Illini Football 2025
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Ryan Day looks like the fake Santa Claus they clone from the real Santa Claus in Santa Clause 2.
biglug58
- Chicago, IL
I remember "Bye Bye Blackman" signs around campus!
BB got .279 seconds of airtime in that clip…
I love the NW Skoronski shout! Go Maine South! Beat Lincolnway East! Friday Night Lights are BACK!
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Ryan Day looks like the fake Santa Claus they clone from the real Santa Claus in Santa Clause 2.
Me too, my neighbor was a scholarship Illinois FB player and I rode to UIUC with him the day Blackman was hired, then at the end of the semester had to drop out and join the Navy for four years to avoid getting drafted in the Army.
Turns out he was one of our better FB coaches in that sorry era of Illinois FB
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Wow, a lot has transpired in ten years.
Farley is a good dude and a heck of a defensive minded coach. When UNI was dominating the MVFC, UNI was the top spender in the league. He was getting recruits around the country and could flat out coach. Enrollment declines and budget cuts led to decreased spending, making it impossible to remain competitive. The past 10 years, an incompetent AD and budget cuts changed everything.
TLDR: Farely is an incredible coach.
Y’all ready for this roller coaster of a season to begin?!
Most preseason excitement since 2008 is a great feeling. There’s going to be close games, unfortunately injuries, bad calls, as is always the case, but hopefully this staff can keep them focused all season.
I’m very impressed with Bret so far, but Lunney going into a make or break season with a SR Altmyer. This season will be a high water mark for him given all the experience across the line and behind center.
Let’s let the fun begin.
Too bad Coach Blackman didn't work out. Met him in Redwood and Ross in May, 1974. Buying an "interview suit" as was about to graduate. Introduced myself. He engaged me in a 3-4 minute conversation. Asked about my background and plans for the future. Wished me luck. A real gentleman in every regard.
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
I do as well. There was a discussion on here a while back about previous Illini football coaches. The consensus was that Blackman was not that bad, which I agree with. Our non-Big 10 opponents in those days were usually pretty good teams - not a "directional" school.
Lasagna anybody!
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
And two words. "Dana Howard"
I was close, I said Simeon Rice. Now I'm all mad at Tepper again...
He was a good coach who had to deal with absolutely brutal schedules. In '72 our non-con schedule consisted of USC, Washington and Penn State, all of whom were ranked. Under today's scheduling, his teams likely would have gone bowling all 6 years of his tenure. He was also hamstrung by having Cecil Coleman as AD, who made Mike Thomas look like a genius
Chuck Nuggets
Dip your nuggets in my staff source sauce.
ZERO DAYS UNTIL ILLINOIS FOOTBALL!!!
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
The fact that any Big Ten team in the 1970s, let alone The Beloved, had an AD named "Cecil" makes me chuckle.
Blackman was a solid coach. He did indeed get shafted by the noncon schedules and the OSU-Michigan domination of the conference in the '70s.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
Moeller was the true masterstroke by Coleman though
sacraig
- The desert
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