Illini Football 2023
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MustangWally
- Mayfield
‘People are drawn to hope.’ Bret Bielema has changed expectations for Illinois football — inside and outside the program.
When Illinois coach Bret Bielema arrived in Champaign in December 2020, the program had fallen out of the college football conversation. The Illini were coming off nine consecutive losing seasons u…
www.chicagotribune.com
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
its behind a paywall - anything we didnt hear or read before ?‘People are drawn to hope.’ Bret Bielema has changed expectations for Illinois football — inside and outside the program.
When Illinois coach Bret Bielema arrived in Champaign in December 2020, the program had fallen out of the college football conversation. The Illini were coming off nine consecutive losing seasons u…
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
he had a pretty good season:
MustangWally
- Mayfield
Sorry, didn't realize that. Just a nice summary of how the football program is progressing.
SampsonRelpenk
- Edwardsville, IL
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It wasn't that long ago that we were being honored for being in the top 10% in the country:
Illini-Record Eight Programs Earn APR Recognition - University of Illinois Athletics
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Eight University of Illinois athletic programs earned the NCAA Public Recognition Award based on their multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR),
fightingillini.com
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
It wasn't that long ago that we were being honored for being in the top 10% in the country:
Illini-Record Eight Programs Earn APR Recognition - University of Illinois Athletics
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Eight University of Illinois athletic programs earned the NCAA Public Recognition Award based on their multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR),
just about everyone will gladly take 8-5 (and improving) than 4-8/3-9. so our football academic rating is falling, big deal.
The two aren't mutually exclusive. Take a look at the teams at the top of the APR list. There are some excellent football programs there. The reported score of 85 covers mostly the Lovie period which was disappointing on the field as well as academically. We should see improvement in both under Bret.
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Nice article. Great coach.‘People are drawn to hope.’ Bret Bielema has changed expectations for Illinois football — inside and outside the program.
When Illinois coach Bret Bielema arrived in Champaign in December 2020, the program had fallen out of the college football conversation. The Illini were coming off nine consecutive losing seasons u…
Bringing my kids up for that one that would be sweet.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
SactownIllini
- Coleman Hawkinsland
Great to see!! IMHO Taz is too low. But maybe it gives him extra motivation for this year.
Would be a better gauge if the majors were listed (weighted by).It wasn't that long ago that we were being honored for being in the top 10% in the country:
Illini-Record Eight Programs Earn APR Recognition - University of Illinois Athletics
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Eight University of Illinois athletic programs earned the NCAA Public Recognition Award based on their multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR),
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Toledo insight.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
Toledo is good. Awesome. Excellent. Perfect timing.
blackdog
- Champaign
We wouldn't be Illinois if we didn't catch at least one of our non-power 5 opponents right at their peak
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I think I have said this before, but we probably have the most themed night at MLB ballparks of any school in the NCAA, haha. And (as a Cubs fan myself) I am TOTALLY all for it! It's cool to see that in a given MLB season, the Illini will be featured and promoted all by ourselves at a Cubs, Cardinals AND White Sox game. I doubt there are many NCAA teams that have fans so spread out among three MLB teams.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
Ceiling I would say is 8 or 9 wins. This schedule is somewhat "easy", but it also has a lot of relatively coin flip games. We should beat Toledo, FAU, Indiana, and Northwestern and we should be favored or able to reasonably compete with every one else minus Penn State. But there really isn't a game on the schedule that would be an eyes closed cakewalk. I'd like to say we have leveled things up so that we wouldn't get caught with our pants down against anyone, but you never know.
Are we a better team than Minnesota? Purdue? Kansas? I'd imagine we are. Could we lose any of those games on the road? I'm certain we could.
Starting 2-0 is hugely important. If we do, then I feel good about making a bowl and a solid one at that. Otherwise, it's probably going to be a Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde type of season.
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