The state flagship university of the largest population state in the Big Ten.
With the right coach Illinois will be a national championship contender.
With the right coach Illinois will be a national championship contender.
Illinois-The sleeping Giant?
- Thread starter BigNUFan51
- Start date
I've always thought if the Illinois got a good coach AND better fan support (they care alot more about basketball in Urbana) they could be a really good program. We're no Texas here in IL when it comes to in-state talent, but there is plenty to field a very competitive team if you can convince a decent percentage to stay home.
The thing is, they've had some good gameday coaches and some good recruiters in recent years, but not really anyone who is both. I thought they'd give Lovie more time honestly, he was probably one of the better coaches they've had in recent memory.
The thing is, they've had some good gameday coaches and some good recruiters in recent years, but not really anyone who is both. I thought they'd give Lovie more time honestly, he was probably one of the better coaches they've had in recent memory.
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Do you always start a thread where your supporting statement is wrong? I've noticed this with you.
There administration isn't going to support their football team to the point they win championships. I don't believe it's important to them.
Lovie tried to say beating Nebraska was a sign of progress, but in the final analysis, the Illinois AD had to evaluate where Nebraska was.
Yesssss, that would mean we are heading up. Iowa has been pretty damn good since Eichorst put his foot in his mouth and Iowa’s foot up our arse. 6-0 against us. What a dip stick.
Pennsylvania is the most populated state in the Big Ten. Lots of Sports in PA and neighboring states. Rabid Sports fans. Illinois is the public P5 in their state though.
This shows how amazing the Devaney, Osborne run was considering the population of of Nebraska.
Missouri has been in the top 25 a ton since 2002, including this season with a 1st year coach.
Wrong. Illinois has no fan base and never will. Alumni won't drive minimum 3 hours to game day. There is already $ spent on Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks, Northwestern, Chicago Fire FC, etc. Purdue and Wisconsin are just as close to Chicago as Champaign.
Back in the day they produced Kirk Kittner (sp??) and a few stud LB's, or was it DL?? Made a few decent bowls...but I don't really think they'll ever be much more than a .500 program with a decent year or two sprinkled in amongst a few sub .500 years.
Granted, our fans aren’t going to go sit in the cold to watch our team lose by 35+, as we don’t have the winning tradition to cause that kind of stubborn support. However, we actually get pretty good TV ratings, and we have over 60 pages already on our thread about a replacement. Illinois has plenty of fans and plenty of fan support, even if it’s fickle.
Bro, I live in Chicago, and this is just a bad take that other fan bases give, thinking it’s a hot take that they need to share with everyone else. When Illinois is good (2007 Rose Bowl, for example), Chicago and the rest of the state jumps on the bandwagon. The distance from Chicago is entirely irrelevant, haha ... those Big Ten teams have between 30-45k alumni in Chicago and practically zero non-grad fans; Illinois has over 225k in Chicago and plenty of bandwagoners who jump on board when they get competitive again.
Yeah, a person could have an intelligent conversation about Illinois' potential. But then I remembered your last hot take was that Bielema would turn Illinois into "instant contenders" in the division. What's your infatuation with Illinois? Or are you just into hyperbole?
I'm one of those people that believe that if the administration decides to make it a priority, any program can become a nationally recognized program---but, as I said, they key is making it a priority, and making decisions accordingly---and not overreacting when something doesn't go right.
If Miami can become a contender a mere decade less than nearly being dropped, or if Colorado can go from 1-10 to 11-1-1 in 6 years, or if K-State can erase decades of futility to become a top 10-15 program, there's no reason Illinois, with it's history (still over .500 all-time, barely, despite the last several seasons), can't do the same---with the right people at the helm.
If Miami can become a contender a mere decade less than nearly being dropped, or if Colorado can go from 1-10 to 11-1-1 in 6 years, or if K-State can erase decades of futility to become a top 10-15 program, there's no reason Illinois, with it's history (still over .500 all-time, barely, despite the last several seasons), can't do the same---with the right people at the helm.
As an Illini fan who is not willing to pay to post on OUR Rivals board, here is a take on our program from anyone interested! 
We are not primed to be some championship contender any time soon, and few of our fans would say so. Whereas our basketball program has all the potential in the world - with a top 15 tradition nationally and much better instate recruiting - our football program is simply one that should be competitive. Consistent Big Ten title contenders? No, at least not yet. Consistently making a bowl and rarely having several 3-win seasons in a row?? Absolutely, haha.
Even if we get by on the instate recruiting scraps and decent out-of-state recruiting for a few years, that is enough to consistently win 7-8 games in most seasons ... instead, we have won 7 games or more twice in a row like once in four decades or something. Inexcusable by any reasonable expectation. I know you guys know what it is like to have inexcusable underachieving, and it has got to be even harder to take given your winning tradition ... the last decade of Illini basketball was very hard to take until the last two years when Underwood turned it around. Good luck on your turnaround, as I would enjoy seeing Nebraska football make a comeback.
We are not primed to be some championship contender any time soon, and few of our fans would say so. Whereas our basketball program has all the potential in the world - with a top 15 tradition nationally and much better instate recruiting - our football program is simply one that should be competitive. Consistent Big Ten title contenders? No, at least not yet. Consistently making a bowl and rarely having several 3-win seasons in a row?? Absolutely, haha.
Even if we get by on the instate recruiting scraps and decent out-of-state recruiting for a few years, that is enough to consistently win 7-8 games in most seasons ... instead, we have won 7 games or more twice in a row like once in four decades or something. Inexcusable by any reasonable expectation. I know you guys know what it is like to have inexcusable underachieving, and it has got to be even harder to take given your winning tradition ... the last decade of Illini basketball was very hard to take until the last two years when Underwood turned it around. Good luck on your turnaround, as I would enjoy seeing Nebraska football make a comeback.
Except most of Chicago is either not a college football fan or a mix a fans of other big ten schools. And the population south of I80 is not huge.
Hey now they stole our line, "The Sleeping Giant" we coined that. Rutgers fans have been saying that since 1869 our last National Championship. We've got them by a good 8 decades.
That’s not a problem that is inherent. It’s a problem because we have not had the right coach or staff. Does anyone seriously think Kansas State or Iowa were inherently easier places to start from the bottom than Illinois? Not sure why.
As for Downstate Illinois (i.e., non-Chicagoland), it has around 4.5 million people. People only categorize it as “small” because it’s necessarily compared to the 8 million (instate) who live in the Chicago area. All of that is not that relevant, too, as the right coach at Illinois would not just automatically lose recruits from Chicago to the likes of Iowa or Wisconsin, let alone Northwestern.
Have you seen the recently completed football facilities? They are, at the very least, “on par” with most programs in the Big Ten.
Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Performance Center - Facilities - University of Illinois Athletics
The official facilities page for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini
fightingillini.com
Very spiffy.Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Performance Center - Facilities - University of Illinois Athletics
The official facilities page for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini
Being an Illinois native, the Illini have always been my #2 team after the Huskers. There are certainly plenty of Illinois fans for sure. By the by they aren't anywhere near as invested in football as they are basketball though. Thats not surprising, thanks to Chicago it is a HUGE basketball state.
I'll put it this way, having been to games @Purdue, @Northwestern, @Illinois, and @nebraska, its not difficult to tell who takes football the most seriously. All of the away games I've been to have been essentially neutral field games based on crowd breakdown. While some of that comes with past wins, it is also an indication of current investment in the program.
I will say college hoops is better when illinois is good
will never understand why depaul can't put together a competitive men's product in the heart of the northside