Illini Football 2024

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#226      

turnaround3

turnaround3
1st & Daniel
turnaround3
illiniwil said:
your team is lead by its coach. there is the problem at Miami, no matter how big the purse strings are.
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No clue what this is supposed to mean.

The players love Cristobal, the staff, the boosters - everybody. The dude absolutely bleeds Miami, something you don't get in a HC at probably 90% of programs at this or any level.

He's of course not flawless, the GT game was probably the most indefensible coaching gaffe I've seen in my lifetime. But the post seems to tacitly imply a failure of leadership which is, to put it directly, nonsensical. Guy's a leader of men through and through.
 
#227      

Bbuck21

B
Bbuck21
bluemountain said:
Completely agree. I've been a fan since the early 70's so I've seen a lot of good and bad football. I've also seen a lot of really bad programs become good programs due to finally getting good leadership - Oregon, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas State, TCU, Cincinnati, Louisville among others. It may not happen for us because there is always an element of luck involved, but Whitman and Bielema give us a good opportunity to succeed
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Also a fan since the 70's. I think we have seen some good football 😁. Otherwise I agree completely with your assessment and conclusion.
 
#228      

bluemountain

B
bluemountain
turnaround3 said:
No clue what this is supposed to mean.

The players love Cristobal, the staff, the boosters - everybody. The dude absolutely bleeds Miami, something you don't get in a HC at probably 90% of programs at this or any level.

He's of course not flawless, the GT game was probably the most indefensible coaching gaffe I've seen in my lifetime. But the post seems to tacitly imply a failure of leadership which is, to put it directly, nonsensical. Guy's a leader of men through and through.
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He's not as bad as Zook and Tepper but he does resemble them - GREAT recruiter and widely regarded as a stand up guy. Also regarded as someone who just doesn't have the skill to properly manage a P5 football program.
 
#230      

turnaround3

turnaround3
1st & Daniel
turnaround3
bluemountain said:
He's not as bad as Zook and Tepper but he does resemble them - GREAT recruiter and widely regarded as a stand up guy. Also regarded as someone who just doesn't have the skill to properly manage a P5 football program.
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He needs to hire a formal in-game guy. It's been brought to him and he's rebuffed it, to this point - adamant that he and the staff he has in place already are capable. But a lot, I mean *a lot* of internal control was willfully granted to him as part of the pitch to pry away from Eugene.

If they don't win 9 games this year or if something like the GT game were to ever happen again, a different conversation probably takes place. We'll see what happens.
 
#231      

BalloonsTheElephant

B
BalloonsTheElephant
My goal is to have a bowl team every year. Our good seasons will get us 8-9 wins. I think Bielema can be that guy but if we don't get a bowl this year, I'm a little worried about the program momentum. I'm not sure we can go get a better HC that wouldn't just leave after the first taste of success.

At this point, I'm ride or die with Bret and hope he can get over that 5-7 hump.
 
#232      

redwingillini11

redwingillini11
White and Sixth
North Aurora
redwingillini11
BalloonsTheElephant said:
My goal is to have a bowl team every year. Our good seasons will get us 8-9 wins. I think Bielema can be that guy but if we don't get a bowl this year, I'm a little worried about the program momentum. I'm not sure we can go get a better HC that wouldn't just leave after the first taste of success.

At this point, I'm ride or die with Bret and hope he can get over that 5-7 hump.
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If we were a 6-7 win team a majority of years, I would be thrilled. Unfortunately, that is going to be really hard in the new B1G. We really need 3 gimme wins during non-con, otherwise I think we are doomed to be a 5-7 team more often than not, even with a health program and a solid coach like Bielema.

P.S. CANCEL THE MIZNOZ SERIES!
 
#233      

TheGMan

TheGMan
TheGMan
redwingillini11 said:
If we were a 6-7 win team a majority of years, I would be thrilled. Unfortunately, that is going to be really hard in the new B1G. We really need 3 gimme wins during non-con, otherwise I think we are doomed to be a 5-7 team more often than not, even with a health program and a solid coach like Bielema.

P.S. BEAT MIZNOZ!
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Fixed it for you
 
#234      

ptgrd23

ptgrd23
ptgrd23
If Altmyer makes RS JR jump and Feagin can stay healthy I see a path to 8-4. Gotta win all the close ones! 6 wins at home and road wins at Nebraska and Rutgers.

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#235      

Fuze

F
Fuze
redwingillini11 said:
P.S. CANCEL THE MIZNOZ SERIES!
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I'm so torn on this. On one hand, I think everyone should have to play at least 1 P4 every year (at least while 8-9 conference games is still standard) because I think it's better for the sport just as a fan and creates more interesting matchups we'll otherwise never see, particularly rivalries like Illinois-Miznoz. On the other hand, I'm fully aware that in the new landscape, Illinois is one of the programs that's going to want/need every gimme game we can get in the non-conference to get to bowl eligibility.
 
#236      

Simeon Rice

S
Simeon Rice
Fuze said:
I'm so torn on this. On one hand, I think everyone should have to play at least 1 P4 every year (at least while 8-9 conference games is still standard) because I think it's better for the sport just as a fan and creates more interesting matchups we'll otherwise never see, particularly rivalries like Illinois-Miznoz. On the other hand, I'm fully aware that in the new landscape, Illinois is one of the programs that's going to want/need every gimme game we can get in the non-conference to get to bowl eligibility.
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But, we're not rivals anymore. We don't play each year, and we unfortunately don't have nearly the resources they do. At this point in our program, we need wins and bowl appearances. Tough out-of-conference scheduling doesn't align with those needs
 
#237      

TentakilRex

TentakilRex
Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
TentakilRex
Just saying if we want to be where we want to be, playing and beating Mizzou is essential. If you are worried that losing to Mizzou will make you bowl ineligible often, this program isn't anywhere close to where "it needs to be." Besides, a Mizzou win may really help our case in the eyes of any playoff committee...
 
#240      

SactownIllini

SactownIllini
Coleman Hawkinsland
SactownIllini
Fuze said:
I'm so torn on this. On one hand, I think everyone should have to play at least 1 P4 every year (at least while 8-9 conference games is still standard) because I think it's better for the sport just as a fan and creates more interesting matchups we'll otherwise never see, particularly rivalries like Illinois-Miznoz. On the other hand, I'm fully aware that in the new landscape, Illinois is one of the programs that's going to want/need every gimme game we can get in the non-conference to get to bowl eligibility.
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I like to play the best in the new landscape. In the opt out of bowl games for NFL Draft and Transfer Portal Era, most of the bowls are gonna be a joke moving forward. The playoff is gonna be everything. Maybe the Power schools with under .500 records will start having bowls against each other.
 
#241      

Simeon Rice

S
Simeon Rice
TentakilRex said:
Just saying if we want to be where we want to be, playing and beating Mizzou is essential. If you are worried that losing to Mizzou will make you bowl ineligible often, this program isn't anywhere close to where "it needs to be." Besides, a Mizzou win may really help our case in the eyes of any playoff committee...
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In that case, let's schedule Mizzou, Bama, and LSU. Surely that is the path needed to get where we want to be 🤦‍♂️
 
#243      

BalloonsTheElephant

B
BalloonsTheElephant
TentakilRex said:
Just saying if we want to be where we want to be, playing and beating Mizzou is essential. If you are worried that losing to Mizzou will make you bowl ineligible often, this program isn't anywhere close to where "it needs to be." Besides, a Mizzou win may really help our case in the eyes of any playoff committee...
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There is only one metric that determines your postseason eligibility. Wins.

There's no Sagarin, NET, KenPom, or Bart Torvik that will get you in the postseason. We are a perennial bubble team that's just trying to make it. We don't need to get thumped by a better team to kill any hope in the first month of the season.
 
#244      

Simeon Rice

S
Simeon Rice
Fighter of the Nightman said:
One of those is not like the other. Mizzou is 2008 Illini football right now … let’s not annouint them before they sustain it.
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They have most of their team back, have about as easy an SEC schedule as you can build, and have blue blood NIL in an era where paying players is legal. I would love them to be 2008 Illini, but it doesn't look like it's in the cards
 
#245      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
Simeon Rice said:
They have most of their team back, have about as easy an SEC schedule as you can build, and have blue blood NIL in an era where paying players is legal. I would love them to be 2008 Illini, but it doesn't look like it's in the cards
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1) The 2008 Illini looked JUST as primed to keep the train rolling, that is my point. We don't know what the future holds, regardless of how great things might look for a team after one great season and looking primed for another one.

2) Am I missing something here? I HAVE to assume that people are referring to the law about NIL and instate high school recruits in Missouri? I think that will help Mizzou, but come on ... Blue Blood NIL??
 
#247      

Simeon Rice

S
Simeon Rice
Fighter of the Nightman said:
2) Am I missing something here? I HAVE to assume that people are referring to the law about NIL and instate high school recruits in Missouri? I think that will help Mizzou, but come on ... Blue Blood NIL??
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They've got friends in good places who want to win (Kroenkes?, Waltons?)
https://247sports.com/article/misso...mous-source-to-aid-renovations-nil-226701704/

They just outbid Penn St for a top 50 QB from Pennsylvania. They have blue blood NIL
 
#248      

zooked

Z
zooked
Anyone have any advice for going to the Spring game? We have little kids and I’m sure they will want to get autographs.
 
#249      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
Simeon Rice said:
They've got friends in good places who want to win (Kroenkes?, Waltons?)
https://247sports.com/article/misso...mous-source-to-aid-renovations-nil-226701704/

They just outbid Penn St for a top 50 QB from Pennsylvania. They have blue blood NIL
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Do we potentially not? Look, I am not saying that (A) cancelling the Mizzou series isn't potentially a good idea or (B) that Mizzou isn't in a way better situation than us currently. I am simply floating the idea that if we had a season as good as theirs last year, the money would start flowing in for Illini football, as well (see the response to our basketball program and how WE are the ones who can outbid other big-time programs).

Again ... not saying anything about the current situation. I am more saying that the INHERENT advantages Mizzou seems to enjoy at present (e.g., size/wealth of alumni base, instate recruiting, facilities, etc.) are not leaps and bounds better at a base level that what we could enjoy. To say otherwise, at least IMO, is too defeatist. Are we there no? Absolutely and of course not. I'm just saying the potential for us to be Mizzou is there, and thus Mizzou is not Alabama.
 
#250      

Toews

Toews
Toews
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Do we potentially not? Look, I am not saying that (A) cancelling the Mizzou series isn't potentially a good idea or (B) that Mizzou isn't in a way better situation than us currently. I am simply floating the idea that if we had a season as good as theirs last year, the money would start flowing in for Illini football, as well (see the response to our basketball program and how WE are the ones who can outbid other big-time programs).

Again ... not saying anything about the current situation. I am more saying that the INHERENT advantages Mizzou seems to enjoy at present (e.g., size/wealth of alumni base, instate recruiting, facilities, etc.) are not leaps and bounds better at a base level that what we could enjoy. To say otherwise, at least IMO, is too defeatist. Are we there no? Absolutely and of course not. I'm just saying the potential for us to be Mizzou is there, and thus Mizzou is not Alabama.
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Huge difference between Illini Football and Illini Basketball. For one, being a basketball school alone is a huge advantage, there aren't that many. Allows us to throw our NIL weight around more. Football we are small potatoes sadly. Even after the 8 win season the NIL wasn't great.
 
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