Illini FB

[tornado]

I know they played bad yesterday - but somehow they got it together in the final 14-15 minutes and played well - outscoring YSU 21-8 in the final period..

BUT the column today rips them as an obvious failure...
seriously - you can tell that after only TWO seasons under Beckman's belt?
When Bradley was terrible in year-three you said the fans expect too much - they need to be patient, it takes time to rebuild and that we need several more years before it's fair to call it a failure.

 

[lefty]

A few similarities between the two??¦although Illinois did win a bowl game the year before Beckman??¦granted they backed into it but still

Maybe Beckman will end up ok??¦??¦.I just wouldn't bet on it I guess

 

[Da Coach]

A few similarities between the two??¦although Illinois did win a bowl game the year before Beckman??¦

Yes, "backing into it" is being kind, IMO.
They played in and won the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in 2011. They got invited to that bowl with a 6-6 record, and a terrible 2-6 record in the Big Ten. Their only 2 Big Ten wins were against 2 of the worst teams, Indiana & Northwestern in their first 2 games, then they proceeded to finish their season with 6 straight losses. Then, somehow they got to play in low-level bowl against a team with a losing record (UCLA was 6-7 coming into the bowl), which is extremely rare, since the NCAA requires a team have at least a .500 record to be bowl eligible (UCLA got a rare waiver by the NCAA).

 

[capecod]

Illinois needs to keep kids home

Illinois needs to keep kids home

IMO The first step to improvement for Illinois football is to start keeping the top instate recruits home....yea, it's just a first step-but it's a big one

Below is a link to a ranking of this year's HS seniors in Illinois

http://247sports.com/Season/2015-Football/RecruitRankings?State=IL

looks like Illinois has gotten 1 of the top 10 to commit(ND has 3) and maybe 3 of the top 30...by the way, the 2 uncommitted from the top 10 may have grade issues

also note that a Peoria Manual kid is in the Michigan 'two deep' at OT this year(albeit it has been years since Peoria produced many quality Division I FB players)

Illinois has historically never been able to keep the top FB players home.....similar to the problems that long suffering Rutgers has with New Jersey's top players...Chicago area kids are as likely to go to Iowa or Wisconsin as go to Illinois...that certainly isn't the way it works in Ohio

 

[Buesch N Chips]

I know they played bad yesterday - but somehow they got it together in the final 14-15 minutes and played well - outscoring YSU 21-8 in the final period..

BUT the column today rips them as an obvious failure...
seriously - you can tell that after only TWO seasons under Beckman's belt?
When Bradley was terrible in year-three you said the fans expect too much - they need to be patient, it takes time to rebuild and that we need several more years before it's fair to call it a failure.

Beckman is a total goon.