Joel Goodson
- dawgville
Francis: really like this pickup. I've felt pretty darn good about our IOL for awhile now, but tackle was a bit suspect. Miller has done very well in shoring up our OL room
Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
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pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
I guess 5 games to 8 wins means a much, much better football team...but "much better football team" isn't really my point.
What I'm saying is...I see many games on the schedule where just having a guy like that could be the difference in a L or a W.
I don't think we're really realizing...if we land Zakhari (looking more and more unlikely as more days go by SMH) we got a chance to be a real good football team. What do we not have?
-A great receiving core
-An O Line that looks to be much, much better - we invested huge in the OL in the portal this year
-Got a legit NFL type guy at CB if everything plays out right in Terrence Brooks and a guy in Cox who's at worst a reliable starter type guy. Nicholson and Tobe to Brooks and Cox - huge upgrade IMO.
- Great RB room
- Great LBs and EDGE rushers
Probably the only thing that will be a downgrade - literally the only thing - is that we won't have Johnny. But it sure won't be like it was when he got thrown out vs WISC and we got way better CBs and great EDGE players.
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Ryllini
- Lombard
Seems like we are adding some nice pieces. Are we trending more to an expected 6-6 type season. I do see a path to 9 wins, but that would require everything to break our way, I mean everything. There are only 2 games I don’t think we match up well at all and that is Kansas and Oregon. We will have our shots. End of May, I’m going 7-5
Joel Goodson
- dawgville
you have a much more optimistic view of our DL than I do. while DL is the primary concern, you're way overstating the strength of our LBs. I like the room, but they're not much better than average BIG and that may be optimistic. the secondary, while buoyed big-time by Brooks, is full of question marks
as to Franklin, pure speculation: admissions issue. am assuming he hasn't graduated (3 years at UTSA, 1 at Miss). no can do. if he was a grad student, things would be different
From around 34:00 to 44:00 they touch on Franklin. Jeremy said that he has to finish a course to graduate and he has to do that anywhere he goes.
Soooo...
that means if he goes somewhere else, like Washington, academically the situation is the same as it would be here?
...And if he goes somewhere else...looking more and more like he will...he'll be chasing great programs and NIL > a known relationship? If that's what ends up happening...pretty surprising IMO considering his experience at Ole Miss...SMH
4 years at UTSA 1 at Miss
left out great qb coming back for 2nd yr as starter in same system.
LA had rough patches last year but still had an incredibly favorable yr looking at our typical qb play this century which i think gets lost in the John Paddock fervor (which was well deserved)
always. still think we win 1-2 more games, at minimum, last year if Faegan didnt go down
I hope that you're being sarcastic.
A singular WR does not put multiple wins up over his replacement. If you can't protect the QB, successfully run the ball or play defense....I don't care if that's Marvin Harrison Jr, he wouldn't be a 2 or 3 game upgrade.
The FAR bigger concerns is how they replace Newton, he was the extent of our pass rush last year and what does the offensive line look like? Bielema's recipe for winning has always been having huge offensive linemen and run the ball, run it again, run it again and play physical defense.
To do that and come out with desirable outcomes you need a good WR core.
If we don't add him our WR core isn't good. Sorry...I've got concerns...
If we do add him it's not a good WR room - it's a great WR room...
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Agee with most of what you said, but the LBs were young last year and improved tremendously as year went on. Is that because of Johnny and Keith, natural progression to their own talent level, or a combination? I guess we will find out this year. I’m looking forward to seeing Baker join the squad and a leap from Hayden.
Saying WR isn’t good without Franklin is plain wrong. Untested as a group, but too few reps to say they aren’t good. Maybe I’m overly high on Elzy, but he and Bryant should be alphas. Despite what others say, I think Beatty will be a solid contributor.
Elzy and Wilcher didn’t combine for 100 yards. Besides Bryant the other guys are all freshman. If he’s not added teams will load the box and make the unproven wr beat them. Franklin is a 1000 yard wr with experience in this offense. It’s not like we are talking about some scrub.
Now that db has been addressed, DT is the main area for concern on defense. That and who will get sacks
"isn't good" might be putting it wrong...but we have a need for another quality WR...saying that we don't is unreasonable...And that need looks like it's gonna go unaddressed...
Not trying to act negative...just the fax...
Think about it: We lost IW and CW and replaced them with...
nobody...
And once had the nation's leader in career receiving yards absolutely in our hands. SMH
Now...that being said...I'd honestly turn down a 20 catch 200 yard guy if that's the next option and just give those reps to some of those young guys with potential...
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The fax…we are in a new era now, you could just email or text it.
Completely agree on D-Line. Not sure if we are on the same page with OLB/DE and how we are applying that.
Either way, I expect Coleman and Jacas(if he stays there) to improve on last years average results. Let’s be optimistic that Brown can replicate some of his juco domination and Bryant can take another step forward for a great rotation of pass rushers.
It’ll be a lot harder for those guys when offenses aren’t game planning to stop Johnny. I do think the OLB room has talent, just would like to see more out of them. Wasn’t impressed at all with Bullen. This guys blew contain non stop and regressed from the year before. I hope out defense is much more aggressive next year.
Also I’ve said it a million times but I wish they moved Jacas inside. The issue with that is there would be a giant hole at OLB if he moved.
For WRs, what are the thoughts on Alexander Capka-Jones?
He's a JC transfer who redshirted last year, so we don't have much info on him from Big Ten games. But he he has size and made good catches in the spring game.
Tip Reiman went from a walk-on to a 3rd round draft pick.
Sometime you don't know how a player is going to develop.
He's a JC transfer who redshirted last year, so we don't have much info on him from Big Ten games. But he he has size and made good catches in the spring game.
Tip Reiman went from a walk-on to a 3rd round draft pick.
Sometime you don't know how a player is going to develop.
Joel Goodson
- dawgville
3 star DL from Frankenmuth, MI:
Illinois Football Makes Top 5 for Dynamic 2025 RB
Illinois Football makes the top 5 for Running back, John Forster.
armchairillini.com
Thad Ward is still recruiting RB's pretty well
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