Smith says he hasn't changed, but he is facing a tough task in Year 3 at Illinois
As he entertained questions at Tuesday's Big Ten media session, something about Illinois coach Lovie Smith seemed different. And it wasn't the gray beard, which he'd had off and on for several months.
Smith was different from what Chicago sports fans are used to. During his nine seasons as head coach of the Chicago Bears, he seemed stoic, guarded in front of cameras.
On Tuesday at the Marriott Magnificent Mile, he smiled as he took questions. He seemed engaged. He certainly evoked a more open, friendlier vibe in front of reporters than in his NFL days.
At least, that was my impression. So I asked him, "Have you learned to sell yourself a little differently in this job?"
Smith is about to begin his third season as head coach at Illinois, where he needs to promote a program that hasn't posted a winning record since 2011. And, no, he doesn't think he has changed.
"I do disagree. I'm who I am right now. I don't think I've changed," Smith said. "If I have, I'm not doing it on purpose. What I tried to do then is be real, and that's what I'm doing right now. I'm not interested in putting on a show for you or anybody else.
"I try to give information for things that deserve information. I love coaching my players, I get along with people. What else you're looking for, I don't know what I can do to help you."
More than anything, Smith knows he's facing a tough task.
The Illini finished 2-10 last season with a 10-game losing streak. According to Illinois sports information, the Illini had 16 true freshmen start games last season, while no other team in the Big Ten had more than five. The 87 cumulative starts by true freshmen more than doubled the program record, set in 1977.
"When we came here, we had a plan," Smith said. "Part of that plan, when you make changes, normally it doesn't mean championship the next year. That's where we are. We're excited about year three."
Smith referenced year three several times throughout the day. For the most part, it's the feeling that year three has to be better than year two.
"Those players that played last year, they're not upperclassmen, veteran players yet," Smith said. "But they know so much more football, and we should see better play doing that."
Football upperclassmen are a rare commodity in Champaign right now, but one who has survived is offensive lineman Nick Allegretti, a Frankfort native who has started every game of Smith's tenure. What does he think is possible in year three?
"I think we can win a lot of games," he said. "You look at last year, yeah, there were a few games, beginning to end, we got beat up. Most of the games you look at, we were in the game end of the third quarter, early fourth quarter.
"So I think we're right there on the edge and if we can just play a little harder, know what we're doing a little bit better, get bigger, stronger, like we have done this off-season, I think we're going to get over the edge and be the team coming out on top at the end of the fourth quarter."
One interesting change at Illinois is the addition of offensive coordinator Rod Smith, a Rich Rodriguez protégé who favors the spread offense. Sophomore quarterback Cam Thomas from Chicago Heights started two games at the end of last season and was the only scholarship QB at spring practice.
But Lovie Smith promised an open competition in fall camp.
"Cam brings an awful lot," Smith said. "I've described him as a developmental passer, but he has a strong arm and, of course, he did a lot of things with his feet last year. Just as we've seen with all the freshmen, he's grown a lot."
Smith stressed the importance of getting off to a fast start since the first six games feature four at home, one at Soldier Field and just one true road trip, to Rutgers.
Smith knows he needs to do a better job of recruiting the Chicago area and is counting on a new football training facility, set to open next summer, to help sell the program. Until then, it's up to him.
"Year three will produce results," Smith predicted.