Whitman will meet with the big donors a week or so after the season. Supposedly there is (or was) still some support for Lovie amongst some of them, but I have to believe the majority of the group won’t be so inclined. If this meeting occurs before the last game, it doesn’t bode well for Lovie.
I have no clue as to how JW is leaning. Also, keep in mind that the person at the top of all this is an ardent Lovie supporter. So if JW does want to part ways with Smith, it might not be so simple.
While economics is an issue, it does not appear to be as big as people think. Football drives everything financially, including basketball. The decision will not be made on the basis of dollars (although it is a factor).
I have not been nearly as in tune with matters this year for a number of reasons, Covid being a big one. The 22 class in state is supposed to be very good. There has been chatter about cutting Lovie out right after this season ends, and getting a coach who can recruit to help take advantage of this. Lovie has burned that bridge, and it will take a regime change to repair it. It has gone on too long and is too deep.
I can say, with confidence, that the D line coaches and Miles Smith are not high power 5 coaches. They are at a middle of the pack MAC level bunch who are in way over their heads, coaching and recruiting wise. In many ways, Lovie is coaching these groups. That being said, the D line has not been awful, and the linebackers have played pretty well.
It is a damn shame about Beason. In training camp last year, he absolutely dominated. This injury sounds like one that is not going to go away, at least not totally.
I asked about Luke Ford. Simple answer is that Barker, right now, is a better TE. That doesn’t mean he can’t play, Georgia saw enough in him to make it nearly impossible to leave, and JW had to intervene to complete the transfer. So, there is talent there.
I wish I had some recruiting info, but I don’t, other than UI is or will be putting a lot of effort into the transfer portal. Problem is, other schools are seeing this upside and doing it to, and it is not as easy as it was 2 or 3 years ago. That said, we are seeing a change in transfers; kids are far more likely to leave than they were before. High numbers. And we have room, especially if East Carolina continues flipping our commits ...
I have no clue as to how JW is leaning. Also, keep in mind that the person at the top of all this is an ardent Lovie supporter. So if JW does want to part ways with Smith, it might not be so simple.
While economics is an issue, it does not appear to be as big as people think. Football drives everything financially, including basketball. The decision will not be made on the basis of dollars (although it is a factor).
I have not been nearly as in tune with matters this year for a number of reasons, Covid being a big one. The 22 class in state is supposed to be very good. There has been chatter about cutting Lovie out right after this season ends, and getting a coach who can recruit to help take advantage of this. Lovie has burned that bridge, and it will take a regime change to repair it. It has gone on too long and is too deep.
I can say, with confidence, that the D line coaches and Miles Smith are not high power 5 coaches. They are at a middle of the pack MAC level bunch who are in way over their heads, coaching and recruiting wise. In many ways, Lovie is coaching these groups. That being said, the D line has not been awful, and the linebackers have played pretty well.
It is a damn shame about Beason. In training camp last year, he absolutely dominated. This injury sounds like one that is not going to go away, at least not totally.
I asked about Luke Ford. Simple answer is that Barker, right now, is a better TE. That doesn’t mean he can’t play, Georgia saw enough in him to make it nearly impossible to leave, and JW had to intervene to complete the transfer. So, there is talent there.
I wish I had some recruiting info, but I don’t, other than UI is or will be putting a lot of effort into the transfer portal. Problem is, other schools are seeing this upside and doing it to, and it is not as easy as it was 2 or 3 years ago. That said, we are seeing a change in transfers; kids are far more likely to leave than they were before. High numbers. And we have room, especially if East Carolina continues flipping our commits ...
