Illini Football 2025

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#127      
Curbelo Fanboy
Todd99 said:
I don't understand why the home opener doesn't sell out all the time. We always play a favorable matchup, the weather is good, and we've won the home opener every year, with the exception of the COVID year, for as long as I can remember, even in the bad years. And especially with the anticipation and excitement of this season, it seems like it should be a hot ticket. Is it because of the Thursday/Friday scheduling?
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Friday night is tough for travelers. Even if coming from Springfield, you have to duck out of work a few hours early & get back pretty late. Worse if coming from Chicago.

Opener is typically a lesser FBS or an FCS opponent.

Like it or not, Illinois football allowed the potential fanbase to avoid making Illinois football attendance a habit in their life by putting out 3 decades of mostly garbage. Bret is changing that, but those habits don't change overnight. If Bret puts together a solid few years in a row, then it becomes habit for more people in the state & attendance rises regardless of opponent. In places like Nebraska or Iowa, it's either always been a habit cause they were good or cause there was really nothing else to do so the attendance is always pretty strong.
 
#128      
Todd99
Mr. Tibbs said:
the problem we have low attendance at home openers is multiple
a. its usually labor day weekend
b. its blazing hot if a Sat aft
c. Thurs or Fri nights are tough for people driving + 2.5 hours
d. FCS or weak opponents dont excite anyone

I know it all excuses , but collectively they add up and lead to the issues of only selling 40,000 tix and having only 25,000-30,000 show up
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Yeah, I forget about fans traveling from a distance and on a weeknight makes it even more difficult. I'm fortunate that I'm less than thirty minutes from the stadium, so it's not a lot of preparation or planning, just get in the car and roll.
 
#129      
TGB
I travel 170 miles one-way, but always get hotel rooms months in advance. I'm on my 18th year of season tickets, and my dad had season tickets for 37 years. Two things come to mind. I've watched a lot of Illinois football, and I'm getting old. LOL
 
#133      
orangem
mhuml32 said:
It's a little concerning that a WR hasn't popped. There are good vibes out there for Dixon, but it's not the same as previous years where folks were saying it was noticeable who was the #1 WR.
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If you read between the lines, Elzy has already popped, but no one wants to jinx it before it also shows up during the actual games.
 
#134      
Ryllini
mhuml32 said:
It's a little concerning that a WR hasn't popped. There are good vibes out there for Dixon, but it's not the same as previous years where folks were saying it was noticeable who was the #1 WR.
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Be Quiet Tim And Eric GIF
 
#136      
TheFlyingIllini1317
Todd99 said:
Yeah, I forget about fans traveling from a distance and on a weeknight makes it even more difficult. I'm fortunate that I'm less than thirty minutes from the stadium, so it's not a lot of preparation or planning, just get in the car and roll.
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EIU was really tough last year coming from Chicagoland with that late start. I think IlliniinBuckeyeState had the 2023 Toldelo opener at 46,500. There was a legit energy to that game and a buzz when the defense came onto the field for the first time, despite the fact it quickly faded. I think we can get 48,000 for the opener which should still make for a good crowd, in perspective the 2022 Iowa crowd was around 46k. Would be great to have an FCS bye game beat the attendance of a rival three years ago.
 
#137      
mhuml32
orangem said:
If you read between the lines, Elzy has already popped, but no one wants to jinx it before it also shows up during the actual games.
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"popped" for WR1 would be "I would be shocked if he catches less than 60 balls". Elzy sticks out as similar to Dixon talk the past couple weeks. Having a bunch of guys who could be 2's and 3's are good for depth, but there are more drawbacks than benefits.

It could still happen. Maybe Elzy shows up at Duke and has a 7/118/2 line to announce he's arrived. Or Dixon, Clement, Beatty, Rusk, etc. could take the reins, but you want to have a guy you're certain is the top target.
 
#138      
SampsonRelpenk
mhuml32 said:
It's a little concerning that a WR hasn't popped. There are good vibes out there for Dixon, but it's not the same as previous years where folks were saying it was noticeable who was the #1 WR.
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Hopefully this year the o-line can protect Luke better and give the receivers more time to get open.
 
#139      
lstewart53x3
mhuml32 said:
It's a little concerning that a WR hasn't popped. There are good vibes out there for Dixon, but it's not the same as previous years where folks were saying it was noticeable who was the #1 WR.
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The one thing that gives me hope for this receiver room is PB didn’t play in the bowl game and we still put up 174 receiving yards against one of the best teams we played all year (Franklin with 39 yards and the lone receiving TD).
 
#140      
stevej64
I’d feel a lot better about it if Ryan Walter’s wasn’t on the opposing sideline.
 
#141      
blackdog
mhuml32 said:
"popped" for WR1 would be "I would be shocked if he catches less than 60 balls". Elzy sticks out as similar to Dixon talk the past couple weeks. Having a bunch of guys who could be 2's and 3's are good for depth, but there are more drawbacks than benefits.

It could still happen. Maybe Elzy shows up at Duke and has a 7/118/2 line to announce he's arrived. Or Dixon, Clement, Beatty, Rusk, etc. could take the reins, but you want to have a guy you're certain is the top target.
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It seems like the main 3 that have been mentioned all camp are Elzy, Beatty, and Dixon as being the standout guys. Sprinkle in a bit of talk about Trimble as well but those 3 have all been named as being really solid performers.
 
#144      
From the cheap seats
Half of Beatty’s 20 receptions last season came on 3rd or 4th down. Luke seemed to develop confidence in and chemistry with Hank as the season unfolded. He knows how to get open and seldom drops a pass (or punt).
If Elzy or someone can stretch the field vertically, I think Dixon, Clement, Beatty and the tight ends will give Luke lots of options underneath.

I am excited to see how it all fits together. There is potential for the ball to be spread around and the offense to be really efficient in moving the chains because Luke makes really good decisions and is so accurate.
 
#148      
ptgrd23
Elzy has done very little. freshman 5 catches and sophomore year 4 catches. He is supposed to be great athlete but so so seperation. Does not appear to run very tight routes or have great hands. Hopefully I am wrong and he breaks out this year

We have have had good receiver core so tough to break in.
2023 - Isiah Williams 82 catches 1055 yds, Casey Washington 49 catches 670 yds Pat Bryant 43 catches 560 yds
2024 - Pat Bryant 54 catches 984 yds 10 TD Zac Franklin 55 catches 652 yds Beatty 20 catches Dixon 18 catches

Beatty and Dixon really came on at end of year. Beatty had 4 catches in Citrus Bowl vs SC.
Clements had best 2024
Hudson Clement led West Virginia with 51 receptions for 741 yards and five touchdowns this past season.
 
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