When I saw this on my feed, my first thought was, “Interesting. We hired someone with the same name as Wisconsin’s former … holy sh*t, that’s him!”
Jim Leonhard Named Illinois’ Senior Football Analyst - University of Illinois Athletics
Leonhard joins the Illini from Wisconsin, where he spent the last seven seasons on staff, including serving as interim head coach for seven games in 2022.fightingillini.com
Illini Football 2023
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Post #344, per Indy-
"there’s a reason he wasn’t announced for a while … I’ll leave it at that … If you guys remember, TA was “official” way before he was official … That is by design …"
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
psst, how does one get these reports?
He’s getting paid 1 million dollars from Wisconsin. He wasn’t allowed to take another job right away.
Buy the father of a certain Illinois receiver a beer at a Springfield bar… I’m not an insider by any means but I have some connections to a few 217 football players.
Or Bama is only succeeding because of Michigan State coaches!
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Back to this wonderful work by @IlliniInBuckeyeState! A couple notes:
1. I want to start by saying I think 60,670 is a very appropriate capacity for our program if we keep improving ... probably even on the small side. With that said...
2. This count reinforced my belief that we have way too many seats in two areas - the Horseshoe and East Main underneath the overhang. Regarding the Horseshoe, we have more seats in the Horseshoe than the entire East Balcony! That simply shouldn't add up, given the aesthetics. The Horseshoe seats are truly packed in there, and you get the worst of both worlds - it takes up a ton of our usable capacity, but it still looks small and aesthetically weak. Regarding the seats under the overhang, that really has to be fixed in any future renovation ... it's a no-brainer to wall those seats off with a brick wall to match West Main's setup. If you do that and redo the Horseshoe, you end up with 10k-15k seats to mess around with in the current Horseshoe space that builds something much cooler while not adding to capacity at all.
3. Let's assume that we are able to sell an additional 2,500 seats between now and the first game vs. Toledo (and also assume the tracker is more or less correct!). That would make our opening game attendance 44,713. This would represent a nearly 20% increase from last year's first game (37,832)! It would also be our best opening attendance since Lovie's first year, where we drew 48,644.
4. Looking back at Bielema's first two seasons, this is how the attendance has shifted. In 2021, we averaged 32,233 for UTSA and Charlotte, and we averaged 39,467 for our first three Big Ten home games. In 2022, we averaged 37,706 for Wyoming and Chattanooga, and we averaged 45,297 for our first two Big Ten home games (the rest occurred way later in the year, and I am trying to incorporate some weather considerations here). Looking at those numbers and considering that the Penn State game will be WAY more hyped and marketed than any of the other Big Ten home games in the aforementioned comparisons, if we are drawing almost 45,000 for Toledo, it is all but certain that we will be pushing 55,000 for Penn State, IMO. And that is sort of the magic number to make the stadium look full, so let's hope we get there! I'll be doing my part.
the national
- the Front Range
This is my favorite reply yet. LOL, poor wisky fans
Jim Leonhard Named Illinois’ Senior Football Analyst - University of Illinois Athletics
Leonhard joins the Illini from Wisconsin, where he spent the last seven seasons on staff, including serving as interim head coach for seven games in 2022.
This is not a traditional coaching hire. This is simply an opportunity hire and an absolute grand slam. You can't have enough quality coaching, whatever the title is, as recent history before Bret has proven.
Usually just on the basketball boards but came here to say this may be the best assistant hire we’ve ever had. Absolutely A+
IlliniFanHere
- New York
i agree. great hire. Put me lin the curious timing club
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
A bold new world with Captain Bret Tiberious Bielema manning the controls of the Fighting Ilini Enterprise.......
To seek out new trophies.........To boldly go where no Fighting Illini have gone before......
It's full of Stars..........................
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
and there were a number of people on here and other boards that were totally against the BB hire in Dec 2020
not alot , but I would day like 20%-25%
I wish I could remember some of the names they wanted - I do recall Lance Leopold getting mentioned . and he would likely have been a good hire too
but for me, BB was a no brainer . hes proven it.
Im not saying we are his last HC job, but there is a decent chance he stays here for a long time
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Getting paid as long as he doesn't take another coaching job this year. Very well-played by BB and JW.
Yep. Master class. That’s why he was announced when he was. Also…. There might be more good news coming
Such a complete joke of a punishment. Literally gets caught lying to the NCAA and these are the consequences. Pathetic.Yeah, but the UM fans will tell you he's only being suspended because he's so honest that he couldn't lie about lying. And whatabout [insert SEC program here]?
East Carolina, UNLV, Bowling Green and Rutgers. Yeah. They'll miss him terribly.
I’m guessing his career choice is to get paid a full salary from Wisconsin and a lesser salary from Illinois. If he takes a DC or HC job elsewhere, he forfeits the Bucky money. But a senior analyst? Nothing in his contract about that.
Freaking Awesome...! You topped yourself this time!
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Wisconsin fans have had their extended day in the sun for FAR too long. My dad (about to turn 60) always talks about how bad Wisconsin was at everything when he was a kid and how bizarre it seemed when they got really good at sports, with relatively no history to speak of, meh facilities and subpar instate recruiting. I respect the hell out of what they have accomplished, but it's WELL past our turn.
The '20s belong to Illini football ... both of them!!the national
- the Front Range
Gotta admit, I have a bigger smile right now than this guy 
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I have this gut instinct he’s going to take over one of the defensive positions here if or when it opens up.
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