I think his health is still somewhat of an issue. Hoping for the best for him though.
Illini Football 2023
- Status
I think his health is still somewhat of an issue. Hoping for the best for him though.
Green to Georgia Southern.
Wonder if he was waiting to see if Illinois filled the S spot? Good luck to him. Georgia Southern is a good program.
Wonder if he was waiting to see if Illinois filled the S spot? Good luck to him. Georgia Southern is a good program.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
This is refreshing to hear, as I had a lurking fear that we were all in on basketball NIL (where we appear to be incredibly competitive with just about anyone), with not enough left for football. I know we are not quite at "big dog" levels for football spending, but that will come with wins over multiple years. It's nice to at least hear this tidbit!
I think the article I read said he started 10 games last year, but definitely didn’t have the impact I was hoping for. I believe someone — Illini0440 I think — said it was looking like he had slid down depth chart this spring. Has a good chance of starting with Oregon State as they lost 2 LBs from last year.
He wasn’t gonna start anymore
Joel Goodson
- dawgville
Darkangelo (a former walk-on) passed him up last season (pretty sure Hart never fully regained his pre-injury physical status). Rosiek and Odeluga passed Hart this spring. Hence, the transfer.
And the not much of anything still includes full tuition, room and board.
Newton for Heisman
I can't remember a DL ever winning that award. I think Alex Karras was in the running one year.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Suh finished 4th in 2009. Dude put up 85 tackles, 12 sacks, and a pick from interior defensive line. Finished behind Mark Ingram - Toby Gerhart - Colt McCoy in the voting.
Charles Woodson is the only defensive player to win the award. Ndamukong Suh was a finalist and invited to New York back in 2009ish. Am I saying Johnny is going to win the Heisman Trophy…
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Last year Bret remarked a lot about a sort of "revenge tour," and we got quite a few victories on that front, including multiple VERY satisfying beatdowns!):
W 24-3 vs. Virginia (lost 42-14 in Charlottesville in 2021)
W 34-10 at Wisconsin (lost 24-0
in Champaign in 2021)
W 9-6 vs. Iowa (lost 33-23 in Iowa City in 2021)
(We also beat Minnesota and Northwestern for the second straight year and Nebraska for the third straight year!)
Well, there is certainly opportunity for some more fuel to that fire this year!
at Purdue: Not much needs to be said here. The loss in Champaign last year was about as painful as it gets for many reasons, and it cost us a trip to Indianapolis and a rematch with a Michigan team that we almost beat in Ann Arbor. Also, no ill will toward Ryan whatsoever, but I really don't want to drop one to him in his first year at PU.
at Maryland: We didn't play the Terps last year, but that loss in Champaign during Bret's first year was incredibly frustrating and a pretty epic collapse.
vs. Indiana: Considering the infuriating nature of our loss in Bloomington last year and that this one is at home, I hope we absolutely embarrass them.
We also have some chances to really rectify our pitiful recent history and get on some nice streaks if we get the following wins:
W vs. Penn State: First time beating PSU in Champaign since 2014 (that's only one loss though, lol...) but most importantly - the first time beating PSU twice in a row EVER.
W vs. Nebraska: We wouldn't really break any records (we did that last year!), but I cannot begin to describe how funny it would be to beat Nebraska for four straight years.
W at Maryland: First time ever beating Maryland (0-2, losing to them in both 2018 and 2021).
W vs. Wisconsin: First time beating Wisconsin two times in a row since 2001 and 2002.
W at Iowa: First win in Iowa City since 1999 (I was there!) and first time beating Iowa twice in a row since 1999 and 2000.
W vs. Northwestern: First time beating the Kitty Cats three years in a row since 1988 through 1990 ... yes, you read that correctly. It's time to reestablish them as a non-threat.
I haven't been this excited for a season in a long time! I was excited for last year, but I really wasn't expecting anything better than fighting for six wins. This year I will try not to have my expectations "too high" or anything, but I am honestly very optimistic and quite pumped!
W 24-3 vs. Virginia (lost 42-14 in Charlottesville in 2021)
W 34-10 at Wisconsin (lost 24-0
in Champaign in 2021)W 9-6 vs. Iowa (lost 33-23 in Iowa City in 2021)
(We also beat Minnesota and Northwestern for the second straight year and Nebraska for the third straight year!)
Well, there is certainly opportunity for some more fuel to that fire this year!
at Purdue: Not much needs to be said here. The loss in Champaign last year was about as painful as it gets for many reasons, and it cost us a trip to Indianapolis and a rematch with a Michigan team that we almost beat in Ann Arbor. Also, no ill will toward Ryan whatsoever, but I really don't want to drop one to him in his first year at PU.
at Maryland: We didn't play the Terps last year, but that loss in Champaign during Bret's first year was incredibly frustrating and a pretty epic collapse.
vs. Indiana: Considering the infuriating nature of our loss in Bloomington last year and that this one is at home, I hope we absolutely embarrass them.
We also have some chances to really rectify our pitiful recent history and get on some nice streaks if we get the following wins:
W vs. Penn State: First time beating PSU in Champaign since 2014 (that's only one loss though, lol...) but most importantly - the first time beating PSU twice in a row EVER.
W vs. Nebraska: We wouldn't really break any records (we did that last year!), but I cannot begin to describe how funny it would be to beat Nebraska for four straight years.
W at Maryland: First time ever beating Maryland (0-2, losing to them in both 2018 and 2021).
W vs. Wisconsin: First time beating Wisconsin two times in a row since 2001 and 2002.
W at Iowa: First win in Iowa City since 1999 (I was there!) and first time beating Iowa twice in a row since 1999 and 2000.
W vs. Northwestern: First time beating the Kitty Cats three years in a row since 1988 through 1990 ... yes, you read that correctly. It's time to reestablish them as a non-threat.
I haven't been this excited for a season in a long time! I was excited for last year, but I really wasn't expecting anything better than fighting for six wins. This year I will try not to have my expectations "too high" or anything, but I am honestly very optimistic and quite pumped!
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
and even the lowest level players on scholly are now given an opportunity to make some small amounts of NIL by going to fan events and youth camps aroudn ECI , so they can get a little pocket change. The days of players being flat out broke are over.
Joel Goodson
- dawgville
and that's a great thing
Ranking the top 25 Power Five college football coaches entering the 2023 season
Each year since 2016, we here at CBS Sports have ranked the Power Five college football coaches in an effort to create a pecking order for one of the most important coaching jobs in sports entering the upcoming season. While coaches are integral to every team, college coaches are tasked with so many facets of the organization beyond simply their team's play on the field.| 21 |
| Bret Bielema: Last year, I said Bielema wasn't getting much credit for his conference titles at Wisconsin when he finished 38th and joked that winning three Big Ten titles at Illinois would catapult him into the top 10 and going to back-to-back bowls would get him in the top 25. It turns out he only needed one bowl appearance. Illinois was one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season, and my fellow voters are now more convinced that Bielema hasn't forgotten what it takes to be competitive in the Big Ten. 2022 rank: 38 (+17) |
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ot...p&cvid=6feec8b448b8479ba485b94a14eebe0c&ei=45
I was so late on my tuition payments while at U of I on multiple occasions I was waiting to be escorted out of the lecture halls. So still a great benefit, an Illinois education will take you far.
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Excellent post! And I do expect Bret to come up with something like the "revenge tour" once again this season.Last year Bret remarked a lot about a sort of "revenge tour," and we got quite a few victories on that front, including multiple VERY satisfying beatdowns!):
W 24-3 vs. Virginia (lost 42-14 in Charlottesville in 2021)
W 34-10 at Wisconsin (lost 24-0
W 9-6 vs. Iowa (lost 33-23 in Iowa City in 2021)
(We also beat Minnesota and Northwestern for the second straight year and Nebraska for the third straight year!)
Well, there is certainly opportunity for some more fuel to that fire this year!
at Purdue: Not much needs to be said here. The loss in Champaign last year was about as painful as it gets for many reasons, and it cost us a trip to Indianapolis and a rematch with a Michigan team that we almost beat in Ann Arbor. Also, no ill will toward Ryan whatsoever, but I really don't want to drop one to him in his first year at PU.
at Maryland: We didn't play the Terps last year, but that loss in Champaign during Bret's first year was incredibly frustrating and a pretty epic collapse.
vs. Indiana: Considering the infuriating nature of our loss in Bloomington last year and that this one is at home, I hope we absolutely embarrass them.
We also have some chances to really rectify our pitiful recent history and get on some nice streaks if we get the following wins:
W vs. Penn State: First time beating PSU in Champaign since 2014 (that's only one loss though, lol...) but most importantly - the first time beating PSU twice in a row EVER.
W vs. Nebraska: We wouldn't really break any records (we did that last year!), but I cannot begin to describe how funny it would be to beat Nebraska for four straight years.
W at Maryland: First time ever beating Maryland (0-2, losing to them in both 2018 and 2021).
W vs. Wisconsin: First time beating Wisconsin two times in a row since 2001 and 2002.
W at Iowa: First win in Iowa City since 1999 (I was there!) and first time beating Iowa twice in a row since 1999 and 2000.
W vs. Northwestern: First time beating the Kitty Cats three years in a row since 1988 through 1990 ... yes, you read that correctly. It's time to reestablish them as a non-threat.
I haven't been this excited for a season in a long time! I was excited for last year, but I really wasn't expecting anything better than fighting for six wins. This year I will try not to have my expectations "too high" or anything, but I am honestly very optimistic and quite pumped!
Of note: It's painfully embarrassing how bad we've been over the past 30 years. To think that we've not beaten perennial doormat NW 3 times in a row since 1990. Wow! We should never have let this happen.
The tide has turned.
100% in agreement. Unfortunately most BB and FB scholarship athletes are not here for the degree (most, not all) but are here for the minor league (now professional) opportunity to make it to the big time professional ranks, be it NFL, NBA, Euro league, etc.
blackdog
- Champaign
You do know that its a tiny percentage of athletes in those sports that actually end up playing professionally? Estimates are that 1.6% of college players will make it to the NFL and 1.2% to the NBA. Even the majority of D1 basketball players don't get an overseas contract and if they do it doesn't last very long.
That 1.6% for football is for all NCAA football players (that are NFL eligible). D1 would be higher and the Big Ten would be even higher than that and will likely go higher in the future. But the point still remains, it's a small percentage, just not quite as small as what is applicable to Illinois football.
I do know that, and agree with your statement. And I'm betting my beach house that 99.9% of the Div.1 FB and BB players on scholarship state that their goal is make the NFL or NBA.
On the other hand being an actuary is perennially ranked as one of the safest and peaceful occupations. But so is telemarketer. I'd rather be an actuary. Last time I looked, the bulk of players were in Recreation and Park Administration.
Actuaries are a strange breed. We try to make sure ours just stay locked up and not talk to others which seems to make them happy.
- Status