Thanks for stating this. I've often wondered who the posters are that question Jeff Thomas's and other recruits' grades/academic qualifications.
How would they know? Speculation? Assumption? Pretty wrong way to talk about someone imho.
Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
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Thanks for stating this. I've often wondered who the posters are that question Jeff Thomas's and other recruits' grades/academic qualifications.
How would they know? Speculation? Assumption? Pretty wrong way to talk about someone imho.
Knight and Thomas especially who I'd be ecstatic to see enroll here, but the qualification questions aren't something popping up uniquely here. They are being mentioned by insiders on the major services, and they didn't spawn here.
I think the board has made it clear how excited we'd be by Jeff Thomas staying close to home, and I like Knight's tape/intangibles, even if he's not the biggest dude.
I think the board has made it clear how excited we'd be by Jeff Thomas staying close to home, and I like Knight's tape/intangibles, even if he's not the biggest dude.
Title, I get what you're saying. I'm sure you know, and so does Jeff Thomas, that literally every single Illini fan wants him to sign with the home state school, qualify, dominate for three years, and lead us back to relevance on his way to becoming a 1st round NFL draft pick. We're all rooting unbelievably hard for that to play out. The academic concerns are not anyone bashing the kid - it's a long-suffering fan base measuring hope.
To be fair, there were sources from multiple schools having concerns over his academics. I think if you combine what title said and this then you would come up with that staffs were being told that grades and ACT weren't ready yet, but they felt confident in him qualifying.
Now, which schools believed that and continued to pursue him is a much smaller group (Mizzou and Illinois for sure kept after him). More schools offering is most likely a combo of the UA MVP game he had as well as another round of ACT scores being delivered, if Knight posted his it's a good bet that Jeff and others could have taken the same test date and also received scores.
Hopefully JT can wrap up strong and qualify to whichever school he desires, especially Illinois.
Lucy727
- Des Plaines, Il
Good news. I see him getting PT early and often next year. I think he plays DB, but some see him as a WR. One thing the staff has done is get some versatile players. Green OG or DT, Watkins same, Adams WR or CB, Thomas QB or WR, Smith WR or S. I like the flexibility.
If the players and everyone reads these boards it won't be any different for any team at the power 5 boards. I get the stuff creates issues but there are some on here who just sit back and throw shade at anything and everything. They provide very little but like to try to be the one who called it. It happens on every board and if a few cause the issues then sadly the players who let it bother them might as well go find a job in the real world. Even in college and for some NFL it will never change especially in the social media world
No one picking crystal balls knows anything. Mostly because no one really knows anything regarding JT's recruitment. I'd bet that they're just flipping to Miami because he retweets a lot of Miami stuff.
Yes but they are high school kids. They are not adults and don't think like adults. The internet is their world.
Does anybody know the specific academic concerns regarding Thomas, besides just "qualifying"?
GPA/ACT scale? Number/Type of credits? Number of credits earned too late? I feel like some legit insight to these, which I'm sure the staff is aware of, would paint a much clearer picture.
GPA/ACT scale? Number/Type of credits? Number of credits earned too late? I feel like some legit insight to these, which I'm sure the staff is aware of, would paint a much clearer picture.
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
I'm wondering how it's possible for a player to possibly change his mind or switch when we are in the middle of a non-contact period? Don't you find that just a little curious? Usually you switch when you talk to the coaches or take a visit to that school.
Could be the Umder Armoir game and talking to other recruits. Illinois has limited to no representation in these types of games. Miami for example has several players at these events. Plus it's Miami you can make your own assumptions.
The insight is the staff has ALL the information on Jeff Thomas they need or want. They have met with the administration at ESL about Jeff. There are no secretes on this kid at this point.
My question to you would be what player have changed their mind during the dead period? The kids to Minn from WM is simply following Fleck.
PaytonHighstep
- Downers Grove, IL
My understanding is the "Dead Period" that is still in effect is no in person contact, even if the recruit is on campus. It doesn't restrict correspondence (letters, email, social media, phone). There are multiple ways and reasons a recruit could change his mind during this period, imo.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football-recruiting/2014/12/17/7401635/ncaa-football-recruiting-periods-dead-quiet-evaluation
http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/resources/recruiting-calendars
FT35
- Naperville
I can't say I blame them for being bothered by things that are written about them that aren't true (qualifying issues, etc.). It would bother me as well and I'm an adult (I guess).
Like you've mentioned, however, Illinois hasn't been in on a recruit as highly ranked as Thomas in a number of years so he's going to elicit a lot of discussion.
I will say that this forum is relatively even tempered and expectations are realistic. It's really mostly diehards here that have seen a number of losses (on the field and off). I've had season tickets for 10 years and there was a three year stretch in there where I did not see a home conference win. TB did a lot of damage to this program and Smith is doing what he can to bring back some excitement to this program. I hope the ESL kids can be apart of that. Thomas has even said that Smith has made it known to him how important he'd be to this program.
You are spot on and I agree. I too would love for Illinois to have a strong presence in the Big 10. I believe the state of Illinois play some of the best High School ball in the country which should translate on the college level considering there aren't too many in state options.
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
I believe every CB prediction on Thomas is for Miami now. That was quick.
I believe every CB prediction on Thomas is for Miami now. That was quick.
Huh? We still have 40% of his crystal ball.
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
I've seen 6-7 today alone that went to Miami. That's not a good trend.
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
Actually, it's 8 CB predictions for Miami. That's close enough to all.
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