Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

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#1      

Dan

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Welcome to the Illinois Football Recruiting Thread :illinois:

2024 Illini Football Commits

1) OL Brandon Hansen (November 22nd, 2022)
2) DL Angelo McCullom (April 20th, 2023)
3) QB Trey Petty (May 4th, 2023)
4) DL Demetrius John (June 11th, 2023)
5) LB Easton Baker (June 11th, 2023)
6) OL/DL Eddie Tuerk (June 12th, 2023)
7) WR Tysean Griffin (June 12th, 2023)
8) WR Carlos Orr (June 12th, 2023)
9) OL Zafir Stewart (June 12th, 2023)
10) TE Karsen Konkel (June 21st, 2023)
11) DB Vernon Woodward (June 21st, 2023)
12) DB Amar Reynolds (June 26th, 2023)
13) DL Joe Barna (June 27th, 2023)
14) DB Chase Green (June 27th, 2023)
15) TE Tanner Hollinger (July 5th, 2023)
16) RB Ca'Lil Valentine (July 8th, 2023)
17) EDGE Josaiah Knight (August 18th, 2023)
 
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#2      
Just saw that Demetrius John’s high school game is on TV here on Friday. If Illini game becomes unwatchable, I got that going for me.

Edit: Oops that game is Oct 13. Guess it’s Illini game or bust.
 
#3      
I like a lot of the names on the list above, but I think we still need to find a way to upgrade the talent. I like Bret, but not sure the staff has much of a decided schematic advantage at this point, so that just means more reliance on top talent. Need to stack classes in the top half of the conference, and hit the portal harder for top-end guys

The in-state class of '25 would be a good start, but need to start getting those guys on campus. I've seen many visiting competitors' campuses in recent weeks in lieu of Champaign
 
#4      
I like a lot of the names on the list above, but I think we still need to find a way to upgrade the talent. I like Bret, but not sure the staff has much of a decided schematic advantage at this point, so that just means more reliance on top talent. Need to stack classes in the top half of the conference, and hit the portal harder for top-end guys

The in-state class of '25 would be a good start, but need to start getting those guys on campus. I've seen many visiting competitors' campuses in recent weeks in lieu of Champaign
I'm starting to question this idea that we intend to be a "developmental program". Just what does that mean? That our coaches' reputations, our style of play, our recruiting chops, etc. are such that we can only get players with significant known deficiencies that we can somehow work with to overcome or at least mask? If that's not it, what does it mean? We are in year 3. Can someone please enlighten me on what it means and whether there are signs it is working.
 
#6      
For all of you Illini fans who want five star athletes, not three star, to come to Illinois, we need to be able to pay these players big bucks in NIL money. Joining the ICON Collective is the way to do this properly. Our crew has all donated so we got invited by Kathleen Knight, ICON President and CEO, to an event last evening at the Big Grove Tavern, where Juice Williams came to mingle and talk about how ICON was going to be a tremendous help to student athletes. Kevin Mitchell, Varsity I Director, was also there to say how much ICON would have been great to be a part of when he played. One can pay a one time donation or a monthly donation, from small amounts to large. Fans can join (or ask questions) by emailing Kathleen at KK@ILL-ICON.com or going online at http://iconforillini.com/. Now is the time to put your money where your mouth is and join ICON. Go Illini!
 

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#11      
all momentum is gone, the team won't make things any better this season, and next season looks bleak talent wise. Bielema had a very small opening to turn things around and all of that is over. Things are not looking good at all for the future of our program. Gound hog day all over again.
 
#14      
Really sucks that the coaching staff hasn't been able to capitalize on last year's success? Good luck trying to recruit kids after this year's disaster of a season. Not to mention next year when Oregon and USC , And Washington join. This season is probably going to set us back for years to come.
 
#17      
Bart Miller was his lead recruiter. Could this decommitment be related to future changes on the offensive coaching staff? Bielema seemed very dissatisfied with the offense during Friday's post-game press conference.
Possible. I'm thinking that it's more likely that he's looking at home state UNL as a lot more viable of an option now (not to downplay the significance of him decommitting).
 
#18      
Awful... The preseason hope was that a successful season could be used as a springboard for recruiting and allow us to not only finally turn our fortunes around, but be able to compete in the new B10. Yet here we are... It's truly amazing how whenever we get an opportunity to follow up on success we say hell naw, then jump headfirst off a 20 story building into cement. Sigh...
 
#19      
Bart Miller was his lead recruiter. Could this decommitment be related to future changes on the offensive coaching staff? Bielema seemed very dissatisfied with the offense during Friday's post-game press conference.
They aren’t making changes now. More likely this kid seeing his home state team (who is terrible) smoke the team he committed to.
 
#23      
It allow Biliema to go after a transfer portal, possibly with two+ years. Good luck young man in Neberaska
 
#24      
Absolutely not, but I think my thought process would be that our current O line is struggling, so being an incoming freshman I should have opportunities to get significant PT if I perform. But also, we aren't very good either lol.
Yeah, and this is all conjecture from my point of view.
Maybe he’s seeing that the current OL is terrible and the current staff will not take him to the next level.
And maybe his home state school is starting to reach out to him after they destroyed his committed school.
 
#25      
It allow Biliema to go after a transfer portal, possibly with two+ years. Good luck young man in Neberaska
Well we didn’t do that quite well last offseason by replacing all the lost talents or even just some,imo that’s why we ended up in this situation to begin with.
 
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