Six Illini seniors selected for all-star games

#3      
#6      
Agree and agree !
It's great for these young men and the program. All selected are great workers and disciplined athletes who will represent the program well.

Mason, upon learning of his acceptance to several Dental schools Dec 1, weighed his options and decided to move on from football. Dentistry has been his plan from the beginning. He figured it would be his career at some point anyway, so why put it off. I think also nice PR for the Illini to have a a student athlete accomplish this as well.


He has accepted a position at Ohio State and will begin this coming fall.
 
#7      

aiwpfan

Springfield, Il
It's great for these young men and the program. All selected are great workers and disciplined athletes who will represent the program well.

Mason, upon learning of his acceptance to several Dental schools Dec 1, weighed his options and decided to move on from football. Dentistry has been his plan from the beginning. He figured it would be his career at some point anyway, so why put it off. I think also nice PR for the Illini to have a a student athlete accomplish this as well.


He has accepted a position at Ohio State and will begin this coming fall.

Outstanding! Going to miss you guys.
 
#8      

chiefini

Rockford, Illinois
It's great for these young men and the program. All selected are great workers and disciplined athletes who will represent the program well.

Mason, upon learning of his acceptance to several Dental schools Dec 1, weighed his options and decided to move on from football. Dentistry has been his plan from the beginning. He figured it would be his career at some point anyway, so why put it off. I think also nice PR for the Illini to have a a student athlete accomplish this as well.


He has accepted a position at Ohio State and will begin this coming fall.

This is fantastic! Congratulations, Mason, and to you, 5Knots, and your wife, for raising such a special young man. Good luck, and please come back to visit.
:illinois: for life.
 
#9      
It's great for these young men and the program. All selected are great workers and disciplined athletes who will represent the program well.

Mason, upon learning of his acceptance to several Dental schools Dec 1, weighed his options and decided to move on from football. Dentistry has been his plan from the beginning. He figured it would be his career at some point anyway, so why put it off. I think also nice PR for the Illini to have a a student athlete accomplish this as well.


He has accepted a position at Ohio State and will begin this coming fall.

Love the maturity of that decision. Good wishes and best of luck to mason and family
 
#10      

blmillini

Bloomington, IL
It's great for these young men and the program. All selected are great workers and disciplined athletes who will represent the program well.

Mason, upon learning of his acceptance to several Dental schools Dec 1, weighed his options and decided to move on from football. Dentistry has been his plan from the beginning. He figured it would be his career at some point anyway, so why put it off. I think also nice PR for the Illini to have a a student athlete accomplish this as well.


He has accepted a position at Ohio State and will begin this coming fall.

That is tremendous! I love hearing this kind of story because in my mind it is what "student/athlete" should be all about! I have a son that just started his journey this fall and I'm hopeful he can achieve the same kind of success as Mason both on and off the field. Congratulations on raising such a mature, driven, intelligent and high character son! You should be proud, as I'm sure you are!
 
#11      

BillyBob1

Champaign
I'm picturing him leaning over a patient, with the long hair, asking them if they are going to start flossing regularly!
 
#12      
Hair is gone. 4 pony tails worth donated to kids cancer organization.
Down to 225 already. You might no recognize him! Lol. We are definitely Illini for life.
 
#13      

Oskeefan

Virginia Beach, VA
That is tremendous! I love hearing this kind of story because in my mind it is what "student/athlete" should be all about! I have a son that just started his journey this fall and I'm hopeful he can achieve the same kind of success as Mason both on and off the field. Congratulations on raising such a mature, driven, intelligent and high character son! You should be proud, as I'm sure you are!

+1 :thumb::chief::shield:
 
#14      

PaytonHighstep

Downers Grove, IL
Hair is gone. 4 pony tails worth donated to kids cancer organization.
Down to 225 already. You might no recognize him! Lol. We are definitely Illini for life.

Wow. What a great cause. I can't say I'm surprised by him doing that, he was a great representative for the university. Good luck to you all, Happy New Year!
 
#15      

icengineer

Southern Illinois
Hair is gone. 4 pony tails worth donated to kids cancer organization.
Down to 225 already. You might no recognize him! Lol. We are definitely Illini for life.

I'm glad to hear he did that. A daughter did the same thing. Mad props!
 
#16      
It's great for these young men and the program. All selected are great workers and disciplined athletes who will represent the program well.

Mason, upon learning of his acceptance to several Dental schools Dec 1, weighed his options and decided to move on from football. Dentistry has been his plan from the beginning. He figured it would be his career at some point anyway, so why put it off. I think also nice PR for the Illini to have a a student athlete accomplish this as well.


He has accepted a position at Ohio State and will begin this coming fall.

Congratulations to Mason and of course to the proud parents.
 
#20      
Very cool, hopefully Geronimo can work on his hands as he had the physical attributes to get a shot at the league.

Ferg I still think can be a solid backup for a team.

I really hope Fej gets a shot, love what he was able to accomplish here and he was a gamechanger imo.
 
#22      

Hoppy2105

Little Rock, Arkansas
Maybe we get some guys drafted and hopefully can use that in recruiting?

That would be great but after they get drafted, we will probably have a bad season, fire Cubit, and then the new coach will come in and not be able to sell "getting guys drafted" since they weren't his guys.

I guess it will be positive in the sense that other coaches wouldn't be able to flat out say a recruit simply won't get drafted if they come to Illinois.
 
#25      
Jihad Ward

Jeremy Werner ‏@JWernerScout1h1 hour ago
Good read on #illini DE Jihad Ward from @ArthurArkush: http://www.chicagofootball.com/2016/01/27/former-illinois-defensive-lineman-jihad-ward-on-chicago-bears-radar/afcdhse/

Jeremy Werner Retweeted
Josh Norris‏@JoshNorris11h11 hours ago
My Day 1 Senior Bowl observations: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/59972/351/senior-bowl-day-one Thoughts on minimums & interview nuggets included

Robert Retweeted Kyle Crabbs ‏@NDTScouting 17h17 hours ago Mobile, AL
Illinois DL Jihad Ward was the best defensive player on the field today. Only one day; but my goodness was he great.