...and begin to rebuild the rebuilding project.

Just want to go on record that the Illini are about to go on an historic run of awfulness.

They will lose the next 6 games. They will likely beat SIU next year before losing every game after that. I see it playing out like this -

0-6 the rest of 2012.

2013 Illinois Football Schedule
Aug. 31 Southern Illinois W
Sept. 7 Cincinnati L
Sept. 14 vs. Washington L
Sept. 21 Open W
Sept. 28 Miami (OH) (Dad's Day) L
Oct. 5 at Nebraska L
Oct. 12 Open GLORIOUS
Oct. 19 Wisconsin L
Oct. 26 Michigan State (Homecoming) L
Nov. 2 at Penn State L
Nov. 9 at Indiana L
Nov. 16 Ohio State L
Nov. 23 at Purdue L
Nov. 30 Northwestern L
Dec. 7 Big Ten Championship Game

2014 Illinois Football Schedule
Two non-conference games TBA
Aug. 30 Youngstown State W
Sept. 6 TBA L
Sept. 13 at Washington L
Sept. 20 TBA
Sept. 27 TBA
Oct. 4 at Michigan State L
Oct. 11 Indiana (Homecoming) TIE
Oct. 18 Nebraska L
Oct. 25 at Wisconsin L
Nov. 1 TBA
Nov. 8 at Ohio State L x 2
Nov. 15 Purdue (Dad's Day) L
Nov. 22 Penn State W
Nov. 29 at Northwestern L
Dec. 6 Big Ten Championship Game

2015 Illinois Football Schedule
Two non-conference games TBA
Sept. 5 Western Illinois W
Sept. 12 Kent State W A STREAK!
Sept. 19 TBA
Sept. 26 TBA
Oct. 3 at Penn State W
Oct. 10 at Indiana L
Oct. 17 Wisconsin L
Oct. 24 Michigan L
Oct. 31 at Iowa L
Nov. 7 TBA
Nov. 14 Ohio State L
Nov. 21 at Purdue L
Nov. 28 Northwestern L
Dec. 5 Big Ten Championship Game

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You know me like that.

It's bad when it makes the Jerry Kill hire look good.

Counting the 2 wins that he has. I think it would be an upset if Beckman won 6 games in his first 3 years.

I have them at 5 unless they schedule just some absolute cupcakes in those Open dates but I don't think there is such a thing as a cupcake for a Beckman Illinois team.

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You know me like that.

This is best evidence you've ever presented.
You're right, there is now way NIU could compete.

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This statement makes it sound as if you believe he would have more than those 3 years

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He might.

I think the only way he doesn't get 4 years is if Thomas is fired first.

As I think Groce might be pretty decent, that would probably be enough for Thomas to keep his job for a while. In which case, Beckman is here for a while.

A good NIU team would probably finish 12th in a 13-team Big Ten this year. I'll give you that.

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You know me like that.

If, for any reason at all, he gets another year after only 5-6 wins in 3 years - Illinois fans should riot in the streets.


7th, at worst. Probably better.

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He's got a 5-year / $9 million deal.

He'll get 4 years. It'll be a miracle if he doesn't get 5.

Illinois tends not to pay for people to go away.

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You know me like that.

You either let people go in year 4 of a 5 year deal or you extend. No one with a less-than-one year contract is gonna be able to recruit.

That's small potatoes for a big school. You could dump him after year two and still only have under 6 to make him go away. Ron Zook got 2.6 to go away and that's off the books. Weber got 3.9 (paid over 3 years).

Here is a copy of the actual buyout:

Beckman's buyout is two times his base pay of $400,000 for each of the remaining years. If Beckman is released by the school with two years left on his deal, he will be owed $1.05 million ($1.6 million minus $550,000 to mitigate damages).

So fired after Year 2, he would get 2.4M - 725K or 1.675M -> So it's not a big payout to worry about.

Thanks, Vince.

So, there's still hope for 2015. With the Cubs winning the World Series, that's going to be a big year.

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You know me like that.

Illinois is dwelling in the purgatory of college sports.

Shit, fire the next guy too and save yourself the trouble.

Don't worry Doc, you guys will still beat Indiana this year

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I don't see it. They're every bit as bad as they were in the first 2 Zook seasons and they have much more talent than those teams had.

I can only assume you haven't yet seen an Illini game this season and for that I envy you.

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You know me like that.

You are right, I haven't. But I have watched IU and I have no confidence in them beating anyone right now. Guess one of us will be pleasantly surprised.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

You know Chicago's Big Ten Team still needs fans. All willing and able bodies will fit nicely into the highschool bleachers up in Evanston.

Illinois should have hired Mike Leach.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

IIRC, he wouldn't even stoop(squat?) to an Illinois interview.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Maybe, but will he really be better than Weber? It just seems to me like they replaced Bruce with a new version. And at least Zook could recruit. Now they're just running different shitty schemes with lesser players.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

No, he's nothing like Bruce. I don't know what kind of coach he'll be but he's already gotten rave reviews on his recruiting from coaches, AAU and high school. Said they've never seen such energy and excitement from a group like him and his staff.

People in the administration offices say he's more like Bill Self in his ability to talk to anybody like he's their best friend.

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You know me like that.

Yeah, I've read that too, but I need to see more than Kendrick Nunn before I'm sold. I guess it's a start.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

He really had no chance to do much this year, recruiting-wise.

But, I've been impressed with his ability to make an impact on guys in a few short months. He didn't get all those (although there's the Mayes kid coming up in a couple weeks) but sounds like he will start to get them. The Public League guy he got to replace Chew has been viewed as a real solid guy as well.

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You know me like that.

Did you not like Bruce? I think Bruce was a good fit for Illinois. And he had good success. I believe he was unfairly maligned, but he did seem to lose his team last season. In the end that cost him his job, although I think Thomas wanted his own man anyway.

I just wonder if Groce is going to be a guy looking for what he may see as the next step up if he has success in Champaign.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Bobby Petrino or Butch Davis COME ON DOWN! Any other disgraced coaches need a job? Hire them, too.

I would take Petrino tomorrow over the stooge they hired.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Is there really any doubt that he would?

Illinois is not a destination job. It is a step towards one.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

It is for somebody.

Even Kansas wasn't a destination job. There are maybe 2 of those - in truth. It's all perspective.

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You know me like that.

I would call Kansas a destination job...even though Roy split......Weber was content to stay, Illinois is a destination job for some guys..just not elite coaches.

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