Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#101      

illini80

Forgottonia
Football Aftershow on NBC Sports Chicago. It's him, Alex Brown (who is actually one of the more entertaining guys on the panel), Matt Forte, and Lance Briggs with Laurence Holmes hosting.
I’m guessing no Fred Miller?🤣

For those not familiar, Miller had his jaw broken by Kreutz while a teammate. He also shoved Drew Brees into a wall for trying to break up an altercation in the Saints locker room. Looking forward to what his son can do with some added strength. Supposed to be a smart player. Have to love that at the center position.
 
#102      
The way this class is setup we may take as many as 28 guys and multiple transfers due to the 30+ players that will be gone after this season. While a lot of these guys dont have the star rating we want, you must realize that we aren’t halfway through this class. We will get the Top 1000 guys and be in play for some high level recommits. Furthermore, Lovie has shown a knack for finding former 4 stars who can fill the gap for some of these guys to develop. This thing hasnt even started yet.
 
#103      
The way this class is setup we may take as many as 28 guys and multiple transfers due to the 30+ players that will be gone after this season. While a lot of these guys dont have the star rating we want, you must realize that we aren’t halfway through this class. We will get the Top 1000 guys and be in play for some high level recommits. Furthermore, Lovie has shown a knack for finding former 4 stars who can fill the gap for some of these guys to develop. This thing hasnt even started yet.
Positive waves, man. I like it!
 
#104      

Deleted member 654622

D
Guest
Big things upcoming this weekend.... I’m really excited. We’re about to land very solid guys. Keep a lookout for some gifs.
Love to have your post and insight from what you can share as always, buuuuuuuuut this has happened more than I like so I will remain skeptical until
skeptical-gif-2.gif
 
#107      

B-ILL

Working From Home
Gesky and brenson. Both are in. Just waiting to announce. Heard it will be this weekend. Patterson the DE out of LA is also one who could pop.
You mean Ja’Marian Peterson?

Question: will Illinois land a 247Composite 4* in this class after none last year? Recruiting momentum seems less than stellar in Year 4 of Lovie. Good players, yes. But after landing some serious talent in 2019, some big wins in the fall, and a bowl game in 2020, I speak on behalf of the fan base that bigger and better things need to happen on the trail to keep the trajectory pointing upwards. My expectations are higher, and I’m concerned that the staff doesn’t have the heavy hitters needed to land the program changing recruits year in and year out. Thoughts?
 
#108      
You mean Ja’Marian Peterson?

Question: will Illinois land a 247Composite 4* in this class after none last year? Recruiting momentum seems less than stellar in Year 4 of Lovie. Good players, yes. But after landing some serious talent in 2019, some big wins in the fall, and a bowl game in 2020, I speak on behalf of the fan base that bigger and better things need to happen on the trail to keep the trajectory pointing upwards. My expectations are higher, and I’m concerned that the staff doesn’t have the heavy hitters needed to land the program changing recruits year in and year out. Thoughts?
This exact discussion is 75% of the recruiting thread. I tend to agree with you.

Those who are happy with recruiting will say that we are targeting undervalued players who Lovie can develop and then transfers negate any shortcomings. To me it feels like the narrative about our recruiting is constantly evolving. Feels like each year is a different story (anti-transfer youth movement, now transfer dependent). Maybe that's because Lovie is constantly adjusting our strategy. Personally I'd love more of the 2019 class as I'm sure everyone would.

It's hard for me to get as excited about the current lowest average rated recruiting class in the big ten. It also says to me that amongst high caliber football players, they aren't sold on the trajectory of our program.
 
#109      
Wait, when it was higher, there were issues there as well... Lovie is not bringing in a top 25 class to Illinois until he shows more success. Its more of Illinois than it is LS. Illinois is not considered a great football destination. It is considered a poor one right now.
 
#110      
You mean Ja’Marian Peterson?

Question: will Illinois land a 247Composite 4* in this class after none last year? Recruiting momentum seems less than stellar in Year 4 of Lovie. Good players, yes. But after landing some serious talent in 2019, some big wins in the fall, and a bowl game in 2020, I speak on behalf of the fan base that bigger and better things need to happen on the trail to keep the trajectory pointing upwards. My expectations are higher, and I’m concerned that the staff doesn’t have the heavy hitters needed to land the program changing recruits year in and year out. Thoughts?
Yes Peterson, the DE out of LA. If I was betting I would say no for a composite 4* on 247. Wisecarver is a 4* on ESPN and maybe a flip later in the process, but I don’t know of any. I don’t disagree with you at all and can see your point. Lovie doesn’t like playing games, he’s about loyalty and commitment. So he doesn’t like to get involved in a ton of high profile recruits because it leads to a lot of drama usually. But yes the recruiting does have me worried when I see others in the B10 bringing in four stars left and right. But at the same time, don’t we at least on here feel like we are better then some of the teams that have more 4* then us? I like the strategy of going with athletic ability and trusting the coaches to make them football players. Too man guys in our first couple of classes weren’t athletic enough to play in the big ten. So yes I would say that I am worried about us compared to our division rivals. At the same time we finished above 3 of them last year that have way more prep 4 stars then we did, is that a result of good evaluations?
 
#112      

B-ILL

Working From Home
Yes Peterson, the DE out of LA. If I was betting I would say no for a composite 4* on 247. Wisecarver is a 4* on ESPN and maybe a flip later in the process, but I don’t know of any. I don’t disagree with you at all and can see your point. Lovie doesn’t like playing games, he’s about loyalty and commitment. So he doesn’t like to get involved in a ton of high profile recruits because it leads to a lot of drama usually. But yes the recruiting does have me worried when I see others in the B10 bringing in four stars left and right. But at the same time, don’t we at least on here feel like we are better then some of the teams that have more 4* then us? I like the strategy of going with athletic ability and trusting the coaches to make them football players. Too man guys in our first couple of classes weren’t athletic enough to play in the big ten. So yes I would say that I am worried about us compared to our division rivals. At the same time we finished above 3 of them last year that have way more prep 4 stars then we did, is that a result of good evaluations?

This is... um. Wow. The opposite of what we should be doing?

source.gif
 
#113      
This is... um. Wow. The opposite of what we should be doing?

source.gif
No it really isn't. If we put forth a ton of time and resources into high 4 star level prospects and keep losing out on them to bigger schools is that really worth the investment? We missed out on a lot of good players last class using all our time/resources for mookie cooper, we missed and paid the price. When you start talking about those level of recruits, politics start to matter and the drama starts to increase. Things lovie doesn't like to play. It all about how you want to see resources being used.
 
#114      
What's the expectation for Purdue and Northwestern next season?
According to vegas, this is the before B10 only schedule was announced.

Big Ten
Illinois 5
Indiana 7½ (over -155)
Iowa 7 (over -140)
Maryland 3½ (over -150)
Michigan 9 (over -115)
Michigan State 4½
Minnesota 9 (under -150)
Nebraska 6½ (over -150)
Northwestern 5½ (under -115)
Ohio State 11 (over -135)
Penn State 9½ (over -210)
Purdue 5 (under -115)
Rutgers 2½ (under -155)
Wisconsin 9½ (under -210)
 
#115      
No it really isn't. If we put forth a ton of time and resources into high 4 star level prospects and keep losing out on them to bigger schools is that really worth the investment? We missed out on a lot of good players last class using all our time/resources for mookie cooper, we missed and paid the price. When you start talking about those level of recruits, politics start to matter and the drama starts to increase. Things lovie doesn't like to play. It all about how you want to see resources being used.

My opinion on this is we should be targeting high profile guys. It should only be a select few or a handful though until we start winning. I agree somewhat with both arguments here. Target ones that you think you stand a chance with.
 
#116      

Deleted member 746648

D
Guest
This is... um. Wow. The opposite of what we should be doing?

source.gif
I guess it really depends on what Lovie is going for. We could go with the Iowa/ Wisconsin strategy of getting lower rated recruits that have tools and fit the system which seems to be what he's going for now. Or we could go the Tennessee/ Ron zook route and chase as many high profile recruits as possible and hope they all mesh at the end. I wouldn't say either is right or wrong but it's important to have a clear plan and own it.
 
#117      
Dylan Hazen is announcing tomorrow. I’m wondering if he is one of the commits. He has a pretty decent offer list. Let’s keep it rolling!
 
#118      
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Iowa and Wisky aren't recruiting a bunch of guys whose only other offers are MAC or Sun Belt schools

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...-badgers-lessons-learned-nebraska-cornhuskers

https://www.thechampaignroom.com/20...y-alvarez-bill-snyder-chicago-st-louis-illini

Pretty sure what they meant is the Barry Alvarez strategy of building a football team. While it may not be vertical integration in the state of Illinois, but the core identity of getting a walk-on program and recruiting the right kids for the system he wants to run. Although the identity isn't getting a bunch of Wisconsin farm boy to power run with a huge O-line, we can point the trends that Lovie is getting high speed athlete that aren't as polished as a football player. People can argue in this forum until the cows come home, but Lovie isn't recruiting 5-10 CB that runs a 4.7 or JUCO players that don't stand out.
 
#119      

Deleted member 746648

D
Guest
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Iowa and Wisky aren't recruiting a bunch of guys whose only other offers are MAC or Sun Belt schools
Im counting 13 of 21 recruits in Iowa's 2020 class with multiple p5 offers. I'm only counting one of our guys without p5 offers and 8 with multiple offers. Of course 13 vs 21 recruits makes this comparison pointless. To be clear they still get better recruits but we're not the only school taking lightly recruited players.
 
#121      

B-ILL

Working From Home
No it really isn't. If we put forth a ton of time and resources into high 4 star level prospects and keep losing out on them to bigger schools is that really worth the investment? We missed out on a lot of good players last class using all our time/resources for mookie cooper, we missed and paid the price. When you start talking about those level of recruits, politics start to matter and the drama starts to increase. Things lovie doesn't like to play. It all about how you want to see resources being used.
Yes, this is what other, winning programs do all the time. And Mookie Cooper was a Top 100 player who had a direct connection to Corey Patterson. That's a unique case. I'm not saying Illinois should be going for Top 100 players consistently (unless it's a situation like Mookie), but there are over 300 seniors ranked as 4* in the 2021 247 Composite Rankings. Three hundred. Illinois: 7, Missouri: 3, Indiana: 3, Wisconsin: 2, Michigan: 9, Ohio: 9, Minnesota: 2, Iowa: 3. These are 38 of them all in Illinois' back yard. The staff can't identify a few of these guys and land at least one of them?

But Lovie doesn't want to get mixed up in a ton of high profile recruiting battles... C'mon now. They got two 4* players in 2018, two of them in 2019 (both Top-60 classes). This should be the baseline moving forward if the program wants to get where the fanbase is expecting them to be.
 
#122      
No it really isn't. If we put forth a ton of time and resources into high 4 star level prospects and keep losing out on them to bigger schools is that really worth the investment? We missed out on a lot of good players last class using all our time/resources for mookie cooper, we missed and paid the price. When you start talking about those level of recruits, politics start to matter and the drama starts to increase. Things lovie doesn't like to play. It all about how you want to see resources being used.
Mookie Cooper is a really bad example. If you give up on that kid, with his former coach on staff, a few of his hs teammates on the roster, and what seemed like more than a fighting chance then Lovie is in the wrong business. If you are only going to recruit guys you know you can get, because you are worried resources then you are also in the wrong business. Thinking that we can’t recruit 4 & 5 stars because there might be too much drama is also a lame excuse. It wasn’t that long ago we reeled in Beason, Williams, & Cooper in one class, it’s possible. Transfers are fine, getting undervalued players out of the south is fine, but neither of those is exclusive of getting higher ranked players and doing better in state. We need to do all this stuff & if resource’s becomes the issue work harder, but no excuses that we would work to hard and not have anything to show for it.
 
#123      
Who is too high and who is too low?

No-Doubt Future Starters
OG Brody Wisecarver
DB Daniel Edwards
WR Patrick Bryant
C Josh Kreutz

Potential Future Starters
DE Sedarius McConnell
DB DD Snyder

Role Players/Depth Pieces
LB Trevor Moffitt
DB Joriell Washington
WR Theodore Lockley
LB Dylan Rosiek
DB Prince Green

Projects
QB Samari Collier
LB Kalen Villanueva
 
#124      
Who is too high and who is too low?

No-Doubt Future Starters
OG Brody Wisecarver
DB Daniel Edwards
WR Patrick Bryant
C Josh Kreutz

Potential Future Starters
DE Sedarius McConnell
DB DD Snyder

Role Players/Depth Pieces
LB Trevor Moffitt
DB Joriell Washington
WR Theodore Lockley
LB Dylan Rosiek
DB Prince Green

Projects
QB Samari Collier
LB Kalen Villanueva

Washington is a no doubter for me. Green is a project I think. Snyder is depth piece. Rosiek and Moffitt to me are both future starters. I am actually real high on Rosiek.
 
#125      
Mookie Cooper is a really bad example. If you give up on that kid, with his former coach on staff, a few of his hs teammates on the roster, and what seemed like more than a fighting chance then Lovie is in the wrong business. If you are only going to recruit guys you know you can get, because you are worried resources then you are also in the wrong business. Thinking that we can’t recruit 4 & 5 stars because there might be too much drama is also a lame excuse. It wasn’t that long ago we reeled in Beason, Williams, & Cooper in one class, it’s possible. Transfers are fine, getting undervalued players out of the south is fine, but neither of those is exclusive of getting higher ranked players and doing better in state. We need to do all this stuff & if resource’s becomes the issue work harder, but no excuses that we would work to hard and not have anything to show for it.
I never said you give up on a high level recruit. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that other recruits felt Illinois paid a lot of attention to Mookie on visits. And it possibly hurt us on other recruitments. It’s just part of the game. Going for high level recruits is great in theory but in all honesty using the 3 highest commits in the last decade as a example of what we can do isn’t realistic.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.