Pregame: Illinois vs Chattanooga, Thursday, September 22nd, 7:30pm CT, BTN

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#126      

Epsilon

Epsilon
M tipping over
Pdx
Epsilon
ChiefGritty said:
www.espn.com

The 150 greatest players in college football history: Jim Brown is No. 1

A 150-member blue-ribbon panel ranks the 150 greatest players in the sport's entire history and the running backs are the clear stars.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

If anyone wants to peruse the whole list.

Ludicrously biased in favor of players with legendary NFL careers (Emmitt Smith ahead of Tim Tebow!) but a fun scroll nonetheless.
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Ricky Williams at 57 seems a bit low. Perhaps if he just kept playing…

57. Ricky Williams (RB, Texas, 1995-98)
Rushing yards: 6,279 | Rushing TDs: 72 | Yards per carry: 6.21
After Williams surprised nearly everyone by announcing he would return for his senior season, instead of entering the NFL draft, newly hired Longhorns coach Mack Brown said, "We have just had a successful recruiting class. This is our first signee. He's the best football player in the country returning next year." Williams was exactly that during the 1998 season, winning the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He left Texas as the NCAA's all-time leading rusher with 6,279 yards and posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He set 21 NCAA records, including all-purpose yards (7,206) and rushing touchdowns (72). The two-time unanimous All-American is the only player in FBS history with consecutive 300-yard rushing games.
 
#127      

ChiefGritty

ChiefGritty
ChiefGritty
Epsilon said:
Ricky Williams at 57 seems a bit low. Perhaps if he just kept playing…

57. Ricky Williams (RB, Texas, 1995-98)
Rushing yards: 6,279 | Rushing TDs: 72 | Yards per carry: 6.21
After Williams surprised nearly everyone by announcing he would return for his senior season, instead of entering the NFL draft, newly hired Longhorns coach Mack Brown said, "We have just had a successful recruiting class. This is our first signee. He's the best football player in the country returning next year." Williams was exactly that during the 1998 season, winning the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He left Texas as the NCAA's all-time leading rusher with 6,279 yards and posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He set 21 NCAA records, including all-purpose yards (7,206) and rushing touchdowns (72). The two-time unanimous All-American is the only player in FBS history with consecutive 300-yard rushing games.
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It's a hard thing to do, because there are so many unresolvable questions.

How do you balance modern players versus very old ones who were playing a much different game?

How to you balance different positions against each other?

How do you trade off statistical production versus sheer talent and impact?

How do you rate a one-year wonder versus a four year star?

How much does team success matter?

How do you deal with players who played outside the very top level?

To resolve all of that in favor just of obvious players everyone has heard of based on their NFL exploits is pretty lame in my opinion, it's barely even trying.
 
#128      

Battle89

Battle89
Battle89
Epsilon said:
Ricky Williams at 57 seems a bit low. Perhaps if he just kept playing…

57. Ricky Williams (RB, Texas, 1995-98)
Rushing yards: 6,279 | Rushing TDs: 72 | Yards per carry: 6.21
After Williams surprised nearly everyone by announcing he would return for his senior season, instead of entering the NFL draft, newly hired Longhorns coach Mack Brown said, "We have just had a successful recruiting class. This is our first signee. He's the best football player in the country returning next year." Williams was exactly that during the 1998 season, winning the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He left Texas as the NCAA's all-time leading rusher with 6,279 yards and posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He set 21 NCAA records, including all-purpose yards (7,206) and rushing touchdowns (72). The two-time unanimous All-American is the only player in FBS history with consecutive 300-yard rushing games.
Click to expand...
1663270893596.png
 
#131      

lexwaldez

lexwaldez
lexwaldez
GILL-INOIS said:
Chattanooga is not a slouch FCS team but they are not a powerhouse FCS team. If we turn the ball over 4 times a game like we have each of the last two games than yes Chattanooga will hang around.

I put a stat up earlier on this thread but I think Chattanooga will get worn out. Will be coming off of a Saturday game coming into a Thursday game against the toughest team on their schedule. Played cupcakes Wofford and EIU so far (around18-20 pt favs in those games) with North Alabama on Saturday. Chattanooga Time of Possession was over -10 minutes against Wofford and over -3 minutes vs EIU. I don't wish for any injuries but I hope North Alabama can at least keep it close and if not that even just wear Chattanooga down a bunch to keep the starters in awhile. Confident in the Illinois D and just need the O to keep moving the chains without the turnovers and we will be more than fine.

Think BB is teasing me a bit......licking my chops to see RB Aidan Laughery still. With McCray out, JMO but I think Laughery could produce better numbers than Love or Hayden and be the #2 guy. I don't make to many random off the wall comments (well I think ;) ) but will stick by this one. He has let Bailey and Jacas get more action and produce, love to see Aidan get that chance soon.
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In staff we trust. I have a feeling they've been installing more of the offense and it was just a little overwhelming for everyone. The staff will get us back to the "let's not beat ourselves" approach. We dropped a very winnable game on the road against IU and you don't get those opportunities back. We had a scare in the first half against Virginia and that's all very troubling but equally important a lot more positive is how dominant we've looked in the other aspects of the game *cough* field goals... ignore the kicking. I have come to trust the professionalism of the staff and the work ethic of our kids and I think they get it cleaned up against Chattanooga. Illinois to cover. Orange koolaid all around for one more week.
 
#134      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
dbeaverfg said:
View attachment 19927
6000 students in the stands (so far, maybe more). Will that put attendance over 40K? Guess we'll see how all the sugestions to give students free tickets turns out.
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If the attendance sucks, it’s NOT due to whether or not free student tickets is a good idea, though … the remaining 34k has to fall on non-student fans doing their part. Aren’t there like 250k in the Champaign metro?? Well over 1 million within a decent drive?

Even for a Thursday, I’m hoping for well over 30k and pushing 40k. Virginia was pathetic, but hopefully fans were encouraged by the dominant win and figure it might be a fun, inexpensive way to spend a Thursday night!
 
#136      

DeonThomas

DeonThomas
South Carolina
DeonThomas
king dad runnerup said:
Not pathetic: Early-game view from my family four-pack seats in the east balcony.View attachment 19932
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If that person with the orange shirt on the other side of the stadium were to take a similar photo (of the east stands) and share, you'd say the crowd was "PATHETIC". I was over there for the Wyoming game and it was totally embarrassing.
 
#138      

pruman91

pruman91
Paducah, Ky
pruman91
www.stltoday.com

Matthew Bailey, Tyson Rooks improving Illinois football's secondary as freshmen

Illinois football defensive backs Matthew Bailey and Tyson Rooks each were freshman who made an impact against Virginia.
www.stltoday.com www.stltoday.com

By Anderson Kimball Decatur (Ill.) Herald & Review

CHAMPAIGN — Matthew Bailey stood after his third college game, taking in what has been a rapid development over the last year.
At this time a year ago, he didn’t have any Power Five offers and was set to play at the FCS level. Then an impressive senior season and a workout with defensive coordinator Ryan Walters got him a spot in Champaign. There, he became the talk of camp and earned snaps.
He’s taken advantage of those, with that work culminating in an interception and his first-career touchdown against Virginia on Saturday.

It was the first score of the afternoon for the Illini, with Tailon Leitzsey and Sydney Brown putting hits on a punt returner to force a fumble that Bailey saw and pounced on in the end zone. For someone whose recruitment started slow, his college career couldn’t have gotten off to a quicker start.

“Kind of surreal, honestly, because a year ago I was playing high school football," Bailey said. "Now, I’m here. It feels good.”
Later in the afternoon, Bailey got a diving pick on a tipped ball. The last time he played at Memorial Stadium he had another play fresh in his mind — a dropped interception late in the game vs. Wyoming.
“He’s just one of those kids, man, he’s got that special feel to him,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. “He just makes a lot of really high football-IQ plays.”
Bailey isn’t the only freshman doing that. The night before the game, Bailey and freshman corner Tyson Rooks were rooming together in the hotel and talking about making that kind of a statement.
 
#142      

Ander1345

A
Ander1345
Watched a decent chunk of Chattanooga's game vs Northern Alabama today.

They are pretty solid FCS team but I think we can dominate in the trenches and their QB played far from a clean game.

They ran a decent amount of zone reads and the QB was useful in their run game.

I don't think Bielema will let us fall for a trap game, but this would definitely count as one.
 
#144      

EyeoftheIllini

EyeoftheIllini
EyeoftheIllini
lexwaldez said:
In staff we trust. I have a feeling they've been installing more of the offense and it was just a little overwhelming for everyone. The staff will get us back to the "let's not beat ourselves" approach. We dropped a very winnable game on the road against IU and you don't get those opportunities back. We had a scare in the first half against Virginia and that's all very troubling but equally important a lot more positive is how dominant we've looked in the other aspects of the game *cough* field goals... ignore the kicking. I have come to trust the professionalism of the staff and the work ethic of our kids and I think they get it cleaned up against Chattanooga. Illinois to cover. Orange koolaid all around for one more week.
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Overall, I agree with the tone of your post and too am generally optimistic about the team. I think it really says a lot about the state of the football program and us fans thirst for at least competent coaching though when a HC with an overall sub ,500 record and a team that let a very winnable game get away in Bloomington has earned our trust. Guess that is at the core of what it is to be a fan.

Looking forward to a good game from the team and staff in this one. And I think it truly is needed. As bad as some of the division teams have looked and, thus, all the potentially winnable games left on the schedule, it is still more than likely that Illini don’t get to bowl eligible without a win here. Throw in that the game should have more students in attendance than usual, and this could well be a very important game for the growth of the team and the program. As much as people talk about having to have a better game day atmosphere and experience, make no mistake that the key component of the latter is wins. As fans already, we can understand how a competitive loss against a top divisional foe can mean growth, but when you’re trying to entice new fans into the fold — and especially to attend games also — wins are really all the matter.

Go Illini!
 
#147      

DeonThomas

DeonThomas
South Carolina
DeonThomas
Prediction:
We continue to be loose with the ball. We have a few too many stupid penalties. We play an uninspiring game, looking 9 days ahead to Wisconsin and BB's return to Madison. And we do not cover the yet-to-be-determined spread.

27 ILL
19 UT Chat

(Disclaimer: I'm 1-2 so far this season in predicting the winner, straight-up. Hopeful that record improves to 2-2.)
 
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