Kirk Ferentz: Where Does He Rank Among Big Ten Coaches?
By Jeremy Karll
No. 11 – Lovie Smith, Illinois Fighting Illini (2-5)
Lovie Smith had a good run in the NFL, which included a Super Bowl appearance with the Chicago Bears. Although his transition to the college game has not gone as smoothly. Illinois has been hit hard with injuries and are just 2-5 in Smith’s first season, likely going to finish the year 2-10.
To be fair, Illinois is on their third-string quarterback, and four of their five losses have come against teams who have been in the AP Poll top-25 at least once this year. A home loss to Purdue shouldn’t sit well with fans, but no one expected Smith to instantly fix the Illini.
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Illinois is in a deep hole right now, and it’s evident by their 101st ranked scoring offense and 74th ranked scoring defense. Injuries are part of it, however Illinois simply doesn’t have the talent to compete against the better teams in the Big Ten.
That being said, staying healthy in the future will help and Lovie Smith will attract Illinois recruits. Chicago-land area recruits grew up watching Smith roaming the sideline on Soldier Field.
It won’t be the only reason they choose Illinois, but, as Smith grows the program, that will also be used in his favor. Granted Illinois only has the 57th ranked class in 2017, but as previously mentioned, it’s all process for the Illini.
Just like a lot of coaches at the bottom of the conference, Lovie Smith has a lot to prove. Illinois’ defense will continue to grow over the years but the Illini still have a long ways to go.