Pregame: Illinois vs Nebraska, Saturday, September 21st, 7:00pm CT, BTN

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#27      
Nebraska isn't that good guys. They were way over hyped this season and they will also struggle in the Big. If Illinois loses its going to be by 10 or less.

They’re definitely shaky defensively and their STs play is not Beamer worthy. Unfortunately for us, they are very good at running the football and using the ground game as a means for heavily attacking the defensive secondary deep down the field. That is not a recipe for success for us based on 3 games of our play.

This game could be close. It could also get very ugly, very quickly.
 
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#28      
Unfortunately the problem seems to be mainly with the students that are now enrolling at UIUC. There have been studies/surveys of the student body done and most of the students state they are at UI for one reason only - for the degree from this particular school. They show little interest in anything outside of their studies. There is some work being done to identify ways to rectify this but unfortunately that means changing the culture of a great many who have no interest at all in athletics.

Why is it unfortunate?

And, no, it is not a recent phenomenon. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign HAS ALWAYS BEEN known, pretty much throughout the world as an educational institution. It has been so for more than 55 years - when I heard about it. So, it is understandable if students (US/international) who accept to come here are after a degree.

It will take a while to add athletics to it (much like UM). The problem has been inconsistencies - there has never been a consistent, incremental effort to raise the standards in athletics. I do not think an Univ can change the culture quickly.
 
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#30      
Why is it unfortunate?

I guess what I meant by unfortunately is that the research has indicated that students are not developing any affinity for Illinois athletics while they are here. In the past, even though students came here for academics, they became fans while they were here. The current info is that students don't do that now and if they have ANY interest in sports it generally remains what they enter the university with - ie. if they are Bears fans, they remain Bears fans and do not necessarily transition to following the Illini.
 
#31      

illini80

Forgottonia
I guess what I meant by unfortunately is that the research has indicated that students are not developing any affinity for Illinois athletics while they are here. In the past, even though students came here for academics, they became fans while they were here. The current info is that students don't do that now and if they have ANY interest in sports it generally remains what they enter the university with - ie. if they are Bears fans, they remain Bears fans and do not necessarily transition to following the Illini.
It’s because the game experience isn’t fun. A lot of that is losing, but there is way more to it. I was there in the 70’s when we were losing and going to the game was still the highlight of the week.
 
#33      
Maybe EMU is the to-be MAC champion coming off one if their only losses of the season to an upper tier SEC school. Maybe we just lost on a last second FG to a good team

*trying to find hope for at least a few more weeks*

I hope we put all this talent together - play like a team - play mistake free - avoid injury/suspension issue - come motivated following EMU embarrassment and pull out a 38-36 win. More realistic scenario given how we just played the read option is that Martinez hangs 55 on us, we score a bit... maybe 30’ish, but dumb penalties and turnovers prevent us going drive for drive with UN. A lot like last years game seems most likely

1 time Lovie... Get your boys to surprise us the right way just 1 time...
 
#35      
Maybe EMU is the to-be MAC champion coming off one if their only losses of the season to an upper tier SEC school. Maybe we just lost on a last second FG to a good team

*trying to find hope for at least a few more weeks*

I hope we put all this talent together - play like a team - play mistake free - avoid injury/suspension issue - come motivated following EMU embarrassment and pull out a 38-36 win. More realistic scenario given how we just played the read option is that Martinez hangs 55 on us, we score a bit... maybe 30’ish, but dumb penalties and turnovers prevent us going drive for drive with UN. A lot like last years game seems most likely

1 time Lovie... Get your boys to surprise us the right way just 1 time...

We almost lost to UConn
 
#36      
I guess what I meant by unfortunately is that the research has indicated that students are not developing any affinity for Illinois athletics while they are here. In the past, even though students came here for academics, they became fans while they were here. The current info is that students don't do that now and if they have ANY interest in sports it generally remains what they enter the university with - ie. if they are Bears fans, they remain Bears fans and do not necessarily transition to following the Illini.

I would challenge that research.

I as a foreign student NEVER missed a football game. And, that was when Gary Moeller was the coach. I had no idea what was happening on the field and no clue who Gary Moeller was. Yet I attended every game.

Well, my fellow students from my own (then) country thought I was a nut case.

I have TWO kids who graduated from UoI. Born here. They too are not as rabid as me.

I used to live in Naperville, IL and found to my horror that kids there preferred Iowa or Mizzou or Indiana or Wisconsin ............... Found out that it had to do with their grades, more than anything else. Getting into UoI is a headache. Sustaining 4 years is a bigger one. Especially today. I would rather have kids study and do extremely well in their studies. Let the athletics catch up. Everyone has a role to play in this matter: right from the Prez of the school to the Moms and Dads of kids.

Anyways, back to the thread.
 
#39      
It’s because the game experience isn’t fun. A lot of that is losing, but there is way more to it. I was there in the 70’s when we were losing and going to the game was still the highlight of the week.
I was there for the ‘66-‘69 seasons, saw the football augur into the turf big time. Yet we still came. But where did the students sit? Not in the end zone. In the upper deck on the east side. How do I know? I was in East Block I, in the East lower deck, and when Illinois made a first down, rolls of toilet paper smuggled in would come spiraling down.

So...now let’s stuff the kids in the end zone...and wonder why they don’t come.

And while we’re at it, no Chief. Even when we were losing, we always won halftime.
 
#40      
Very sad when you have to give away free student tickets to fill the student section for Nebraska on a Saturday night.

What's next, actually paying students cafeteria $$$ for staying three quarters?
 
#41      
I was there for the ‘66-‘69 seasons, saw the football augur into the turf big time. Yet we still came. But where did the students sit? Not in the end zone. In the upper deck on the east side. How do I know? I was in East Block I, in the East lower deck, and when Illinois made a first down, rolls of toilet paper smuggled in would come spiraling down.

So...now let’s stuff the kids in the end zone...and wonder why they don’t come.

And while we’re at it, no Chief. Even when we were losing, we always won halftime.

I don’t think sitting them in the upper end zone is why the students aren’t coming. I think part of the reason they put them up there is so the whole stadium can watch them when they do their rituals like before the game, halftime with the cards, etc. Back when Illinois was good like 07, it was very cool to watch them. It’s not like students are out and about during the football game. An hour before game time, it was completely dead on campus. Bars weren’t open. No students walking around. I can count on one hand how many people were on the quad. While I do think it’s a different mix of students, I also think that mix would be interested in coming and being part of the atmosphere if it was actually fun.
 
#42      

mattcoldagelli

The Transfer Portal
Very sad when you have to give away free student tickets to fill the student section for Nebraska on a Saturday night.

Why? College football is supposed to be fun. We have made it anything but that for the last five years. I don't begrudge any student for not wanting to pay to spend several hours watching a terrible product.
 
#43      
Why? College football is supposed to be fun. We have made it anything but that for the last five years. I don't begrudge any student for not wanting to pay to spend several hours watching a terrible product.
Should give the students free beer, too.
 
#45      

KrushCow31

Former Krush Cow
Chicago, IL
I was there for the transition from a packed student section to an empty one. My freshmen year you had to get tickets early in the week, assigned seats. The middle was reserved for Block I. It was packed. We went 3-9. By the end of my time, it was first come first serve. Anybody could sit in the middle. Numbers were way down. Every single game was 11am start. The games weren't that fun. Most fraternities and sororities had block at a bar, and most would just stay at the bar. I imagine that is still happening, but maybe that's not the case anymore. Kill the traditions, get killed on the field, kill the tailgating, kill the fun.

Btw they've been giving away free tickets to one game a year for like 5 years now.
 
#46      

Deleted member 652751

D
Guest
Sadly, until the university has people in the top decision - making positions in admin and BOT we have what we currently suffer with. It will not change. You have to have accountability as anAD but you also have to have support when you are trying to get student athletes into the university - both new admissions as well as transfers and building a winning program. This goes for both major revenue sports. Current leadership too worried about appeasing and impressing their academia colleagues. Better to be thought of by them as politically correct upper echelon academic public u than a powerhouse at both that and sports. All while examples of being great at both are all around us. Pathetic state of affairs.
 
#47      

Deleted member 649710

D
Guest
11:00 am starts + sticking students in the end zone does not help.

Believe it or not, there are people whose actual job at DIA is to sell tickets and create an attractive game day experience. Those people are failing and need to be replaced if they can’t figure out a way to attract people within walking distance of the stadium. Show a little creativity, folks, beyond just rolling out the extremely tired “Band day” and “Food and Agriculture day” promotions for the umpteenth year.
 
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#48      
Very sad when you have to give away free student tickets to fill the student section for Nebraska on a Saturday night.

What's next, actually paying students cafeteria $$$ for staying three quarters?

Whoa there big fella. Let's start with one quarter before we jump all the way to three
 
#49      

redwingillini11

North Aurora
At this point I don't think it makes sense to put anyone other than the students up in the NEZ (who would buy those tickets???), especially if the student patio is available now. But when most schools allow their students great access right up along the field, the NEZ leads to a TERRIBLE in game experience no student who isn't obsessed with college football is rushing to take part in. Especially if the general population isn't filling up the sideline, moving the students down there would lead to the best possible game day environment. Of course, that'll never happen....
 
#50      

illini80

Forgottonia
Very sad when you have to give away free student tickets to fill the student section for Nebraska on a Saturday night.

What's next, actually paying students cafeteria $$$ for staying three quarters?
You know it doesn’t help the sterile atmosphere reputation when the TV cameras won’t even show the crowd because it’s so dismal. If you see stands full of people having fun, you just might feel a little more like you want to be a part of it. So if giving them a little beer money on the way out works I say go for it.
 
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