10/8 News & Notes

[Oskee Mayer]

Beckman will be adjusting his tobacco to the other side of his mouth?

[quhawks12]

Originally Posted by Oskee Mayer

Beckman will be adjusting his tobacco to the other side of his mouth?

Whatever works.

[C6Z06 Todd]

At this point, I'm just hoping we can end the 8 game conference losing streak.....

I think we can even beat Michigan, just need a few of those breaks to go our way and its possible, then IU is beatable. I think the OSU game is probably too much to hope for, but all other games are certainly winnable considering we would be up against similar talented teams.

[Ransom Stoddard]

Originally Posted by Oskee Mayer

Beckman will be adjusting his tobacco to the other side of his mouth?

He'll be covered with nicotine patches under his shirt.

[Dan]

#illini LB Jonathan Brown admitted change has been hard. Trying to get back to the fun of playing football.

http://twitter.com/JohnSupinie

In his limited talk re: injuries, Beckman says Hawthorne will undergo tests for concussion. Early guess: He won't play vs. Michigan. #dechr

Players-only meeting Friday night helped get #Illini on track, but only for three quarters. #dechr

http://twitter.com/MarkTupper

[DrewD007]

Originally Posted by Dan

Next Illini football streaks to break-

8-game losing streak Big Ten league games.
6-game losing streak Leaders Division games.
5-game losing streak regular season road games.
2-game losing streak at home.

Go

Can knock out 3 of these on Homecoming, although I'd be fine doing half against Michigan.

[Dan]

Statement of non-statement.

#B1G official says conference will not make a statement on Beckman's use of smokeless tobacco on #Illini sideline. http://trib.in/SIcObc

http://twitter.com/ChiTribKane

[PaytonHighstep]

I hope the league is taking a look at these personal foul penalties for helmet to helmet contact! I understand the safety aspect of the rule, but I don't understand how they can make the call when the player leads with his shoulder (trying to do the right thing) and still gets called for it.

Also, even if the call on Hawthorne was a "defenseless receiver" call, how is that supported by the fact the kid came down with the ball recognized he was going to get hit and had time to lower his shoulder and knock Hawthorne out of the game.

I understand the play is a bang, bang type of play but this has cost Illinois more times than not over the course of the rule. It happened against P$U, and again against Wiscy.

Has the league mentioned anything about these types of calls and the lack of consistency? just wondering

[Dan]

#illini LB Jonathan Brown: "We have zero room for error now. We have to come out and play our best games going forward.”

http://twitter.com/WernerESPNCU

[derekholcomb]

Originally Posted by Oskee Mayer

Beckman will be adjusting his tobacco to the other side of his mouth?

He will adjust by packing it in the locker room before he comes onto the field.

I thought only high school boys in towns under 500 with rebel flags flapping from the side of their jacked-up muffler-less pickup truck still chewed tobacco.

[GilThorpe]

Originally Posted by derekholcomb

He will adjust by packing it in the locker room before he comes onto the field.

I thought only high school boys in towns under 500 with rebel flags flapping from the side of their jacked-up muffler-less pickup truck still chewed tobacco.

you got to get out more often. you would be quite shocked how many kids whose folks own 2 million dollar houses in Hinsdale dip. its alot.

[Dan]

Illini admit they need to play harder

The Illini bought into the hype after ranking seventh nationally in total defense last season, linebacker Jonathan Brown said. Along with a coaching change, there was plenty to digest after the slow start. Heading into the Michigan game, the Illini rank 37th in total defense nationally.

"We got caught up in the hoopla," Brown said. "People didn't come out and do their jobs, myself included. The biggest thing about change is it makes people uncomfortable. When they get uncomfortable, they start doing things they don't normally do. Now everyone is settle down and ready to play."

Supinie

Asmussen 10/8 chat, Bob's first piece in the News-Gazette/IlliniHQ since suffering a heart attack the week of August 27th-

Welcome back to another chat. Sorry I've been gone for so long. I have really missed our weekly talks and am thrilled to be able to do them again.

I'm gradually getting myself ready to go back to work. I've still got some recovery to do, but it's going well. Thanks for all of the kind words you have passed along. It means a lot.

And thanks to the News-Gazette staff, especially Jim Rossow, Marcus Jackson, Paul Klee and Loren Tate, who have done a tremendous job covering the Illinois football team. I want to be able to help as soon as possible, but the paper and HQ are obviously in good hands.

Asmussen chat

[IlliniJim20]

Originally Posted by OlivetNaz

I think they'd have to get a waiver from the NCAA at that point, since they'd have a losing record. A waiver that the NCAA probably wouldn't approve, given the horrendous record and the unlikelihood of Illinois fans travelling to that game knowing that they're about to get destroyed.

I don't think a waiver is necessary. As crazy as it sounds, the Big Ten bowl champ is the automatic bid. Otherwise, given this scenario, they wouldn't even play the BT championship game.

I believe the NCAA tourney does not allow sub .500 teams unless they win conference tourneys

[Dan]

Vote of confidence!

AD Mike Thomas confident coach Tim Beckman will turn Illini around

"I'm disappointed in where we are," Thomas said when I caught up with him. "Our coaches, our student-athletes and our fan base are disappointed. But I have confidence Tim's going to do great things here."

Herb Gould

[CaptainHindsight]

Good. Its ridiculous how negative people are.

[MTMinded]

The infamous "vote of confidence". Is this the first shoe to drop?

I don't think so, but it is funny to me that we're getting one halfway thru season one.

[KJKobs]

Boy, Herbie is still crying sour grapes from this past summer

Beckman can’t even put a pinch between his cheek and gum without stepping in stuff. And he has a hard time sticking to his stories.

He wasn’t going to talk about injuries, but an epidemic of injuries became a legitimate crutch for losing. He announced a media lockdown during training camp but forgot the Big Ten Network circus was coming to town. Required to take good care of BTN, he insulted all of his locals.

[CARPET]

Originally Posted by Dan

Vote of confidence!

It's nice to see Thomas playing the trump card "Good things are coming"

I do not see good things are coming vs Michigan.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by KJKobs

Boy, Herbie is still crying sour grapes from this past summer

Once a kid at school starts getting picked on, group psychology takes over. It is no different with the media.

Thomas' key point is this:

‘‘Brian Kelly was 12-0,’’ Thomas said. ‘‘Butch Jones was 4-8 his first year, then he was 10-3. And now people are saying he’s the best coach in the Big East. [Cronin], who inherited a bad situation, is preseason No. 18. People were frustrated in those situations. Now they’re pleased those coaches are leading their programs.’’

The Cincy fans wanted to burn Jones at the stake after his first year. He took over a successful program and ran it into the dirt. Sometimes you inherit situations that are less than ideal for a variety of reasons. There is no way to fully evaluate a coach after 6 games or one season.

[mattcoldagelli]

I don't know whether I feel better or worse about the players openly admitting that there have been difficulties.

Better, probably. I guess the worst-case scenario would be if everyone was feeling great about everything and we were getting these results.

[Ransom Stoddard]

Originally Posted by mattcoldagelli

I don't know whether I feel better or worse about the players openly admitting that there have been difficulties.

Better, probably. I guess the worst-case scenario would be if everyone was feeling great about everything and we were getting these results.

Which is kind of what we saw during the 6 game schnide last season and then the players were shocked and disappointed that RZ got the hook.

[CaliforniaIllini]

On the bright side, most students I've talked to don't give a damn what Beckman puts in his mouth...they're just waiting for basketball season to start.

[illynifan34]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

The Cincy fans wanted to burn Jones at the stake after his first year. He took over a successful program and ran it into the dirt. Sometimes you inherit situations that are less than ideal for a variety of reasons. There is no way to fully evaluate a coach after 6 games or one season.

This is very true. I was talking to my UC co-worker, he said Jones came in and was a completely different type of coach than Kelly. I guess Kelly was very distant from the team, didn't take time to know the players, etc, Jones came in and he is a much more in your face, personal coach. Culture changes take some time.

[illynifan34]

Originally Posted by Ransom Stoddard

Which is kind of what we saw during the 6 game schnide last season and then the players were shocked and disappointed that RZ got the hook.

The current difficulties I think can be attributed to this greatly. A lot of these players are so loyal to Ron Zook, they have a hard time imagining playing for anyone else.

[quhawks12]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

The Cincy fans wanted to burn Jones at the stake after his first year. He took over a successful program and ran it into the dirt. Sometimes you inherit situations that are less than ideal for a variety of reasons. There is no way to fully evaluate a coach after 6 games or one season.

This is a GREAT example of what can happen.