We will start with Gary Moeller. Had been an assistant at Michigan for 10 years, was a defensive coordinator. Went 6-24-3 at Illinois, they were shutout 6 times in 33 games (one was teh 0-0 tie with double directional). Fail.
Mike White was next. Had a successful stint at Cal but was fired for alleged recruiting violations. Joe roth (what a story) and Chuck Muncie leading the way. He coaches 2 yeas in the NFL and then to Illinois. White said it was his favorite job. Took Illinois from the outhouse to the penthouse in year 4, dynamic offensive guy. White didn't have much success his last two seasons, going 4-7 and 3-7-1 before getting fired. Struggled to get a QB after Wilson, Eason and Trudeau.
His replacement was John Mackovic. Mackovic had 3 years as the head coach at Wake Forest, they were terrible prior and he took them to their first bowl game in 30 years. He then tok the QB coach job with the Cowboys for 2 years and then was the KC head coach for 4 years and went 30-34. fired after a playoff appearance. Comes to Ilinois as AD and FB coach, goes 30-16-1 in 4 years with 4 straight bowls.
When he leaves, Illinois hires from within, getting Lou Tepper, DC under Mackovic. He had no head coaching experience. He had a boatload of talent, Rice, Hardy, Holcombe, etc....and had 2 winning seasons and 3 bowls before going 2-9 and teh bottom falling out of recruiting in 96.
Replacing him was Ron Turner, Bears Offensive coordinator. Turner had 1 year at San Jose State where he went 7-4, but was known for his prolific 'pro style offense' with the Bears. Long time QB guru. He goes 0-11 in year 1, but is 8-4 in year 3 and 10-2 and in the Rose Bowl in year 5. Recruitng falls off and he is fired after 11th and 10th place Big Ten finishes. Turner didn't love recruiting, and it showed.
His replacement, Ron Zook loved recruiting and fatre two horrid season of 2-9 and 2-10, had Illinois rolling with NFL talent enrouet to a 9-4 season and a Rose Bowl in 2007. He didn't coach well, making strange decisions often, and would miss bowls the next two seasons before making two bowls in a row. With job security questions his recruiting had fallen off a bit and after starting 6-0 his last season and then losing 6 straight he was fired. Zook had previous head coaching experience at FLorida, but was just 23-15 at the perennial power. He did recruit 22 of 24 starters on the 2007 national title team.
REplacing him, Illinois made a brutal hire with Tim Beckman from Toledo in 2012. Beckman had been at Toledo and gone 21-16 in 3 seasons. He has an outstanding young offensive coordinator in Matt Campbell, but as a defensive minded coach, he never had a sccessful defense. He was a mess, chewing tobacco on the sidelines, athlete treatment issues, lasagna, and just full blwon meathead, he is fired prior to year 4 after making a bowl game.
Bill Cubit did one season in a pinch and Illinois went 5-7.
Then we have Lovie. Longtime NFl guy that had success with the Bears and was expected to parlay that into recruiting Chicago well. Instead, he hated the media, didn't recruit and refused to adapt his antiquated defensive schemes. He did a good job helping with fundraising, but has consistently ranked at the bottom of Big Ten recruiting rankings.
The drop off after White and Mackovic is startling. You have either had guys without a plan or without a brain on the sidleines for almost 40 years, and multiple guys that hated recruiting.
Mike White was next. Had a successful stint at Cal but was fired for alleged recruiting violations. Joe roth (what a story) and Chuck Muncie leading the way. He coaches 2 yeas in the NFL and then to Illinois. White said it was his favorite job. Took Illinois from the outhouse to the penthouse in year 4, dynamic offensive guy. White didn't have much success his last two seasons, going 4-7 and 3-7-1 before getting fired. Struggled to get a QB after Wilson, Eason and Trudeau.
His replacement was John Mackovic. Mackovic had 3 years as the head coach at Wake Forest, they were terrible prior and he took them to their first bowl game in 30 years. He then tok the QB coach job with the Cowboys for 2 years and then was the KC head coach for 4 years and went 30-34. fired after a playoff appearance. Comes to Ilinois as AD and FB coach, goes 30-16-1 in 4 years with 4 straight bowls.
When he leaves, Illinois hires from within, getting Lou Tepper, DC under Mackovic. He had no head coaching experience. He had a boatload of talent, Rice, Hardy, Holcombe, etc....and had 2 winning seasons and 3 bowls before going 2-9 and teh bottom falling out of recruiting in 96.
Replacing him was Ron Turner, Bears Offensive coordinator. Turner had 1 year at San Jose State where he went 7-4, but was known for his prolific 'pro style offense' with the Bears. Long time QB guru. He goes 0-11 in year 1, but is 8-4 in year 3 and 10-2 and in the Rose Bowl in year 5. Recruitng falls off and he is fired after 11th and 10th place Big Ten finishes. Turner didn't love recruiting, and it showed.
His replacement, Ron Zook loved recruiting and fatre two horrid season of 2-9 and 2-10, had Illinois rolling with NFL talent enrouet to a 9-4 season and a Rose Bowl in 2007. He didn't coach well, making strange decisions often, and would miss bowls the next two seasons before making two bowls in a row. With job security questions his recruiting had fallen off a bit and after starting 6-0 his last season and then losing 6 straight he was fired. Zook had previous head coaching experience at FLorida, but was just 23-15 at the perennial power. He did recruit 22 of 24 starters on the 2007 national title team.
REplacing him, Illinois made a brutal hire with Tim Beckman from Toledo in 2012. Beckman had been at Toledo and gone 21-16 in 3 seasons. He has an outstanding young offensive coordinator in Matt Campbell, but as a defensive minded coach, he never had a sccessful defense. He was a mess, chewing tobacco on the sidelines, athlete treatment issues, lasagna, and just full blwon meathead, he is fired prior to year 4 after making a bowl game.
Bill Cubit did one season in a pinch and Illinois went 5-7.
Then we have Lovie. Longtime NFl guy that had success with the Bears and was expected to parlay that into recruiting Chicago well. Instead, he hated the media, didn't recruit and refused to adapt his antiquated defensive schemes. He did a good job helping with fundraising, but has consistently ranked at the bottom of Big Ten recruiting rankings.
The drop off after White and Mackovic is startling. You have either had guys without a plan or without a brain on the sidleines for almost 40 years, and multiple guys that hated recruiting.
