Drunk on orange kool-aid does not equal crazy.
Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
- Status
, agree to disagree. CoachB has given us different expectations. Thats a good thing! I hope he replaces Lunney with Art if its the time. Fire Henry, Miller, and special teams coach. Next year is gonna be tough. Thats ok. Wipe board move forward and rock it. I thought at beginning of season even with 16 returning starters. 7-5, ok, 8-4 ya baby, 9-3 phenomenal. It was the way we lost to Washington and then not even showing up against Wisconsin. I am so proud of all the seniors and the history making past 2 season.
Are they going to go get a top-level QB in the portal?
Anderson has a long long way to go to have the mentality of a Big Ten football player.
We will be very active in the QB market
With Smith and Lane leaving, JC and (Micah) Smith decommit watch?
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
Here is our pre-transfer 2026 starting lineup as I see it:
QB: Boyd
RB: Valentine
RB2: Feagin (or Laughery, just depends on who's healthy)
WR1: Clement
WR2: Dixon
WR3: Bowick
TE1: Rusk
TE2: Stoffel or Abney
LT: Knapik
LG: Hansen
C: McMillen
RG: Henderson
RT: Schuster (if he gets a medical redshirt, otherwise Stewart)
Edge1: Barna
DL1: Durojaiye
Nose: Neal or McCullom
DL2: Coenen or Farrell
Edge2: Brown
LB1: Hood
LB2: Kreutz
CB1: Clarke
SS: Bailey
FS: Resetich
CB2: Patterson
Nickel: Heckel
Some additional thoughts:
- I gave Boyd the edge over Hampton. I ultimately think a transfer will be the starter.
- for all the grief the RB room gets, I don't see a transfer starting unless one of the above transfer out.
- WR room feels solid, you have Ashton Hollins, Mario Sanders, and Brayden Trimble waiting in the wings (not to mention Nasir Rankin). Hudson Clement really came on late. I still expect at least 1 transfer.
- TE needs another guy ready to play, I know we're not out on Anderson or Sutter yet, Sutter could probably play right away. This staff loves TE transfers.
- O-line will look way different. Gotta think TJ Taylor will jump on one of the tackle spots (most likely RT). I'd bet they'll get a transfer tackle to compete for a starting job as well in case Knapik isn't healthy or ready for this level. I feel alright about the interior, especially if Tuerk is as good as advertised. As much as I loved Josh Kruetz, I think our short yardage blocking will improve with a bigger center.
- D-line should have less turnover than last year, need to replace big Jim Thompson. We like to sub so we'll need more bodies.
- lots to replace at edge (Jacas, Bryant, and Lowery). Barna is probably ready to step up, Brown might not be an every down guy but he's played a lot. I could see this be the biggest splash after QB.
- LB is hard to guess. Rosiek played so many snaps, staff seemed to fall in and out of love with everyone after him. Maybe Beerman starts, maybe it's a transfer, who knows.
- I bet Juice will start next year on one side, not sure about Patterson. Could see Jakwon Morris take a job right away.
- I'm thinking Bailey will be back, but obviously he's a candidate to leave early. If he goes, Saboor Karriem will have a chance to start.
- Mac will likely get the start at FS. I wouldn't be surprised to see a versatile safety transfer to push Mac or replace Bailey.
- I think Xavier Scott is gone, hard to imagine him coming back for another year. Heckel has room to grow but shows flashes.
- Need a punter
- Eberhart, Hankins, Rankin, and Thomas might all make the 2 deep as true freshmen.
- I'm guessing 11-12 transfers on top of our already large freshmen/juco recruiting class. I count 27 departures, and our current class sits at 27 so we'll obviously see some guys transferring out.
What did I miss?
QB: Boyd
RB: Valentine
RB2: Feagin (or Laughery, just depends on who's healthy)
WR1: Clement
WR2: Dixon
WR3: Bowick
TE1: Rusk
TE2: Stoffel or Abney
LT: Knapik
LG: Hansen
C: McMillen
RG: Henderson
RT: Schuster (if he gets a medical redshirt, otherwise Stewart)
Edge1: Barna
DL1: Durojaiye
Nose: Neal or McCullom
DL2: Coenen or Farrell
Edge2: Brown
LB1: Hood
LB2: Kreutz
CB1: Clarke
SS: Bailey
FS: Resetich
CB2: Patterson
Nickel: Heckel
Some additional thoughts:
- I gave Boyd the edge over Hampton. I ultimately think a transfer will be the starter.
- for all the grief the RB room gets, I don't see a transfer starting unless one of the above transfer out.
- WR room feels solid, you have Ashton Hollins, Mario Sanders, and Brayden Trimble waiting in the wings (not to mention Nasir Rankin). Hudson Clement really came on late. I still expect at least 1 transfer.
- TE needs another guy ready to play, I know we're not out on Anderson or Sutter yet, Sutter could probably play right away. This staff loves TE transfers.
- O-line will look way different. Gotta think TJ Taylor will jump on one of the tackle spots (most likely RT). I'd bet they'll get a transfer tackle to compete for a starting job as well in case Knapik isn't healthy or ready for this level. I feel alright about the interior, especially if Tuerk is as good as advertised. As much as I loved Josh Kruetz, I think our short yardage blocking will improve with a bigger center.
- D-line should have less turnover than last year, need to replace big Jim Thompson. We like to sub so we'll need more bodies.
- lots to replace at edge (Jacas, Bryant, and Lowery). Barna is probably ready to step up, Brown might not be an every down guy but he's played a lot. I could see this be the biggest splash after QB.
- LB is hard to guess. Rosiek played so many snaps, staff seemed to fall in and out of love with everyone after him. Maybe Beerman starts, maybe it's a transfer, who knows.
- I bet Juice will start next year on one side, not sure about Patterson. Could see Jakwon Morris take a job right away.
- I'm thinking Bailey will be back, but obviously he's a candidate to leave early. If he goes, Saboor Karriem will have a chance to start.
- Mac will likely get the start at FS. I wouldn't be surprised to see a versatile safety transfer to push Mac or replace Bailey.
- I think Xavier Scott is gone, hard to imagine him coming back for another year. Heckel has room to grow but shows flashes.
- Need a punter
- Eberhart, Hankins, Rankin, and Thomas might all make the 2 deep as true freshmen.
- I'm guessing 11-12 transfers on top of our already large freshmen/juco recruiting class. I count 27 departures, and our current class sits at 27 so we'll obviously see some guys transferring out.
What did I miss?
So probably not following him to LSU. And (hopefully) not staying at MISS.
Trying to be positive, but have to say that the linebacker starting lineup is not close to being Big Ten level.
Sutter enrolling early so that ship has sailed.
I would be shocked if we didn't bring in at the absolute very least 2 higher end transfer linebackers if not 3 or even 4.
One thing is certain, this offseason is going to truly test our war chest and what our fans are willing to commit to financially. Getting a high end QB, multiple OL, multiple LBs, multiple DL, safety and DB support, a long snapper, and new coaches. It is going to be an extremely expensive offseason if we want to be competitive with the top half of the B10.
We've been hearing good things, but obviously proof will be in the pudding. I will say this though. If we can put together a 7+ win team next year, that would be pretty conclusive evidence that we are built to compete for high end bowls year in and year out for the long term, something this program hasn't seen in generations. In my eyes it would mean we permanently turned a corner. I'm looking forward to these coming months
Do we make a run at Aidan Chiles?
Would not be first to enroll early and leave
No our red shirt qb are already.
OL Dennis was at Illinois for couple weeks and left for greener uniforms.
Does the staff have a QB in mind or rolling with Boyd?
enrolling early - but he hasn’t started school yet and won’t until mid January . he still hasn’t signed any papers yet .
I can assure you they are not.
They will get a transfer
With both Weis and Joe Cox seemingly going to Baton Rouge, no way JC keeps his commitment to Ole Miss right? Hope Bret is putting on full court pressure
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Two things:
-- Bret is exceptional at retaining talent
-- I just don't see X being NFL ready after sitting out this season (injured).
Seems like a foregone conclusion that he'd return in 2026. Do you see him transferring?
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
- Status