Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

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#178      
Thinking Think GIF by Rodney Dangerfield
 
#179      
They will give him 3 years max if they don't make it to a bowl next year. He didn't walk into a total rebuild--he walked into a team that had made the Big Ten Championship the year before.
I don’t necessarily disagree that he might only get 3 years, but citing the fact they were in BIG championship game to say it wasn’t a total rebuild is pretty misleading. It’s not like that team was great — 8-5 regular season (6-3 in conference) and finished year unranked. They got to championship game because of relatively bad West division. I don’t know him many players from that team weren’t around last year because of graduation and portal, but I’d guess it’s far more that it would have been 10 years ago — especially with the coaching change — when there wasn’t the penalty free transferring. Especially with a coaching change.
 
#180      
I don’t necessarily disagree that he might only get 3 years, but citing the fact they were in BIG championship game to say it wasn’t a total rebuild is pretty misleading. It’s not like that team was great — 8-5 regular season (6-3 in conference) and finished year unranked. They got to championship game because of relatively bad West division. I don’t know him many players from that team weren’t around last year because of graduation and portal, but I’d guess it’s far more that it would have been 10 years ago — especially with the coaching change — when there wasn’t the penalty free transferring. Especially with a coaching change.
I would say 8-5, 6-3 is the very definition of "not a total rebuild", if not even better, regardless of opponent strength or the size of the portal. Walters has new opponents this year, sure, but so does everyone else. And we're all using the same portal.

Our own 2-10 or 1-11 seasons are not that far in the past, relatively speaking. He was handed plenty to work with and (pass the popcorn) is falling apart this year.
 
#184      
They will give him 3 years max if they don't make it to a bowl next year. He didn't walk into a total rebuild--he walked into a team that had made the Big Ten Championship the year before.

Yup … It’s bowl or you’re done next year for Walters … Purdue doesn’t expect to go 10-2 but they do expect 6-6 at worst …

And we better not freaking lose to them this year … Absolutely unacceptable if we do …
 
#190      
Barry & Art have really, really upgraded the talent in that QB room … Feel bad but someone’s gonna be the odd man out this offseason …

Agreed. Even with the understanding the offensive philosophy and QB traits being sought by each coaching staff was very different, you can't ignore the talent difference here.

2019 QB Room
Brandon Peters (Junior)
Matt Robinson (R-Freshman)
Coran Taylor (R-Freshman)
Isaiah Williams (Freshman)
Deuce Spann (Commit)

2024 QB Room
Luke Altmyer (R-Junior)
Donovan Leary (R-Sophomore)
Kirkland Michaux (R-Junior)
Cal Swanson (R-Freshman)
Trey Petty (Freshman)
Carson Boyd (Commit)
 
#191      
Agreed. Even with the understanding the offensive philosophy and QB traits being sought by each coaching staff was very different, you can't ignore the talent difference here.

2019 QB Room
Brandon Peters (Junior)
Matt Robinson (R-Freshman)
Coran Taylor (R-Freshman)
Isaiah Williams (Freshman)
Deuce Spann (Commit)

2024 QB Room
Luke Altmyer (R-Junior)
Donovan Leary (R-Sophomore)
Kirkland Michaux (R-Junior)
Cal Swanson (R-Freshman)
Trey Petty (Freshman)
Carson Boyd (Commit)

The only way Swanson gets on the field is if he changes positions. Leary has talent but how many guys wait until their 5th season to play.
 
#195      
There's a >0% chance that both Leary and Swanson are gone after this season.
Just looking at six names in the list tells me 2 gone is probably a minimum. 3 gone, or 2 gone plus a position switch, seems possible too.

How do you keep six QBs happy...
 
#197      
Hasn't Johnny Newton's brother been told he'd have a shot at QB too? I assume we're just thinking he's going to be moved eventually

Great point, happy to put him on the list because IW11 had a similar deal when coming in.

Just looking at six names in the list tells me 2 gone is probably a minimum. 3 gone, or 2 gone plus a position switch, seems possible too.

How do you keep six QBs happy...

It's tough. Swanson seems much more likely to see that he is being passed by those younger than him and likely looks for a competition opportunity at a school like Tulsa or a MAC school.

Currently, Leary has a tough choice. Choice of a chance to start for one year at Illinois or two years at a lower-level program? The staff thinks he's progressed and is now firmly the #2 QB on the roster. His best opportunity could be to stay here and sit for one more year, but that would mean one year maximum as a starter. Let's assume Altmyer stays relatively healthy this year and next year, then Illinois has to enter the 2026 season with Leary as starter and he's only thrown limited career passes.

The other choice is to transfer. He's only thrown five career passes and wasn't a top QB recruit, so it would take a big leap from a coaching staff to bring him in as an expected starter. I can't envision a P4 program willing to take on that much risk, especially for a QB that has a max of two eligibility years. A MAC/C-USA program could be willing to take that leap, but even a program like that would want to hedge their bets and bring in a second QB that would compete. If he's wanting a chance at two years starting (who wouldn't), the best thing that could happen for Leary is Altmyer has a short-term injury and he gets a couple starts this year to show other programs what he's capable of.
 
#200      
Great point, happy to put him on the list because IW11 had a similar deal when coming in.



It's tough. Swanson seems much more likely to see that he is being passed by those younger than him and likely looks for a competition opportunity at a school like Tulsa or a MAC school.

Currently, Leary has a tough choice. Choice of a chance to start for one year at Illinois or two years at a lower-level program? The staff thinks he's progressed and is now firmly the #2 QB on the roster. His best opportunity could be to stay here and sit for one more year, but that would mean one year maximum as a starter. Let's assume Altmyer stays relatively healthy this year and next year, then Illinois has to enter the 2026 season with Leary as starter and he's only thrown limited career passes.

The other choice is to transfer. He's only thrown five career passes and wasn't a top QB recruit, so it would take a big leap from a coaching staff to bring him in as an expected starter. I can't envision a P4 program willing to take on that much risk, especially for a QB that has a max of two eligibility years. A MAC/C-USA program could be willing to take that leap, but even a program like that would want to hedge their bets and bring in a second QB that would compete. If he's wanting a chance at two years starting (who wouldn't), the best thing that could happen for Leary is Altmyer has a short-term injury and he gets a couple starts this year to show other programs what he's capable of.

Or even better case scenario is Luke continues to play out of his mind all year and right into the draft, leaving the door open for two years of Leary.
 
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