Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
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Lt Davis
Lg wigenton
C kreutz
Rg crisler
Rt Henderson
Plus guys like gesky, schuster, whitenack and Dennis for depth.
Jake Furtney, St Charles North , Defensive Line
Jake Furtney is a 6-5, 235-pound Tight End from Saint Charles, IL.247sports.com
Love adding in state kids like this. Much rather go this route than juco reaches. I wish we would’ve gone after Carlos hazelwood
Yes I sure do. Been following since ‘75. Where will this program go with these results in your opinion? He’s improved the program. I just don’t see us getting shots at bowl games most years at this pace. I think a lot of fans will not be happy with those results. Hope I’m wrong and only time will tell.
I’m not expecting CFP’s or many NYE6’s or at all. Maybe a few NYE6’s mixed in, but we’ll see. I think they will get back to a bowl next year but to a lesser one though and than after that, not quite sure but I think they will have enough talent to have consistent winning seasons. Maybe I’m being too optimistic. As Illinois fans we are so accustomed to them losing so I understand where you are coming from.
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TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
Interesting commitment from one of the guys "who got away." (I know it was mutual.)
With a couple of interesting takes on this commitment.
With a couple of interesting takes on this commitment.
Ryllini
- Lombard
I look at it like this. I believe that we have a top 5 coach in the 18 B1G teams as far as identifying and developing talent. A huge key to our turn around will be at the QB position and Luke Altmyer. I saw a lot of things I liked last year in what was really his freshman year. If he can develop like the 4 star he is and be top line, that will attract even more raw talent on that side of ball. We have Petty behind him and time will tell how he progresses. If Luke doesn't take a big step forward, then the marriage between Illinois and Bielema might be shorter than I'd say 90% of would hope.
Yeah not trying to be all doom and gloom, but just keeping it real. Consumed mass quantities of the orange kool-aid over the years, but need a little more kick in any kool-aid I consume moving forward. I-L-L
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
I don’t feel that BB is anywhere near being on the hot seat as he enters 2024 —- year 4 of his regime. An outcome of anywhere from 9-3 to 5-7 next year and I’m confident we’ll plow forward with Bret and his Top 35-50 recruiting classes.
I believe it would take a 4-8 season (a clear sign of regression) before he’d be on somewhat shaky ground heading into 2025. He does too many things right to be in danger of losing his job.
Ryllini
- Lombard
I 100% agree, but say we go another 2 maybe a 3 seasons without a bowl and just hanging at 5-7, the light will be turned out. I have faith in Luke and we will not have that problem.
Huge fan of BB, however miss a bowl this year and that seat is hot. choked last year on chance to win West last year and then blow a chance at a Bowl game. The West was weak and we failed. So if we fail to make a bowl next year, then BB needs to feel the heat. Jmo
We have a top 50 recruiting class. Do you have any clue how many ominous and embarrassing streaks that he's broken in his three years here? We all have pride in the program, but really think this through. If you were in a living room with a kid who's being recruited by Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, USC, UCLA, Washington....what can you possibly sell about the program that would move the needle like you're advocating? Iowa, who's been SIGNIFICANTLY better than us over the last quarter CENTURY is sitting at 12th out of 18.
Bielema is doing as much as humanly possible with this program.
So, I'm going to preemptively say "Stop!" before you even start with a sentence that begins with "We need someone who....."
If you've been a fan since 1975....hell, since 2000, you'd be able to appreciate every word that you just read.
I mean sure he needs to make bowl games consistently and yes the past two years the team has underperformed in terms of wins, but this program is miles ahead of where it’s been since prime zooker (and a heck of a lot more stable than even back then.)
I think regardless of next year, BB is getting 2 seasons at minimum. And that’s probably only if he absolutely bombs.
I think this offseason recruiting cycle has been highly enjoyable. Do I think where close to being a top half big ten team? Probably not. But we have the talent and experience to punch up a weight class and not lose by 60.
I agree with everything that you said with only the slight deviation being that his seat won't have even a lukewarm button on it unless the next 4 to 5 years go unfathomably abysmal.
At 18-18 overall record, 0-1 in a bowl game...in only three years here? He's a borderline miracle worker.
Just my take.
Yeah fire the coach who has the best winning % of any coach we've had in 30 years. That will turn Illinois into a destination job.
You say he needs to "feel the heat." Feeling heat means feeling that his employment is in peril. Isn't that what you're saying?
You're getting pushback because it's almost impossible for him to get ANY heat because that would imply that there are better options and the reality is that there aren't.
There's a significantly better chance that he gets offers from other schools that would be an upgrade versus him getting any sort of heat here. We need him a LOT more than he needs us. That's a sad statement, but it's a fact.
You're getting pushback because it's almost impossible for him to get ANY heat because that would imply that there are better options and the reality is that there aren't.
There's a significantly better chance that he gets offers from other schools that would be an upgrade versus him getting any sort of heat here. We need him a LOT more than he needs us. That's a sad statement, but it's a fact.
Is it too much to ask for an @Indy Illini Fan we ain’t done yet? Probably so, but what an awesome day!
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
I’m sure BB, the head coach of a B1G football program, has no guidelines & expectations of him. Pls contact the athletic department immediately and apply the pressure.
It's hard to understand because you're operating on a premise of expectations, but in doing that, you don't want to address past performance.
I'm open to playing the game.
We've been to 7 bowl games since 2000, one of them being last year under Bielema. He's got the highest winning percentage of any Illinois coach in decades. Ticket sales are up, recruiting is vastly improved, we're relevant in nationally covered games, we're winning road games, we're beating top 10 and top 25 teams....
It appears that you're basing your expectations on a floor that Bielema is directly responsible for raising.
He lost an entire defensive backfield, his starting running back and his starting quarterback to the NFL. Those guys are all playing on Sundays. He lost, what, 3 or 4 running backs this year to injury?They still almost put the 6 wins together.
HIstory, timeline and circumstances all matter.
IF you're the AD...what is the result that would put him on your proverbial hot seat?
I'm open to playing the game.
We've been to 7 bowl games since 2000, one of them being last year under Bielema. He's got the highest winning percentage of any Illinois coach in decades. Ticket sales are up, recruiting is vastly improved, we're relevant in nationally covered games, we're winning road games, we're beating top 10 and top 25 teams....
It appears that you're basing your expectations on a floor that Bielema is directly responsible for raising.
He lost an entire defensive backfield, his starting running back and his starting quarterback to the NFL. Those guys are all playing on Sundays. He lost, what, 3 or 4 running backs this year to injury?They still almost put the 6 wins together.
HIstory, timeline and circumstances all matter.
IF you're the AD...what is the result that would put him on your proverbial hot seat?
TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
1. Stoked about the OL commits but will be still be nervous about it until they are officially Illini
2. Big props to coaching staff (and ICON) in getting these OL guys in. In this sports getting transfer OL is one of the toughest things to do, comparable to getting a 4-star to 5-star HS QB recruit. At least Bielema shows that he willing to adapt to a changing CFB landscape.
3. Even Bielema himself would say finishing the next two seasons with a 5-7 record is unacceptable.
2. Big props to coaching staff (and ICON) in getting these OL guys in. In this sports getting transfer OL is one of the toughest things to do, comparable to getting a 4-star to 5-star HS QB recruit. At least Bielema shows that he willing to adapt to a changing CFB landscape.
3. Even Bielema himself would say finishing the next two seasons with a 5-7 record is unacceptable.
From some yea. St Charles schools and Batavia plus Wheaton and aurora schools all produce. Geneva has a stud right now but they don't produce as much for football. Their talents lie in bball/vball.
Hopefully we can add 1 cb, dt, te from the portal
I thought this year would be tough on defense. Loss to Nebraska was bad, losing leads late was bad. It’s the total body of work. Several teams lost the same amount and made a bowl. Hell, Iowa did well with 0 offense. But this is what makes fandom interesting, the acceptance of mediocrity to justify outcome. do I think BB can get it done, yes. That’s why I was all for the hire although received backlash. dwelling on history puts you behind growth process. Hot seat is missing another bowl annd losing games you had won. Can’t be complacent and heat can be a good motivator. Enjoy the off season.
That’s literally what me and my roommate tried to do our freshman year…
We’d just yell “FIX IT!” as loud as we could.
Wasn’t very effective.
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