Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

[Second place is 1st loser]

This thread has went to crazy town. We want to move our best RB when healthy to linebacker.

We want to move another to play fullback. Are we gonna run the wishbone? Does that position still exist in 2024.

What does exist in 2024 is the transfer portal and both players would enter if you asked them to switch positions.

There's a lot to unpack with that sentence alone. Put the linebacker discussion in the trash can because it's not going to happen.

1)Is he our best RB? What do YOU see from him that you see over the rest of the room? If you default that we trust BB and the staff, we all can understand that, but if that's the take on all topics, what's the point of the board?

2)"When healthy". That's kind of a big deal, especially with a man of his size. McCray's college career was railroaded by this. His bowl game was awesome and it was time that he got some sunshine.

Again, we'll see. KF might have an off-season that absolutely puts the above to bed. Nobody would be happier than me. As we sit here TODAY, I'm not seeing a guy that can be leaned on to be a primary back. However, I am seeing a guy that with that size and speed has the world open to him on the rest of the field.

 

[DERV64]

This thread has went to crazy town. We want to move our best RB when healthy to linebacker.

We want to move another to play fullback. Are we gonna run the wishbone? Does that position still exist in 2024.

What does exist in 2024 is the transfer portal and both players would enter if you asked them to switch positions.

Is he the best RB though? I really don't know about that. Being an offensive lineman, I prefer backs that hit the hole quick and hard so I know I don't have to spend my time holding a block too long to work up to the second level.

I'm all for keeping feagin at RB, he can be our Derrick Henry, but some of the other posters concerns are valid and I think some of you guys mocking them or crapping on them are wrong, the kid really does need to work on his burst, he does that he will do great things.

 

[GatorMcKlusky]

I think we can all agree that we want our running back(s) to be the next Chase Brown. So a question - was Chase Brown (a) the fastest RB Bielema has had at Illinois (b) fast, but not as fast as Feagin (c) really quick or (d) something else I'm missing? Cuz whatever the answer is, that's what I wanna see in the backfield.

 

[HensonHall71]

It’s a little surprising we haven’t offered a punter yet- I thought when we let both of our punters go to the portal we were upgrading with someone else

This guy would be an upgrade - its just odd we haven’t heard of any offers or visits for any punter

Keelan Crimmins - Illinois Fighting Illini Punter - ESPN

View the profile of Illinois Fighting Illini Punter Keelan Crimmins on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

I think we can all agree that we want our running back(s) to be the next Chase Brown. So a question - was Chase Brown (a) the fastest RB Bielema has had at Illinois (b) fast, but not as fast as Feagin (c) really quick or (d) something else I'm missing? Cuz whatever the answer is, that's what I wanna see in the backfield.

Strength, vision, quickness (acceleration and quick to the whole), fast (breakaway speed).

 

[CaptainCrutch]

We use a FB about .05% of the time.

Sure but who did we have with a dedicated FB build? I like the idea. Barge -1 +1

 

[CaptainCrutch]

Also what the heck is up with this sub? Why are we so negative? We just won 10 games and looks like everyone is coming back.

 

[2X2L]

IMO. Feagin would transfer before playing LB

This post should put Feagin to LB to bed.

 

[pruman91]

I am not a football genius but would agree on Valentine.. He is a great back to put in later in a game when a defense is getting tired and we need to adjust the speed of the attack. But he IMO is a back that needs to run wide and not up the middle.

I wish we would do more with the run game with 2 backs in the backfield and see what happens.. I think all of our backs could be more productive and the offense be less predictable. I get good runs come because of good blocking but i think we telegraph where the play is going to often.

Also if all of our running backs were ever all healthy at the same time, all of our thoughts and 2nd guessing would not be needed. We saw the past few games what it was like finally having a healthy AL and JM..

 

[oldman]

relax, it's just a few fans

None of them on the coaching staff. I hope.

 

[Illini-Rule]

View attachment 38572

I have noticed that we seem to run our power backs outside, when we do try to go outside. We do run out per backs up the middle. And when we have our speed backs in, we run them up the middle. I also have never understood running a sweep to the short side of the field.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

when they say interest , they should just say “every team except ND” cuz Freeman says “ they don’t major in the portal , only minor in it “

yea , tell that to their QB coach

 

[therealmiket86]

Sure but who did we have with a dedicated FB build? I like the idea. Barge -1 +1

The Barge is a sub package we’ve used a handful of times in several years. The times it’s worked was because Penn state and SC didn’t adjust.

 

[therealmiket86]

It’s a little surprising we haven’t offered a punter yet- I thought when we let both of our punters go to the portal we were upgrading with someone else

This guy would be an upgrade - its just odd we haven’t heard of any offers or visits for any punter

Keelan Crimmins - Illinois Fighting Illini Punter - ESPN

View the profile of Illinois Fighting Illini Punter Keelan Crimmins on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

A lot of offers and visits aren’t made public

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

yup
it only works when you use it sparingly

it’s not magic , it’s just unusual for many guys to see on defense . just about every team we play will adjust to it fairly quickly after a time out

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

Maybe I am misremembering, but I’m pretty certain if you go back to early season game threads you’ll find a lot of discussion how poorly the OLine was doing and not opening up holes. So Feagin wasn’t shooting fast enough through the “holes” that weren’t there?
People were really down on Aidan early in season. Wasn’t hitting those “holes” fast enough either.

Lo and behold, the line got better as season went along so much that now we’re looking at it as a big strength going into next year. Feagin’s two best games other than EIU were his last 2 games. Maybe cuz the line was improving? Most of Josh’s best games were in the latter portion of season. Maybe cuz line continued to improve? Aidan’s best two games were arguably his last two (certainly NW was his best) — when the line was a legitimate strength.

Feagin never got to run behind the line when it was a strength. He still had a ypc average of 5.3 with some very nice runs his last 2 games with an improving line. And I think he would have continued to improve as the line did if he hadn’t gotten hurt.

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

IMO. Feagin would transfer before playing LB

This ...

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

It’s a little surprising we haven’t offered a punter yet- I thought when we let both of our punters go to the portal we were upgrading with someone else

This guy would be an upgrade - its just odd we haven’t heard of any offers or visits for any punter

Keelan Crimmins - Illinois Fighting Illini Punter - ESPN

View the profile of Illinois Fighting Illini Punter Keelan Crimmins on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

We have talked to several punters ... Just keeping it quiet ...

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1875738864637051052

We're interested here but the price is getting high ... Think we will likely wait until Spring to add a DB ... But they do plan on adding another veteran ...

Finding another T Cox would be great ... LOL ...

 

[skyIdub]

This post should put Feagin to LB to bed.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

We're interested here but the price is getting high ... Think we will likely wait until Spring to add a DB ... But they do plan on adding another veteran ...

Finding another T Cox would be great ... LOL ...

Stacking talent ...

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

I think we can all agree that we want our running back(s) to be the next Chase Brown. So a question - was Chase Brown (a) the fastest RB Bielema has had at Illinois (b) fast, but not as fast as Feagin (c) really quick or (d) something else I'm missing? Cuz whatever the answer is, that's what I wanna see in the backfield.

He was better in every facet(to date). Add e)he was a great pass catcher out of the backfield.

 

[skyIdub]

Based off your previous posts that IMO you hopefully don’t coach football or basketball

 

[therealmiket86]

Maybe I am misremembering, but I’m pretty certain if you go back to early season game threads you’ll find a lot of discussion how poorly the OLine was doing and not opening up holes. So Feagin wasn’t shooting fast enough through the “holes” that weren’t there?
People were really down on Aidan early in season. Wasn’t hitting those “holes” fast enough either.

Lo and behold, the line got better as season went along so much that now we’re looking at it as a big strength going into next year. Feagin’s two best games other than EIU were his last 2 games. Maybe cuz the line was improving? Most of Josh’s best games were in the latter portion of season. Maybe cuz line continued to improve? Aidan’s best two games were arguably his last two (certainly NW was his best) — when the line was a legitimate strength.

Feagin never got to run behind the line when it was a strength. He still had a ypc average of 5.3 with some very nice runs his last 2 games with an improving line. And I think he would have continued to improve as the line did if he hadn’t gotten hurt.

Besides the psu game McCray was very good all season

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

Besides the psu game McCray was very good all season

Overall, yes, I’d agree. But prior to PSU he averaged 4.8 ypc. After that game 5.5. And last 5 games including bowl game he was at 6.6. His production went up as line improved.