With this being said, if they are budgeting NIL funds and need the money to keep others (Example MJC), I'm all in. Lopati is pretty good but not the end all of QBs and as I keep saying I have a good confidence Carson Boyd is going to tear it up when he starts.
Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
With this being said, if they are budgeting NIL funds and need the money to keep others (Example MJC), I'm all in. Lopati is pretty good but not the end all of QBs and as I keep saying I have a good confidence Carson Boyd is going to tear it up when he starts.
At this stage it just says they're not serious enough if you're talking about their approach, slogans, etc. They have none in either. Bball is on its way IMO. Football has the base. But you absolutely need a few more of those impact guys to win it all.
You have to pay. Being stubborn not to pay up will not get you a CFP. I'm not saying this for only for Lopati, but in general as well. This class has a lot of talent and they got a 4 star already in Johnson who is a high level prospect. I'd like to see them keep bringing them in.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
There are of course very high profile examples to the contrary (football champ Indiana and basketball champ Michigan, what a world), but the general mechanics that the same booster dollar can't go to both a football recruit and a basketball recruit remains.
It's all just a frantic Wild West scramble right now. But as the marketplace matures those fundamentals are unavoidable.
And given that our football NIL prowess has been rather overhyped, you really just can't say enough about what an amazing program leadership and management job Bielema has done, the efficiency with the resources he has is extraordinary.
Illini92and96
- Austin, TX
Remind me the others?
The only loyalty 99% of the players and coaches have is to the money.
So what? Boyd will be starting in 2 years with 2 years left. We are better off. Plenty of time to get another QB.
I’m guessing we bring in a transfer to compete with Boyd and Clayton.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Would you let Brandon Lee play the role Stefan Vaaks will have next year in order to move $1.5 million into Bret's account?
Those are the questions, you don't get the same dollar twice.
(Don't be afraid to say yes. I am tempted to say yes. Not my money, alas)
That’s good but it’s not the same as going to an elite 8 and final 4
I think money is pouring in, it's just not keeping up with the Joneses so to speak because we started so far back. 1000% more money for the Illini is less than the money scUM started with at the beginning of NIL
Football is improving a lot, I think when the big $ looks at it, $1.5M can get you over the hump in hoops, but it’s a smaller impact in football - would $1.5M get is another win or into the CFP?
Illinois football fans should be very disappointed in our recutting.
I am very happy with and supportive of Coach B and our results on the field are just short of amazing. But our recruiting just doesn’t measure up to our BIG10 rivals.
Do they have more money than us…possibly but I seem to remember a 10 million dollar donation not very long ago.
Maybe a few less money for Generals(coaches) and a a few more $ for the troops.
I am very happy with and supportive of Coach B and our results on the field are just short of amazing. But our recruiting just doesn’t measure up to our BIG10 rivals.
Do they have more money than us…possibly but I seem to remember a 10 million dollar donation not very long ago.
Maybe a few less money for Generals(coaches) and a a few more $ for the troops.
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
Well, if you don't have enough money to get good players then it's impossible to go to a Championship, right? How do you expect the football program to be in the top 10 and to be a real legit contender if you don't have money to do it?
I don't get excited about early commits either. Before the transfer portal, this decommitment would have stung a lot more. Now, it's like "meh".
FI_8905 is a real one.
most likely yes
they will want someone with a little experience to compete with those two
if Boyd is the guy , you need good back up jf he gets hurt early
With what he's done, Bret is very deserving of the donors writing a blank check for the program. However, fair or not, people aren't going to pony up until we start making the CFP....especially with it expanding to more teams in the near future.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
shark alert:
big sad for Shane, lol
big sad for Shane, lol
You do realize the number going around for Lopati is 3-4 million and he won’t play as a freshman. I would rather that money go to someone who will make an impact right away.
If we don’t crap the bed against Washington and Wisconsin we probably make the playoffs and the conversation is different.
Lopati will transfer about two more times from now until the end of his college career.
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
Your statement was essentially that the football program didn't deserve as much money as the basketball program. The reason why they got to the Final 4 is because they had enough money to go out and get top players. If the football program can't get the money it needs to go out and get high quality recruits and transfers, then it it's impossible for them to make the CFP. The football team didn't have a good transfer class on paper this year because apparently they didn't have enough money to get the some top transfers. That could end up costing us on the field this year and we can't afford to have that happen. 1 bad season could set us back a few years again.
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This cycle - yes; up to this point in BB's tenure - I disagree. Last year's class was ranked #27 which is the highest since the Zooker.
It will take another 2-3 years of solid on-field results for most outside people to have a positive perception of the program. We had quite the hole to dig out of and it takes time to change people's minds