Yea I won't be sad about Lucas or Vesel. I wouldn't be sad about Eboigbodin leaving either. Besides inheriting Damonte and Trent from Groce, Underwood's first class kind of sucks balls. He reached big-time with Vesel and Eboigbodin, so I'm not exactly thrilled to have so many open spots late in the recruiting season.
I was hoping for better, but it's not like any grad transfer worth a shit wants to play for a 14 win team
These quotes are amazing considering how bad we are at football. Spoiler Joseph Thompson surprised Illinois when he committed to Iowa State nine days ago. The Chicago Phillips three-star cornerback visited Champaign in early March, and the staff felt like they were in a good place with Thompson. Despite his previous commitment, Illinois persuaded Thompson to come down for their spring game on Saturday. “I like the whole vibe of everything,” Thompson said. “I can feel the culture changing.” Thompson came with Chicago Phillips teammate Fabian McCray. Illinois commits Marquez Beason and Isaiah Williams made a strong pitch to try and flip Thompson. “I’m really wanted here, and I’m feeling like I’m at home right now,” Thompson said. “The staff said they’re not going to let me go to Iowa State. Isaiah doesn’t really like that I’m committed to Iowa State right now either.” Illinois is on the short list for McCray, and they’re also trending upwards with Thompson’s big-time teammate Jahleel Billingsley. The four-star tight end was in California this weekend for a seven-on-seven tournament, but his parents visited Champaign and experienced “Littyville.” “We’ve built a bond,” Thompson said. “I’ve known Fabian since I was in fifth grade, and I just met Jahleel like a year ago. Meeting him, I felt like I’ve known him my whole life. He’s a really good dude. It’d be better to just stay home together, and get Illinois back to where it’s supposed to be.” Billingsley, McCray and Thompson would all like to play together, and Illinois has come up in those conversations. “If I’m going to commit, I’m trying to get him and I think it’s working too,” McCray said. “It won’t be the same if we’re not all together. With him committed to Iowa State, that’s not right. If me and Jahleel are on Illinois, then we have to get him to come too. I’ve been telling him how much better it would be for all of us to go to school together.” Thompson got a close-up look at talented cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Cameron Watkins. But Thompson doesn’t see himself as strictly a cornerback. He believes that he can play corner, nickel, safety or hybrid at the next level. “Those guys are really good, the future is really good with those guys,” Thompson said. “With the 2019 and 2020 recruits coming in, things are going to be great.” Illinois’ defensive backs coaches, Gill Byrd and Donnie Abraham, don’t have to brag about their NFL resumes to Thompson. He’s well aware of their many accomplishments. “That would be a dream for me,” Thompson said. “I’d be able to learn from some of the best. Learn from a Hall of Fame coach and then a coach that played 10 years in the league and was good and two former All-Pro defensive backs coaching me. Those guys played at the highest level. They’re teaching from positions that they have actually been in, and that I will be in. They’re teaching me what to do in every single situation.” What’s the biggest difference between Illinois and Iowa State? “The coaching staff,” Thompson said. “Here at Illinois, everyone is from the NFL and it’s more of a professional feel. At Iowa State, I don’t think a lot of those guys have spent a lot of time in the NFL. For me it would be like coming here would almost be like going to the NFL, and going to Iowa State would be like going to a really good college.” An exact date for a final decision isn’t on the table yet, but a choice will have to be made soon. Thompson is trying to graduate in December of 2018 and enroll early. “I’m going to re-evaluate because I want to enroll to school early, so I need to know where I’m going early,” Thompson said.
For sure, thought we were being strung along the whole time. Just happy we didn't wait it out only to come up empty handed.
They wanted him really badly and there's still a chance they'd take him if he decided to commit, but he was taking forever and the staff told him they were about to pull the trigger on the juco player. His response was telling them they're in the top half of his top 10. Not assuring enough.
The rumor is Okoro is going to be down Friday or Saturday on an official visit. Good chance he reclassifies to 2018
I read he either has to class up or got to prep school because he’ll be too old to play HS hoops per IHSA rules
Apparently it's a done deal that he reclassifies. He got a 32 on his ACT and I think that was the major obstacle. Seems like its down to Oregon, Illinois, and Purdue and he didn't eat-up Painter's recruiting pitch.
I haven't kept up with it at all, but randomly thought of Dwayne Lawson today --- what's the latest with him?
Ya I don’t know if he coaches next year. This is fucking awful. Also our joke of a program suspending or otherwise making ineligible like 5 of our best players
Rumors Boyd was partying too much. It's been pretty well known that Brown would redshirt, just wasn't ready for college football and school. Think they said it was a University decision.
Gonna pour one out for him. That poor bastard. Could've been the best WR in Illinois history, but injuries fucked him.
He already had a redshirt year so was going to have to apply for the medical. However it's been pretty well known he was done after this year. Played in only 20 games
He has. He just declared this his last season at Illinois regardless of his health - so he's done. He could play for 2 more seasons if he wanted to, but the poor guy just wanted to finish this year and try out in the NFL.
It's pretty easy to miss news about Illinois football. Anyways... practice reports said that he looked really good during practice, but that's practice and it's against an Illinois defense. He was a little wild in the 1st half vs Kent State, but did great in the 2nd half. I think he passed for close to 200 and rushed for like 120
All depends on USF's strategy. If they're smart they'll air it out and go deep on offense and try to force us to pass on defense. We shouldn't score more than 14, so I would say it'll be 35-13 or something.
Lovie is so damn conservative it drives me insane. Lined up for a 50 yard field goal before the penalty
We prolly won't win this but it's a lot of fun to be in it. Rivers is the starter from here out right?