I sense you see problems with the Illinois football program, Reason. It's been veiled in your posts of the past few years but, if you read closely, it's there.

Serious question - other than firing Zook - what do you think really needs to be done to improve it? They have new facilities. Do you think another coach would recruit better? Is a new coach just going to make these guys better?

Personally, I think this combo of coordinators and Zook as motivational speaker is the best situation of the Zook Era. I only wish it was in place with the talent of the last 2 years or so.

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You know me like that.

The issue that I have seen with the Illini over the past few years is the ability to develop talent. They seem to recruit very good players who seem to reach their peak when they get to Illinois rather than peaking their talent in the junior/senior years. So I would say that is more than the coordinators - it points to the quality of the position coaches and strength coaches. This is just an outsider view.

Ability to coach has always been the problem. Illinois coaching staff over the last five years or so have been all recruiters and no coaches. However, this year, they got two new coordinators who coach first and also got a QB coach who knows how to coach as well. Recruiting is great, but you have to be able to coach the talent. Coaching is great, but you have to have the talent. Both major Illinois programs seem to be figuring this out. Weber can coach the hell out of a player in basketball, but he can't recruit worth shit. Jerrance Howard and Jay Price have delivered the players. Ron Zook can sell a ketchup popsicle to an eskimo in white gloves, but he can't coach his way out of a paper bag (I have always joked that Zook's headset isn't even plugged in on game day since he is so clueless). But now they got some coordinators to coach the talent that Zook can bring in.

By 2015, barring any major losses from the staffs of these two programs, I see the Illini as a tough team annually in football and a powerhouse in Bball.

They better be a basketball powerhouse starting in 2010.

And, unless they start recruiting better, the football team may continue to have their struggles - except, of course, against Ohio State in 2 weeks.

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You know me like that.

Which is the exact opposite with NU who recruits above average players who are developed to peak their junior/senior years.

Iowa is the same way, going in the weeds and finding guys in strange location, low stars and turning them into solid players.

Joliet Catholic senior running back Josh Ferguson rushed for 243 yards and 4 touchdowns. He's a little man among boys.

Is he E.B. Halsey all over again? That guy was New Jersey High School Player of the Year.

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You know me like that.

I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of E.B Halsey but if he was a small, freakishly fast running back you have a MATCH.

Nugget heard this morning:

Ron Zook is 0-5 after the bye week as the Illini coach.

Also heard that Z has 1 foot out the door.

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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

Ron Zook is 0-5 after a lot of weeks at Illinois.

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You know me like that.

He's in until the end of next season at least unless they lose to Minnesota.

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You know me like that.

Really? You think he is safe through next year?

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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

The new coordinators each got 2 year deals and I would presume some assurance that there wouldn't be a major shake-up.

Guenther I think just extended his contract an extra 6 months to take him into July of next year. It's possible if the team completely tanks and only wins 2 or 3 games, they could replace Zook with Petrino or Koenning, probably Petrino.

But, odds are that they'll win 5 or so this year, play it out next year, possibly get a new AD and let him pick a new coach for 2012.

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You know me like that.

Holy shit. I just read that Petrino's deal with Illinois is for $475K for 2 years. Wow. That's better dough than some big program OC's.

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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

It's a temporary lull, that's all.

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You know me like that.

A reminder for those interacting with Dr. Ken. Illini: Glass is always half full. Bears: Glass is always 3/4 empty.

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

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You know me like that.

Well, it didn't go exactly as I thought but if not for a phantom facemask and an incredibly good spot on OSU's 4th down, this game easily could have gone the other way.

Pryor had 2 good runs and OSU's offense did nothing the rest of the day. And I'm going to go ahead and say I'm right about Pryor - he just can't throw the ball. His passing stats were basically the same as the Freshman making his 4th ever start.

And, when you even have the announcers debating whether Tressel will "let" Pryor throw the ball in a 4 point game in the 4th quarter, then you aren't talking about the best player in the country.

That's a good orange and blue defense. I think they can get 1 of the next 2 and get this thing rolling. ILL - INI.

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You know me like that.

Too bad the illini couldnt pull it off. Seeing these ohio bastards miserable faces after a loss, feeling like their lives are over, is awesome.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Woo hoo we lost, the glass is half full.

On a serious note, this just seems like normal Illini football, they make a game out of it with some teams they shouldn't and then will turn around in the following weeks and get beat by some teams that they shouldn't

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

Actually, that sounds like Indiana and Northwestern. Illinois has been getting pounded by better teams and sneaking by worse ones for two years now.

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Fire Phil Emery

Illinois is at best the 6th, and at worst the 9th, best team in the Big Ten. I'm starting to think that Northwestern might start 6-0 and end 0-6. Indiana is playing well against Michigan so far. They're somewhere in the same range as Illinois. I think Minnesota and Purdue are hopeless from here on out.

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Fire Phil Emery

While I understand how Indiana beating us probably gives you that impression, to the 4 ranked teams that they played last year, Illinois lost by a combined 151-60 or, on average, 38-15 - including a 30-0 loss to Ohio State. They couldn't tackle anyone. They couldn't complete a pass to their own team.

After giving up a combined 102 points in their final 2 games last year, both non-conference opponents, I would settle for mediocrity on the defensive side. And I'd say they are better than mediocre in that regard.

Their QB is limited in the pass game and, while still better than the Bears, their offensive line has troubles as well. But, they have a few decent pieces and should be solidly average in the Big Ten this year.

Woo hoo.

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You know me like that.

Dr. Ken, looking back over the last few years you can see what I am talking about. 2009 is the exception, not the rule.

2006:

Lose to #1 Ohio St. 17-10
Lose to #18 Wisc 30-24

Close losses to 2 teams that probably should have hammered you.

Then:

Lose to Indiana 34-32
Lose to NW 27-16

2 losses to teams you should be beating.


2007:

Rose Bowl Year, but still 3 losses to teams you probably should have beat that year:

Lose to Mizzou 40-34
Lose to Iowa 10-6
Lose to Michigan 27-17

2008:

Lose to #12 Penn State 38-24
Lose to #10 Ohio State 30-20
Win at Iowa 27-24

Closer games than what they probably should have been.

Then:

Lose to Minn 27-20
Lose to NW 27-10

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

I'm still upset about the bad call on Smalzer's catch that should have beaten Michigan back in 1975.

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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

Baseball still sucks.

I'm sure it does for those too simple to understand it.

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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

Lots of rocket scientists in the bleachers from my experience.