Illini Football 2026

[Joel Goodson]

roster just updated, some nice weight gains (and few needed losses): https://fightingillini.com/sports/football/roster

Tank and his S&C team have done well

 

[SescIllini]

Beilema likely gave Eberhart the facts, situation and context. Then let's the player make the decision. Beilema may have saw immediate playing time was at WR and not defense this year. Will have option to go back to defense if player/coaches want imho. Illinois has been pretty good at putting players where they and team can succeed.

 

[therealmiket86]

Doubt it. He wasn't special at Auburn or better than Kruetz at Illinois.

He was going to be brought in to start. They also went after a juco center that committed to Arkansas. They definitely weren’t dead set on starting Kruetz at center

 

[MoCoMdIllini]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2086139059018072177

When Matthew Bailey makes a tackle, do we all chant "CHIEEEEEEEFFF?"

 

[therealmiket86]

Interesting move because it seemed like he was going to replace Matt next year. I do think with his size and speed he could make an impact this year at wr. Also Straughton and Williams were just moved from safety to linebacker.

 

[Joel Goodson]

Beilema likely gave Eberhart the facts, situation and context. Then let's the player make the decision. Beilema may have saw immediate playing time was at WR and not defense this year. Will have option to go back to defense if player/coaches want imho. Illinois has been pretty good at putting players where they and team can succeed.

+1

getting on the field >>> sitting on the bench

dollars to donuts, he flips back to D after this season

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

Crazy to think that there are enough great wins to form a top ten list, let alone four more for an honorable mention category. I think we’d struggle to even come up with five from the Beckman/Cubit/Lovie era.

So I found five games in the Beckman/Cubit/Lovie era that you could qualify as top wins — only two of which would have a reasonable argument to rival any of the top wins in the Bielema era.

1. 2019 at Michigan State (37-43)
2. 2019 vs Wisconsin (24-23)
3. 2015 vs Nebraska (14-13)
4. 2014 vs Penn State (16-14)
5. 2014 vs Minnesota (28-24)

“Honorable” mention
2013 at Purdue (20-16)
2016 vs Michigan State (31-27)
2019 at UConn (31-23)

Looking at the highlights from these games I must say… we had some dreadful uniform combinations during this period. I’m glad Bret has righted the ship in that area, as well as on field play.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

not a revelation, merely an observation: Josh done struck gold with coach B

I liked the choice of BB from the get go. Mainly because he had already proved he could win in the B1G

But I was in the minority. I recall it was about 75%~80% negative on here.

 

[TheChief4Life]

I recall it was about 75%~80% negative on here.

I know there were a lot of questions, and likely complainers, but I do not recall it being anywhere near this high against the hire.

 

[band camp]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2085400913166885338

 

[therealmiket86]

+1

getting on the field >>> sitting on the bench

dollars to donuts, he flips back to D after this season

I prefer him on defense but I can see him sticking at WR.

 

[Ryllini]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2086187381309227358

I remember seeing some cramping issues with our players in the past. I don't recall as much in the Bret era.