This here is HUGE! Hiring Bielema and him being happy with a GREAT boss gives us a pipeline to coaches we previously were not connected to. This move to hire Bielema could be a permanent/long term turnaround. His coaching tree is already impressive and will continue to grow.
Illini Football 2023
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The first few rows are great, just like row 35 below in the main stands but looking down onto the field. The first row itself is incredible.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
I concur with some of this post. We all knew Coach Zook wasn't your X/O go to Coach. He was the best recruiter or 1 of the best recruiters in the nation. He also hired elite Asst. Coaches hands down! Locksley OC, Braun, OC his qb coaches. Etc.. when he lost these coaches to bigger programs or them taking Head coaching jobs, he was done. One of the biggest reasons was Money from our Athletic department. Heck Urban Myer and the Florida teamed thanked him on National TV for their National title after he was fired for going 8-5,
I have always loved the Coach B hire, especially after him spending time with New England and the Giants, and growing older.
on our season this year, teams will have their hand full of our Illini!I am concerned for Mr Matthew Bailey. After fracturing my foot playing basketball 3 years ago. Once off the push cart and into the boot, didn't matter. Doctor kept telling me your foot is solid. No it wasn't for atleast 6 months after boot removal. I'm athletic, in shape and did all the correct things. I could not imagine doing it on Turf even being a young man. I sure hope he recovers completely and soon!
We need him, he is a special player.
concerned for Mr Matthew Bailey. After fracturing my foot playing basketball 3 years ago. Once off the push cart and into the boot, didn't matter. Doctor kept telling me your foot is solid. No it wasn't for atleast 6 months after boot removal. I'm athletic, in shape and did all the correct things. I could not imagine doing it on Turf even being a young man. I sure hope he recovers completely and soon! We need him, he is a special player.
illini80
- Forgottonia
I would hate for Bailey to be this year's version of last year's Luke Goode.I am
We need him, he is a special player.
Bielema is a born and raised Prophetstown, Illinois native. There is no doubt in my mind he saw the chance to come home, especially with his young family.I concur with some of this post. We all knew Coach Zook wasn't your X/O go to Coach. He was the best recruiter or 1 of the best recruiters in the nation. He also hired elite Asst. Coaches hands down! Locksley OC, Braun, OC his qb coaches. Etc.. when he lost these coaches to bigger programs or them taking Head coaching jobs, he was done. One of the biggest reasons was Money from our Athletic department. Heck Urban Myer and the Florida teamed thanked him on National TV for their National title after he was fired for going 8-5,
I have always loved the Coach B hire, especially after him spending time with New England and the Giants, and growing older.
Can you imagine the welcome sign to Prophetstown: "Home to the Illinois football coach who failed!" I think Bret is working real hard to prevent this.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
TheFlyingIllini1317
- Chicago, IL
Josh isn't leaving, the fact he's on this list shows how incredible he's been for us.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
Slightly OT but I didn't find a better place on this board to post it:
Alls good
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
super high praise from an Iowa guy (Dochterman)
TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
BTW you are an insider, should we even trust that Genetics guy at all? Is he a legit source?
(Full disclosure: I dislike the guy's tweets and I am blocked by him for basically telling him so. I can be a prick on the X machine.)
Ehhh. Think he’s more fan than anything else
And he's the 2nd radio voice of a state school to step down this year. SIU radio voice Mike Reis retired at the end of this past school year. Much like Baker will be at the end of the season in DeKalb, Reis was in Carbondale for 44 years.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Houston sounds like a very bright young man. Happy to have him a part of our staff.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
It really is. I am so thankful we have such a respected man leading us into this next stage and putting us into a position that when the Power 2 breaks away from the NCAA we probably won't get left behind. The state of Illinois athletics is strong and getting stronger!
I follow the Genetics guy, he doesn;t know anything we don't, but he spends a LOT of time putting stuff together and can be interesting.
Something is off with him though, some of the language he uses and phrasing, sounds like a high school kid sometimes.
First, I guess it depends what you mean by media. National? Big Ten? Local/Illini beat writers? Certainly on a national and even B1G level, it makes complete sense what they are concentrating upon. Illini hadn’t finished over .500 in regular season since 2007 and DeVito, Chase, and DW and company were huge reasons why they did last year and they are gone. For those writers, Illini need to prove last year wasn’t an aberration and we won’t sink back into mediocrity. And replenishing those positions successfully will go a long way to doing that.
I did see and mention the IW watch list snub. Randolph is getting good pub albeit most in tandem with Newton. But that’s to be expected. I have been a little surprised Jacas hasn’t gotten more press, though noticed The Athletic had him on some list. On a national and even B1G level media, I’m not surprised at all Bailey isn’t being mentioned. In fact I’d be shocked if he was especially now with the injury. Same for O-Line (should be a good unit but probably not standout enough to get national/B1G pub), though on local level they get mentioned fairly often. As for lack of mention of newcomers, the ‘23 class (both HS and transfers) is good for the Illini but wouldn’t warrant much publicity on the national/B1G level.
I get it — as fans we want to see our team and players garner plenty of positive media attention. But outside of local media, it’s not surprising that media is taking a more wait and see approach. Have to remember that including bowl game the Illini went 1-4 in their last 5 games. With DeVito, Chase and that secondary (I know there were injuries) that team couldn’t even avoid — record wise — sliding back to mediocrity before the season even ended. So when 3 strengths are gone, not surprising that is what media concentrates on for the upcoming season.
Exactly my thoughts. Just hope he’s been rehearsing his reply when asked why he went to ND rather than Illinois. Of course Lovie was coach then, so maybe that’s enough of an answer right there.
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