Illini Football 2024

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#126      
redwingillini11
In an absolutely stunning development, our O/U win total has been set at 5.5 wins.

badgerswire.usatoday.com

FanDuel updated win total odds for Wisconsin, every Big Ten team in 2024 football season

Surprised by Wisconsin’s o/u win total entering the 2024 season?
badgerswire.usatoday.com badgerswire.usatoday.com

I've been fairly pessimistic, especially after we took some hits to the transfer portal after spring practice, believing that 6 wins is a very tall task against a schedule with a lot of toss up games. But with the momentum and hype surrounding our latest portal push certainly makes things a bit more interesting. If we can find a way to knock of Kansas in September, we could have a really solid chance to make a bowl game. I really hope that happens.
 
#127      
Toews
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Forgive my total ignorance, but it seems like we have improved our ceiling a bit lately? Maybe not? I saw a lot of fans predicting between 4-6 wins ... anyone feel we can be playing for 7 this season? I think getting more than 6 wins would be a MUCH needed re-establishing of momentum at a critical time.
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Yeah I'm not even mr. optimistic usually but the talk around this team honestly doesn't match both the Vegas over/under odds or imo the talent level on the team. Not saying they are going to win 8 or 9, but this team could easily win 6 at least and maybe be if things go well even a 7th. I feel like there's been a low bar set (perhaps purposely so by some as an easy bar to clear) for this season that I think is actually incorrect. I also think if this team does only win 4 games most fans won't actually see it as a "table setting year" and will actually see it as another coach who failed here. It's a very important year for the program and the fanbase and not just a season to get a year older.
 
#128      
UofToledoFans
You guys got a gem. Obviously he has developed multiple draft picks at Toledo, and furthermore is a stand up individual. Here are the last 2 podcasts he has come on with us (before I was a co host). They're great listens. He made us want to run through a wall. (2023)

open.spotify.com

Toledo Rockets Cornerbacks Coach Corey Parker

Midnight Blue & Gold Launchpad · Episode
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
open.spotify.com

Interview with UT Cornerbacks Coach Corey Parker

Midnight Blue & Gold Launchpad · Episode
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
(2022)
 
#129      
redwingillini11
Since B1G tv assignments are starting to drop, does anyone think we will get any games on a signature broadcast? Big Noon Kickoff, CBS at 2:30, or NBC Saturday Night?

Maybe, maybe we get the CBS for the Michigan / Re-Dedication game. Although I could see the networks not really caring about that special date for us, and I could also see Michigan sliding a bit if they struggle early in the year against Texas and USC and just aren't going to be in Playoff contention.

Otherwise, we are probably at the mercy of being in a signature time slot if we are playing at Penn State or at Oregon or at Nebraska and they get it due to a fairly weak slate.

My predictions:

Week 1: vs. EIU on BTN (Thur.)
Week 2: vs. Kansas on FS1
Week 3: vs. CMU on BTN or Peacock
Week 4: @ Nebraska on Big Noon Kickoff on Fox (very weak week, USC-UM on CBS, the networks love Nebraska)
Week 5: @ Penn State on FS1 or CBS at noon or Fox not at noon
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: vs. Purdue on BTN
Week 8: vs. Michigan on CBS
Week 9: @ Oregon on NBC
Week 10: vs. Minnesota on Peacock
Week 11: BYE
Week 12: vs. Michigan State on BTN
Week 13: @ Rutgers on BTN
Week 14: @ Northwestern on BTN

Not truly terrible as I went through the schedule. Although I am probably being generous to us.
 
#130      
biglug58
UofToledoFans said:
You guys got a gem. Obviously he has developed multiple draft picks at Toledo, and furthermore is a stand up individual. Here are the last 2 podcasts he has come on with us (before I was a co host). They're great listens. He made us want to run through a wall. (2023)

open.spotify.com

Toledo Rockets Cornerbacks Coach Corey Parker

Midnight Blue & Gold Launchpad · Episode
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
open.spotify.com

Interview with UT Cornerbacks Coach Corey Parker

Midnight Blue & Gold Launchpad · Episode
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
(2022)
Click to expand...
Welcome back UTFs. Appreciate your input on this hire.
 
#131      
TheDrinkinLincoln
therealmiket86 said:
Schematically our defense was very bad last year and we were unorganized. The defensive backs looked lost out there. The original staff had Kane, Buh and Walters. All of them had play calling experience.
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I think you are picking up what I'm putting down. AHen was getting a lot of input from Buh, Leonard, and BB that he was trying to implement. AHen might have been trying to do everything instead of doing something cohesive. What Walters had was the confidence to handle 3 egos who all thought they should be calling the shots and tell them no and to not use their suggestions. AHen might not have the confidence to tell multiple people this isn't how I want play that especially when they have more experience than him.
 
#132      
therealmiket86
TheDrinkinLincoln said:
I think you are picking up what I'm putting down. AHen was getting a lot of input from Buh, Leonard, and BB that he was trying to implement. AHen might have been trying to do everything instead of doing something cohesive. What Walters had was the confidence to handle 3 egos who all thought they should be calling the shots and tell them no and to not use their suggestions. AHen might not have the confidence to tell multiple people this isn't how I want play that especially when they have more experience than him.
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Well Leonhard wasnt there on game day. A big part of the problem is the defense is very predictable and teams figured it out. Walter’s also struggled this year. Then we went to a soft zone and didn’t blitz at all which made it even worse. If we keep playing a bear front teams will continue to kill us with the te
 
#133      
Ramrod2010
UofToledoFans said:
You guys got a gem. Obviously he has developed multiple draft picks at Toledo, and furthermore is a stand up individual. Here are the last 2 podcasts he has come on with us (before I was a co host). They're great listens. He made us want to run through a wall. (2023)

open.spotify.com

Toledo Rockets Cornerbacks Coach Corey Parker

Midnight Blue & Gold Launchpad · Episode
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
open.spotify.com

Interview with UT Cornerbacks Coach Corey Parker

Midnight Blue & Gold Launchpad · Episode
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
(2022)
Click to expand...
Did not have an appearance from you on the off-season bingo card, funny how that works sometimes.

Appreciate the feedback, especially since it's positive!
 
#134      
RoundBalcs
UofToledoFans said:
You guys got a gem. Obviously he has developed multiple draft picks at Toledo, and furthermore is a stand up individual. Here are the last 2 podcasts he has come on with us (before I was a co host). They're great listens. He made us want to run through a wall. (2023)

open.spotify.com

Toledo Rockets Cornerbacks Coach Corey Parker

Midnight Blue & Gold Launchpad · Episode
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
open.spotify.com

Interview with UT Cornerbacks Coach Corey Parker

Midnight Blue & Gold Launchpad · Episode
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
(2022)
Click to expand...
Really appreciate the insight, and welcome back! Good luck this season.
 
#135      
Indy Illini Fan
Simeon Rice said:
No brainers:
1) CB Brooks
2) OL Davis
3) TE Rusk
4) WR Franklin*

Likely:
5) OL Priestly

Others
6) ?
7) ?
8) ?

In consideration: Wigenton, Briggs, others not committed yet

*Not committed yet
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The 5 you listed are all locks to start ...

In addition to Wigenton ... Gesky doesn't have that LG position locked up yet per the staff ...

As well as Briggs, Daniel Brown, and likely Gentle ...

I said potentially 8 ... Could be less but I think it's minimum 6 ...
 
#137      
TampaToo
Hopefully they’ll make up for the one we hired more than 10 years ago. 😂
 
#139      
Fighter of the Nightman
redwingillini11 said:
Since B1G tv assignments are starting to drop, does anyone think we will get any games on a signature broadcast? Big Noon Kickoff, CBS at 2:30, or NBC Saturday Night?

Maybe, maybe we get the CBS for the Michigan / Re-Dedication game. Although I could see the networks not really caring about that special date for us, and I could also see Michigan sliding a bit if they struggle early in the year against Texas and USC and just aren't going to be in Playoff contention.

Otherwise, we are probably at the mercy of being in a signature time slot if we are playing at Penn State or at Oregon or at Nebraska and they get it due to a fairly weak slate.

My predictions:

Week 1: vs. EIU on BTN (Thur.)
Week 2: vs. Kansas on FS1
Week 3: vs. CMU on BTN or Peacock
Week 4: @ Nebraska on Big Noon Kickoff on Fox (very weak week, USC-UM on CBS, the networks love Nebraska)
Week 5: @ Penn State on FS1 or CBS at noon or Fox not at noon
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: vs. Purdue on BTN
Week 8: vs. Michigan on CBS
Week 9: @ Oregon on NBC
Week 10: vs. Minnesota on Peacock
Week 11: BYE
Week 12: vs. Michigan State on BTN
Week 13: @ Rutgers on BTN
Week 14: @ Northwestern on BTN

Not truly terrible as I went through the schedule. Although I am probably being generous to us.
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FWIW, these are some of the other high profile Big Ten games the weeks that I think we have the best shot at a "good" TV/time slot. I roughly ranked them in order of how attractive I think they are to the networks, and I only included ones that I think are as good or better than our matchup for TV purposes.

Saturday 9/7 vs. Kansas
Texas at Michigan - confirmed for 11:00 am on FOX (Big Noon Kickoff)
Colorado at Nebraska - confirmed for 6:30 pm on NBC
Iowa State at Iowa
Boise State at Oregon


Saturday 9/21 at Nebraska
USC at Michigan - confirmed for 2:30 pm on CBS
UCLA at LSU
Iowa at Minnesota
Purdue at Oregon State - confirmed for 7:30 pm on The CW

Saturday 9/28 at Penn State
Ohio State at Michigan State
Wisconsin at USC
Oregon at UCLA
Minnesota at Michigan

Saturday 10/19 vs. Michigan
Iowa at Michigan State

Saturday 10/26 at Oregon
Michigan State at Michigan
Nebraska at Ohio State
Penn State at Wisconsin

I would be very surprised if the Michigan game is not on a really good network. Michigan is an absolute home run draw no matter what (averaged over 5.6 million viewers per game last year before either CFP game...), and we are one of those teams that will not carry a BTN/FS1 slot by ourselves, but we actually draw quite well when we are put in a good slot (we drew over 3.2 million for the PSU game last year and nearly 5.5 million for our game against Michigan last year). Throw in the backstory of the anniversary and it being Michigan that we played all of those years ago, and it's sort of a no-brainer, IMO ... especially considering the other games that week are not amazing.

If we can beat Kansas and sport a 4-2 or better record when Michigan comes to town, we will get more than one great TV/time slot, that is for sure!
 
#140      
bluemountain
Fighter of the Nightman said:
FWIW, these are some of the other high profile Big Ten games the weeks that I think we have the best shot at a "good" TV/time slot. I roughly ranked them in order of how attractive I think they are to the networks, and I only included ones that I think are as good or better than our matchup for TV purposes.

Saturday 9/7 vs. Kansas
Texas at Michigan - confirmed for 11:00 am on FOX (Big Noon Kickoff)
Colorado at Nebraska - confirmed for 6:30 pm on NBC
Iowa State at Iowa
Boise State at Oregon


Saturday 9/21 at Nebraska
USC at Michigan - confirmed for 2:30 pm on CBS
UCLA at LSU
Iowa at Minnesota
Purdue at Oregon State - confirmed for 7:30 pm on The CW

Saturday 9/28 at Penn State
Ohio State at Michigan State
Wisconsin at USC
Oregon at UCLA
Minnesota at Michigan

Saturday 10/19 vs. Michigan
Iowa at Michigan State

Saturday 10/26 at Oregon
Michigan State at Michigan
Nebraska at Ohio State
Penn State at Wisconsin

I would be very surprised if the Michigan game is not on a really good network. Michigan is an absolute home run draw no matter what (averaged over 5.6 million viewers per game last year before either CFP game...), and we are one of those teams that will not carry a BTN/FS1 slot by ourselves, but we actually draw quite well when we are put in a good slot (we drew over 3.2 million for the PSU game last year and nearly 5.5 million for our game against Michigan last year). Throw in the backstory of the anniversary and it being Michigan that we played all of those years ago, and it's sort of a no-brainer, IMO ... especially considering the other games that week are not amazing.

If we can beat Kansas and sport a 4-2 or better record when Michigan comes to town, we will get more than one great TV/time slot, that is for sure!
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Not sure what the rest of the games look like that weekend, but if we go into the UM game with even a 4-2 record there is a shot at hosting GameDay given the historical significance of the game
 
#141      
redwingillini11
bluemountain said:
Not sure what the rest of the games look like that weekend, but if we go into the UM game with even a 4-2 record there is a shot at hosting GameDay given the historical significance of the game
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Not to rain on your parade, but that week is also Georgia at Texas and Bama at Tennessee. So GameDay is probably out of the question. Big Noon Kickoff / Big Noon Game? That could certainly be in play if we hold up our end of the bargain early in the season. The sad reality is that College Gameday will probably never come to Illinois now that we are not on an ESPN network. We would have to have an undefeated amazing team playing in a huge game or otherwise being a national storyline (like Deion in Colorado) for ESPN to send their crew to Champaign rather than to an SEC or ACC game.

There was no reason Gameday shouldn't have been in Champaign on Week 0 in 2021. That was our best chance to host. Now it will probably never happen. We will have to settle for Urban Meyer and the USC-ND boys as our big game prize.
 
#142      
Fighter of the Nightman
redwingillini11 said:
Not to rain on your parade, but that week is also Georgia at Texas and Bama at Tennessee. So GameDay is probably out of the question. Big Noon Kickoff / Big Noon Game? That could certainly be in play if we hold up our end of the bargain early in the season. The sad reality is that College Gameday will probably never come to Illinois now that we are not on an ESPN network. We would have to have an undefeated amazing team playing in a huge game or otherwise being a national storyline (like Deion in Colorado) for ESPN to send their crew to Champaign rather than to an SEC or ACC game.

There was no reason Gameday shouldn't have been in Champaign on Week 0 in 2021. That was our best chance to host. Now it will probably never happen. We will have to settle for Urban Meyer and the USC-ND boys as our big game prize.
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I actually think Big Noon Kickoff would be very realistic if we can be 4-2 or better ... maybe they will feel bad for ditching us at the eleventh hour last year?? :ROFLMAO: These are the Big Ten and Big XII games that week, which to my knowledge are the only games Big Noon can pick ... again, roughly in the order of how attractive I think they would be for FOX. I am also using some recent preseason rankings from CBS just to give a general idea regarding the hype for each team:

#12 MICHIGAN AT ILLINOIS
Wisconsin "at" Northwestern ... apparently this game would be at Lambeau Field...
#3 Oregon at Purdue
TCU at #11 Utah
Iowa at Michigan State
Nebraska at Indiana
Baylor at Texas Tech
Colorado at #15 Arizona
Houston at #21 Kansas
#19 Kansas State at West Virginia
USC at Maryland
UCF at Iowa State
UCLA at Rutgers
Arizona State at Cincinnati

If Purdue looks good (including beating us), that could be a threat ... but I still will take Big Noon's obsession with Michigan over Oregon. Wisconsin/Northwestern at Lambeau scares me just for the setting, so let's hope both suck! I like our odds vs. everyone else.
 
#143      
bluemountain
redwingillini11 said:
Not to rain on your parade, but that week is also Georgia at Texas and Bama at Tennessee. So GameDay is probably out of the question. Big Noon Kickoff / Big Noon Game? That could certainly be in play if we hold up our end of the bargain early in the season. The sad reality is that College Gameday will probably never come to Illinois now that we are not on an ESPN network. We would have to have an undefeated amazing team playing in a huge game or otherwise being a national storyline (like Deion in Colorado) for ESPN to send their crew to Champaign rather than to an SEC or ACC game.

There was no reason Gameday shouldn't have been in Champaign on Week 0 in 2021. That was our best chance to host. Now it will probably never happen. We will have to settle for Urban Meyer and the USC-ND boys as our big game prize.
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Hehe....didn't see those on the schedule. Unless we are unbeaten you are undoubtedly correct. Off topic I know, but we were on tap to host the UM game in 2000 until they lost to UCLA the previous week. And I'm still mystified as to how we didn't host during the 2001 season.

As things stand now, you are probably correct that we may never host.
 
#144      
redwingillini11
Fighter of the Nightman said:
I actually think Big Noon Kickoff would be very realistic if we can be 4-2 or better ... maybe they will feel bad for ditching us at the eleventh hour last year?? :ROFLMAO: These are the Big Ten and Big XII games that week, which to my knowledge are the only games Big Noon can pick ... again, roughly in the order of how attractive I think they would be for FOX. I am also using some recent preseason rankings from CBS just to give a general idea regarding the hype for each team:

#12 MICHIGAN AT ILLINOIS
Wisconsin "at" Northwestern ... apparently this game would be at Lambeau Field...
#3 Oregon at Purdue
TCU at #11 Utah
Iowa at Michigan State
Nebraska at Indiana
Baylor at Texas Tech
Colorado at #15 Arizona
Houston at #21 Kansas
#19 Kansas State at West Virginia
USC at Maryland
UCF at Iowa State
UCLA at Rutgers
Arizona State at Cincinnati

If Purdue looks good (including beating us), that could be a threat ... but I still will take Big Noon's obsession with Michigan over Oregon. Wisconsin/Northwestern at Lambeau scares me just for the setting, so let's hope both suck! I like our odds vs. everyone else.
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Oh you are right... Lambeau is an option I could see Fox knocking people over to go to. Stupid Northwestern...
 
#146      
Mr. Tibbs
mhuml32 said:
Northwestern confirms their home game against Illinois will be played at Wrigley Field


https://twitter.com/x/status/1790850244873183507
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a no brainer as the tOSU game 2 weeks prior is “paying” for all the WF modifications to the field

they will make way more money with two sellouts of 35000 at WF than having another game at Evanston with 12,000 people

after all , everything is about money
 
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#149      
Mr. Tibbs
blackdog said:
Curious what the ticket situation is going to be like since it's technically a home game for them and they can get uppity about tickets
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you will need to buy them off an online ticket clearing house at a premium . just like in 2010, just even more difficult
 
#150      
Illiniguy74
redwingillini11 said:
Not to rain on your parade, but that week is also Georgia at Texas and Bama at Tennessee. So GameDay is probably out of the question. Big Noon Kickoff / Big Noon Game? That could certainly be in play if we hold up our end of the bargain early in the season. The sad reality is that College Gameday will probably never come to Illinois now that we are not on an ESPN network. We would have to have an undefeated amazing team playing in a huge game or otherwise being a national storyline (like Deion in Colorado) for ESPN to send their crew to Champaign rather than to an SEC or ACC game.

There was no reason Gameday shouldn't have been in Champaign on Week 0 in 2021. That was our best chance to host. Now it will probably never happen. We will have to settle for Urban Meyer and the USC-ND boys as our big game prize.
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My interest in College Gameday has decreased as Lee Corso's content has. To me, he is and always be the foundation of the show.
 
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