It was cold under the lights of Memorial Stadium, where the Illinois football team had a light practice Monday night.
The players, their breath visible, shuffled off looking curiously at the bank of cameras and a group of reporters waiting outside.
“Go away. We don’t want you,” shouted linebacker Ryan Murphy.
“Did Clinton win?” shouted another player.
Coach Lou Tepper and offensive coordinator Paul Schudel were last off the field. They joined their wives, who were waiting near the stands. Then, Tepper apparently made a comment that couldn’t be heard by the reporters and let loose a hearty laugh. It was hardly reflective of good cheer.
It was a way of dealing with it.
They all had their way of dealing with the news that Tepper’s dream of coaching at Illinois for the rest of his career was over.
Only three months ago, an ebullient Ron Guenther descended the steps high above this same stadium, and hurried onto the field with associate athletic director Bill Yonan next to him.
“No matter what,” Guenther shouted as he ran down the steps. “No matter what.”
The athletic director had insisted in an interview with the Tribune hours earlier and reaffirmed it then that no matter what happened to the Illini this season, Tepper would be back for the final year of his contract in 1997.
Guenther didn’t count on the team losing its first three games by a combined score of 116-11. He didn’t count on the Illini falling behind 28-0 at the half against Michigan State. He didn’t count on the Illini going into their final two games with a 2-7 record, 1-5 in the Big Ten. He didn’t figure on nearly 20,000 empty seats each home game, a looming deficit this year of nearly $1 million and potentially bigger athletic budget deficits down the road.
He didn’t figure on the cacophony calling for Tepper’s head that reflected itself in a classless display by the hometown crowd Saturday when it booed injured quarterback Scott Weaver limping off the field.
“The egg is broken,” Guenther said after the Michigan State debacle, according to one source. He finally swallowed the words he spoke on that warm, sunny August afternoon guaranteeing Tepper’s future.
On Sunday, a day after Ohio State beat the Illini 48-0 before another stadium crowd only three-quarters of capacity, Guenther asked Tepper to resign.
Tepper refused, so Guenther fired him.
None of the principals would talk about it Monday.
Speculation was rampant on a successor and even the name of Mike Ditka was floated.
“I always thought he (Tepper) was a man of great character and integrity,” said Tom Lamont, chair of the Illinois Board of Trustees. “I am sorry that they felt there was a need to move on, but frankly I agreed with the decision. He was given what I think would be viewed in most circles as a fair chance.”
Tepper was taking the news hard. That’s why he chose not to meet with the reporters after practice. He instructed his players and coaches not to say anything until Tuesday.
Tepper also sent word through sports information director Dave Johnson that he won’t appear in person for his regular weekly news conference Tuesday. Instead, he will answer reporters questions only in a teleconference.
“I disagree with his decision,” Tepper said of Guenther in a statement the athletic department released, “but I respect him and will be loyal to Illinois.
“Our philosophy has been to educate by promoting academic achievement, positive social behavior, racial harmony and hard-nosed winning football,” the statement read.
Tepper, who graduated 100 percent of his seniors last season, failed only in achieving the latter.
This season will be his third in five years that team fell short of a winning season. The Illini are 25-29-2 over that period.
Tepper was defensive coordinator under John Mackovic and was named head coach when Mackovic resigned to take the head coaching position at Texas.
Tepper is known as a defensive guru and has coached some of the college game’s best linebackers in recent years: Dana Howard, Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rice.
His teams have struggled offensively, however. Schudel, a Bo Schembechler protege, is Tepper’s third offensive coordinator. Tepper fired Tom Beck after one season and Greg Landry after two.
In Schudel’s second season this year, the offense has been better but still predictable without a playmaker.
Because of injuries and youth, the usually reliable defense has plummeted. It is ranked 10th or 11th in all defensive categories in the conference.
On that August day, Guenther had called Tepper “an outstanding coach. He’s a guy of the highest integrity with a great work ethic. He represents the university in every facet in an exceptional way. He’s sincere, and because of his work ethic and sincerity and his belief in Illinois, he has been an exceptional recruiter. You’re going to give a person like that every opportunity to succeed.”
The opportunities evidently ran out.
“Unfortunately, we have not been as successful on the field as we would expect and we feel a change in leadership is necessary,” Guenther said in the prepared statement.
Now, new questions abound.
Guenther has indicated by his hiring of Lon Kruger and Theresa Grentz as men’s and women’s basketball coaches, respectively, that he wants proven winners.
He will not opt for another defensive coordinator because, Barry Alvarez’s Rose Bowl success at Wisconsin notwithstanding, he isn’t convinced defensive coaches can transfer their success to the offense.
One other question involves recruiting. Whomever Guenther gets could have immediate problems.
Tepper consistently has recruited well, although one of his shortfalls has been at the skilled positions. He chose Weaver over Northwestern’s Steve Schnur and since-departed Jeff Hecklinski over Todd Schultz (who went 20 of 25 against the Illini for Michigan State) and Nebraska’s Scott Frost.
The Illini have six oral commitments from recruits for next year, but at least one of them, linebacker Tom O’Brien of Nazareth Academy, already has begun talking to Wisconsin and Northwestern because of the uncertainty at Illinois.
“They may not have a great year no matter who the coach is,” said high school recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, “and they might start losing some commitments.”
Even with a new coach, there are no guarantees of a quick turnaround.
“There are no quick fixes,” said Ken Boyle, a former university trustee who helped bring the athletic department directly under the chancellor after NCAA scandals in the Mike White years. “There will be a new coaching staff and everybody will have to start all over again. And anybody who knows anything about this business, knows it won’t be an overnight thing.”
