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Not everyone,he had 2 top ten defenses and was a good recruiter.URBZ just had a swirling vortex around the program.Off field stuff and hiring Grinch as a co-DC wasn't a good idea IMO it appeared as the skids were getting greased for his exit.Then Grinch leaves for the Sooners and Tennessee recants on his hiring and he unfairly gets tarred/feathered for the PSU situation simply because he was an assistant.So kind of a unstable shit storm he had to return to in C-Bus.Urban liked him when he coached and as a commentator,I'm glad he gets a shot at redemption.He's a Jersey guy and knows where the talent is on the coast - prodigal son if you will

I recall that last year grating on people. He kinda caught the same bug that one OC got in 2015. 

I know someone who worked in that building for a spell and had not great things to say about the man, but he can run a successful program in NJ. I don't know how he woulda worked in Tenn. They gave that goon a ton of rope PR-wise, and it ain't paying off. 

Paul Johnson won 58% of his games there.  Same as the guy before hmi.  Had a .750+ season once every 4 years.  Who is going to do much better than that?  

Speaking of options, Jeff Monken is a guy on Illinois' radar. Lovie Smith is known for ignoring Illinois high school football, so there is some push to hire a guy from Illinois. Monken and also Kent State's Sean Lewis fit that bill.

No one is hiring an option coach. While it would be neat, Georgia Tech was the trial balloon and it didn't work.

Bowled nine times in 11 years, won one of three conference titles since 1952, tied for fourth-best winning percentage in program history. Paul Johnson did pretty good, maybe uncharitably just fine. Illinois has bowled five times since 2002.

What would've counted as "working"? 

And the better question is this, what different route should they take that we can tell has "worked" most of the time? Any normal route they go, more spread, great recruiter, defensive coach, offensive coach, CEO coach, I can point to legions of spots where that failed terribly. The option is a risk. There are pluses and minuses. It's bad for recruiting. Option teams have issues fielding good defenses (that might be a question of where the offense is installed, but that's worth exploring). But it tends to yield effective offenses and lets you be different. 

And if the answer is, the guy at Ga. Tech had a better winning percentage than all but one Illinois coach since 1941, but that didn't work, then it ain't much of a reason. Shoot, if it doesn't work out, that's the same outcome as every Illinois coach since 1991. 

If they're smart, they go option and become a pain in everyone's ass.

I believe Mark is retired. He's 64. His last job ended with a midseason firing at Iowa State. Weird career he had.

Fearless Frankie Solich is only 76

I've heard he's the all-time leader in wins.

Frank hasn't ever won a conference title, but he's always had a decent team

he wouldn't have lasted too much longer at Nebraska back in the day, but I think he should have been given the chance to coach at least one more season.

Especially if Bill Callahan is your best option to replace him.

Of course Solich doesn't run the option anymore.

That's true. They run a power pistol offense with plenty of QB run game, at least they have in recent years.