Andy Staples ranks Bielema the #13 coach in college football Archived Message Posted by biclops on February 6, 2025, 19:17:58, in reply to "BIG NEWS ON THE FOOTBALL BOARD" 13. Bret Bielema, Illinois I wondered before last season how Bielema would adjust to the end of the Big Ten West. Would a style built to compete in a meh division translate to a league no longer divided? It worked just fine, and now Bielema brings back most of his best players from last year. The build took longer at Illinois because Bielema didn’t get a clean handoff like he did from Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin, but the Illini look capable of being very similar to Bielema’s Wisconsin teams. The question is whether they can have that kind of success in a much more competitive Big Ten. https://www.on3.com/news/the-real-top-25-college-football-coaches-in-2025/ Other B1G: Day 2, Lanning 6, Franklin 7, Cignetti 12, Moore 17, Riley 18, Ferentz 23, Message Thread: | This response ↓ BIG NEWS ON THE FOOTBALL BOARD - jdl February 1, 2025, 17:19:09 TeRah Edwards announced for the draft yesterday - Blazer February 26, 2025, 13:03:33 Weird time of year to declare, isn't it? - osklister February 26, 2025, 13:20:35 Yes, a bit* - UofIL6 February 26, 2025, 13:56:40 His number with his size always threw me. He's not a #23* - ibdoc February 26, 2025, 13:14:31 They all do that - jdl February 26, 2025, 13:11:38 Frosh in 2020 and RS in 2021 so I think he should have another year w/ the COVID exemption?*? - ECEIllinois February 26, 2025, 13:06:12 he played 5 games in 2021, so unless he was eligible for a Medical Redshirt he would have been done. - ijustkrushalot February 26, 2025, 13:22:10 ok yeah my mistake. misread "redshirt freshman" as he redshirted that year. He's done* - ECEIllinois February 26, 2025, 13:54:58 I don't think we were expecting him back either way, but I didn't realize it was a possibility* - Blazer February 26, 2025, 13:08:53 SP+ 2025 returning production rankings - UIHuskie February 24, 2025, 10:27:26 B1G Football Media Days announced - ATL February 21, 2025, 12:22:44 Interesting Spoon interview - nash February 20, 2025, 16:21:26 Gruden AND Barstool.* - ISeeDeadHawkeyes February 20, 2025, 16:24:38 Fabrizio Pinton in portal - Poldark February 18, 2025, 15:41:24 Will he stay in this time? * - jdl February 18, 2025, 15:42:09 Bielemas been posting some Christian stuff recently - biclops February 17, 2025, 9:39:43 *chin scratchy guy*… - biclops February 21, 2025, 21:59:17 Prayed for Ozempic. No change* - Herman Blume February 17, 2025, 10:41:58 Not so fast... He's looking good these days. I think he's on it * - Phytynlini February 17, 2025, 19:00:50 He’s gonna have to get his wedding ring resized soon - biclops February 17, 2025, 19:30:07 Whatever it takes* - illini21 February 17, 2025, 9:58:30 Preach* - longsnapper February 17, 2025, 10:06:20 mfer is gonna be posting about the guiding light of islam to get a defensive end. * - ijustkrushalot February 17, 2025, 9:53:10 I’m mostly surprised he uses Pandora.* - DocWalk20 February 17, 2025, 9:47:45 Both Blue Chips and The Program captured this perfectly. If you're recruiting a Scientologist, well - Warrin'_Illini February 17, 2025, 9:46:43 With Lane going after the Buddhist recruits, I'm feeling like this was the better marketing decision - ATL February 17, 2025, 9:43:52 He just lost Jeff* - bjl63 February 17, 2025, 9:40:43 We made 4 star 2026 TE Mack Sutter from Dunlap’s Top 5 - NastyBoyd February 16, 2025, 15:46:38 next year's toughest opponent - Poldark February 14, 2025, 18:13:40 Call me crazy but I’m gonna go with Ohio State* - OB25 February 14, 2025, 18:21:19 but we have to play ourselves every day. that's a tall order* - assassin February 14, 2025, 18:22:02 Rece Davis would agree. - tvillini February 18, 2025, 6:03:12 roster at 111 need to get to 105* - Poldark February 14, 2025, 17:27:10 ESPN ranks James Thompson Jr. as the top transfer for Illinois (who is ranked 13th) - OrangeSox February 14, 2025, 16:58:22 Bielema on BTN now* - biclops February 14, 2025, 16:19:47 Coach B presser from today - ATL February 14, 2025, 14:39:52 who is the big impact player visiting in April?* - biclops February 14, 2025, 17:16:15 I would assume it’s Nasir Rankin?* - OB25 February 14, 2025, 17:40:40 that tracks * - biclops February 14, 2025, 17:59:14 15-16 players won't scrimmage due to their level of trustworthiness/experience* - ATL February 14, 2025, 14:45:33 LockedOn B1G has Altmeyer as one of the most underrated QBs in the conference - ATL February 14, 2025, 14:35:31 This is a few weeks old so maybe was discussed, but what in the blue hell is this “article”? - OB25 February 14, 2025, 14:23:54 You have to stop associating them with the old magazine - RVA February 14, 2025, 18:04:54 You can see the author's credentials at the bottom of the article - LWillhite February 14, 2025, 17:22:25 And they still don't get that it wasn't about "substitution" - illinijohn February 14, 2025, 14:40:23 I wonder if Roddy Jones and Quint Kessenich have figured it out yet* - bjl63 February 14, 2025, 16:21:28 They were also big burly fans, and referred to him as sir* - ISeeDeadHawkeyes February 14, 2025, 14:36:09 scoreboard - ATL February 14, 2025, 14:30:43 247 team recruiting rankings - jdl February 13, 2025, 21:15:13 Sixth in the country, fourth in the B1G. :-O - osklister February 14, 2025, 7:39:04 look out, we’re coming for you, - biclops February 13, 2025, 21:20:31 A lot of it, including for us, is quantity-driven at this early stage* - OB25 February 13, 2025, 22:06:17 oh wow, I had no idea thank you. - biclops February 14, 2025, 7:24:05 If you go by average rating, we're 27th. - tvillini February 14, 2025, 7:30:07 I’ll still take that. * - uofi1998 February 14, 2025, 8:54:24 you and OB should start a podcast * - biclops February 14, 2025, 7:35:09 I’m confused, I thought you were wondering why Kansas was so high so I answered* - OB25 February 14, 2025, 9:10:41 I find it humorous that perennial football powerhouses KS & IL are at the top of the recruiting - biclops February 14, 2025, 9:29:41 The font wasn't green for sarcasm from 'clops on his initial volley. That's how we got here. - tvillini February 14, 2025, 9:29:02 thank you* - biclops February 14, 2025, 9:30:08 we're in the top 5 for Trae Taylor, '27 QB - ECEIllinois February 13, 2025, 14:55:30 Rated a top 20 overall recruit by one of the sites recently* - UofIL6 February 13, 2025, 15:11:09 Hooray, but wake me in 18 months - bjl63 February 13, 2025, 14:58:34 Our grizzle is thick* - uofi1998 February 13, 2025, 15:04:20 Nah, it's not grizzle - bjl63 February 13, 2025, 15:09:37 #notMattGaetz* - VIV February 13, 2025, 15:11:32 His uncle is Winston Taylor so hopefully that helps* - CanHartlebHireSnider February 13, 2025, 14:59:44 his great grandmother was Elizabeth Taylor * - bbonb February 14, 2025, 7:53:05 His aunt is Taylor Swift.* - Illiniphil February 14, 2025, 8:25:46 His tailor is Martin Greenfield* - LWillhite February 14, 2025, 8:53:13 So, when we officially migrate to a 'football school', how does this work? - UofIL6 February 7, 2025, 15:40:38 my One of the Seventeen shirt will now refer to my basketball fandom* - ECEIllinois February 7, 2025, 16:09:09 This stuff is always so weird to me* - Ron McDon February 7, 2025, 15:55:58 What is?* - illini21 February 7, 2025, 18:32:47 This stuff - IlliniSax05 February 7, 2025, 19:29:36 That stuff?* - DocWalk20 February 7, 2025, 20:05:34 No, the other stuff.* - Illiniphil February 7, 2025, 21:45:54 Double stuff? * - illinijohn February 7, 2025, 21:49:10 It’s crazy. Still very, very early but man, what a ride - Cunativeson February 7, 2025, 15:47:15 Gabe Jacas 2nd team Preseason All American for ESPN - JacobRDaugherty February 7, 2025, 13:53:54 Can you imagine having a first team AA 3 out of 4 years?* - uofi1998 February 7, 2025, 13:55:22 I could see both X.Scott and Jacas getting 1st team next year.* - JacobRDaugherty February 7, 2025, 14:13:03 Bret signal - UIHuskie February 7, 2025, 12:49:34 Ninth commit already. And to think they've had seasons not too long ago - OrangeSox February 7, 2025, 13:27:11 Class now ranked 8th on 247 - jdl February 7, 2025, 15:54:06 I suppose it's too much to hope it's Rankin...?* - uofi1998 February 7, 2025, 12:50:25 Based on the asst coach tweet, sounds like it's a Texan* - UofIL6 February 7, 2025, 12:51:58 Yeah... this one? - uofi1998 February 7, 2025, 13:03:15 Yep* - UofIL6 February 7, 2025, 13:05:13 if it's a Texan, that suggests this kid - assassin February 7, 2025, 13:04:06 Confirmed* - UofIL6 February 7, 2025, 15:36:44 Committed to U of Illinoize * - jdl February 7, 2025, 15:48:52 Yee Haw* - assassin February 7, 2025, 15:37:55 high 3 star in TX not good enough to garner any SEC offers?* - ECEIllinois February 7, 2025, 13:15:41 that is a bit odd* - uofi1998 February 7, 2025, 13:17:03 Top 400. Sign me the fuck up.* - uofi1998 February 7, 2025, 13:08:45 Looks like 247 has my HS teamate's son top 400 now and rivals has as a 4 star.... - LeatherneckIllini February 7, 2025, 15:32:01 Who is he?* - JacobRDaugherty February 7, 2025, 16:34:18 dawts... - LeatherneckIllini February 7, 2025, 16:39:31 Would've been the class's top recruit in most of the past 20 years. Now, it's like... - UofIL6 February 7, 2025, 13:20:12 Imagine this: Having a really good coach, combined with $, means we *can* compete at a high level* - uofi1998 February 7, 2025, 13:22:04 Andy Staples ranks Bielema the #13 coach in college football - biclops February 6, 2025, 19:17:58 Ferentz and Bret too low. Cigs and Moore too high* - JacobRDaugherty February 6, 2025, 19:19:47 Well Bielema is #1 here - biclops February 6, 2025, 19:46:22 2026 recruiting class now up to 4th in the Big Ten on 247, no big deal - OrangeSox February 6, 2025, 10:29:59 Rutgers seems to be recruiting well* - ECEIllinois February 6, 2025, 13:02:06 Don’t let any of them get near the SFC on game days!!!* - bbonb February 6, 2025, 12:29:08 Just for fun: behind Oregon, USC and Penn State. * - osklister February 6, 2025, 11:59:27 It says we have two 4-star commits. Who is the other? - illinilosch February 6, 2025, 11:49:07 Singleton* - ISeeDeadHawkeyes February 6, 2025, 11:51:24 I didn't realize he's the #1 player in the 2026 class in the state of Ohio. - EffinIllini February 6, 2025, 14:29:05 if you click on the stars number in the table, the page it goes to actually says - assassin February 6, 2025, 11:54:26 It's because one page is showing composite 247 and one is showing 247 own rankings - CanHartlebHireSnider February 6, 2025, 11:55:29 Gotcha. - illinilosch February 6, 2025, 12:07:52 I'm going to assume we land somewhere in the 5-7 range, mostly on volume - ijustkrushalot February 6, 2025, 11:16:35 And we still have 2 guys unranked * - JacobRDaugherty February 6, 2025, 11:05:00 And seemingly in really good shape for a few more blue-chippers. Shaping up to be best class - UofIL6 February 6, 2025, 10:31:33 Cam Thomas announcing this morning * - AintHatin February 6, 2025, 7:07:10 Confirmed. Yawn...just another 4* from the state of OH - UofIL6 February 6, 2025, 10:21:29 Expected to be us?* - ISeeDeadHawkeyes February 6, 2025, 7:08:32 Yes * - jdl February 6, 2025, 7:09:07 Committed! - ECEIllinois February 6, 2025, 10:21:42 Scheelhaase had a look for the Jags OC job? Wild. - gvibes February 5, 2025, 20:04:15 seems like the talk is he turned them down instead of the other way around?* - ECEIllinois February 6, 2025, 11:08:07 Today was national signing day… uhhh… any word? Thx * - illini thunder February 5, 2025, 17:14:45 Ranked 45th by 24/7 I see * - illini thunder February 5, 2025, 17:24:27 Okay * - ATL February 5, 2025, 17:33:26 it's the secondary signing day for football. it's not a thing anymore* - assassin February 5, 2025, 17:20:37 I assume we signed the one linebacker mentioned a couple days ago. Almost everybody signs - larue33 February 5, 2025, 17:18:31 We signed Jack Paris* - CanHartlebHireSnider February 5, 2025, 17:16:50 My son’s 4th-7th travel basketball team had 3 future D1 baseball players and a D1 football player* - GMAW February 5, 2025, 17:34:13 Pretty hard to tell at that age, though, no?* - longsnapper February 5, 2025, 17:43:22 It was not hard to tell that their team was crazy athletic relative to other teams - GMAW February 6, 2025, 7:29:48 I was Sean Bubin's baseball coach when he was 13. - opey8 February 5, 2025, 20:39:41 Or has it already happened?* - longsnapper February 5, 2025, 17:43:59 Remember that African village? - uofi1998 February 5, 2025, 9:55:33 From a longer-term view, I wonder if having the Indianas and Illinois of the world - AintHatin February 5, 2025, 10:29:24 .....Not if TV has their way* - KCWildcat February 5, 2025, 11:13:41 SEC!! SEC!! (B1G used to have the most TV sets... wonder if that's still true.) * - osklister February 5, 2025, 11:25:34 I keep mentioning this but the short term goal of the TV Networks is a 14 team playoff - JacobRDaugherty February 5, 2025, 11:02:05 Certainly will be as it expands ultimately to 16+* - bjl63 February 5, 2025, 10:30:30 I mean they still have James Franklin but PSU is as high as #1 - bjl63 February 5, 2025, 10:20:27 Some really belief from these guys. * - ATL February 5, 2025, 10:13:42 OLB coach Clint Sintim leaves for Colorado State - Poldark February 5, 2025, 7:32:52 Dr Chim Richalds?* - SurfTheBoneyard February 5, 2025, 11:31:22 I follow the program pretty closely and I had no idea who this was* - illini21 February 5, 2025, 7:56:23 Seems likely we pushed him out the door here, no? - jayd February 5, 2025, 7:52:26 Hey, when Colorado St. calls in February and wants you to help rebuild/reload that juggernaut... * - osklister February 5, 2025, 8:28:42 Yeah bielema never mentioned him all year - snipes824 February 5, 2025, 7:59:59 For sure* - illini21 February 5, 2025, 7:55:48 My call is OLB gets subsumed by McDaniel and Jamison and they hire Sitkowski full time* - snipes824 February 5, 2025, 7:49:43 Duties could be split between Jamison and McDaniel* - jayd February 5, 2025, 8:12:57 That would work. Recruits seem to gravitate to Art. Making an impression even in a lesser role* - UofIL6 February 5, 2025, 8:04:45 I worry about his spatial awareness if he is from Toledo but thinks Champaign is “home”* - bbonb February 3, 2025, 16:32:55 Have you ever been to Toledo? Everyone tries to get out ASAP* - HamptonSki February 5, 2025, 7:50:36 Gonna be spending someone's hard-earned pay. * - osklister February 3, 2025, 17:12:27 I would sacrifice an African village for this to come true... - uofi1998 February 3, 2025, 13:06:49 Not the important part of the post, but the Texas/Arch Manning thing is interesting - OB25 February 3, 2025, 13:50:44 Road trip to Athens!* - bjl63 February 3, 2025, 13:46:40 So said Scipio after the Punic Wars* - RVA February 3, 2025, 13:49:15 Think we're about to accomplish the sacrificing of African villages so...* - ECEIllinois February 3, 2025, 13:38:22 Spackler's angry wave makes the cut as well. I'm so excited for next season, let's - Warrin'_Illini February 3, 2025, 13:11:01 Imagine if you will... UGA as the 10, and South Carolina as the 9, coming to Champaign. - uofi1998 February 3, 2025, 13:13:22 So hott* - UofIL6 February 3, 2025, 13:08:26 one final 2025 Pickup, LB from Fenwick - assassin February 3, 2025, 12:03:27 My son played basketball with him for years - GMAW February 5, 2025, 8:06:45 I wouldn't want to fight in Trump's air force either* - ATL February 3, 2025, 12:54:45 BEAT WESTERN ILLINOIS * - Poldark February 2, 2025, 16:54:08 I still can’t believe this happened* - illini21 February 2, 2025, 16:28:22 Not me, I’m already mad there aren’t more piggyback commits - assassin February 2, 2025, 16:30:40 We took a near 5 star kid from Ohio away from Ohio State. - Illiniphil February 1, 2025, 21:01:30 Michigan 247 is big time mad about it and I love it* - Cunativeson February 1, 2025, 22:41:17 Their consensus seemed to be that this won’t stick* - OB25 February 3, 2025, 12:10:00 NWTFITWTF* - meanjeans February 1, 2025, 21:52:40 My brain doesn’t know what to do with this one* - OB25 February 1, 2025, 20:40:41 AWESOME! * - illinijohn February 1, 2025, 18:34:38 That is nothing short of incredible. From freaking Toledo. - uofi1998 February 1, 2025, 18:22:31 Even I'm feeling slightly less cynical * - ISeeDeadHawkeyes February 1, 2025, 19:44:36 Whoa.* - uofi1998 February 3, 2025, 13:13:46 Hiring a DB coach from Toledo paying off* - CanHartlebHireSnider February 1, 2025, 18:24:32 Putting 4 DBs in the NFL didn’t hurt either* - Blazer February 1, 2025, 18:54:18 Not just 4 in the NFL but multiple pro bowl caliber players in the league.* - ATL February 1, 2025, 19:09:54 Nate Hobbs is 5 in recent years* - JacobRDaugherty February 1, 2025, 20:00:27 Certainly helps. I imagine Quinyon Mitchell helps as well - CanHartlebHireSnider February 1, 2025, 19:14:20 Ain’t that the truth * - uofi1998 February 1, 2025, 18:33:33 Hot damn. Keep it rollin’ Bert.* - DocWalk20 February 1, 2025, 17:55:44 Our '26 class is now 17th in the country * - jdl February 1, 2025, 17:40:48 Higher. #1, in fact.* - Toonces February 1, 2025, 19:07:19 Awesome! * - Jersey February 1, 2025, 17:32:00 It’s ca. 2006 all over again - Blazer February 1, 2025, 17:30:39 I think for me the thing is that we got this kid on results, not promised. - tvillini February 1, 2025, 21:54:23 Whoa* - John Coctostan February 1, 2025, 17:26:29 Unbelievable. Now just need to hold onto him for 10+ months* - UofIL6 February 1, 2025, 17:25:10 need to hope tOSU lands their top CB targets* - ECEIllinois February 1, 2025, 17:58:42 This was my first thought * - OWWDig February 1, 2025, 17:27:36 Oh shit. Bert got it crackin* - AintHatin February 1, 2025, 17:24:41 Landing a top 50 kid from Ohio seems like a big deal - CanHartlebHireSnider February 1, 2025, 17:23:16 jeepers* - assassin February 1, 2025, 17:23:05 we're really rolling now* - snipes824 February 1, 2025, 17:20:33 Wow. That's a hugeeee get* - OrangeSox February 1, 2025, 17:19:49   Searching