Context is important. We just came off a 2 win season, Bert was just hired and it was slim pickings by the time we picked up art. He didn't exactly recruit like nick saban at Wisconsin either but he still managed to find guys that fit his system and was able to win a few games in the process. This off season will be no different.
Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
- Status
Said the same exact thing earlier, agree 100%
I have to admit that if I were Card with only the likely somewhat limited things he knows about Illinois combined with the history of BB’s offenses, I likely would have chosen Purdue over Illinois too. He’s familiar with Harrell and the offense he runs. And while Walters is a first-time HC, we know how personable he is and Purdue’s legacy of QBs. Yes, DeVito had a good year, but I don’t think opponents were quaking in their boots over facing him. Brown was the centerpiece of the offense and he will be gone.
Hopefully, Luke A comes on board. Don’t think I’ve seen him play, but the scouting report on his 24/7 high school recruiting page seems to indicate he’d be at least a competent fit in Lunney’s offense. Sure Card would have been a good get — and losing him to Purdue sucks — but Luke A would a good consolation prize. I don’t remember anyone doing back flips when TDV signed on. Most people just hoped he’d be better than Peters.
Hopefully, Luke A comes on board. Don’t think I’ve seen him play, but the scouting report on his 24/7 high school recruiting page seems to indicate he’d be at least a competent fit in Lunney’s offense. Sure Card would have been a good get — and losing him to Purdue sucks — but Luke A would a good consolation prize. I don’t remember anyone doing back flips when TDV signed on. Most people just hoped he’d be better than Peters.
It's not that simple. The staff likely evaluates and has lists of ideal targets, and operates based on that. No successful coach has even been an "all my eggs in one basket" guy.
Yeah I figured I was.
If Card was not the first choice then we would not have been recruiting him. I think Altmeyer's only other visit has been to Southern Miss. Whenever Bret pushes the gas (maybe he already has) Altmeyer will be an Illini.
Really the most concerning thing about the QB position is that the only other QB who had real game snaps this year isn't even a QB anymore. Regardless of which transfer we get, don't think any has more big time experience than Card which is unfortunate.
There will be more growing pains in 2023 than 2022 because our starting QB will have much less real game time experience than DeVito.
There will be more growing pains in 2023 than 2022 because our starting QB will have much less real game time experience than DeVito.
illini80
- Forgottonia
I agree that DeVito's season is unlikely to be repeated, but let's not forget he looked fairly mediocre coming in. He just greatly outperformed our early expectations. Some of that was coaching, but a lot of it was his buy in and maturity to make good decisions. We wont know if the next guy can do that until he takes the field. Unfortunately. Then again it gives us plenty to talk about for the next 8 months!
Yeah but he was a starter. Even if we get Altmyer he has only played in 7 games total.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Some of you folks need to step off the damn ledge.
This thread has gone crazy, plan A rarely works out all the time. This is why we recruit more than one transfer QB.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Honestly, I think it's more that some of these folks needed to take a chill pill about how much we'd become a national powerhouse when we were 7-1 on Halloween.
But Card to Purdue is surprising and disappointing and it would just be fakery to pretend any different.
I never felt at any point we were leaders for Card. To me it felt like TCU until today when he chose Purdue.
I’m buying in to a lot of future success of the football program. But I don’t think we should freak out when we don’t land the top 2 transfer QBs in the nation after going 5-4 in B1G play for the first time in 15 years.
We’re gonna land a transfer QB, and half the board is gonna drink their orange koolaid before the season and think whoever it’s gonna be is going to end up being better than Card.
It’s a fun time to be an Illini fan, not a time to panic.
I’m buying in to a lot of future success of the football program. But I don’t think we should freak out when we don’t land the top 2 transfer QBs in the nation after going 5-4 in B1G play for the first time in 15 years.
We’re gonna land a transfer QB, and half the board is gonna drink their orange koolaid before the season and think whoever it’s gonna be is going to end up being better than Card.
It’s a fun time to be an Illini fan, not a time to panic.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Given that PU is going with an Air Raid O, and their rep as a QB school, Card's choice is understandable. Nevertheless, I agree that it totally sucks.
couldn't agree more that this is no time to panic. We had a much better year than any of us expected. We have a head coach who understands how to build a program. Relax and enjoy a great bowl game.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I mean, like, that's a series of words that one can toss into the breach of this situation, sure.
It's also true that Purdue is a fellow minnow football program (and one that purportedly had NIL problems) nowhere near Texas with a first year head coach and an OC that has made a recent specialty of taking elite QB talent and leaving them further from the NFL than where they started. And Air Raid is neither what Card committed to Texas to play, nor what he succeeded playing this year.
I thought this was all a pipe dream, tbh. But if it's Purdue, it could have been us. Walters drank our milkshake on this one, and while I think we were overhyping Card a bit, there is a chance he's a sliding doors figure in where Illinois and Purdue fall in the Big Ten pecking order going forward. We should be surprised and upset about that, part of being good at football is being surprised and upset when things go wrong and this went wrong.
illini80
- Forgottonia
aiwpfan
- Springfield, Il
"Step off" and "step back from" are two different things
He committed to Purdont
- Status