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BTN analyst on Illinois’ rebuild: ‘To me it’s a roster management issue’

Kevin Cunningham

By Kevin Cunningham

Published:

Illinois football hasn’t been good for a long team.

Even a Fighting Illini fan would tell you that. In 2016, however, the program made a change to a coach that many thought could turn the team around.

What exactly that meant was up for interpretation, but improvement was both necessary and expected. That signing in 2016 was coach Lovie Smith. Smith believed he could do what he needed to do at Illinois.

His first season, he finish 3-9 overall. Then in 2017, Illinois went 2-10. Now in 2018, the Fighting Illini are currently 3-4.

There are still five games to be played this year, so the win total from a year ago could at least double, if just one game goes Smith’s way. But overall, in Year 3, how is the rebuild truly going?

BTN analyst Gerry DiNardo sees it this way:

There are a couple positives. The offense and defense are both improving, which is certainly a step in the right direction. DiNardo question Smith’s ability to manage a collegiate football roster, though. Which, realistically, is an understandable concern.

Smith did well in the NFL. But, college football is different. There are a lot more bodies, for one. And two, there’s recruiting. DiNardo hammered home the recruiting aspect of Smith and Illinois’ rebuild to end his point above.

If Illinois wants to truly get better, managing a full roster and recruiting guys that fit Smith’s system perfectly would help accomplish that. We’re just going to have to wait and see how that goes.

Kevin Cunningham

Kevin covers Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.