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OT: Illinois Success Facilitated by a Wonderful Football Fieldhouse

We are violating our agreement. But I destroyed his narrative above. Rutgers has actually out recruited Illinois the past 4 years. Their two star players chose Illinois for the coaches and the trajectory of the program. Rutgers did not have a trajectory when Altmyer committed. Maybe Rutgers will if they can beat MSU and win their bowl. Game day coaching matters, and players see this.
Yea I know but I got sucked in. Difficult to ignore the troll comment.

Logic ceases to exist in many of the aforementioned debates.
 
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Yea I know but I got sucked in. Difficult to ignore the troll comment.

Logic ceases to exist in many of the aforementioned debates.
He is the ultimate whack a mole. He will come up for more whacks, no matter how many times you beat him down.
On the post game radio show, JPO was fuming. Don't know if his comments will get back, but he put the timeout aside and was not happy about the coaching on defense.
 
Hey al, Rutgers has superior talent over the last 4 recruiting classes. The problem with most of your posts is that the facts belie your incorrect opinions or false narratives. Here are the average recruit rankings from Rivals for the last 4 classes under Schiano. We need not look at the classes prior to 2021, because those classes were under disAshter.


2021: Rutgers 2.95 (three 4 stars) Illinois 2.75 (Zero 4 stars)
2022: Rutgers 2.95 (six 4 stars) Illinois 2.85 (Zero 4 stars)
2023: Rutgers 2.84 (zero 4 stars) Illinois 2.65 (three 4 stars)
2024: Rutgers 2.81 (three 4 stars) Illinois 2.95 (four 4 stars)

In ever single year but last year, our average recruiting rankings were better than Illinois, and that is largely because Rutgers had a large class and 2 kickers with 0 stars.

What is more comical, is none of those six 4 star players from 2022 or 2021 had a role in the game yesterday. From 2024, Raymond, Sanders and Duff had roles. Guess who had bigger roles? 2 star Ian Strong, 3 star Athan Kaliakmanis, 3 star Kyle Monangai, and 0 star Dymere Miller.

For Illinois, the star were 3 star Pat Bryant and Luke Altmyer.

You know why Bryant chose Illinois? The coaches.

When coming down to my last two schools, I was looking for somewhere that has a great football program, a great wide receivers coach and a head coach with college experience but also ties to the National Football League,” Bryant told Illini Now/Sports Illustrated.
“I created a great relationship with Coach Stoker back going back to the summer of my 10th grade year at the Kennesaw State mega football camp and we’ve had a great connection ever since,” Bryant said
.

Luke Altmyer chose Illinois for the coaches too:
After two seasons at Ole Miss, Altmyer decided to transfer to the University of Illinois to pursue a new opportunity. His decision to join the Illini was influenced by the program's trajectory, the coaching staff, and the allure of competing in the Big Ten conference.


Little things matter:
1. The Coaches
2. Great Wide Receivers Coach
3. Program's Trajectory (Bielema was 8-5/5-4 in season 2, Greg was 5-8/27)

#FactsDestroyFalseNarratives


Nowhere was the fieldhouse mentioned. It was the coaching staff, and the trajectory.


The results on the field show our classes were overrated. Rankings are for entertainment, not really a true indication of potential.
 
A Fieldhouse boosts recruiting, just as hale center expansion helped us land Rice, Greene, and both McCourty’s. That was 20 years ago.
A new head coach boosts recruiting unlike the ones we have walking out the door because they know Greg is awful
 
He is the ultimate whack a mole. He will come up for more whacks, no matter how many times you beat him down.
On the post game radio show, JPO was fuming. Don't know if his comments will get back, but he put the timeout aside and was not happy about the coaching on defense.
JPOs issue was, Bryant was the only player who hurt us all game. How could he not be covered on the most important play of the game?

Rogers was hurt, true freshman #24 replaced him and misplayed the ball. It happens. We’ll be better for it.
 
JPOs issue was, Bryant was the only player who hurt us all game. How could he not be covered on the most important play of the game?

Rogers was hurt, true freshman #24 replaced him and misplayed the ball. It happens. We’ll be better for it.
Respectfully, fans like you enable mediocrity. Excuse after lame excuse. Piss poor coaching yesterday was responsible for the loss. Illinois has superior coaching. Case closed.
 
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Respectfully, fans like you enable mediocrity. Excuse after lame excuse. Piss poor coaching yesterday was responsible for the loss. Illinois has superior coaching. Case closed.
Mediocre support yields mediocre recruiting results which yields mediocre results on the field.

Despite this, the fanbase feels entitled to beat a ranked opponent, whereas five years ago, we didn’t have prayer. Progress.
 
Mediocre support yields mediocre recruiting results which yields mediocre results on the field.

Despite this, the fanbase feels entitled to beat a ranked opponent, whereas five years ago, we didn’t have prayer. Progress.
No, al. It is Greg's coaching and recruiting, superior to Ash's, that are responsible for the turnaround. But the game day coaching still lags the competition. We saw this against UCLA, Wisconsin and Illinois.
 
Great idea! Let’s Crucify him while we’re at it!

Yes, Greg made a mistake. So what. He’s a football coach, not God. Coaching mistakes are part of the game, and he acknowledged the mistake:

“Certainly, retrospectively, I wish hadn’t, right?” Schiano said when asked to explain the decision. “But (I’ve) been doing this a lot of years. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t.”

Illinois superior talent, which was facilitated by their Fieldhouse, won out. Pat Bryant and his 197 receiving yards won this game especially on the fateful play. They executed and won the game in a pressure situation. We had four guys in the vicinity and he eluded all of them.
Baghdad Bob you are.
 
No, al. It is Greg's coaching and recruiting, superior to Ash's, that are responsible for the turnaround. But the game day coaching still lags the competition. We saw this against UCLA, Wisconsin and Illinois.

It’s the alignees not the alignment that matters most.

Injuries and lack of talent are why we lost to UCLA , Illinois and Wisconsin. We are much better at covering the crossing routes that UCLA beat us with as well as those flares out of the backfield.
#28 has improved significantly.

With regards to Illinois, we had no one who could cover #13. That is a talent issue. No amount of coaching would help our DBs cover #13, who ended up with 197 receiving yards.

Against Wisconsin, we had primarily a talent issue.
- Lewis was out
- Bailey was out
- Powell was out
- Longerbeam was out
- Strong and Rogers were questionable,
 
Hey al, Rutgers has superior talent over the last 4 recruiting classes. The problem with most of your posts is that the facts belie your incorrect opinions or false narratives. Here are the average recruit rankings from Rivals for the last 4 classes under Schiano. We need not look at the classes prior to 2021, because those classes were under disAshter.


2021: Rutgers 2.95 (three 4 stars) Illinois 2.75 (Zero 4 stars)
2022: Rutgers 2.95 (six 4 stars) Illinois 2.85 (Zero 4 stars)
2023: Rutgers 2.84 (zero 4 stars) Illinois 2.65 (three 4 stars)
2024: Rutgers 2.81 (three 4 stars) Illinois 2.95 (four 4 stars)

In ever single year but last year, our average recruiting rankings were better than Illinois, and that is largely because Rutgers had a large class and 2 kickers with 0 stars.

What is more comical, is none of those six 4 star players from 2022 or 2021 had a role in the game yesterday. From 2024, Raymond, Sanders and Duff had roles. Guess who had bigger roles? 2 star Ian Strong, 3 star Athan Kaliakmanis, 3 star Kyle Monangai, and 0 star Dymere Miller.

For Illinois, the star were 3 star Pat Bryant and Luke Altmyer.

You know why Bryant chose Illinois? The coaches.

When coming down to my last two schools, I was looking for somewhere that has a great football program, a great wide receivers coach and a head coach with college experience but also ties to the National Football League,” Bryant told Illini Now/Sports Illustrated.
“I created a great relationship with Coach Stoker back going back to the summer of my 10th grade year at the Kennesaw State mega football camp and we’ve had a great connection ever since,” Bryant said
.

Luke Altmyer chose Illinois for the coaches too:
After two seasons at Ole Miss, Altmyer decided to transfer to the University of Illinois to pursue a new opportunity. His decision to join the Illini was influenced by the program's trajectory, the coaching staff, and the allure of competing in the Big Ten conference.


Little things matter:
1. The Coaches
2. Great Wide Receivers Coach
3. Program's Trajectory (Bielema was 8-5/5-4 in season 2, Greg was 5-8/27)

#FactsDestroyFalseNarratives


Nowhere was the fieldhouse mentioned. It was the coaching staff, and the trajectory.


Preach, brother.
 
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Great idea! Let’s Crucify him while we’re at it!

Yes, Greg made a mistake. So what. He’s a football coach, not God. Coaching mistakes are part of the game, and he acknowledged the mistake:

“Certainly, retrospectively, I wish hadn’t, right?” Schiano said when asked to explain the decision. “But (I’ve) been doing this a lot of years. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t.”

Illinois superior talent, which was facilitated by their Fieldhouse, won out. Pat Bryant and his 197 receiving yards won this game especially on the fateful play. They executed and won the game in a pressure situation. We had four guys in the vicinity and he eluded all of them.
Al, genuine question.

Are you a bigger fan of Rutgers or of Greg? Be honest
 
Sorry, but you are misinformed.

Rutgers commissioned a study which says otherwise, after joining the big ten. It basically said our facilities are not on par with our Big Ten peers. I’ve been to my share of facilities and I don’t know how it’s possible to state that facilities are not a competitive advantage for our peers, but you’re entitled to your opinion. The study was the impetus to build the all purpose facility on Livingston and why they commissioned AECOM to come up with a Football Fieldhouse design. The design is complete, now we just need funds for construction.

Schiano had a football facility put into his contract. Now He says it would be built if someone stroked a check, but it’s not as big a priority as NIL.
That was before NIL which has changed the landscape completely.
 
The results on the field show our classes were overrated. Rankings are for entertainment, not really a true indication of potential.
You didn't think these classes were overrated. You thought this was the best RU team ever, I believe. Ultimately, potential has to turn into production for high level success. That takes real coaching.
 
That was before NIL which has changed the landscape completely.
the landscape hasn’t really changed for us, because we haven’t been serious NIL players and will not likely be serious NIL players due to lack of support. So we’ll mostly focus on high school recruiting and use the transfer portal to fill holes. Kids might get modest amounts of NIL, but nothing like what Ohio State players are getting.

Facilities are still important, which is why Miami and USC, big NIL players, are building the best facilities money can buy. Syracuse just completed their facility which is pretty nice.

Our value proposition is very weak compared to our competitors because our facilities are not competitive and we are not competitive with NIL.

This makes it tougher to recruit.
 
You didn't think these classes were overrated. You thought this was the best RU team ever, I believe. Ultimately, potential has to turn into production for high level success. That takes real coaching.
Our troubles this season are 99% related to talent, beginning with Toures injury and then extending to Felter. Lewis has been playing hurt and Bailey’s loss was huge. Then Powell got hurt, and the defense was a shell of its former self.

We essentially had to rebuild a good portion of the team on the fly. #63, # 76, #82, #28, #96, #55, #2, and #14 played more then they ever have due to injury, and struggled at times as they acclimated to this level of play. It’s a minor miracle that we attained bowl eligibility.
 
Today, Illinois was the better team, as their players outplayed ours. Their recruiting and success is facilitated by a wonderful football Fieldhouse, which was completed in 2019. Have a look for yourself.


I'm sure you're right that the field house helps Illinois, but (a) that seems pretty tactless to raise immediately after a stinging loss due to a coaching decision that (to be kind) didn't work out and (b) in a world of limited resources, is a field house really a higher priority than donations that go to paying players (whether through collectives as at present or through the school itself as under the House settlement?
 
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I'm sure you're right that the field house helps Illinois, but (a) that seems pretty tactless to raise immediately after a stinging loss due to a coaching decision that (to be kind) didn't work out and (b) in a world of limited resources, is a field house really a higher priority than donations that go to paying players (whether through collectives as at present or through the school itself as under the House settlement?

I disagree that it is tactless, because the root cause of our inability to win is the lack of financial support which goes to the crux of our biggest issue. Fans want Championships but are unwilling to provide the necessary support.

If we had provided the proper amounts of support, it would not have mattered what coaching Decision Schiano made because we would have already blown Illinois off the field. our biggest issue today is the lack of quality depth as the replacements not only have to acclimate but they have to develop on the fly, which is no easy task. Had we had a Fieldhouse, we would have had higher caliber replacements ready to go, because we would have been able to recruit better players.

The people I’ve spoken with are philosophically opposed to paying players, so I don’t think we will raise significant amounts of NIL. We will continue to raise the modest amounts we are raising today, which is better than nothing.

Furthermore kids will get revenue sharing which will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $20M per school. The school will come up with a formula to allocate to players.

This is why I am focused on the Fieldhouse. All of our Big Ten Peers either have a state of the art fieldhouse or are in the process of building one. USC, despite being big players in NIL, is building the best Fieldhouse money can buy.

Our Fieldhouse design is ready to go as Rutgers gave AECOM a significant amount for the designs. All we need is to raise construction funds.

If people want to prattle on about Schiano’s mistake, that’s their prerogative. Schiano will make many more mistakes during the course of his career. The biggest issue I see is the insufficient support.

Nevertheless, we are making incremental progress despite our financial constraints. A 2nd straight bowl game despite adverse circumstances is progress. A Fieldhouse would accelerate our progress.
 
I disagree that it is tactless, because the root cause of our inability to win is the lack of financial support which goes to the crux of our biggest issue. Fans want Championships but are unwilling to provide the necessary support.

If we had provided the proper amounts of support, it would not have mattered what coaching Decision Schiano made because we would have already blown Illinois off the field. our biggest issue today is the lack of quality depth as the replacements not only have to acclimate but they have to develop on the fly, which is no easy task. Had we had a Fieldhouse, we would have had higher caliber replacements ready to go, because we would have been able to recruit better players.

The people I’ve spoken with are philosophically opposed to paying players, so I don’t think we will raise significant amounts of NIL. We will continue to raise the modest amounts we are raising today, which is better than nothing.

Furthermore kids will get revenue sharing which will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $20M per school. The school will come up with a formula to allocate to players.

This is why I am focused on the Fieldhouse. All of our Big Ten Peers either have a state of the art fieldhouse or are in the process of building one. USC, despite being big players in NIL, is building the best Fieldhouse money can buy.

Our Fieldhouse design is ready to go as Rutgers gave AECOM a significant amount for the designs. All we need is to raise construction funds.

If people want to prattle on about Schiano’s mistake, that’s their prerogative. Schiano will make many more mistakes during the course of his career. The biggest issue I see is the insufficient support.

Nevertheless, we are making incremental progress despite our financial constraints. A 2nd straight bowl game despite adverse circumstances is progress. A Fieldhouse would accelerate our progress.
I was trying to suggest that it is the timing of your comment -- right after a bad loss -- that was tactless, not so much the substance.

Paying players is now a fact of life. The House settlements means it will no longer be necessary to make a specific donation to a separate organization for this purpose. Instead pay for players will come out of general athletic revenues, including donations. That will change attitudes among donors.
 
It’s a shit hole. I know you rely on IG and YouTube to form these opinions but I’ve actually been to these places. Off the top of my head in the last 3 years I have toured
B1G
Rutgers
Michigan
Indiana
Maryland
Ohio State
NW
UCLA
Penn state

ACC
Miami
Pitt
SMU
Lville
Clemson
ND
Duke
BC
UNC

Big 12
Baylor
ASU

SEC
Florida
Texas
Georgia
Ole miss
Vandy

I’m won’t even include the mid majors.
can i ask how or why you have visited these?
 
I'm sure you're right that the field house helps Illinois, but (a) that seems pretty tactless to raise immediately after a stinging loss due to a coaching decision that (to be kind) didn't work out and (b) in a world of limited resources, is a field house really a higher priority than donations that go to paying players (whether through collectives as at present or through the school itself as under the House settlement?
Preach on, brother!!! Glad to see a voice of calm and reason posting again!
 
can i ask how or why you have visited these?
Mixed bag. I have two daughters who are D1 athletes. One a mid major player and the other a national level recruit. She’s one of the best players in the country so she gets red carpet wherever she visits. Also have a son who’s just starting recruitment process for football. Lastly, I’m friends with some pretty prominent NJ HS coaches so they make calls for me whenever I go to games
Seems silly but for some reason Olympic sports love showing off football facilities to their recruits. My daughter’s Texas visit was built around their football spring game. Her Florida visit included a college World Series game. ND despite beautiful weather held their whole camp in the football practice facility.
 
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I was trying to suggest that it is the timing of your comment -- right after a bad loss -- that was tactless, not so much the substance.

Paying players is now a fact of life. The House settlements means it will no longer be necessary to make a specific donation to a separate organization for this purpose. Instead pay for players will come out of general athletic revenues, including donations. That will change attitudes among donors.
Respectfully disagree that it will change attitudes materially. Maybe in some cases. We can’t get people to show up on time for games. Now they’re going to pay for players?

From what I’ve seen, Football success isn’t as important to Our fanbase as it is to our peers at Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, and even Illinois are. Just doesn’t have the same priority in our lives.
 
Respectfully disagree that it will change attitudes materially. Maybe in some cases. We can’t get people to show up on time for games. Now they’re going to pay for players?

From what I’ve seen, Football success isn’t as important to Our fanbase as it is to our peers at Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, and even Illinois are. Just doesn’t have the same priority in our lives.
When the House settlement goes into effect, fans won't have to explicitly pay for players as they do when they donate to collectives. All they have to do is donate to the Athletic Department as they do at present. The Athletic Department can then use a portion of donations to help pay the $22 million price tag of paying athletes.

To your second point: Success breeds success. The more our program is successful, the more willing fans will be to donate. Almost all of the schools you cite have long histories of winning, and people are attracted to winners. Losing games the way Saturday's was lost is a killer to fan support.
 
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When the House settlement goes into effect, fans won't have to explicitly pay for players as they do when they donate to collectives. All they have to do is donate to the Athletic Department as they do at present. The Athletic Department can then use a portion of donations to help pay the $22 million price tag of paying athletes.

To your second point: Success breeds success. The more our program is successful, the more willing fans will be to donate. Almost all of the schools you cite have long histories of winning, and people are attracted to winners. Losing games the way Saturday's was lost is a killer to fan support.
Agree on your second point. Does the house settlement encourage people to donate more? Not sure about that. I’d be inclined to say no.
 
Agree on your second point. Does the house settlement encourage people to donate more? Not sure about that. I’d be inclined to say no.
Isn't it very possible that the required donation for seasons' tickets and parking will go up to make up for the $22 million Rutgers can pay to players? Will people refuse and give up their tickets on the grounds that their donation will now be going in part to pay players? Who knows? Probably some will, feeling that paying players is antithetical to the traditional theory of college sports, but how many?
 
As pointed out previously, RU had/has higher composite recruiting rankings (24/7) than Illinois in 2020, 2021,2022,2024,2025 . Illinois rankings have been in the bottom third of the conf in most years. I take the recruiting rankings outside of the top 15 classes with a grain of salt, however the new Fieldhouse doesn’t seem to be helping that much.
 
As pointed out previously, RU had/has higher composite recruiting rankings (24/7) than Illinois in 2020, 2021,2022,2024,2025 . Illinois rankings have been in the bottom third of the conf in most years. I take the recruiting rankings outside of the top 15 classes with a grain of salt, however the new Fieldhouse doesn’t seem to be helping that much.
They are likely going to finish 9-3.
We are likely to finish 7-5.
Two of their losses are to Penn State and Oregon, Top 10 teams and teams we dont have on the schedule.

This is what matters most and the Fieldhouse accounts for part of the difference.
 
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Isn't it very possible that the required donation for seasons' tickets and parking will go up to make up for the $22 million Rutgers can pay to players? Will people refuse and give up their tickets on the grounds that their donation will now be going in part to pay players? Who knows? Probably some will, feeling that paying players is antithetical to the traditional theory of college sports, but how many?
No. $22M / 22K Season Tickets = $1000 per Season Ticket

Most, if not all will come from the TV Money, which should be in the neighborhood of $80M - $100M, probably trending towards the lower end of the range.
 
They are likely going to finish 9-3.
We are likely to finish 7-5.
Two of their losses are to Penn State and Oregon, Top 10 teams and teams we dont have on the schedule.

This is what matters most and the Fieldhouse accounts for part of the differences
You actually proved the opposite point. We have had better recruiting classes for 5 straight years, yet they have better record WITH a harder schedule. Fieldhouse helps with recruiting - it doesn't win games.

You just proved how poor a job Schiano has done.
 
You actually proved the opposite point. We have had better recruiting classes for 5 straight years, yet they have better record WITH a harder schedule. Fieldhouse helps with recruiting - it doesn't win games.

You just proved how poor a job Schiano has done.
Loop Trump GIF


#13 Pat Bryant was the best player on the Field Saturday, and his 3* ranking proves that his recruiting ranking was underrated, as he is more talented than anyone on our roster. Illinois’ talent as a whole was underrated as well.

Give Greg Schiano Pat Bryant, and we win.

Fieldhouses help attract talent which Coaches can develop to win games, just as Illinois’ Fieldhouse helped attract Pat Bryant.
 
Loop Trump GIF


#13 Pat Bryant was the best player on the Field Saturday, and his 3* ranking proves that his recruiting ranking was underrated, as he is more talented than anyone on our roster. Illinois’ talent as a whole was underrated as well.

Give Greg Schiano Pat Bryant, and we win.

Fieldhouses help attract talent which Coaches can develop to win games, just as Illinois’ Fieldhouse helped attract Pat Bryant.

Does this mean our #24 class ranking isn’t actually impressive?

Since apparently recruiting rankings are flawed?
Can’t wait to bring this up in a couple months when people are championing HC Schiano’s recruiting prowess and cite the class ranking.
 
They are likely going to finish 9-3.
We are likely to finish 7-5.
Two of their losses are to Penn State and Oregon, Top 10 teams and teams we dont have on the schedule.

This is what matters most and the Fieldhouse accounts for part of the difference.
They appear to be coaching and developing players at a higher level.
 
Loop Trump GIF


#13 Pat Bryant was the best player on the Field Saturday, and his 3* ranking proves that his recruiting ranking was underrated, as he is more talented than anyone on our roster. Illinois’ talent as a whole was underrated as well.

Give Greg Schiano Pat Bryant, and we win.

Fieldhouses help attract talent which Coaches can develop to win games, just as Illinois’ Fieldhouse helped attract Pat Bryant.
You're a silly goose. You're citing one player, despite a broader multi-player and multi-year trend, to try and defend a point. You lost the argument you've been fighting for. Hahahahaha
 
The key nj.com article is behind a paywall, but it appears that as of 2021 a field house would cost $150 million. Given inflation, my guess is that it would cost $200 million now. At least half would have to come from private sources. Schiano in his contract agreed to raise a lot of that.. Maybe the field house will become a greater priority now than the program will no longer have to ask donors to write a separate check to pay players. But is it the best way to spend $200 million? Maybe -- but maybe not.
 
The results on the field show our classes were overrated. Rankings are for entertainment, not really a true indication of potential.
It is funny how you say they are underrated when they commit and before the season; then when they leave they were overrated. Could it possibly be coaching?
 
It is funny how you say they are underrated when they commit and before the season; then when they leave they were overrated. Could it possibly be coaching?
This year, we suffered through a catastrophic amount of injuries, which hurt our ability to compete.
 
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