Just when you thought that the Fighting Illini football team was poised to turn a corner, they do a complete reversal and leave you wondering. Case in point would be the debacle that was this past Saturday, where a Purdue team that had won just two conference games in coach Darrell Hazell's tenure in West Lafayette, came in and totally outplayed the Illini, en route to a 34-31 win in overtime.
Illinois, who is still trying to find an identity for themselves, didn't make it any easier on them following the loss, which leaves more questions than answers at this point. Quarterback Wes Lunt left the game with an injury and backup Chayce Crouch was given control of the offense, and offered a new dynamic to the position in someone that can run and scramble. Lunt doesn't have any mobility, and perhaps Crouch presents the best option for offensive coordinator Garrick McGee's unit going forward. Crouch rushed 17 times for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns, and was effective through the air as well, completing 10 of 14 passes for 142 yards. Illinois (1-4, 0-2) had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but Chase McLaughlin missed a field goal, seeing the ball bounce off the crossbar, and in the first overtime period, Illinois fumbled on their opening possession, allowing Purdue to set up for the chip shot, a 28-yard attempt, by J. D. Dellinger to win the game and silence the crowd at Memorial Stadium.
Illinois looks to snap a four game losing streak this coming Saturday when they travel to Piscataway, New Jersey to battle the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers at High Point Solutions Stadium (11:00 am CT, ESPNNEWS). Rutgers is coming off a pair of lopsided losses, the latter being a 78-0 pasting from Michigan last Saturday in Piscataway. The Scarlet Knights (2-4, 0-3) have not scored in two plus games, and have been outscored 136-0 in the last two contests. If ever there was a chance of getting a win, this would be the game to get that accomplished and regain a little bit of confidence that has been otherwise shuttered. Lose this game, and Illinois becomes one of the worst FBS programs this season and their prognosis for finding another win this season becomes increasingly more difficult.
Last week, Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman unveiled a renovation plan for the south horseshoe and east sides of Memorial Stadium, a project that is slated to cost $132 million. Some of the highlights include seating that will extend to the field, allowing new weight and training facilities, coaches' offices, and meeting and meal spaces for the student-athletes. "For our student athletes to compete with other peer schools in the conference, we must get our facilities up-to-date so we can have the advantage in recruiting. Whitman was a former player for Illinois from 1997-2001 and has a passion for the football program in bringing it back to respectability.
After an extended stretch of games away from Huff Hall that tested their mettle, the Fighting Illini womens' volleyball team have been playing much better as of late, and their only two setbacks have been to the #1 and #2 teams in the country. On Wednesday night, the Illini welcomed #14 Michigan State to town, and came away with a 3-0 sweep of the Spartans to improve their season record to 12-6 overall and 5-2 in the Big Ten. Illinois will continue their homestand this Saturday night when they welcome the Northwestern Wildcats (7:00 pm CT) for their only match of the weekend.
The Illini womens' soccer team had a rough beginning to the Big Ten season, but in the last couple of games, have done better, coming away with a pair of wins. This past Thursday, Illinois defeated Michigan 3-0 in Champaign, and then on Sunday, Michigan State came to town, and the Illini won that game as well 3-1. Illinois, despite the two wins, is still a disappointing 5-9-1 overall and 2-4-1 in Big Ten play, and will take to the road this weekend as the regular season begins to wind down. The Illini will be in Lincoln, Nebraska on Thursday to take on Nebraska (7:00 pm CT), followed by a matinee on Sunday afternoon in Iowa City against the Iowa Hawkeyes (1:00 pm CT).
With the calendar turning to October, Illinois held it's annual basketball media day for both the men and women this past Friday on the University of Illinois campus. John Groce, who begins his fifth season with the men, hopes that a healthy and veteran squad will be the recipe for a return to the NCAA Tournament, while on the women's side, coach Matt Bollant, who also begins his fifth season in Champaign, has turned over his roster and will rely on some young players to get his team elevated to the top echelon of the conference standings. A full preview of both teams will be featured in next week's blog entry.
Two Steps Forward.......Three Steps Back.
The rebuild of the Illinois football program continues as they drop a tough 34-31 loss in overtime to Purdue.
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Back To The Drawing Board
Nobody said that this was going to be easy.
With the Lovie Smith era now three games old, the Fighting Illini are feeling the effects of a lackluster past couple of seasons of recruiting, and the results on the field have been less than desirable for Illini Nation.
The latest setback was a 34-10 defeat at the hands of Western Michigan this past Saturday at Memorial Stadium, and with the loss a week earlier to North Carolina added in there, the fan base in Champaign is getting mightly restless.
Illinois watched the Broncos jump out to a 21-0 lead before Wes Lunt unveiled a little trickery, finding Ainslie Johnson down the sidelines for a 56-yard touchdown catch. It was one of the few bright spots on the afternoon, in which a MAC team won in Champaign for the first time in recent memory.
Western Michigan has quite a bit of talent, and with a depleted Illini offensive line due to some injuties, the Broncos controlled the flow of the game. Corey Davis, who is one of the best wide receivers in college football, was held in check by the Illini, only catching four passes for 97 yards.
Speaking of the offensive line, injuries to Gabe Megginson and Austin Schmidt has left a thin line scrambling for depth, and although both Schmidt and Megginson expect to be back for the Illini's next game, their health remains a concern.
Illinois has a bye this week, and according to many of the players , it couldn't come at a better time./ Normally, you want a chance at redemption after a tough loss like the Illini sustained against the Broncos on Saturday, but with the disconnect going on within the team, they need a chance to regroup.
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Illinois will use the week off to get the linemen healthy, as well as figure out where the running game has gone. Since the first game against Murray State, the Illini running backs have been bottled up, and that can mainly be attributed to two factors: 1) the opponent, an FCS school and 2) poor offensive line production with second-stringers forced to play early minutes.
Illinois will next take the field on Saturday, October 1st when they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to battle the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska will no doubt have revenge on their minds after losing in Champaign last season.
The Illini women's soccer team began Big Ten play this past weekend. and came up on the short end of a pair of matches. Last Thursday, the Illini welcomed the Purdue Boilermakers to Champaign, and Purdue won 2-0. Then, on Sunday afternoon, the Illini and Indiana went toe-to-toe, with the Hoosiers coming away with a 1-0 victory in overtime. With the losses, the Illini fall to 3-7 overall and 0-2 in conference play, and will take to the road this coming weekend, as they travel to the easternmost parts of the conference, first taking on Maryland on Thursday (6:00 pm CT, BTN), before heading to Piscataway, New Jersey to battle Rutgers on Sunday (12:00 noon, no TV).
The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team has had their share of ups and downs so far this season, and last weekend was one of the ups, as they traveled to St. Louis to compete in the Billiken Invitational. The Illini won all three matches, not losing an entire game, as they defeated Omaha, Murray State and St. Louis by 3-0 scores. On Wednesday night, the Illini began Big Ten play at Purdue, and went the distance against the #10th ranked Boilermakers, upsetting them in 5 games. The Illini lost the first set 25-21, then bounced back in the second and third games, winning 25-20 and 25-23. Illinois lost the fourth set 27-25, and then took the fifth and final game, 15-11. With the win, the Illini improve to 8-4 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play, and will return to Huff Hall for the first time in nearly three weeks, when they welcome the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. Match time on Saturday will be 7:00 pm central time.
With the Lovie Smith era now three games old, the Fighting Illini are feeling the effects of a lackluster past couple of seasons of recruiting, and the results on the field have been less than desirable for Illini Nation.
The latest setback was a 34-10 defeat at the hands of Western Michigan this past Saturday at Memorial Stadium, and with the loss a week earlier to North Carolina added in there, the fan base in Champaign is getting mightly restless.
Illinois watched the Broncos jump out to a 21-0 lead before Wes Lunt unveiled a little trickery, finding Ainslie Johnson down the sidelines for a 56-yard touchdown catch. It was one of the few bright spots on the afternoon, in which a MAC team won in Champaign for the first time in recent memory.
Western Michigan has quite a bit of talent, and with a depleted Illini offensive line due to some injuties, the Broncos controlled the flow of the game. Corey Davis, who is one of the best wide receivers in college football, was held in check by the Illini, only catching four passes for 97 yards.
Speaking of the offensive line, injuries to Gabe Megginson and Austin Schmidt has left a thin line scrambling for depth, and although both Schmidt and Megginson expect to be back for the Illini's next game, their health remains a concern.
Illinois has a bye this week, and according to many of the players , it couldn't come at a better time./ Normally, you want a chance at redemption after a tough loss like the Illini sustained against the Broncos on Saturday, but with the disconnect going on within the team, they need a chance to regroup.
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Illinois will use the week off to get the linemen healthy, as well as figure out where the running game has gone. Since the first game against Murray State, the Illini running backs have been bottled up, and that can mainly be attributed to two factors: 1) the opponent, an FCS school and 2) poor offensive line production with second-stringers forced to play early minutes.
Illinois will next take the field on Saturday, October 1st when they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to battle the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska will no doubt have revenge on their minds after losing in Champaign last season.
The Illini women's soccer team began Big Ten play this past weekend. and came up on the short end of a pair of matches. Last Thursday, the Illini welcomed the Purdue Boilermakers to Champaign, and Purdue won 2-0. Then, on Sunday afternoon, the Illini and Indiana went toe-to-toe, with the Hoosiers coming away with a 1-0 victory in overtime. With the losses, the Illini fall to 3-7 overall and 0-2 in conference play, and will take to the road this coming weekend, as they travel to the easternmost parts of the conference, first taking on Maryland on Thursday (6:00 pm CT, BTN), before heading to Piscataway, New Jersey to battle Rutgers on Sunday (12:00 noon, no TV).
The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team has had their share of ups and downs so far this season, and last weekend was one of the ups, as they traveled to St. Louis to compete in the Billiken Invitational. The Illini won all three matches, not losing an entire game, as they defeated Omaha, Murray State and St. Louis by 3-0 scores. On Wednesday night, the Illini began Big Ten play at Purdue, and went the distance against the #10th ranked Boilermakers, upsetting them in 5 games. The Illini lost the first set 25-21, then bounced back in the second and third games, winning 25-20 and 25-23. Illinois lost the fourth set 27-25, and then took the fifth and final game, 15-11. With the win, the Illini improve to 8-4 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play, and will return to Huff Hall for the first time in nearly three weeks, when they welcome the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. Match time on Saturday will be 7:00 pm central time.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Off And Running with Lovie
The Fighting Illini football team has begun the Lovie Smith era, and after two weeks, the results are a mixed bag of sorts. On the positive side of things, the Illini did what they needed to do in beating an under-sized Murray State team 52-3 in the opener at Memorial Stadium. The focus then shifted to the big game under the lights in prime time against North Carolina, a team that had steamrolled the Illini a year ago in Chapel Hill 48-14.
Trying to capture some momentum that they had acquired in the win over the Racers, Illinois wanted to impress the sold out crowd with a strong performance against a team that had lost a tough game in the first week of the season to Georgia.
The game started out really well for the Illini, as Ke'Shawn Vaughn took the third play from scrimmage on their first possession of the game, 65 yards to the house for a touchdown. The assembled crowd was up for grabs, and after the Tar Heels tied the game a few minutes later, the Illini went up 14-7, and things were beginning to look up.
However, a costly fumble by Illinois signal caller Wes Lunt gave Carolina the ball with great field position, and they capitalized on the gaffe, scoring and then eventually going ahead for good.
Lunt realized his error, but there were other mistakes, such as dropped passes and penalties, that ultimately did the Illini in.
"The atmosphere was great, the fourth phase (the fans) were awesome, but what it boiled down to was that we are not quite ready for prime time yet", Smith said following the game on the eventual outcome.
For Illinois (1-1) to effectively right this ship that has been circling in murky waters for a few years now, they need to cut down on the unforced errors, and Smith agrees. It is clear that the Illini are still not on the level of the Ohio States, Michigans and Michigan States, and it is evident that Lovie deserves a chance to work his magic and bring in his own level of players.
Illinois will get another chance to redeem themselves, as they welcome the Broncos of Western Michigan to Memorial Stadium this coming Saturday (3:00 pm CT, ESPNNEWS). The Broncos are coming off a 70-21 dismantling of North Carolina Central last Saturday in Kalamazoo, and feature a high-powered offense similar to the Tar Heels. Led by head coach P. J. Fleck, the Broncos come in to the game with the Illini at 2-0 on the season, and have a win over Northwestern on their resume. The Broncos defeated the Wildcats 22-21 two weeks ago in Evanston, and Fleck, who was a candidate to replace the fired Bill Cubit last season at Illinois, is one of the most sought after coaches around right now. Ironically, Cubit, who coached at Western Michigan before coming to Champaign, was coach of the Broncos when they defeated the Illini back in 2008 in Detroit. For the Illini to come out on top against Western Michigan, they will need to step up the offense, as well as neutralizing some of the more costly errors that they have been guilty of in the past few games dating back to last season.
After a 3-0 start to the season, Janet Rayfield's Illinois womens' soccer team has run aground on some hard times, losing 5 of the last 6 games to fall to 3-5 on the season. The Illini were defeated 1-0 by Miami (Ohio) last Friday night, but broke their five game skid by defeating Evansville 1-0 on Sunday. Illinois will begin conference play on Thursday night, when they welcome Purdue to the Illinois Soccer Complex (7:00 pm CT). Then, on Sunday, the Illini will entertain Indiana in an afternoon matinee (1:00 pm CT).
Kevin Hambly's Fighting Illini womens' volleyball team will continue their play away from Huff Hall when they travel to St. Louis this weekend to battle Omaha on Friday (4:30 pm CT), then match up with Murray State on Saturday morning (10:00 am CT) and the host St. Louis Billikens on Saturday evening (7:00 pm CT). The Illini fared pretty well this past weekend, as they went 2-1 on the weekend, losing to Oregon 3-0, then coming back to beat both Belmont and St. Mary's (Cal.) by that same score. The volleyball team currently stands at 4-4 on the season.
With basketball season on the horizon, Illinois mens' coach John Groce already has endured a bit of bad news, as his sophomore guard Jalen Coleman-Lands will miss the first few weeks of workouts due to a broken bone in his hand. This is all that Groce needs, after enduring one of the most unlucky seasons for injuries in recent memory. Coleman-Lands was hurt during the early part of last season as well, but recovered to post some good numbers in his freshman season. Here's hoping the news is as good this time around as well.
Trying to capture some momentum that they had acquired in the win over the Racers, Illinois wanted to impress the sold out crowd with a strong performance against a team that had lost a tough game in the first week of the season to Georgia.
The game started out really well for the Illini, as Ke'Shawn Vaughn took the third play from scrimmage on their first possession of the game, 65 yards to the house for a touchdown. The assembled crowd was up for grabs, and after the Tar Heels tied the game a few minutes later, the Illini went up 14-7, and things were beginning to look up.
However, a costly fumble by Illinois signal caller Wes Lunt gave Carolina the ball with great field position, and they capitalized on the gaffe, scoring and then eventually going ahead for good.
Lunt realized his error, but there were other mistakes, such as dropped passes and penalties, that ultimately did the Illini in.
"The atmosphere was great, the fourth phase (the fans) were awesome, but what it boiled down to was that we are not quite ready for prime time yet", Smith said following the game on the eventual outcome.
For Illinois (1-1) to effectively right this ship that has been circling in murky waters for a few years now, they need to cut down on the unforced errors, and Smith agrees. It is clear that the Illini are still not on the level of the Ohio States, Michigans and Michigan States, and it is evident that Lovie deserves a chance to work his magic and bring in his own level of players.
Illinois will get another chance to redeem themselves, as they welcome the Broncos of Western Michigan to Memorial Stadium this coming Saturday (3:00 pm CT, ESPNNEWS). The Broncos are coming off a 70-21 dismantling of North Carolina Central last Saturday in Kalamazoo, and feature a high-powered offense similar to the Tar Heels. Led by head coach P. J. Fleck, the Broncos come in to the game with the Illini at 2-0 on the season, and have a win over Northwestern on their resume. The Broncos defeated the Wildcats 22-21 two weeks ago in Evanston, and Fleck, who was a candidate to replace the fired Bill Cubit last season at Illinois, is one of the most sought after coaches around right now. Ironically, Cubit, who coached at Western Michigan before coming to Champaign, was coach of the Broncos when they defeated the Illini back in 2008 in Detroit. For the Illini to come out on top against Western Michigan, they will need to step up the offense, as well as neutralizing some of the more costly errors that they have been guilty of in the past few games dating back to last season.
After a 3-0 start to the season, Janet Rayfield's Illinois womens' soccer team has run aground on some hard times, losing 5 of the last 6 games to fall to 3-5 on the season. The Illini were defeated 1-0 by Miami (Ohio) last Friday night, but broke their five game skid by defeating Evansville 1-0 on Sunday. Illinois will begin conference play on Thursday night, when they welcome Purdue to the Illinois Soccer Complex (7:00 pm CT). Then, on Sunday, the Illini will entertain Indiana in an afternoon matinee (1:00 pm CT).
Kevin Hambly's Fighting Illini womens' volleyball team will continue their play away from Huff Hall when they travel to St. Louis this weekend to battle Omaha on Friday (4:30 pm CT), then match up with Murray State on Saturday morning (10:00 am CT) and the host St. Louis Billikens on Saturday evening (7:00 pm CT). The Illini fared pretty well this past weekend, as they went 2-1 on the weekend, losing to Oregon 3-0, then coming back to beat both Belmont and St. Mary's (Cal.) by that same score. The volleyball team currently stands at 4-4 on the season.
With basketball season on the horizon, Illinois mens' coach John Groce already has endured a bit of bad news, as his sophomore guard Jalen Coleman-Lands will miss the first few weeks of workouts due to a broken bone in his hand. This is all that Groce needs, after enduring one of the most unlucky seasons for injuries in recent memory. Coleman-Lands was hurt during the early part of last season as well, but recovered to post some good numbers in his freshman season. Here's hoping the news is as good this time around as well.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
A New Era Begins
It's hard to believe, but the Fighting Illini football team will kick off the season in a little over a week, and with that, the Lovie Smith era will begin when Illinois takes to the field to welcome Murray State on Saturday, September 3rd.
A lot has happened in between the time that last season ended and Smith was hired. After a firestorm of off-the-field controversy, a new athletic director was hired, and when Josh Whitman took the job, his first order of business was to remove then head coach Bill Cubit from the coaching spot and insert Lovie into the position, a move that Whitman had in his back pocket all along.
A breath of fresh air has been breathed into the program with the hiring of Whitman and Smith, and Smith, who hasn't coached at the collegiate level. The Illini are returning quite a few starters on both the offense and defensive lines, and the experience of these players will hopefully garner the Illini a few wins this season, and hopefully, a bowl invitation.
Wes Lunt returns for his senior season to lead the Illini on offense, and while he is a little thin for targets to throw to, the main recipients, Justin Hardee and Malik Turner, will lead the receiving corps.
With Mikey Dudek still out with a torn ACL, his second consecutive injury of that nature, Turner and Hardee will need to shoulder the load, and with Sam Mays and Desmond Cain returning from decent freshmen seasons, Lunt should have plenty of options. Two true freshmen, M. J. McGriff and Dominic Thieman opening eyes in pre-season workouts, the offense should be one that can score points.
On the ground, Ke'Shawn Vaughn returns following a great freshman season, and will be flanked by Reggie Corhin, who sat out last season with an injury, and Kendrick Foster, who almost left Illinois due to lack of playing time. While Foster is small in stature, he can hit the holes needed to get big yardage gains, something the offensive line will need to create for both he and Vaughn.
Speaking of the offensive line, they return virtually intact from a season ago, with Christian DiLauro, Joe Spencer, Austin Schmidt, Nick Allegretti and either Connor Brennan or Gabe Megginson to lead the offensive charge from the line of scrimmage.
Lovie, who is a defensive mind, has brought on Hardy Nickerson, who had a very successful NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will be the defensive coordinator, and with Mike Phair returning to the staff as defensive line coordinator, as well as the run game guru, the defense should be in fairly good shape.
Leading the charge on the defensive side of the ball is Dawuane Smoot, who will be flanked by Rob Bain, Chunky Clements and Carroll Phillips as the front four. Gimel President, who gets the vote as the all-name player on the Illinois roster this season, transferred in from Auburn, and will get plenty of playing time in Nickerson's defensive scheme.
Linebacker, a position that has been a strong point for the Illini for the past two decades, will remain strong, with James Crawford, Mike Svetina, and Justice Williams, who was a redshirt candidate last season. Hardy Nickerson, who is the son of the defensive coordinator with the same name, followed his father to Illinois from California, where he played for the Bears in the Pac-12 last season. The addition of Nickerson will not only benefit the Illini in talent, but in experience as well.
The secondary should be strong as well, as Taylor Barton returns for his senior season to anchor the defensive backs. Jaylen Dunlap, who is a potential star in the making, will also see a lot of time in the secondary, as will Dillan Cazley, who also has quite a bit of experience. Darwyn Kelly and Darius Mosley should also see ample time as well.
The "Lovie Effect" has begun to produce results on the recruiting front, as the Illini begin to fill their Class of 2017 roster. On Thursday, Carmoni Green, a wide receiver from Florida, and Olalere Oladipo, a defensive lineman from Huntley. Word is slowly getting out about what Lovie plans to do at Illinois, and the recruits will soon follow that trail to Champaign.
Lovie Smith is not the only coach that is landing huge commitments, as Illinois basketball coach John Groce has been getting some good news of his own the past couple months. Even though the season is still a few months away from beginning, Groce has received verbals from big man Jeremiah Tilmon and point guard Trent Frazier, Even though Groce wasn't able to land guard Jordan Goodwin, who ended up choosing St. Louis University over the Illini, the future continues to look bright for Groce as he tries to shake the negative tone that has befallen the program over the past several months, culminating with the dismissal of Kendrick Nunn from the team.
Next week will focus on the official preview of the Murray State game, as well as reports on Illinois volleyball and women's soccer. Fall is definitely in full swing!
A lot has happened in between the time that last season ended and Smith was hired. After a firestorm of off-the-field controversy, a new athletic director was hired, and when Josh Whitman took the job, his first order of business was to remove then head coach Bill Cubit from the coaching spot and insert Lovie into the position, a move that Whitman had in his back pocket all along.
A breath of fresh air has been breathed into the program with the hiring of Whitman and Smith, and Smith, who hasn't coached at the collegiate level. The Illini are returning quite a few starters on both the offense and defensive lines, and the experience of these players will hopefully garner the Illini a few wins this season, and hopefully, a bowl invitation.
Wes Lunt returns for his senior season to lead the Illini on offense, and while he is a little thin for targets to throw to, the main recipients, Justin Hardee and Malik Turner, will lead the receiving corps.
With Mikey Dudek still out with a torn ACL, his second consecutive injury of that nature, Turner and Hardee will need to shoulder the load, and with Sam Mays and Desmond Cain returning from decent freshmen seasons, Lunt should have plenty of options. Two true freshmen, M. J. McGriff and Dominic Thieman opening eyes in pre-season workouts, the offense should be one that can score points.
On the ground, Ke'Shawn Vaughn returns following a great freshman season, and will be flanked by Reggie Corhin, who sat out last season with an injury, and Kendrick Foster, who almost left Illinois due to lack of playing time. While Foster is small in stature, he can hit the holes needed to get big yardage gains, something the offensive line will need to create for both he and Vaughn.
Speaking of the offensive line, they return virtually intact from a season ago, with Christian DiLauro, Joe Spencer, Austin Schmidt, Nick Allegretti and either Connor Brennan or Gabe Megginson to lead the offensive charge from the line of scrimmage.
Lovie, who is a defensive mind, has brought on Hardy Nickerson, who had a very successful NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will be the defensive coordinator, and with Mike Phair returning to the staff as defensive line coordinator, as well as the run game guru, the defense should be in fairly good shape.
Leading the charge on the defensive side of the ball is Dawuane Smoot, who will be flanked by Rob Bain, Chunky Clements and Carroll Phillips as the front four. Gimel President, who gets the vote as the all-name player on the Illinois roster this season, transferred in from Auburn, and will get plenty of playing time in Nickerson's defensive scheme.
Linebacker, a position that has been a strong point for the Illini for the past two decades, will remain strong, with James Crawford, Mike Svetina, and Justice Williams, who was a redshirt candidate last season. Hardy Nickerson, who is the son of the defensive coordinator with the same name, followed his father to Illinois from California, where he played for the Bears in the Pac-12 last season. The addition of Nickerson will not only benefit the Illini in talent, but in experience as well.
The secondary should be strong as well, as Taylor Barton returns for his senior season to anchor the defensive backs. Jaylen Dunlap, who is a potential star in the making, will also see a lot of time in the secondary, as will Dillan Cazley, who also has quite a bit of experience. Darwyn Kelly and Darius Mosley should also see ample time as well.
The "Lovie Effect" has begun to produce results on the recruiting front, as the Illini begin to fill their Class of 2017 roster. On Thursday, Carmoni Green, a wide receiver from Florida, and Olalere Oladipo, a defensive lineman from Huntley. Word is slowly getting out about what Lovie plans to do at Illinois, and the recruits will soon follow that trail to Champaign.
Lovie Smith is not the only coach that is landing huge commitments, as Illinois basketball coach John Groce has been getting some good news of his own the past couple months. Even though the season is still a few months away from beginning, Groce has received verbals from big man Jeremiah Tilmon and point guard Trent Frazier, Even though Groce wasn't able to land guard Jordan Goodwin, who ended up choosing St. Louis University over the Illini, the future continues to look bright for Groce as he tries to shake the negative tone that has befallen the program over the past several months, culminating with the dismissal of Kendrick Nunn from the team.
Next week will focus on the official preview of the Murray State game, as well as reports on Illinois volleyball and women's soccer. Fall is definitely in full swing!
Monday, July 11, 2016
Turning the corner
Another sports season is on the horizon at the University of Illinois, and if you are an Illini fan, you want to have a short memory about the season that just ended a few months ago.
It seems as if nothing went right for the Illini in 2015 and part of 2016, yet with the naming of Josh Whitman as new Athletic Director back in February, which led to the hiring of Lovie Smith as head football coach just a few days later, things seem to be back on the rise again,
As Big Ten football media days approach in just two weeks, so much has happened since the last time media, coaches, players and fans descended upon Chicago to officially kick off the beginning of the fall sports season in the Big Ten.
A short timeline of the events go as follows: Tim Beckman fired as football coach one week before the 2015 season began, and Bill Cubit named interim head coach by then athletic director Mike Thomas. Thomas was then fired in November, just days after a win at Purdue, and Paul Kowalczyk named interim AD. Kowalczyk officially names Cubit the head coach just before Illinois' final regular season contest at Soldier Field against Northwestern.
A tumultuous basketball season followed, with John Groce's Illini squad finishing under .500 for the first time in several years, and seeing several players either injured or suspended before, during or after the season. The final nail in the proverbial coffin was when Kendrick Nunn was dismissed from the team for striking a woman on campus. Women's basketball coach Matt Bollant suffered much the same fate as Groce's mens team did, and at the end of the season, saw several players, including Chatrice White, leave the program, rendering Bollant to start from scratch once again, a position that seems to be foreign to him.
But, things are beginning to look up for the future, especially on the mens basketball front. Groce, who has missed out on several top recruits in the past few seasons, struck gold on Monday when he received a verbal commitment from big man Jeremiah Tilmon, who will be a senior at La Lumiere Academy in Indiana. Tilmon, who is from East St. Louis, is a five star prospect that will give the Illini a post presence that they haven't had in a long time. Plus, the first five star recruit since Dee Brown in 2002 gives Groce his most talented prize in his four year tenure in Champaign. Already with Javon Pickett and Da'Monte Williams on board for 2017, the future has not shown this much promise in quite some time.
It seems as if nothing went right for the Illini in 2015 and part of 2016, yet with the naming of Josh Whitman as new Athletic Director back in February, which led to the hiring of Lovie Smith as head football coach just a few days later, things seem to be back on the rise again,
As Big Ten football media days approach in just two weeks, so much has happened since the last time media, coaches, players and fans descended upon Chicago to officially kick off the beginning of the fall sports season in the Big Ten.
A short timeline of the events go as follows: Tim Beckman fired as football coach one week before the 2015 season began, and Bill Cubit named interim head coach by then athletic director Mike Thomas. Thomas was then fired in November, just days after a win at Purdue, and Paul Kowalczyk named interim AD. Kowalczyk officially names Cubit the head coach just before Illinois' final regular season contest at Soldier Field against Northwestern.
A tumultuous basketball season followed, with John Groce's Illini squad finishing under .500 for the first time in several years, and seeing several players either injured or suspended before, during or after the season. The final nail in the proverbial coffin was when Kendrick Nunn was dismissed from the team for striking a woman on campus. Women's basketball coach Matt Bollant suffered much the same fate as Groce's mens team did, and at the end of the season, saw several players, including Chatrice White, leave the program, rendering Bollant to start from scratch once again, a position that seems to be foreign to him.
But, things are beginning to look up for the future, especially on the mens basketball front. Groce, who has missed out on several top recruits in the past few seasons, struck gold on Monday when he received a verbal commitment from big man Jeremiah Tilmon, who will be a senior at La Lumiere Academy in Indiana. Tilmon, who is from East St. Louis, is a five star prospect that will give the Illini a post presence that they haven't had in a long time. Plus, the first five star recruit since Dee Brown in 2002 gives Groce his most talented prize in his four year tenure in Champaign. Already with Javon Pickett and Da'Monte Williams on board for 2017, the future has not shown this much promise in quite some time.
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Deja Vu
Things were beginning to take a positive turn for the Fighting Illini football team. New head coach Lovie Smith had assembled his coaching staff, finally started spring practice, and the team was beginning to show signs of respectability since they were getting some of their key players back from injuries a year ago. Well, almost.
Almost a year to the day that he first tore his ACL in a non-contact drill, Mikey Dudek suffered the exact same injury to the exact same knee in the same type of drill, non-contact. This young man, who is ultra-talented, cannot seem to catch a break, and will once again watch another football season from the sidelines as he once again recovers from surgery.
The list of injuries to Fighting Illini athletes has grown to a number that is almost laughable, and between football last season (Dudek, Dre Brown, Teko Powell, Reggie Corbin), men's basektball (Tracy Abrams, Leron Black, Mike Thorne Jr.) and women's basketball (Cierra Rice), one would have to wonder what is going on at Illinois, and what have they done to the athletic gods?
Dudek's latest injury comes at a time when the Illinois football program was undergoing an idenity transformation under Smith, and with a roster that is thin to begin with, the loss of Dudek clouds an already uncertain 2016 season. After all, this is considered to be a rebuilding project for Smith, and this further complicates things, at least for the short term.
As far as spring practices go, the first one, held a week ago last Friday, was very scripted and didn't look like it was the first one. Lovie has the Illini looking somewhat sharp, and the cast of characters that he has brought in as assistants give him instant credibility. Garrick McGee, who was previously at Louisville, was brought in to run the offense and Hardy Nickerson, who was an all-ro linebacker in his days in the NFL, is the defensive coordinator. The Illini will continue to practice this coming week, and the public's first and only chance to see the Fighting Illini in action will come n Saturday, April 16th with an open practice. Smith decided against a spring game due to the late start of spring practice, so an open workout will take the place of it. The practice will begin at 1:00 pm, and will be free to the public.
Both the Illinois baseball and softball teams have entered Big Ten play, and the results have been mixed for both squads. The Illinois baseball team is finding life after Tyler Jay and the other players that propelled them to the NCAA Super Regionals last spring rather difficult. The Illini just completed a series at Iowa against the Hawkeyes, and lost two out of three games to fall to 13-16 overall and 4-5 in conference play. The Illini will return home this Tuesday evening to face the Illinois State Redbirds (6:00 pm CT first pitch). The Illini defeated the Redbirds 8-3 earlier in the season in Normal, and after the game on Tuesday, will welcome the St. Louis Billikens to Illinois Field for a rare three game series not conference related.
The Fighting Illini softball team has enjoyed some success this season under new coach Tyra Perry, and are currently 23-15 overall, but just 3-6 in Big Ten play. Illinois dropped a three game series to Minnesota this past weekend in Minneapolis, and will return home on Wednesday night to face Northwestern in a mid-week conference doubleheader. After the games against the Wildcats, the Illini will make the short trip east to battle the Purdue Boilermakers this coming weekend in West Lafayette.
Almost a year to the day that he first tore his ACL in a non-contact drill, Mikey Dudek suffered the exact same injury to the exact same knee in the same type of drill, non-contact. This young man, who is ultra-talented, cannot seem to catch a break, and will once again watch another football season from the sidelines as he once again recovers from surgery.
The list of injuries to Fighting Illini athletes has grown to a number that is almost laughable, and between football last season (Dudek, Dre Brown, Teko Powell, Reggie Corbin), men's basektball (Tracy Abrams, Leron Black, Mike Thorne Jr.) and women's basketball (Cierra Rice), one would have to wonder what is going on at Illinois, and what have they done to the athletic gods?
Dudek's latest injury comes at a time when the Illinois football program was undergoing an idenity transformation under Smith, and with a roster that is thin to begin with, the loss of Dudek clouds an already uncertain 2016 season. After all, this is considered to be a rebuilding project for Smith, and this further complicates things, at least for the short term.
As far as spring practices go, the first one, held a week ago last Friday, was very scripted and didn't look like it was the first one. Lovie has the Illini looking somewhat sharp, and the cast of characters that he has brought in as assistants give him instant credibility. Garrick McGee, who was previously at Louisville, was brought in to run the offense and Hardy Nickerson, who was an all-ro linebacker in his days in the NFL, is the defensive coordinator. The Illini will continue to practice this coming week, and the public's first and only chance to see the Fighting Illini in action will come n Saturday, April 16th with an open practice. Smith decided against a spring game due to the late start of spring practice, so an open workout will take the place of it. The practice will begin at 1:00 pm, and will be free to the public.
Both the Illinois baseball and softball teams have entered Big Ten play, and the results have been mixed for both squads. The Illinois baseball team is finding life after Tyler Jay and the other players that propelled them to the NCAA Super Regionals last spring rather difficult. The Illini just completed a series at Iowa against the Hawkeyes, and lost two out of three games to fall to 13-16 overall and 4-5 in conference play. The Illini will return home this Tuesday evening to face the Illinois State Redbirds (6:00 pm CT first pitch). The Illini defeated the Redbirds 8-3 earlier in the season in Normal, and after the game on Tuesday, will welcome the St. Louis Billikens to Illinois Field for a rare three game series not conference related.
The Fighting Illini softball team has enjoyed some success this season under new coach Tyra Perry, and are currently 23-15 overall, but just 3-6 in Big Ten play. Illinois dropped a three game series to Minnesota this past weekend in Minneapolis, and will return home on Wednesday night to face Northwestern in a mid-week conference doubleheader. After the games against the Wildcats, the Illini will make the short trip east to battle the Purdue Boilermakers this coming weekend in West Lafayette.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
What next?
Basketball season has been over for nearly a week, but judging from the headlines and the crime blotter, the team continues to make news, albeit the wrong kind.
From all of the positive vibes that the hiring of Josh Whitman as new AD, and then the subsequent hiring of new Illinois football coach Lovie Smith two weeks later, Whitman's first major decision as the boss, things appeared to be heading in the right direction and Illini Nation was beginning to see some sunshine from the gloomy football and basketball seasons.
Then, in early March, John Groce's men's basketball team began play in the Big Ten Tournament as the #11 seed, which meant that they played on Wednesday of the tournament, and after defeating Minnesota quite handily, they were facing an Iowa team that had been ranked in the top 10 in the country for a part of the season, and frankly, people didn't see coming what transpired. Illinois beat the Hawkeyes to elevate them in the quarterfinals, a place that the Illini have seen themselves quite a bit in past years. However, the high was short-lived, as the Illini suffered a gruesome defeat at the hands of Purdue, a team that they had beaten earlier in the season in Champaign to give Groce's team a shred of confidence at the time.
Once the season was over, speculation grew about what the off-season would provide, since Whitman had already given Groce a vote of confidence and said he would return for the 2016-17 season. This is where this story takes an unforseen turn, and it was not for the better,
A mere six days after Illinois' exit from the Big Ten Tournament, we awoke to news that point guard Jaylon Tate was arrested for domestic battery, and his status for the future was unclear. In a statement given by Groce, he said that "the legal system needed to run its course, and that passing judgement at this time would be unfair to Jaylon". And so, a few days later, it was reported the the alleged victim in the case, who is a U of I softball player, changed her story and told authorities that it was herself that inflicted bodily harm to her and not Tate. Okay, so case closed, right?
Not so fast. A few days later, it was reported that senior-to-be Kendrick Nunn was arrested for, you guessed it, domestic battery, and has been suspended from all basketball activities effective immediately. This recent allegation sent Illini Nation into a frenzy, wondering what in the heck is going on within the program. Again, Groce released a statement, this time jointly with Whitman, saying that once again that the legal process needed to be played out before passing judgement on.
So, if you're keeping score, and since this is basketball we're talking about, why wouldn't you be, that makes four arrests on the basketball team in the past 12 months. To review, we'll list them in chronological order.
First, Darius Paul, who ended up never suiting up for Illinois in a meaningful game, was arrested in France on the team's European trip, and since this was his second infraction, was removed from the team, and asked to leave the overseas trip immediately. Then, during the second half of the season, Leron Black, who sat out much of the season with an injury, was arrested for wielding a knife at a local establishment on campus, and suspended as well from the team.
These arrests were just part of what has been a bizarre season for Groce and the Illini, who have dealt with injuries (Tracy Abrams, Tate, Mike Thorne Jr.), a case of the mumps (Khalid Lewis), missing a game because of the birth of a son (Nunn). You really can't write a script any better than this one, and it's almost too unbelievable to be true, but, unfortunately, it is.
Groce either has lost this team, or is the unluckiest man on the face of the earth. You can argue the case from both sides. Groce needs to instill in his players that this type of behavior will not be tolerated, and according to the past week and a half, the message is not being received, and that falls directly on the coach, Yes, Groce cannot be with the players 24/7, but he also can make sure that the remaining players that haven't had any run-ins with the law can keep themselves on the right side of things.
On the other hand, it isn't Groce's fault that the injuries and everything happened, and he has said on several occasions that he has seen nothing like this in all of his years of coaching basketball. But the question needs to be addressed if Groce is the right person to lead this team into the future? I think recruiting has a big impact on this decision, because up until now, Groce has not met the standards, mainly because he has missed out on several recruits (Alexander, Brunson), while failing to after others (Ulis). In the mix for Groce are star 2017 targets Jordan Goodwin and Jeremiah Tilmon, and if he can get those top shelf recruits to come to Illinois, that might be enough to save his job. However, with the situation with the current players, that plays a factor in their decisions, and they are watching from afar to see what develops. Regardless of what happens, this is a mess and needs to be fixed, one way or the other.
The Fighting Illini baseball team, after coming off a record setting season a year ago, is starting this season much rougher than last year. Currently, the Illini are 7-9 on the season, and are coming off a tough 3-2 loss to Southern Illinois on Saturday in Carbondale. Illinois, who had to reload a good portion of their roster from the team that advanced to the school's first Super Regional appearance, will battle the Salukis again on Sunday, before traveling to Normal on Tuesday to play Illinois State. The Illini will open Big Ten play this coming weekend, when they welcome the Penn State Nittany Lions to Illinois Field starting on Friday.
New Illinois softball coach Tyra Perry has the Illini playing well to start their season, and are off to a 17-8 record, winning three of their first four games in the San Diego Classic, The Illini will face Seattle on Sunday to wrap up the tournament, before concluding the west coast trip on Tuesday with a doubleheader against Cal. State - Northridge. The Illini will open up Big Ten play this coming weekend at Eichelberger Field in Urbana, when they host Nebraska.
A big shout out goes to Illini wrestler Isaiah Martinez, who defended his title by winning his second consecutive NCAA championship in the 157 pound weight class. Martinez, who lost his father earlier in the season, capped off an year full of emotions, and has placed himself in elite status among Illinois athletes.
Finally, new Illinois football coach Lovie Smith's staff has finally been completed, and there are some big names on board. Guys like former NFL players Luke Butkus and Hardy Nickerson, as well as Garrick McGee, who has coached with Smith elsewhere, should give the Illini name recognition within the coaching ranks itself. Due to the late hiring, Spring practice has been pushed back a bit, and will begin on April 1, and conclude near the end of April. In lieu of a spring game this season, the Illini will hold a practice that will be open to the public, and that practice is scheduled for Saturday, April 16th, the original date of the spring game.
From all of the positive vibes that the hiring of Josh Whitman as new AD, and then the subsequent hiring of new Illinois football coach Lovie Smith two weeks later, Whitman's first major decision as the boss, things appeared to be heading in the right direction and Illini Nation was beginning to see some sunshine from the gloomy football and basketball seasons.
Then, in early March, John Groce's men's basketball team began play in the Big Ten Tournament as the #11 seed, which meant that they played on Wednesday of the tournament, and after defeating Minnesota quite handily, they were facing an Iowa team that had been ranked in the top 10 in the country for a part of the season, and frankly, people didn't see coming what transpired. Illinois beat the Hawkeyes to elevate them in the quarterfinals, a place that the Illini have seen themselves quite a bit in past years. However, the high was short-lived, as the Illini suffered a gruesome defeat at the hands of Purdue, a team that they had beaten earlier in the season in Champaign to give Groce's team a shred of confidence at the time.
Once the season was over, speculation grew about what the off-season would provide, since Whitman had already given Groce a vote of confidence and said he would return for the 2016-17 season. This is where this story takes an unforseen turn, and it was not for the better,
A mere six days after Illinois' exit from the Big Ten Tournament, we awoke to news that point guard Jaylon Tate was arrested for domestic battery, and his status for the future was unclear. In a statement given by Groce, he said that "the legal system needed to run its course, and that passing judgement at this time would be unfair to Jaylon". And so, a few days later, it was reported the the alleged victim in the case, who is a U of I softball player, changed her story and told authorities that it was herself that inflicted bodily harm to her and not Tate. Okay, so case closed, right?
Not so fast. A few days later, it was reported that senior-to-be Kendrick Nunn was arrested for, you guessed it, domestic battery, and has been suspended from all basketball activities effective immediately. This recent allegation sent Illini Nation into a frenzy, wondering what in the heck is going on within the program. Again, Groce released a statement, this time jointly with Whitman, saying that once again that the legal process needed to be played out before passing judgement on.
So, if you're keeping score, and since this is basketball we're talking about, why wouldn't you be, that makes four arrests on the basketball team in the past 12 months. To review, we'll list them in chronological order.
First, Darius Paul, who ended up never suiting up for Illinois in a meaningful game, was arrested in France on the team's European trip, and since this was his second infraction, was removed from the team, and asked to leave the overseas trip immediately. Then, during the second half of the season, Leron Black, who sat out much of the season with an injury, was arrested for wielding a knife at a local establishment on campus, and suspended as well from the team.
These arrests were just part of what has been a bizarre season for Groce and the Illini, who have dealt with injuries (Tracy Abrams, Tate, Mike Thorne Jr.), a case of the mumps (Khalid Lewis), missing a game because of the birth of a son (Nunn). You really can't write a script any better than this one, and it's almost too unbelievable to be true, but, unfortunately, it is.
Groce either has lost this team, or is the unluckiest man on the face of the earth. You can argue the case from both sides. Groce needs to instill in his players that this type of behavior will not be tolerated, and according to the past week and a half, the message is not being received, and that falls directly on the coach, Yes, Groce cannot be with the players 24/7, but he also can make sure that the remaining players that haven't had any run-ins with the law can keep themselves on the right side of things.
On the other hand, it isn't Groce's fault that the injuries and everything happened, and he has said on several occasions that he has seen nothing like this in all of his years of coaching basketball. But the question needs to be addressed if Groce is the right person to lead this team into the future? I think recruiting has a big impact on this decision, because up until now, Groce has not met the standards, mainly because he has missed out on several recruits (Alexander, Brunson), while failing to after others (Ulis). In the mix for Groce are star 2017 targets Jordan Goodwin and Jeremiah Tilmon, and if he can get those top shelf recruits to come to Illinois, that might be enough to save his job. However, with the situation with the current players, that plays a factor in their decisions, and they are watching from afar to see what develops. Regardless of what happens, this is a mess and needs to be fixed, one way or the other.
The Fighting Illini baseball team, after coming off a record setting season a year ago, is starting this season much rougher than last year. Currently, the Illini are 7-9 on the season, and are coming off a tough 3-2 loss to Southern Illinois on Saturday in Carbondale. Illinois, who had to reload a good portion of their roster from the team that advanced to the school's first Super Regional appearance, will battle the Salukis again on Sunday, before traveling to Normal on Tuesday to play Illinois State. The Illini will open Big Ten play this coming weekend, when they welcome the Penn State Nittany Lions to Illinois Field starting on Friday.
New Illinois softball coach Tyra Perry has the Illini playing well to start their season, and are off to a 17-8 record, winning three of their first four games in the San Diego Classic, The Illini will face Seattle on Sunday to wrap up the tournament, before concluding the west coast trip on Tuesday with a doubleheader against Cal. State - Northridge. The Illini will open up Big Ten play this coming weekend at Eichelberger Field in Urbana, when they host Nebraska.
A big shout out goes to Illini wrestler Isaiah Martinez, who defended his title by winning his second consecutive NCAA championship in the 157 pound weight class. Martinez, who lost his father earlier in the season, capped off an year full of emotions, and has placed himself in elite status among Illinois athletes.
Finally, new Illinois football coach Lovie Smith's staff has finally been completed, and there are some big names on board. Guys like former NFL players Luke Butkus and Hardy Nickerson, as well as Garrick McGee, who has coached with Smith elsewhere, should give the Illini name recognition within the coaching ranks itself. Due to the late hiring, Spring practice has been pushed back a bit, and will begin on April 1, and conclude near the end of April. In lieu of a spring game this season, the Illini will hold a practice that will be open to the public, and that practice is scheduled for Saturday, April 16th, the original date of the spring game.
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