Little chance he comes here, right?*

Posted by gvibes on February 18, 2026, 12:56:03, in reply to "Lopati on the rise"

Previous Message Picking up lots of big time offers, too. ND, Michigan, Florida, etc. The No. 41-50 ranked players in the updated SC Next Jr. 300 for the class of 2027. Illinois commit Kamden Lopati is a major riser moving up 63 spots to be ranked top 50 in the nation. Full story: https://t.co/QxnlGGjuNd pic.twitter.com/oVA9P5XRFt — Billy Tucker (@TheUCReport) February 18, 2026 .

LOL, they WILL play in convenient Bridgeview. :-)

Posted by osklister on February 18, 2026, 12:59:24, in reply to "hey taz! Chicago State schedule!"

Leaves big shoes to fill at DeKalb. (Big sweatshirt, sweatpants, you name it.) *

Posted by osklister on February 18, 2026, 9:02:01, in reply to "coulda waited a few days and hired Thomas Hammock. hi timmer!*"

Student tickets are dirt cheap, the team is good, and you can drink in the stadium

Posted by RVA on February 18, 2026, 14:45:41, in reply to "TIL: frats and sororities don’t do football blocks at the games anymore"

Diglet's frat is out at Grange Grove every home game as are other houses*

Posted by OWWDig on February 18, 2026, 8:08:36, in reply to "TIL: frats and sororities don’t do football blocks at the games anymore"

Previous Message LAME Previous Message Tyrone Wheatley

Hasn't that been true for 10 or 15 years? *

Posted by larue33 on February 18, 2026, 7:44:41, in reply to "TIL: frats and sororities don’t do football blocks at the games anymore"

Previous Message LAME Previous Message Tyrone Wheatley

3-3-5 is the defense weve been running, personnel wise

Posted by illiniranger on February 18, 2026, 7:38:14, in reply to "been thinking about our defense"

3-3-5 evolved from 3-4. The pass rushing LB is usually called a “jack” and usually is in a 3 point stance. So it’s kind of semantics like how we called Jacas and OLB but he played like a DE. We mostly played our 3-3-5 as a “penny” front with a 5-1. The SAM Lb in a two point over the TE, the Jack opposite the TE in an 3 point, and one guy aligned at normal LB depth. My guess is we’ll be in a bunch of different looks. We’ll be in some 2-4-5, some 3-3-5, some 4-2-5, some 3-2-6, etc. We were a lot more diverse last year than we were in 22-24 when we were mostly in that penny look vs standard 11 personnel offense. Previous Message caveats: coaches hate being told what their system is, and even if you define it they'll tell you they do it different than other teams... but having watched Iowa State fairly closely the last few years, they ran a 3-3-5 under Campbell and it's the epitome of bend/don't break. I'm curious what our take is going to be but I assume we're going to give up a bunch of yards but hopefully find ourselves keeping the actual damages fairly modest. I don't think we're going to look like the Seattle Seahawks

ooo

Posted by AintHatin on February 17, 2026, 17:38:18, in reply to "been thinking about our defense"

Previous Message caveats: coaches hate being told what their system is, and even if you define it they'll tell you they do it different than other teams... but having watched Iowa State fairly closely the last few years, they ran a 3-3-5 under Campbell and it's the epitome of bend/don't break. I'm curious what our take is going to be but I assume we're going to give up a bunch of yards but hopefully find ourselves keeping the actual damages fairly modest. I don't think we're going to look like the Seattle Seahawks

Been thinking about our defense a LOT.... *

Posted by osklister on February 17, 2026, 15:17:15, in reply to "been thinking about our defense"

I think they’re going for the opposite of that

Posted by snipes824 on February 17, 2026, 13:54:33, in reply to "been thinking about our defense"

This year’s team was keep everything in front, give up yards not points. What they’re *saying* next year’s defense will be is more blitzing, more penetration, more aggressive. I think more big plays but also more negative plays (of which there were very few this year). Previous Message caveats: coaches hate being told what their system is, and even if you define it they'll tell you they do it different than other teams... but having watched Iowa State fairly closely the last few years, they ran a 3-3-5 under Campbell and it's the epitome of bend/don't break. I'm curious what our take is going to be but I assume we're going to give up a bunch of yards but hopefully find ourselves keeping the actual damages fairly modest. I don't think we're going to look like the Seattle Seahawks

Both Bret and Hauck have said they want to be really aggressive

Posted by CanHartlebHireSnider on February 17, 2026, 13:53:56, in reply to "been thinking about our defense"

Out on a limb there with the last sentence*

Posted by ISeeDeadHawkeyes on February 17, 2026, 13:52:38, in reply to "been thinking about our defense"

Previous Message caveats: coaches hate being told what their system is, and even if you define it they'll tell you they do it different than other teams... but having watched Iowa State fairly closely the last few years, they ran a 3-3-5 under Campbell and it's the epitome of bend/don't break. I'm curious what our take is going to be but I assume we're going to give up a bunch of yards but hopefully find ourselves keeping the actual damages fairly modest. I don't think we're going to look like the Seattle Seahawks

Typical Michigan man. Will be watching closely.*

Posted by Warrin'_Illini on February 17, 2026, 13:07:02, in reply to "FWIW Some not so great things on twitter about him as a HC"

Previous Message Lazy, skipped practices, ghosted the end of year team banquet, players hated him, etc. Previous Message Tyrone Wheatley You cannot lose games in the NFL and still win.

his record certainly reflects that*

Posted by assassin on February 17, 2026, 12:54:50, in reply to "FWIW Some not so great things on twitter about him as a HC"

Previous Message Lazy, skipped practices, ghosted the end of year team banquet, players hated him, etc. Previous Message Tyrone Wheatley Brandon Schrock of Laredo, Texas, told the federal government that his employer was “poop,” and his occupation was “pooper.”

Likely didn't want to put him in position to admit to critical fumbles in the 2000 game*

Posted by UofIL6 on February 16, 2026, 14:33:11, in reply to "Anthony Thomas wasn't available?*"

Previous Message Previous Message Tyrone Wheatley

would think he can recruit better than Thad Ward

Posted by Poldark on February 16, 2026, 14:44:39, in reply to "home run hire?*"

his record as a head coach woeful Beat USC Previous Message Previous Message Tyrone Wheatley Social Misfit who wants to coach Illinois women's basketball. "Props to Bruce Rauner." "The whole SFC experience sucks."

...or grandparents*

Posted by assassin on February 16, 2026, 14:03:30, in reply to "Pretty big name… to recruits’ parents anyway *"

Previous Message Previous Message Tyrone Wheatley Brandon Schrock of Laredo, Texas, told the federal government that his employer was “poop,” and his occupation was “pooper.”