Illini Football 2022

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#251      

mhuml32

Cincinnati, OH
I’d bet an extremely large sum it will be a transfer next year. Hopefully one with atleast 2 years eligibility

The staff isn't going to be starting an Illinois prep QB recruit until at least 2024.
 
#255      

Mr. Tibbs

southeast DuPage
without any inside knowledge to confirm this, one has to think Collier knew he was way down the depth chart list.
leaving now, before starting fall camp today, he can retain his eligibility for the season if he hooks up with another team in the next week or so, correct ?
 
#256      

Don’t know much about this guy but he seems to know more about the beloved than your average YouTube talking head. He likes analytics and gives his take on the season
Nice video. Thanks for sharing this. I think I am going to lay some $ on over 4.5 wins.
 
#257      
When a QB leaves, I'm hoping it's because he knew what we have in the QB room and decided the talent level is too high to expect playing time. :) Long term, I'm betting on the darkhorse, Michaux.

My orange and blue glasses are only slightly tinted but I don't think Michaux is a dark horse at all.

Maybe not this year but next year I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he has a legit shot at winning the bulk of reps.
 
#259      

illini80

Forgottonia
There was a good discussion of the Neal Stoner years this morning on WDWS sports talk about some of the things they did to get fans in the stadium. Worth a listen. I know this has been discussed and obviously wins are key, but the fact they could put 78k fans in the seats vs 20 or less some games last season is incredible. For all Whitman is doing right, they have got to be more creative. I mean thinking way outside the box. I haven’t seen that happening.
 
#261      
There was a good discussion of the Neal Stoner years this morning on WDWS sports talk about some of the things they did to get fans in the stadium. Worth a listen. I know this has been discussed and obviously wins are key, but the fact they could put 78k fans in the seats vs 20 or less some games last season is incredible. For all Whitman is doing right, they have got to be more creative. I mean thinking way outside the box. I haven’t seen that happening.
I agree that they need to be more creative. I think there is a double whammy of people being upset at every halftime show that you know who isn't there on top of the team being terrible. I don't believe this will ever happen, but I honestly think that Illinois needs to lean into the Native American theme but with a modern touch and create something new. Some ideas.
1. All players wear eye-black like John Randle. Call it our "war paint". Something to differentiate the team from everyone else.
2. Get a hawk to fly during pre-game. Similar to Auburn War Eagle or what a falconer would do.
3. Helmet stickers, where the sticker is a feather.
4. Put something that stands at attention at midfield during the halftime show. Girl on a horse dressed in illini swag with a feather in her hair, riderless horse, an actual Native American Chief, a false idol, just something.
5. Use some of the new TV money and more University general/endowment money to greatly expand full ride scholarships for Native American students. Have Native American students lead team walk to the stadium and give them free tickets.
6. Give a bunch of money to have a relationship like the Florida State Seminoles have.
7. Chief Illiniwek does something outside the stadium uncoordinated with the school before the game, just as a private individual on public property. Walk a lap that bounds 1st street, Gregory, 4th street, and Kirby. No music/dancing, just a slow 1 man parade.

Even if these ideas are no good, they have to start trying something new that isn't stupid like a squirrel, chef, Abe Lincoln, or corn as a mascot. If a pre-game hawk doesn't catch on in season 1, then in season 2 try something else.
 
#263      

Konnie

Western Suburbs
I agree that they need to be more creative. I think there is a double whammy of people being upset at every halftime show that you know who isn't there on top of the team being terrible. I don't believe this will ever happen, but I honestly think that Illinois needs to lean into the Native American theme but with a modern touch and create something new. Some ideas.
1. All players wear eye-black like John Randle. Call it our "war paint". Something to differentiate the team from everyone else.
2. Get a hawk to fly during pre-game. Similar to Auburn War Eagle or what a falconer would do.
3. Helmet stickers, where the sticker is a feather.
4. Put something that stands at attention at midfield during the halftime show. Girl on a horse dressed in illini swag with a feather in her hair, riderless horse, an actual Native American Chief, a false idol, just something.
5. Use some of the new TV money and more University general/endowment money to greatly expand full ride scholarships for Native American students. Have Native American students lead team walk to the stadium and give them free tickets.
6. Give a bunch of money to have a relationship like the Florida State Seminoles have.
7. Chief Illiniwek does something outside the stadium uncoordinated with the school before the game, just as a private individual on public property. Walk a lap that bounds 1st street, Gregory, 4th street, and Kirby. No music/dancing, just a slow 1 man parade.

Even if these ideas are no good, they have to start trying something new that isn't stupid like a squirrel, chef, Abe Lincoln, or corn as a mascot. If a pre-game hawk doesn't catch on in season 1, then in season 2 try something else.
One of the worse decisions was to put the students(future fans) in the end zone. Although this is probably impossible, I would like to see a section in the east or west stands near mid-field devoted to students. This is not thinking outside the box but our future fans are put in some of the worse seats in the stadium. I cannot come up with any other ideas but I am not as creative as some on this message board are. I bet the DIA would try any new reasonable ideas.
 
#264      
One of the worse decisions was to put the students(future fans) in the end zone. Although this is probably impossible, I would like to see a section in the east or west stands near mid-field devoted to students. This is not thinking outside the box but our future fans are put in some of the worse seats in the stadium. I cannot come up with any other ideas but I am not as creative as some on this message board are. I bet the DIA would try any new reasonable ideas.
This is single handedly the worst decision made in my 18 years of having season tickets.

Yes, getting rid of the chief will be tops on some people’s list, but seriously… we gotta let that one go. There was (and still is) a lot more at play there than what many realize.

Bringing in some of the coaches was questionable, but we we’re all on board with the Lovie hire. It didn’t turn out the way we wanted, but it was an acceptable decision at the time.

But, the very first game at memorial stadium when the students were on the end zone, it was obvious this was a disaster. The next season I t should have changed, but Illinois has seemed to go out of their way to stubbornly refuse to acknowledge and fix the problem.

And seriously. The chief isn’t coming back. Time to move on (it was time to move on 15 years ago). People clinging to that are also a big part of the problem.
 
#265      
But, the very first game at memorial stadium when the students were on the end zone, it was obvious this was a disaster. The next season I t should have changed, but Illinois has seemed to go out of their way to stubbornly refuse to acknowledge and fix the problem.

While I totally get what you're saying, I can't imagine many season ticket holders would want seats in that portion of the stadium either. Especially with the way the seats are set up on that end of the field.
 
#266      

Illinivek23

Gurnee
While I totally get what you're saying, I can't imagine many season ticket holders would want seats in that portion of the stadium either. Especially with the way the seats are set up on that end of the field.
Didn't we have at one time the most seats between the end zones of any stadium until the West renovation? Really interested in how the North can be improved upon in the future - beer garden? Kids play area?

Where are the student sections at our competitor schools? Geez - this stuff is not that hard. But putting students where they are are is not good. Definite need for creativity and future thinking on where the fan experience is heading.
 
#267      
Didn't we have at one time the most seats between the end zones of any stadium until the West renovation? Really interested in how the North can be improved upon in the future - beer garden? Kids play area?

Where are the student sections at our competitor schools? Geez - this stuff is not that hard. But putting students where they are are is not good. Definite need for creativity and future thinking on where the fan experience is heading.
You see a lot of baseball stadiums with stuff like this. I think that’s a great idea honestly. Maybe you got some small kids and you want to keep them away from the drunk, raucous noise in the student section, but still want to be able to bring them and enjoy a game. It’s probably not perfect, but’s also probably a way better use of that area than what it’s getting right now.
 
#269      
Where are the student sections at our competitor schools? Geez - this stuff is not that hard. But putting students where they are are is not good. Definite need for creativity and future thinking on where the fan experience is heading.

Just doing a quick google search, it looks like Ohio State's student section is mainly in the south endzone of Ohio Stadium but both endzones are used student sections during conference season. And I think Michigan's student section is in one of the end zones (or it at least stretches that way). Wisconsin's student section wraps around the north endzone of Camp Randall. Penn State's is the entire lower bowl of the south endzone.

So the issue may not be as much where the student section is as it is more about how that end zone section was constructed. I know a lot of the other stadiums have it between one endzone and roughly the 20 or 25 yard line.
 
#271      
I agree that they need to be more creative. I think there is a double whammy of people being upset at every halftime show that you know who isn't there on top of the team being terrible. I don't believe this will ever happen, but I honestly think that Illinois needs to lean into the Native American theme but with a modern touch and create something new. Some ideas.
1. All players wear eye-black like John Randle. Call it our "war paint". Something to differentiate the team from everyone else.
2. Get a hawk to fly during pre-game. Similar to Auburn War Eagle or what a falconer would do.
3. Helmet stickers, where the sticker is a feather.
4. Put something that stands at attention at midfield during the halftime show. Girl on a horse dressed in illini swag with a feather in her hair, riderless horse, an actual Native American Chief, a false idol, just something.
5. Use some of the new TV money and more University general/endowment money to greatly expand full ride scholarships for Native American students. Have Native American students lead team walk to the stadium and give them free tickets.
6. Give a bunch of money to have a relationship like the Florida State Seminoles have.
7. Chief Illiniwek does something outside the stadium uncoordinated with the school before the game, just as a private individual on public property. Walk a lap that bounds 1st street, Gregory, 4th street, and Kirby. No music/dancing, just a slow 1 man parade.

Even if these ideas are no good, they have to start trying something new that isn't stupid like a squirrel, chef, Abe Lincoln, or corn as a mascot. If a pre-game hawk doesn't catch on in season 1, then in season 2 try something else.
Some great ideas here but university administration will NEVER let them happen.
 
#272      

blackdog

Champaign
Some great ideas here but university administration will NEVER let them happen.

And the student body won't support them either. Polls have shown that there is not much support on campus for the Chief and there hasn't been for almost a decade.
 
#274      
And the cost for hiring the extra cops to deal with the overt drunkenness will go to...?
I think this speaks to our atmosphere problem. You should have no problem if our crowd is drunk and rowdy, none of the great stadiums in our conference “police” that beyond the most obnoxious and rare instances.
 
#275      

Mr. Tibbs

southeast DuPage
Chief has been gone for 15 years now. People just need to let it go.
well, he's not coming back

people can be bitter about it, as I am. But thats not getting in the way of me rooting for the team. Lack of a good product on the field that entices me to convince wifey or good buddies to join me on the 2.5 hour trip each way, taking up basically an entire Saturday, is the problem.

Play good football, win or lose , and easily 20,000 more people will come every weekend. win 7-8 games a year and they will get 60,000 in there most Saturdays in October and November .

Losing the Chief sucked. Losing every friggin Saturday sucks worse.
 
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