man is no quitter. He could be sitting in his garage and collecting millions like I would do. Obviously he loves the game.
Something to be said for that.
March 6th, 2016 at 10:05 am
Bad luck Lovie. Maybe he hires his wife to help coach the the linebackers too
March 6th, 2016 at 10:15 am
Eric
Men of high character take responsibility for their mistakes / failures. Lovie never once took responsibility for anything. Men of high character don’t throw others under the bus repeatedly to save ones own arse which Lovie did consistently throughout his career. He burnt through offensive and defensive coordinators faster than Warren Sapp burns through cheap hookers.
Men of high character don’t hire unqualified family members for NFL coaching positions which is basically stealing money from ownership.
Lovie is a fraud. Living off a bs reputation. He is far from a nice guy nor a man of good character he is a hypocrite loser.
How do you think the 17 offensive and defensive coordinators and their families feel about Lovie Smith’s character after being Knifed in the back then fired and uprooted to save Lovie’s own arse…
March 6th, 2016 at 10:24 am
BigHog…yes Lovie and his free 20 million dollars are doing just fine.
He gets no pity from me only ire and well deserved.
“We don’t expect our fans to be patient.” – Lovely Smith
March 6th, 2016 at 10:25 am
I don’t think he’s qualified to coach the Illini. That’s how much I think he SUCKS!
March 6th, 2016 at 10:30 am
Lovie is drawing a nice big fat paycheck from the Bucs like Schiano for the next few years. The Bucs can pay them but not their star running back? How sad. Truly living up to their new name… THE TAMPA BAY ATL FALCON CHEAPONEERS! Well, at least the cheap part is not new.
March 6th, 2016 at 10:44 am
Realist!!! You must’ve missed my post directed towards Mike Johnson on another article when I mention to him how much time and energy I put into defending lovie but had to ultimately let it go because his coaching was atrocious. I stated to him Don’t play the black And white card And admitted that I had on more than one occasion And was wrong for doing so. Muy apologies to anyone I might have offended in the process. I also stated how excited I am about Koetter. I’m a forward thinker the past is just that the past. I’m now all in for Koetter no two way about it.
March 6th, 2016 at 11:04 am
NosBos…I didn’t miss it. I don’t miss a dayum thing on this site. I didn’t want to weigh in on it though as I already went on that merry-go-round already.
I remember you seeming puzzled at my lack of love for Lovie after the last draft. I think it was you. I had to tell you why too. I said I got what I wanted in Jameis, but that doesn’t mean I like Lovie Smith.
That spilled over into the season and the Skins game by not going for it on 4th down killed me. It hurt me bad, for about a month. I’m not lying. That’s how much I hate that S.O.B. after that game. Passion. I’m a very passionate Bucs fan. Lovie had no passion. So we clashed for certain. Color never had anything to do with it as you’ll rarely see me bashing Raheem the Dream. You also know my LOVE of everything Jameis and he’s black. Accused of a heinous act as well.
Yet I was called a bigot and a racist in here the day after Lovie was fired. That pissed me off. So then I had to put out a disclaimer for a little bit when posting about Lovely. That said it had nothing to do with the color of skin. That ruffled feathers too. So I dropped it as long as peeps stopped dropping the card on me.
Everything is not always about black and white everyone. We’re all Bucs fans here no matter what. So let’s look forward to a brighter future instead of more of what we’ve seen. Lovie’s gone and let’s hope Koetter is the answer. Might or might not be, but that’s part of being a Bucs fan these days. Hope, hope, hope.
March 6th, 2016 at 11:55 am
87 you should love Lovie without him no Jameis.
Our current coach preferred Marriota.
March 6th, 2016 at 12:31 pm
I knew there was a woebegone team out there somewhere Lovie would fit in perfectly with. Zook went there from the Gators, he sucked up there too. Good luck Lovie and all that.
March 6th, 2016 at 12:41 pm
Well spoken 87, and I feel you bro.
March 6th, 2016 at 3:20 pm
@BigHogHaynes: You didn’t hear this much “hate” directed at Schiano? Seriously? Were you even here?
March 6th, 2016 at 4:09 pm
Lovie took blame a few times. Didn’t change anything, though.
And Joe will forever thank Lovie for Jameis. Folks can try as they might, but without Lovie’s blessing, Jameis wouldn’t be here. Simple as that.