Sun-Times: 3 Coaches for Illinios to Consider (Narduzzi, Kiffin, Morris)

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
61,974
Reaction score
18,168
Points
113
Lane Kiffin in the Big Ten?! It would be fun to see him, Urban Meyer and Franklin go at it on the recruiting trail.

Per the Sun-Times:

2. Lane Kiffin. Alabama’s controversial first-year offensive coordinator wants back in as a head coach, and Illinois (or Kansas) probably is the top level at which Kiffin could get such a shot right now. Alabama athletic director Bill Battle told the Sun-Times that Kiffin is a ‘‘brilliant offensive coach’’ and ‘‘the fans and the players all love him.’’

‘‘His time will come again,’’ said Battle, who didn’t dispute that Kiffin would be interested in the Illini.

Kiffin would be a game-changer as a recruiter.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/coll...linois-football-to-consider.html#.VEkJzxafh-Z

Go Gophers!!
 


Narduzzi would be a strong hire, but no one has been able to steal him from MSU yet. I think to be successful at Illinois it should be someone who is willing to get his hands into the Chicago recruiting scene. That's not easy to find, and even harder to get someone who can do it cleanly - or at least with the visage of cleanliness.
 

It's a little early to speculate without knowing what other jobs will be open. Narduzzi is the best fit while Kiffen and Morris slot better in the SEC or Big 12.
 

Narduzzi would be a strong hire, but no one has been able to steal him from MSU yet. I think to be successful at Illinois it should be someone who is willing to get his hands into the Chicago recruiting scene. That's not easy to find, and even harder to get someone who can do it cleanly - or at least with the visage of cleanliness.

Assuming he's waiting out Dantonio's retirement.
 


Narduzzi would be a strong hire, but no one has been able to steal him from MSU yet. I think to be successful at Illinois it should be someone who is willing to get his hands into the Chicago recruiting scene. That's not easy to find, and even harder to get someone who can do it cleanly - or at least with the visage of cleanliness.

Does anyone else get the feeling that Kiffin cheats and would sell his soul to win and bring in the best players? Just a feeling. I've never read much about his past, but he just seems like a trouble maker. Kinda unfair of me, but he reminds me of Lou Holtz.
 

Man, it has to be fun to be Tim Beckman right now and have those articles come out while you are still technically "employed".
 

Does anyone else get the feeling that Kiffin cheats and would sell his soul to win and bring in the best players? Just a feeling. I've never read much about his past, but he just seems like a trouble maker. Kinda unfair of me, but he reminds me of Lou Holtz.

Wow, that's just cold. Accurate, but cold. :drink:
 

Assuming he's waiting out Dantonio's retirement.

I don't think Dantonio will be retiring anytime soon and it will be on Dantonio's terms when he does part ways with the program. Narduzzi will need to be very patient if that is how he is playing it.
 



Illinois already had a 'Lane Kiffen type hire' his name was Ron Zook. He did bring them relevance, for a year.
 

Man, it has to be fun to be Tim Beckman right now and have those articles come out while you are still technically "employed".

I was just thinking the same thing. The articles don't even seem to bother with "if Beckman doesn't return" anymore. Before I saw your post, I was going to ask if he had been terminated and I missed it.
 


Illinois already had a 'Lane Kiffen type hire' his name was Ron Zook. He did bring them relevance, for a year.

I've never seen a program with so many peaks and valleys. Kiffin would be an excellent hire. He turns 40 in May and hopefully will be ready to step into a job and commit 100% to it without 1 foot out the door.

Interesting to note that Kiffin's wife went to Florida and Father-in-law played for the Gators.
 



I've never seen a program with so many peaks and valleys. Kiffin would be an excellent hire. He turns 40 in May and hopefully will be ready to step into a job and commit 100% to it without 1 foot out the door.

Interesting to note that Kiffin's wife went to Florida and Father-in-law played for the Gators.

He had that situation at USC (his self-proclaimed "dream job") and was fired not because he wasn't fully committed or had one foot out the door, but rather because he was bad at coaching football. Some guys are meant to be head coaches. Other guys are meant to be recruiting coordinators.
 

I was just thinking the same thing. The articles don't even seem to bother with "if Beckman doesn't return" anymore. Before I saw your post, I was going to ask if he had been terminated and I missed it.

I thought the same thing after I read the Sun-Times article.
 

And Illinois fans/blog chime in on the Kiffin rumors:

Please Don't Hire Lane Kiffin

So we're talking about a head coach who's an ace recruiter but could only win about 65% of his games at a true blueblood college football school. Ron Zook won 62.2% of his games at Florida. We made this exact same hiring a decade ago and it ultimately did not work out. Yeah, Lane Kiffin has been more successful than Tim Beckman has at this level. No one can or is arguing that. But if you're asking "Who can turn Illinois around and ultimately lead the Illini to become a perennial 8-9 win team?" the answer is not Lane Kiffin.
 


Kiffin would be a terrible hire, for any Big Ten school. I should note, this is completely bias because I was attending UT when Kiffin was hired and subsequently ran out of town after it was learned he would leave us high and dry for his "dream job". While there he incurred the ire of the NCAA for quite a few minor violations. Recruited good players, but many of them had questionable issues: work ethic, criminal issues, academic issues, etc. Told a committed Taj Boyd they did not want him anymore, so he rescinded his commitment and lit it up for Clemson. After 1 season he left us high and dry, with more (unknown at the time) NCAA violations to dig out of, recruited committed and enrolled players to leave and follow him to USC, left UT at a critical time in the recruiting season which didn't bode well for well for landing recruits or hiring a decent coach. Sorry Derek Dooley fans, but he is not a "decent' SEC/Power 5 Conference coach. Basically left us with a six to seven year window to try to make up for such a poor hire. He will bring trouble. Is he charismatic? Yes. Can he recruit? Yes. Can he consistently win? Not been proven at any level. Can he leave programs in shambles? YEP. Will he leave when a "better" job come by? History says so.

So, Illini if you want to hire him and see your future, look to UT. They are still paying for that mistake.

Sorry for my ranting, but as Coach Kill says I hear what you say but believe what I see. I see nothing but trouble with Kiffin and don't want that in the Big Ten.

Funny Al Davis called him out for his disingenuous, job jumping, lying ways and was the one time in his last 10-15 years where his rants were spot on...
 


I don't think Dantonio will be retiring anytime soon and it will be on Dantonio's terms when he does part ways with the program. Narduzzi will need to be very patient if that is how he is playing it.

Dantonio is 58. Narduzzi is 48 and makes around $900,000/year. He's in a pretty good situation if he is in fact the head coach-in-waiting.
 

He had that situation at USC (his self-proclaimed "dream job") and was fired not because he wasn't fully committed or had one foot out the door, but rather because he was bad at coaching football. Some guys are meant to be head coaches. Other guys are meant to be recruiting coordinators.

I see what you did there. Paging Tim Brewster, paging Tim Brewster. ;)
 

Dantonio is 58. Narduzzi is 48 and makes around $900,000/year. He's in a pretty good situation if he is in fact the head coach-in-waiting.

I'm saying that Dantonio could be there 15+ years health permitting. Narduzzi would be in his 60's in that scenario.
 

Please hire Kiffen, that should net us 4-5 years of dominance over Illinois.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Why when a job like Illinois seems open would they not look at Phillip Fulmer? Given an opportunity he would build a tough out.
 




Top Bottom