Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

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#426      
I did some digging and here's my two cents, but I think many of you are looking way too much into the visit to FSU....

Cooper is not going there. He has been an Illini since before the season began and he has communicated everything with Thad and coach P the whole time and Lovie has given his full support for him to play the process out the way Shammond and his family have wanted it to.

It's January in the midwest fella's! A weekends paid vacation for you and your family in Tallahassee to end off a long football and recruiting season, isnt such a bad thing guys!!

If the staff is supportive and unbothered by the visit because of the longevity and strength of their relationship, we shouldn't be worried either...

Honestly, if he wants a historied program with recent success, Oklahoma and Florida State are comparable.
They already signed 3 LBs in this class so I don't understand why they are making a push for Shammond? They also have a number of talented LBs on the roster.

Interesting that Illinois is actually supportive of Cooper making a visit like this while they've supposedly taken a hard stance against other players like McCray taking potential visits. I heard that they were pretty upset about Cumby visiting Texas Tech and Cumby's dad played at Texas Tech.

At any rate, Cooper is in Florida right now for the UA All-America game so I don't understand the need to go back there on the 25th?

BTW, the rosters for the UA All-America Game have been posted. Beason and Williams are on different teams and Williams is listed as a WR/ATH. Allen Trieu said that he does not expect Williams to play QB this week.

https://usatodayhss.com/2018/2019-under-armour-all-america-game-rosters-revealed

That’s an interesting take by Trieu. Especially when both Rod and Lovie have said they want the ball in his hands running the offense
 
#427      

FT35

Naperville
That’s an interesting take by Trieu. Especially when both Rod and Lovie have said they want the ball in his hands running the offense

Just to clarity,Trieu just said this with respects to this week's UA All-America practices and game. There's a number of QBs at this event so Williams is participating as an ATH/WR.

Trieu already wrote an article about how Illinois has guaranteed IW a chance at QB. They've even sent him a playbook so he can start learning it:

https://247sports.com/Article/Under...or-Illinois-commit-Isaiah-Williams-126999455/

Trinity Catholic doesn't allow their players to enroll early which is what IW wanted to do.
 
#428      

Hoppy2105

Little Rock, Arkansas
They already signed 3 LBs in this class so I don't understand why they are making a push for Shammond? They also have a number of talented LBs on the roster.

Interesting that Illinois is actually supportive of Cooper making a visit like this while they've supposedly taken a hard stance against other players like McCray taking potential visits. I heard that they were pretty upset about Cumby visiting Texas Tech and Cumby's dad played at Texas Tech.

At any rate, Cooper is in Florida right now for the UA All-America game so I don't understand the need to go back there on the 25th?

BTW, the rosters for the UA All-America Game have been posted. Beason and Williams are on different teams and Williams is listed as a WR/ATH. Allen Trieu said that he does not expect Williams to play QB this week.

https://usatodayhss.com/2018/2019-under-armour-all-america-game-rosters-revealed

Cooper hasn’t verbaled to us yet. That’s the big difference. There has been no public commitment to Illinois so the coaches can’t really dictate whether he should take more visits or be mad if he does.

The silent verbal might be there (I never trust silent verbals) but even if it is, there is still that chance he could change his mind. Cooper may have told Lovie to his face that he’s coming here, and he could literally change his mind at the last second and sign somewhere else. Silent verbals are worth even less than public verbals...which aren’t worth much at all really.
 
#429      
Cooper hasn’t verbaled to us yet. That’s the big difference. There has been no public commitment to Illinois so the coaches can’t really dictate whether he should take more visits or be mad if he does.

The silent verbal might be there (I never trust silent verbals) but even if it is, there is still that chance he could change his mind. Cooper may have told Lovie to his face that he’s coming here, and he could literally change his mind at the last second and sign somewhere else. Silent verbals are worth even less than public verbals...which aren’t worth much at all really.

I always wondered how a verbal could be silent.
 
#432      
We are SO thin with our young developing O-line. Next year we'll have Green & Boyd as Sophs, Slaughter & Myers as Fr & Kirts as the only one incoming. That is ridiculous! Even though we'll have another small class next year, we must add at least 4 or 5 OL's. And we really need to add one late in this class.
More than likely though Clark stays, unless the new Miami staff would surprisingly not want him there.
You forget that Jake Stover beat out the two that are transferring. Though he is a walk on and we seem to have a few of those. Is that ideal, no. But, if he is better than two guys a couple of years older... But, yes, we need one more quality guy that can develop this class at a minimum as well as another LB'er, even if we get Cooper. Need a true safety as well.
 
#434      
It's no secret that we like many other B1G programs have dipped into Florida's hot bed of athletes before. Thy are down and the outside perception is that we are even further down, which of course compared to them, we are. So they thought they would jump in our backyard and poach some of our recruits, kinda how Blue bloods try to poach our basketball recruits.

They tried it with Randolph, they're trying it with Shammond. Its a no lose situaiton for them. But Lovie has strong connections down there and he's not worried. FSU is a laughing stock in Florida right now. In the football recruiting world, its all fair game 😕


Here in Florida, Mullen stated on the early signing day "I own the state of Florida". Quite a statement but, he might be right when you look at who FSU and Miami signed. Jimbo left FSU with not so great talent considering where FSU was at when JF took over from Bobby "dag gummit" Bowden.
 
#435      
Just to clarity,Trieu just said this with respects to this week's UA All-America practices and game. There's a number of QBs at this event so Williams is participating as an ATH/WR.

Trieu already wrote an article about how Illinois has guaranteed IW a chance at QB. They've even sent him a playbook so he can start learning it:

https://247sports.com/Article/Under...or-Illinois-commit-Isaiah-Williams-126999455/

Trinity Catholic doesn't allow their players to enroll early which is what IW wanted to do.

How does Trinity Catholic have any say in whether a player enrolls early? Does that mean that the school won't allow anyone to graduate early?
 
#436      
How does Trinity Catholic have any say in whether a player enrolls early? Does that mean that the school won't allow anyone to graduate early?

Correct. It is the early HS graduation they don’t allow. If he doesn’t graduate obviously not enrolling at Illinois. From what I’ve read this is a TC thing not something IW is too far behind academically to get it done
 
#437      
Not uncommon with private and parochial schools who, among other things, don't want to lose the second semester tuition.
 
#438      

South Farms

near Ogden & Rt 83
Not uncommon with private and parochial schools who, among other things, don't want to lose the second semester tuition.
EXACTLY

this is just one reason they usually all require 8 semesters of religious education to graduate, and private schools almost never have summer school and certainly public schools don't have religious education classes at any time
 
#443      
Anyone know what the track record is recently with the NCAA for homesickness/family transfers?
 
#445      

DrewD007

Woodridge, IL
Anyone know what the track record is recently with the NCAA for homesickness/family transfers?

You never know with the NCAA, but Ford's case (ailing grandfather) is why the hardship exists.

It's the same reason Ahmad Starks sought a waiver which the NCAA denied, but that was 5 years ago. I think they've become a little less stringent since then.
 
#446      
EXACTLY

this is just one reason they usually all require 8 semesters of religious education to graduate, and private schools almost never have summer school and certainly public schools don't have religious education classes at any time

Trinity Catholic requires 31 credits and 8 semesters vs. 24 credits at Missouri public high school. Less prepared for football, but likely more prepared for college academics.
 
#448      

NBB1979

UIUCFAN1
Springfield, IL
The way he said he was “done” with recruiting and then jumped ship as soon as Miami came calling makes me think the staff won’t want him back.

It seems being true to your word is highly valued amongst the staff. Sort of a “We won’t rush you to commit, but if you do, it’s 100%. Make the right decision and let it be the final one” sort of thing. Then, if a kid backs out after making that pledge, it lets the coaches know there could be potential issues. (Loyalty, being true to your word, short sightedness, bad decision making, heavy influence by outside sources...etc) Things that are very common among the HS recruiting scene.

Then the coaches can decide to stay away or get back in depending on the potential issue.

Either that or they just get butt-hurt when kids de-commit. :thumb:

0440, any insight on the way they think?

I agree 100% with this - can we name a single decommit who has came back to play for the Illini? Targets that never committed (Thomas, Ford) maybe - but someone who de-committed and/or signed? Not sure Lovie has any
 
#449      

NBB1979

UIUCFAN1
Springfield, IL
Anyone have any update on the possibility of Oklahoma WR Miller transferring to Illinois? Was Illinois linked to him?

Illinois was a finalist for him out of high school - so the relationships appear to be there
 
#450      

mhuml32

Cincinnati, OH
With Holgorsen leaving WVU, wonder if any of their signees will ask for a release? Would love if Illinois could get another shot at Ali Jennings or Winston Wright to shore up the WR corps.
 
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