Illinois Fighting Illini Thread

[BCB mwat15]

I've read our best recruit, Ta'Jarvis Fuller, had a great day as well. I still have a hard time thinking O'Toole gets beat out. He throws the best ball, by far IMO, of the three QBs.

[Bleacher Bums]

Scheelhasse can't run the spread, he is an option QB so I can't see him being named the starter. I just wish Zook had red shirted O'Toole last year so we could have gotten all 4 years of him

[BCB mwat15]

Scheelhasse can't run the spread, he is an option QB so I can't see him being named the starter. I just wish Zook had red shirted O'Toole last year so we could have gotten all 4 years of him

Beckman should be versatile. TBH, I wouldn't be surprised to see a bit of what Florida did when they had Tebow and Chris Leak. But, if Scheelhaase loses out I hope he sticks around and takes a position switch to WR.

[CubbieSteve]

I hope O'Toole wins the job.

[IlliniCubs]

Scheelhasse can't run the spread, he is an option QB so I can't see him being named the starter. I just wish Zook had red shirted O'Toole last year so we could have gotten all 4 years of him

umm actually Scheelhaase was originally recruited to run a spread offense and the spread offense has many option plays in it.

[BCB mwat15]

4* QB Aaron Bailey from Bolingbrook has committed to Illinois.

http://247sports.com/Player/Aaron-Bailey-13213

He is a huge commitment for Beckman. Hopefully he can help get Pocic, Treadwell, and Isaac to Illinois as well.

[BCB mwat15]

Beckman picked up another in-state commit tonight. 3* DT Merrick Jackson from Althoff HS in Belleville committed.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/illinois/foo...Jackson-133331

We are up to 6 commits in the class. I'm still holding out hope for Ty Isaac and Ethan Pocic to come here. Hoping for Isaac is probably like hoping for Jabari Parker to end up at Illinois though.

[IlliniCubs]

Couple huge pickups for the Illini. Bailey should really get this class moving and Jackson may be the start of that.

Welcome to both young men!!!

[BCB mwat15]

... and another 3* DL commits:

For the second time in as many days, the Illinois football program has received an oral commitment from a defensive lineman in the 2013 class.

Defensive end Jarrod Clements of Trotwood-Madison High School, which is located just outside of Dayton, Ohio, gave his pledge to the Illini coaching staff Tuesday evening. He chose Illinois over offers from the likes of Louisville, West Virginia and Tennessee, and his decision came just a day after defensive tackle Merrick Jackson of Belleville (Ill.) Althoff committed to the program.

http://www.illinihq.com/blogs/recrui...-illinois.html

Beckman is slowly alleviating my concerns that he can keep up the talent level that Zook raised the bar to. I'm sure all of the draft picks really helped as well as getting a guy like Bailey to commit.

[IlliniCubs]

This is getting fun! It will obviously slow down at some point but I'm enjoying the hell out of it right now.

Why did you have concerns about Beckman and co. being able to get talent here?

[BCB mwat15]

This is getting fun! It will obviously slow down at some point but I'm enjoying the hell out of it right now.

Why did you have concerns about Beckman and co. being able to get talent here?

There is just a big difference between recruiting to the MAC and recruiting to a B10 school. Zook had proven at an SEC school that he could recruit. I needed to see Beckman prove that he could recruit at a B10 level before I had any expectations.

[IlliniCubs]

There is just a big difference between recruiting to the MAC and recruiting to a B10 school. Zook had proven at an SEC school that he could recruit. I needed to see Beckman prove that he could recruit at a B10 level before I had any expectations.

Fair enough. Beckman did sharpen his football teeth at major BCS schools under some outstanding recruiting coaches, however. He also hired a staff that, for the most part, has proven they can recruit at a very high level.

I guess it then begs the question would you rather have a guy who's recruited well at a school like Florida but has had his in-game strategies and abilities as a coach questioned or a guy coming from a MAC-level school who's had head coaching success there but hasn't had the recruiting chance/success at a bigger school (even though/if he had success recruiting at his current MAC school)?

I have a feeling I know which one most Illinois fans would choose

[JBears79]

Aaron Bailey is going to be stud here running the spread. Kid has a rocket arm and is accurate. He's the type of QB good players want to play with. Hopefully, a guy like Treadwell or Pocic see that and come here.Beckman is really putting together a nice class rather quietly. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with the rest of it.

We offered former 5* receiver Markeith Ambles today. A transfer from a JUCO school. Currently we our his only offer.

@SUPERSCOUTKEN

JUCO UPDATES Arizona Western WR gets offer from Illinois: Hot News for WR Markeith Ambles http://tinyurl.com/83skjae

For those who don't know he was one of the 5* receivers caught up in the whole Lane Kiffin Tennessee/USC thing.

[Bleacher Bums]

That would be amazing if Ambles decided to come here because I remember all the hype around him than like you said the whole Kiffin thing happened.

Now I am just hoping Pocic follows in his brother's footsteps and comes to Illinois

[BCB mwat15]

Ambles would be a great pickup. We have a lot of questions at WR. I wouldn't be surprised if Jon Davis is our leading receiver next season. I'm not saying that is a bad thing because I think he is going to be a beast. But, there are more questions at WRs than definite answers. Millines has to be able to stay on the field. Lankford has to translate practice to the games. Harris is solid, but unspectacular at best IMO. After that we are relying on freshman like Knight, who have big upside but no experience in the B10.