San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s father, Mike, has a strong connection to Eastern Illinois. He played for the Panthers in the 1970s and was EIU’s offensive coordinator for the 1978 D-II national championship team. (Photo via The Associated Press)
By Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun
College football coaches aren’t used to sitting down and watching an entire game.
They watch film cut into bits and pieces to make game plans or highlights of recruits they are scouting.
The Super Bowl, however, is a different story.
This Sunday, when the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs face the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers in football’s biggest game, all four Illinois FCS head coaches will be watching.
So, we asked Illinois State’s Brock Spack, Nick Hill of Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois’ Chris Wilkerson and new Western Illinois head coach Joe Davis all about their Sunday plans.
Here’s what they said.
Who wins and why?
Spack: I think the San Francisco 49ers are the better team, balance-wise. But I don’t know how you could ever bet against Patrick Mahomes. He’s such a good player. At that position, you have to be a dude. I think he’ll be the wildcard in this game.
The 49ers are awful good. Christian McCaffrey is as talented a player as there is. He’s fast, he’s a powerful back who can catch. Their quarterback is no slouch. They’re very good on defense and they can run the football. Anytime you can run the ball and stop the run, you’re a tough out in a tournament-style game. It’s hard to say that Mahomes isn’t going to be the difference in the game because he usually is. I would expect the Chiefs (to win), but I think the more balanced team is San Francisco overall.
Wilkerson: Oh wow, I definitely don’t have a prediction. I haven’t seen enough to say (one way or another). I will say as I was keeping up with it a bit during the course of the season that San Francisco was really, really, really good and then had a rough go against the Ravens at home. And they didn’t play very well in the first half of their playoff games, but they did enough to win and advance. That’s what you’ve got to do.
And Kansas City wasn’t very good in the regular season. They were kind of searching for their identity, but they got hot at the right time. They went on the road and won. I certainly think that Patrick Mahomes is absolutely in the conversation or will be as the greatest ever to play the position. But I’ve also been impressed with the quarterback for San Francisco (Brock Purdy) and his fast development and poise.
I’m just wanting a good game. I’m excited to watch Tony (Romo) do the broadcast.
Note: Wilkerson was on Bob Spoo’s EIU coaching staff when Romo quarterbacked the Panthers in the early 2000s.
I am certainly excited about Kyle Shanahan, coach of the 49ers, since Mike Shanahan is his father.
Note: Mike Shanahan played quarterback at Eastern in the early 1970s before an injury ended his playing career. He later became the offensive coordinator under head coach Darrell Mudra for the 1978 Division II national championship EIU team.
One of the real moments of the championship weekend was watching Mike and his wife, Peggy, on the field with Kyle after the 49ers won the NFC championship. When Coach (Mike Shanahan) was here in the fall of 2022, he talked about his son and you could just see the pride in his eyes. And then to see him standing there after the 49ers won and advanced to the Super Bowl, it was a very proud dad moment.
Hill: I’m looking forward to a good game. It will be Patrick Mahomes playing in another big game.
San Francisco is probably the more complete team, but the best player is Patrick Mahomes. Sometimes in just a one-game deal, that matters.
I think San Francisco is going to win. There are a lot of weapons there. Coach Shanahan getting back to the Super Bowl and wanting to win one is (a key).
Davis: I’m always partial to the quarterback position. It typically comes down to that player. Mahomes is on the verge of being maybe the best ever. I think the Chiefs can pull it out.
Great quarterbacks all possess a level of great anticipation. They see things in that split second before everyone else does, and they can feel openings and space. They understand the differences in their own personnel and where to put the football and Mahomes has certainly proven that year after year, time after time with different players in his system. And then he brings an athletic component to the game that is pretty special as well in terms of his ability to move. It’s hard to argue that guy won’t go down as one of the greatest ever.
I would also point out that I’m a born-and-raised, dyed-in-the-wool Detroit Lions fan, so it’s kind of bittersweet for me to see these teams in it when this may have been the greatest season that we’ve ever had.
How will you watch the game?
Spack: I really don’t like watching it with a bunch of people. I’ve had Super Bowl parties for our staff. I asked our staff and we had one coach who said he wouldn’t mind coming over. Everybody else wants to watch it on their own. We’re all kind of the same way. That hurt my feelings. (laughs)
I would rather watch it at home with my wife and I, and my son and daughter if they’re around.
Wilkerson: It will be my family all gathered around the TV. It’s one of the few NFL games I get to watch start to finish with all the buildup and lead-in of the pregame. I’ll be trying to watch every snap. It’s a big day for us.
Hill: Definitely not a big group. I’m not a big on watching games in a big party setting. Sometimes you get stuck doing that and you don’t get to watch much of the game. Last year, we watched it here at my house. My parents came over. We can listen to it and hang out and watch it.
Davis: My family and I always have a tradition of our own Super Bowl party. And so my wife and two daughters will get a bunch of chicken wings and chips and dip, and we will be on the couch. We’ll be together as a family enjoying the game. I’ll be focused on the game, and they’ll be enjoying the commercials. It will be a great night.
What’s on the menu?
Spack: My wife has these dips that she makes. Oh my God. She might do some spare ribs or throw a steak on the grill. We have fun with it.
Wilkerson: We have our traditional snacks during the course of the day.
My wife, Sharna, makes what we call our ‘Texas caviar’ as a dip. She makes a great buffalo ranch dip. It’s amazing and our kids like it. We’ll have barbecued beanie-weenies in the crockpot. There won’t be a lack of snacks at the Wilkerson house, that’s for sure.
Hill: Around here in southern Illinois, it could be super nice, like 60 degrees. Then there’s been years that it’s crazy cold. If it’s nice, I might do some grilling. I like to make some deer backstraps wrapped in bacon. I’ll try to cook up something. You’ve gotta have some Rotel cheese dip.
It’s one of those days you feel like you have to splurge. You’ve got to have a bunch of appetizers and snacks.
Davis: Boy, I could probably eat chicken wings about every meal. It’s definitely my guilty pleasure. I like hot wings. I like a little spice to mine. I’m also easy to please, so whatever Mrs. Davis cooks, I’m going to enjoy.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
Find us on social media! Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSPigskin
Facebook: Prairie State Pigskin
Instagram: Prairiestatepigskin
Prairie State Pigskin 
Leave a comment