Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was a successful college football team. In an era where boosters, athletic directors and fanbases press for immediate results, the Illini faithful need to keep that old French proverb in mind this fall.
When Lovie Smith was hired as Bill Cubit's successor back on March 7th, the collective mindset of the orange and blue fanbase took a dramatic turn. Suddenly there were "Rose Bowl!" chants followed up with "New Year's Day bowl?" questions and before you knew it Illinois fans were sounding more like Ohio State ones. The expectations for a team that just went 5-7 and is enduring their second coaching change in as many years skyrocketed.