Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

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#3,426      

LurkLongandProsper

L
C-U
LurkLongandProsper
IMO, focus on landing 2 DEs (Debose +1), get Palczewski/Roberson/Dorsey locked up.

This would put us at 22/23* commits, with 4 being back-counted. After that, focus on just adding athletes (ideally for the secondary). IMO, we don't have to fill a full 28 just to fill, and use the inevitably open slots for grad transfers (for your LTT fans, this would be where we pursue him). Would love to somehow snag Roundtree and Maxwell, although the former does not seem likely. Would really rather avoid taking guys just to take guys. Was really hoping we'd get a punter in this class, but 'twas not meant to be.

* To clarify my 22/23, does anyone know why Knight hasn't been added to our class on 247? No columns are hot, either. 247 has been quite quick adding guys throughout the season (had all of the WMU->MN flips within hour(s).
 
#3,427      

Doak1960

D
Doak1960
StateFarmCenter said:
I don't think they want to add anymore DTs and 4 more OL seems like a lot. DL started as the biggest need and still is IMO. 3 more in the very very least and hopefully 1 or 2 of those are upperclassmen adds.

TE they need one, but they seem confident they'll be landing Dorsey soon. WR down to Roberson and Thomas. They'd take both. RB they definitely seem done with, although epstein is weirdly getting a lot of late interest.

I do think they want another QB. I just don't know of any names they're currently recruiting. Probably pretty picked over too.
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#3,428      

StateFarmCenter

StateFarmCenter
StateFarmCenter
LurkLongandProsper said:
IMO, focus on landing 2 DEs (Debose +1), get Palczewski/Roberson/Dorsey locked up.

This would put us at 22/23* commits, with 4 being back-counted. After that, focus on just adding athletes (ideally for the secondary). IMO, we don't have to fill a full 28 just to fill, and use the inevitably open slots for grad transfers (for your LTT fans, this would be where we pursue him). Would love to somehow snag Roundtree and Maxwell, although the former does not seem likely. Would really rather avoid taking guys just to take guys. Was really hoping we'd get a punter in this class, but 'twas not meant to be.

* To clarify my 22/23, does anyone know why Knight hasn't been added to our class on 247? No columns are hot, either. 247 has been quite quick adding guys throughout the season (had all of the WMU->MN flips within hour(s).
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Don't know why 247 hasn't updated,but Mcgee gave an indirect confirmation tweet.
 
#3,434      

FT35

FT35
Naperville
FT35
illinidarrin said:
1 How does this kid not have more offers from top schools?

2 Mater Dei High School in California is a powerhouse. Maybe we can start getting into that school and getting players. That would be a nice pipeline to have.
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I think schools are reluctant to offer scholarships to punters when that position can be filled by preferred walk-ons.

If we're going to offer a scholarship (I'm assuming that's what we're doing) to a punter it might as well be the #1 punter in the country.

I do remember Kyle Yelton was considered one of the top punters in the country out of high school and he was a complete disaster. We were stuck with a scholarship player as a backup punter for years.
 
#3,435      

StateFarmCenter

StateFarmCenter
StateFarmCenter
New Scout rankings:

Nate Hobbs goes from random WKU commit on the recruiting scene to missing being a 4th star by just 3 spots! Incredible rise there and what a find by the staff. Phillips, Boyd and Smalling our are 4 star commits.
 
#3,436      

illinidarrin

illinidarrin
from parts unknown
illinidarrin
FT35 said:
I think schools are reluctant to offer scholarships to punters when that position can be filled by preferred walk-ons.

If we're going to offer a scholarship (I'm assuming that's what we're doing) to a punter it might as well be the #1 punter in the country.

I do remember Kyle Yelton was considered one of the top punters in the country out of high school and he was a complete disaster. We were stuck with a scholarship player as a backup punter for years.
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You can't be afraid to offer a kid because of Kyle Yelton. This kid is ranked #1 on Scout and 247 sports. I would offer this kid. Odds are that he would come here if we were offered a scholarship over being a walk-on at Cal or Iowa. We still have some rides to give and i wouldn't mind a highly rated punter getting one.
 
#3,437      

BananaShampoo

B
Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
BananaShampoo
illinidarrin said:
You can't be afraid to offer a kid because of Kyle Yelton. This kid is ranked #1 on Scout and 247 sports. I would offer this kid. Odds are that he would come here if we were offered a scholarship over being a walk-on at Cal or Iowa. We still have some rides to give and i wouldn't mind a highly rated punter getting one.
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Exactly. Yelton was an outlier.
 
#3,438      

FT35

FT35
Naperville
FT35
illinidarrin said:
You can't be afraid to offer a kid because of Kyle Yelton. This kid is ranked #1 on Scout and 247 sports. I would offer this kid. Odds are that he would come here if we were offered a scholarship over being a walk-on at Cal or Iowa. We still have some rides to give and i wouldn't mind a highly rated punter getting one.
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You're absolutely correct. I hope we offer this kid as well.
 
#3,439      

Sir Dunk A Lot

S
Sir Dunk A Lot
That punter has a leg cannon. If he can make those kinds of punts consistently, he by all means deserves a scholarship. Having someone that can totally change field position like that will make a huge impact... especially in a few years. I think offering a scholly to anyone that is the #1 prospect at their respective position is fairly safe/worth it. You can't let another person's failure deter you from an obvious talent.
 
#3,441      

ILLINIFAN2

ILLINIFAN2
Des Moines, IA
ILLINIFAN2
I don't often get excited about punters, but when I do, I prefer Stonehouse;)
 
#3,442      

mhuml32

mhuml32
Cincinnati, OH
mhuml32
StateFarmCenter said:
New Scout rankings:

Nate Hobbs goes from random WKU commit on the recruiting scene to missing being a 4th star by just 3 spots! Incredible rise there and what a find by the staff. Phillips, Boyd and Smalling our are 4 star commits.
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I wonder when 247 updates their composite score to reflect this change from Scout. Anyone know?
 
#3,443      

GameOfThrows

G
GameOfThrows
217sports said:
I never understood the hype on Estes, doesn't look like a P5 player
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If I coached in the BIG, I would recruit the starting QB on an undefeated 7A state championship team from ESL. Maybe he won't develop into a BIG QB, but there has got be somewhere the young man can play. He's a football player, and obviously a leader. Those are excellent traits.

I was hoping we could flip him, but maybe he really wants to play QB, and he sees Thomas and Lawson in this recruiting class and rightfully questions the opportunity he'll receive at QB if he were to commit here.

Following up on another poster though, "Mr. Sunshine" will be a thorn in our side. He's got Illinois connections and he's coaching in our division. I still think Lovie will be able to attract really good players. But, Boat-Rower will get some too. Oh well, I personally like the improved BIG West that we are in. It will be that much sweeter when Lovie and the coaching staff lead us to success in a few seasons.
 
#3,444      

Buck Turgidson

Buck Turgidson
Massachusetts
Buck Turgidson
Punters

In 1983 I was in Block I. I arrived early for the Iowa game and was in the front row behind the Iowa bench. In warm-ups, Reggie Roby was punting. If you've never heard of Reggie Roby, he was big (maybe 6'3" and 250) known for an incredible leg (he didn't always get full contact and wasn't the greatest directional kicker...but he didn't need to be). In the warm-ups his punts were something we'd never seen before - the sound it made off his foot was literally like a boom. The first few we thought he'd hit a pop up...until we saw it land 60 yards downfield. Incredible hang time on every one. He put on a show I'll never forget
 
#3,445      

Second and Chalmers

S
Second and Chalmers
Buck Turgidson said:
Punters

In 1983 I was in Block I. I arrived early for the Iowa game and was in the front row behind the Iowa bench. In warm-ups, Reggie Roby was punting. If you've never heard of Reggie Roby, he was big (maybe 6'3" and 250) known for an incredible leg (he didn't always get full contact and wasn't the greatest directional kicker...but he didn't need to be). In the warm-ups his punts were something we'd never seen before - the sound it made off his foot was literally like a boom. The first few we thought he'd hit a pop up...until we saw it land 60 yards downfield. Incredible hang time on every one. He put on a show I'll never forget
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There were only two people worth going to see at Illini football games in 2005: Chief Illiniwek and Steve Weatherford.
 
#3,446      

FT35

FT35
Naperville
FT35
Second and Chalmers said:
There were only two people worth going to see at Illini football games in 2005: Chief Illiniwek and Steve Weatherford.
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I remember thinking before the Northwestern game that we'd be better off just handing the ball off to Pierre Thomas 40+ times. That would have kept the clock running and kept that awful defense off of the field for as long as possible. However, poor Pierre didn't deserve to get hit 40+ times and he was unfortunate enough to be part of just 8 wins in 4 years at Illinois.

The conference games that year were just brutal. Even Indiana smacked us around.
 
#3,447      

Title

T
Title
GameOfThrows said:
If I coached in the BIG, I would recruit the starting QB on an undefeated 7A state championship team from ESL. Maybe he won't develop into a BIG QB, but there has got be somewhere the young man can play. He's a football player, and obviously a leader. Those are excellent traits.

I was hoping we could flip him, but maybe he really wants to play QB, and he sees Thomas and Lawson in this recruiting class and rightfully questions the opportunity he'll receive at QB if he were to commit here.

Following up on another poster though, "Mr. Sunshine" will be a thorn in our side. He's got Illinois connections and he's coaching in our division. I still think Lovie will be able to attract really good players. But, Boat-Rower will get some too. Oh well, I personally like the improved BIG West that we are in. It will be that much sweeter when Lovie and the coaching staff lead us to success in a few seasons.
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At minimum, they should have at least one player from every state game 5A and above every year. I am sure there is at least one power 5 player on all those teams that played. Some may be as high as 3/4 stars or some may be a diamond in the rough.
 
#3,448      

Second and Chalmers

S
Second and Chalmers
FT35 said:
I remember thinking before the Northwestern game that we'd be better off just handing the ball off to Pierre Thomas 40+ times. That would have kept the clock running and kept that awful defense off of the field for as long as possible. However, poor Pierre didn't deserve to get hit 40+ times and he was unfortunate enough to be part of just 8 wins in 4 years at Illinois.

The conference games that year were just brutal. Even Indiana smacked us around.
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Yeah, Pierre didn't have the help he needed to really show what he could do on that team. But there sure were a lot of punts, and what punts they were!
 
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