UCA's Conque to Illinois State?

[TexasTerror]

Could Conque go to Illinois State? Wonder how much Lu Hardin leaving and the current situation in Conway, Ark. with university leadership (outside of the athletic department) has to do with this...?



CONWAY - Central Arkansas Coach Clint Conque is a finalist for the vacant head coaching position at Illinois State.

Conque said Thursday that he has interviewed for the job at Illinois State, a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) school that is located in Normal, Ill., and is a member of the Gateway Conference.

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/246388/

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It's not called the "silly season" for nothing for football coaches.

With positions being filled almost daily now, the latest rumor has University of Central Arkansas coach Clint Conque as the leading candidate to replace Denver Johnson at Illinois State.

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/sports_blog_post.asp?pID=4060

[McTailGator]

I wonder if he would have to "donate" to the Illinois Governor to even be considered?

xsmiley_wix

xrotatehx

xlolx

:D

xlmaox

[chrisattsu]

It seems like he has things pretty good at UCA.

They have some of the best facilities in the SLC, I have heard nothing but praise about his AD, he is at a program with a storied history of athletic success.

Why leave for another FCS HC job?

[BEAR]

I'm hoping this is a power play for some more cash. He deserves it. I just don't get a lateral move. xeyebrowx I'll pitch in some money to get him to stay if that's the issue. xthumbsupx

[th0m]

What is "the current situation in Conway, Ark. with university leadership" for those not in the know?

[JoshUCA]

What is "the current situation in Conway, Ark. with university leadership" for those not in the know?

This article (http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=110437.54928.122575&cID=6) explains most of it. Basically a president who WAY overspent and then "resigned" but still gets close to $1 million buyout! Other things were uncovered about his presidency that make you go xeyebrowx . So all of that coupled with tough economic times has forced the interim president to scrutinize the budge and is asking administrators making over $100,000/year to take a pay cut...don't know if that includes Conque as an "administrator" or not. Also, the former president was a HUGE proponent of making the move to DI so maybe there is fear that the next president (no clue who it will be) will not be so sports friendly. That is the situation at UCA...now whether or not that has anything to do with Coach Conque's decision or not, only he knows.

[UNIFanSince1983]

Well I would be one of the first to say I hope he doesn't go to the Redbirds. That's all we need, one more tough team in the conference.

[McNeese75]

Sounds like a smash and run to me xlolx . Conque knows he has a lot of payback coming in the SLC after this year (and no Brown to hold down the fort) :D

[BEAR]

Sounds like a smash and run to me xlolx . Conque knows he has a lot of payback coming in the SLC after this year (and no Brown to hold down the fort) :D

Yeah, SHSU used that same theory when they played 11 on 1 with only Bomar on the field...(oh yeah, there were other players :D ) I thought for sure a Cowboy fan would know what a TEAM looks like. xthumbsupx :D xlolx

[BearsCountry]

It seems like he has things pretty good at UCA.

They have some of the best facilities in the SLC, I have heard nothing but praise about his AD, he is at a program with a storied history of athletic success.

Why leave for another FCS HC job?

Illinois State is alot better job.

[JoshUCA]

Illinois State is alot better job.

Glad to know your opinion...but mine differs.

[McNeese75]

Yeah, SHSU used that same theory when they played 11 on 1 with only Bomar on the field...(oh yeah, there were other players :D ) I thought for sure a Cowboy fan would know what a TEAM looks like. xthumbsupx :D xlolx

Bears were a team, but not even close to the same team without NB xrolleyesx

[BEAR]

Bears were a team, but not even close to the same team without NB xrolleyesx

We'll see...but I think we have something COOK'n in the backfield...xnodx xlolx (dang...I'm gonna miss a sure thing):(

[NSUDemon98]

Bears were a team, but not even close to the same team without NB xrolleyesx

Is it me or do UCA fans refuse to admit how much better Nathan Brown made their team? As if they've always been that good...if so were are the DII national titles? Or at the very least deep playoff runs?? xnonox

[McNeese75]

Is it me or do UCA fans refuse to admit how much better Nathan Brown made their team? As if they've always been that good...if so were are the DII national titles? Or at the very least deep playoff runs?? xnonox

I think there is a little denial in Conway. All the talk about QB U etc is fine but it rarely happens that you replace a player like that in one year. (I guess you could go the SHSU route and start looking for FBS transfers but that doesnt always work out so well) Credit for all the QB's is usually given to Conque so if he goes, then what happens?

I'm not sure what McNeese will put on he field next year but I feel pretty sure we will see a dropoff at QB the year after.

[BEAR]

Conque is staying! xbowx xbowx

http://www.ucasports.com/ (Conque will stay at UCA/)

Now he is going to recruit Louisiana and Texas like you've never seen! Look out Cowboys and Bearkats! xlolx Denial is all we have in Conway. But then again, taking a team from the NAIA to Division I in 20 years and keeping a winning record makes living in that denial a little bit easier to swallow. Nathan was fantastic, but I can't see McNeese having a problem getting a quality QB or using what they have! Plus look at the other QBs in the conference....this conference is loaded with talented qbs and Conque is recruiting from the same pool. Even if we aren't as good, 2007 showed even with Brown we were 6-5 our first year. There are plenty of talented QBs out there, and Conque has found or will find them. xthumbsupx xlolx

(C'mon folks, don't take this so seriously, football is a game...enjoy it in the up and down years...at least we're not relying on a FBS transfer QB to lead us to mediocrity.....ooops...did I say Kat..I mean that?....Just kidding! xlolx )

[McNeese75]

Conque is staying! xbowx xbowx

http://www.ucasports.com/ (Conque will stay at UCA/)

Now he is going to recruit Louisiana and Texas like you've never seen! Look out Cowboys and Bearkats! xlolx Denial is all we have in Conway. But then again, taking a team from the NAIA to Division I in 20 years and keeping a winning record makes living in that denial a little bit easier to swallow. Nathan was fantastic, but I can't see McNeese having a problem getting a quality QB or using what they have! Plus look at the other QBs in the conference....this conference is loaded with talented qbs and Conque is recruiting from the same pool. Even if we aren't as good, 2007 showed even with Brown we were 6-5 our first year. There are plenty of talented QBs out there, and Conque has found or will find them. xthumbsupx xlolx

(C'mon folks, don't take this so seriously, football is a game...enjoy it in the up and down years...at least we're not relying on a FBS transfer QB to lead us to mediocrity.....ooops...did I say Kat..I mean that?....Just kidding! xlolx )

Your offense will be so so next year but your defense, that will be a different matter. You have a lot of talent coming back on that side of the ball xnodx

[TexasTerror]

Congrats to UCA on keeping Conque. Very critical move for the development and progress of that football team.

[UCABEARS75]

I think there is a little denial in Conway. All the talk about QB U etc is fine but it rarely happens that you replace a player like that in one year. (I guess you could go the SHSU route and start looking for FBS transfers but that doesnt always work out so well) Credit for all the QB's is usually given to Conque so if he goes, then what happens?

I'm not sure what McNeese will put on he field next year but I feel pretty sure we will see a dropoff at QB the year after.

As a UCA fan who has seen every game Nathan has played but 1 or 2 over four years I am being realistic in saying we will have a drop-off at QB next year. We will not have Nathan, but neither will anyone else.

We had 13 players on either first or second team all SLC this year and most of them will return along with several players who red-shirted this year.

Will we be as good overall in 2009 as we were in 2008? Doubtful but possible.

Clint and Cooley always have a decent QB, we have been blessed with an outstanding one over the past 4 years.

UCA will have OUTSTANDING QB's in the future, maybe not as good as Nathan, but good enough for us to win.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Conque is staying! xbowx xbowx

http://www.ucasports.com/ (Conque will stay at UCA/)

Now he is going to recruit Louisiana and Texas like you've never seen! Look out Cowboys and Bearkats! xlolx Denial is all we have in Conway. But then again, taking a team from the NAIA to Division I in 20 years and keeping a winning record makes living in that denial a little bit easier to swallow. Nathan was fantastic, but I can't see McNeese having a problem getting a quality QB or using what they have! Plus look at the other QBs in the conference....this conference is loaded with talented qbs and Conque is recruiting from the same pool. Even if we aren't as good, 2007 showed even with Brown we were 6-5 our first year. There are plenty of talented QBs out there, and Conque has found or will find them. xthumbsupx xlolx

(C'mon folks, don't take this so seriously, football is a game...enjoy it in the up and down years...at least we're not relying on a FBS transfer QB to lead us to mediocrity.....ooops...did I say Kat..I mean that?....Just kidding! xlolx )

My opinion? Conque played the UCA athletic department like a fiddle and negotioated himself a nice pay raise. Not that that's a bad thing. xthumbsupx

[UCABEARS75]

My opinion? Conque played the UCA athletic department like a fiddle and negotioated himself a nice pay raise. Not that that's a bad thing. xthumbsupx

I may not know many things but I do know one thing....

Clint DID NOT get a pay raise out of this. (Although he deserves one!!!)

[McNeese75]

As a UCA fan who has seen every game Nathan has played but 1 or 2 over four years I am being realistic in saying we will have a drop-off at QB next year. We will not have Nathan, but neither will anyone else.

We had 13 players on either first or second team all SLC this year and most of them will return along with several players who red-shirted this year.

Will we be as good overall in 2009 as we were in 2008? Doubtful but possible.

Clint and Cooley always have a decent QB, we have been blessed with an outstanding one over the past 4 years.

UCA will have OUTSTANDING QB's in the future, maybe not as good as Nathan, but good enough for us to win.

No, but MSU, SFA and Tx State all return some pretty good QB's next year that will have a lot to say about the conference race.

[UCABEARS75]

No, but MSU, SFA and Tx State all return some pretty good QB's next year that will have a lot to say about the conference race.

Fully agree, never said we would dominate the SLC or even win it.

However, some are assuming we are going to roll over without Nathan, this is not going to happen.

[TexasTerror]

SFA is going to be fun to watch next year. I think Duane Brooks is really going to get some attention this coming year, since he seems he was largely ignored this past year by 'Joe Fan'. There's no more Dominique Edison around and Jeremy Moses will only get better.