[Oskee] Cutler / Turner

[gtillini95 at aol.com]

I find it amusing that each broadcast team will retell a story that's new to them as if it's also new to the viewers.? 



For Illini fans, we were?reminded repeatedly?that Nick Smith was the tallest basketball player in Illinois history and James Augustine / Dee Brown were both high school quarterbacks.? I guess you can understand this because viewers who are fans of the opposing team are only going to catch a few Illini games each season.



For Bears fans, the story we're going to be subjected to for at least the foreseeable future says one of Ron Turner's assistants at Illinois told Jay Cutler during a recruiting visit that they had a scholarship for him, but RT?didn't know the offer had been extended.? As the story goes, Illinois didn't have a scholarship for Jay and?he went to Vandy and did very well.? Coach Turner gave it his best shot at Illinois, becoming probably the only coach in major college football history to have four?seasons with eight or more losses?(two 11 loss seasons) and?an outright?conference championship with a BCS bowl appearance.? Cutler gets signed by the Bears this off season, Turner is there when he arrives at the airport and asks him, "Did I offer you a scholarship?" etc., etc., suggesting it was likely miscommunication among the Illini coaches and an unintentional slight.



This is all odd to me on several levels:



1) At the time, Illinois had about as many QBs on scholarship, some playing other positions,?as offensive linemen.? 

2) An assistant went to visit a recruit believing he?could offer a scholarship on the spot without checking with the head coach.

3) Does that?back up the notion that RT was very limited in his ability to evaluate talent?

4)?If so, how involved is RT in personnel moves for the Bears?? 



At any rate, I'm glad they're together now.? The?adjustments they made at half-time seemed to get things rolling yesterday.? I've always liked Coach Turner as a person and will always consider him part of the?family, even though he didn't get much love from Illini?Nation back in the day.? Any other coach might have looked at the 13K?empty seats back in '01 when they were about to?seal a Big Ten title and say, see ya!? RT stuck with it?through thick and thin and I appreciate that.



As OC for the Bears, I still fear?he?orchestrates?a field goal offense in a touchdown world, but there were some signs of life vs. the Steelers.



Big week for Zooker and the boys.? I want to sit back 10 years from now and say, that's the moment when?everything changed.? Almost every school who has found the formual for ongoing success can point to a single game that's become part of their lore.? Until proven otherwise, Saturday will be that day and that's how I'm going to roll.? Fly the flag friends.? This is college football!



OWW!



Geoff????



??????
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