I just got home from the Spring Game, one of my favorite days of the year, and all I can think about is a 4-star quarterback picking Northwestern. Northwestern.

As you know, if you’ve ever read any words in this space, I care way too much about recruiting. Mostly because it’s everything in college sports. The reason Kentucky and Kansas and Ohio State and Louisville went to the Final Four was 17% coaching and 83% recruiting. The reason Alabama played LSU in the title game in January was 8% coaching and 92% recruiting. If you want a chance at title games, you have to land top-end talent. It’s really very simple.

This, of course, is not to say that you can’t win games without recruiting. Boise State hasn’t exactly landed world-beating recruiting classes the last 10 years, nor has TCU or even Wisconsin. If you build a system and recruit to that system, you don’t need Alabama-like talent to win. You simply need to land the targets necessary to keep your system going strong.

But in the end, it’s about getting those players. The reason Indiana has only been to two bowls the last 20 years is because they’ve recruited the least-talented players in the Big Ten. Northwestern hasn’t won a bowl game since the 1940′s not because of a long string of poor coaches – they simply haven’t been able to recruit top-flight players. In football or basketball, where they’ve never made the tourney.

So to see them land one of the best recruits in Northwestern history today is to see me depressed. If we had a few 4-stars already verballed at this point, I’m probably not writing this. But we don’t. Not really even close. Top-flight Illinois kids just don’t seem to feel any connection to our football program. And their disinterest holds me hostage. We need them to win games. My dreams can’t come true without them. But they’re not choosing to come to Champaign. And one of them just chose Evanston. And that’s just depressing.

What a difference a Bailey makes.

18 days later, and I’m jacked – Bill Self at his introductory press conference jacked – about football recruiting. We got our four-star quarterback, and then only days later, we filled two big holes on the defensive line. This class went from “top-flight Illinois kids just don’t seem to feel any connection to our football program” to “so, will this be the best class since 2009? 2008?” I’m jacked. A quick breakdown.

Aaron Bailey

I know, I’ve already talked about him in two different posts, but IT’S MY BLOG AND I’LL FLY IF I WANT TO. He’s the top verbal in the 3+ year history of this blog. In Football or Basketball. Not since Justin Green switched from Ohio State to Illinois a few days before signing day in 2009 has an athlete like this chosen Illinois. I just went to look up some of his stats… and found myself watching his highlights for the past 25 minutes (seriously). He’s a special athlete. And he’s ours.

One benefit of a spread offense in college football is that it takes some of the guesswork out of the quarterback position. In a pro-set, if you can’t find a guy who can make all the throws, you’re in trouble. In the spread, it’s more dependent on decision making and athleticism. You don’t need to make every throw – just be a good enough thrower to keep the defense honest and concentrate on perfecting the reads in the option game. Kevin Newsome was a fantastic high school spread quarterback, but he went to Penn State, tried their multiple offense, and just couldn’t swing it. With this offense, I’m not worried about that from Bailey. Teach him the intricacies of passing in the spread, and then let his athleticism take over.

We interrupt this love-fest to bring you the news that one of my 10 guys, OT Jack Keeler, just verballed to Wisconsin. They have 10 offensive tackles on their roster, we have 4… and he wants to be #11. The rest of this post will now be 19% less enthusiastic.

Merrick Jackson

Sunday night I write “would love a mammoth nose guard in this class – Jackson would be perfect.” Monday, he verbals. It’s like actually getting that thing you ask Santa for.

I’ve said before that I think this defensive line will have four rather distinct positions. Leo (the old “bandit” position), a standard 3-technique defensive tackle, a nose guard, and a standard pass-rushing defensive end. And after Akeem Spence leaves, I’m not really sure who will be the brute in the middle playing nose guard. Welcome 6′-3″, 320 lb. Merrick Jackson.

I really like his film and was very much hoping he’d end up at Illinois. It came down to Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois, and we got a bit of good luck when last week, two defensive tackles (both rated lower than Jackson, FWIW) verballed to Iowa. Presto, Jackson to Illinois. You say “I’d feel better if we beat Iowa straight-up”, I say “welcome 6′-3″ 320 lb. Merrick Jackson”.

He’s fairly nimble on his feet on film, and does a good job (like Akeem Spence) of chasing down the line and running down a tailback on the edge. He overpowers linemen in high school, and he’ll learn that he won’t be able to do that in the Big Ten, so give him a redshirt year in the weight room and maybe he can contribute as soon as 2014.

Oh, and with the entire 2011 defensive tackle recruiting class not making it to campus, Jackson is our highest-ranked defensive tackle since Lendell Buckner in 2009. But that’s not all.

Jarrod Clements

On Tuesday, Trotwood-Madison (OH) defensive end Jarrod Clements verballed to Illinois. He had just returned from a visit to West Virginia (where he had an offer), but felt that Illinois was the place he wanted to be. He also had offers from NC State, Tennessee, and Louisville.

When I watch Clements on film, I think of Glenn Foster’s high school film. So that’s where I’m going to project him. Start at defensive end. Possibly move inside to 3-technique defensive tackle. Continue to grow and get stronger and learn the correct pad level and then have a few highly successful upperclassmen years.

Actually, thinking about it some more, I’m somewhat hoping he ends up at defensive end. 2015 defensive line: Darrius Caldwell at the Leo, Vontrell Williams or Teko Powell at DT, Merrick Jackson at NG, and Jarrod Clements at DE? The future of the defense looks a whole lot brighter than it did a week ago.

And it all started with Bailey. Get a bell cow recruit (bell cow? am I Ron Zook?) and others will follow. We needed this class to be significantly better than the last few, and beating Nebraska/Wisconsin/Ohio State for Bailey, and then beating Missouri and Iowa for Jackson, and then beating Louisville/Tennessee/West Virginia for Clements tells me we’re inching back towards the level of the 2008/2009 classes. Which is exactly what we needed to do. We so need solid depth at key positions in the 2013 class, and after the last week, I think you can say we’re now off to a really good start.

And Northwestern still only has Alviti.

(Yo Gabba Weber. Yep. Entering Year Four, and I just ran with Yo Gabba Weber.)

Here’s how these posts work.  Because I’m OCD for the Illini, I watch all of the recruits on tape throughout the year.   In the Signing Day Breakdown, I give you my opinion on each player.  And I rank them in categories: Instant Impact Players, Great Gets, Recruits I’m Excited About But Can’t Really Tell You Why, Recruits I’m Not That Excited About But Can’t Really Tell You Why, and Recruits I Just Don’t Know Much About.  Since this is the 4th of these, let’s see how I did with the 2009 class:

Instant Impact Players: Terry Hawthorne
Great Gets: Nathan Scheelhaase, Lendell Buckner, Justin Green, Michael Buchanan
Excited About, Can’t Tell You Why: Walt Aikens, Eric Watts, Steve Hull, Hugh Thornton, Bud Golden
Not Excited About, Can’t Tell You Why: Leon Hill, Justin Lattimore, Greg Fuller, Jake Feldmeyer
Don’t Know Enough To Make A Judgement Call: Darryl Lee, Aaron Gress, Andrew Carter, Tommie Hopkins, Tim Kynard, Joelil Thrash, and Akeem Spence.

I was doing so well until that very last name, wasn’t I?

Before I get in to this class, three general thoughts:

1) This is probably our lowest ranked class in about 10 years.  And I really don’t fault Tim Beckman one bit.  This class was ranked last in the Big Ten when he took over, and he’s done the best he can in the last 6 weeks to scrape together a full recruiting class.  As I said a few weeks ago, he gets a Get Out Of Jail Free card with this one.

2) This class proves that recruiting is about relationships.  Of the 10 players that he brought in for his first class at Illinois, 6 of them were guys he was actively recruiting at Toledo.  Knowing his limitations with a 6 week timeline, I’m guessing he targeted guys from his Toledo list who he felt could play in the Big Ten.  That’s all good and fine for this class, but next year, he has to develop those relationships with what looks like the best in-state class in years.

3) Hello Cleveland.  Rock and roll.  Beckman grew up in Berea, Ohio (suburb of Cleveland), and 5 of the 10 recruits he added to this class are within a 30 minute drive of Berea.  Remember how Zook had a high concentration of players from Jacksonville, Florida (Disch) and Washington DC (Locksley)?  It looks like the main area where Beckman will try to get plugged in is Cleveland.

OK – to the list.

INSTANT IMPACT PLAYERS

TaJarvis Fuller (3-star on Rivals, 3-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Safety/Linebacker
Fort Meyers, FL (Dunbar)
Best offers: Georgia Tech, Louisville, Wisconsin, UCLA

The biggest reason I think TaJarvis will be an instant impact player: he’s already in school.  He’s one of two recruits in this class (Daniel Rhodes is the other) to enroll early, so he’ll get a head start on learning Tim Banks’ defense in the spring.  Another reason: if he can play strong safety, he might play right away.

Watching his film, he probably projects as a linebacker type.  He was a Zook recruit, and I believe Vic Koenning had designs on making him a Busseybacker.  There’s been a lot of talk that Beckman’s defenses have always had a “star” linebacker (more or less a Busseybacker – half safety, half linebacker), so it’s possible that Fuller could end up there.  But part of me still wants him as a big-hittin’ Kevin Mitchell safety.

ALE Projection: These projections will be hard this year, mostly because we don’t know the specifics of the schemes yet.  So I’ll go out on a limb and say that Banks’ defense has room for a linebackery safety, and Fuller gets some minutes backing up Supo Sanni.

Here’s Fuller when he signed with Illinois:

GREAT GETS

TJ Neal (3-star on Rivals, 3-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Linebacker
McKeesport, PA
Best Offers: Auburn, Florida, Nebraska, USC

Of all the players I reviewed, Neal probably looks the best on tape.  You know how some linebackers just seem to toy with the offensive lineman getting to the second level that are trying to block them?  How they kind of keep them at arms length until they’re ready to shed them and make the tackle?  That’s what I love about Neal.  He shed’s his block and wraps up – looks like he’s had good coaching in high school.

But I’m putting him down here and not in “Instant Impact Players” because we’re just fine at linebacker next year.  Jonathan Brown in the middle, Houston Bates (and maybe Henry Dickinson) one one side, Ashante Williams (or maybe Earnest Thomas or Zeph Grimes) on the other.  So I think Neal is coming in and trying to fight Ralph Cooper for backup middle linebacker.

ALE Projection: No redshirt, special teams player, a few spot minutes at middle linebacker.  But in the future, I think he’s Jonathan Brown’s replacement.

Dami Ayoola (3-star on Rivals, 3-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Running Back
Ft. Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Best Offers: Notre Dame, Auburn, Wisconsin, West Virginia

I know you’re wondering – it’s pronounced “Dommy Uh-YOO-luh”.  And he comes from the top high school program in the country (St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale).  I thought we’d lose him to Notre Dame, and I was certain that he would decommit – he verballed to Illinois only 2 days before Zook was fired – but in the end, even though it appeared he might go to Boston College, he stuck with Illinois.

Ayoola is an interesting little tailback.  He’s short (5′-9″ or so), but he’s not a scatback.  He’s more of a power runner, with thick legs and a powerful drive.  The thing I like best about him is his change of direction.  He has that quick hop to the left or right to avoid a tackler that Pierre Thomas has.  It will be interesting to see how we use him.  Next year, Donovonn Young is the power back and Josh Ferguson is the scatback, but Ayoola will probably get carries as well.  He’s 5′-9″, but I think we use him more like Young than Ferguson.

ALE Projection: We need three tailbacks, so one of the freshmen will play.  I’m guessing Ayoola is the guy.  I think he’ll be 4th on the team in rushing next fall, behind Scheelhaase, Young, and Ferguson.

V’Angelo Bentley (3-star on Rivals, 3-star on Scout, not rated by ESPN)
Cornerback
Cleveland, OH (Glenville)
Best Offers: Iowa, Pittsburgh, Kansas, Air Force

He’s not ranked as high as some of these other guys, and he doesn’t have the offers that the players above have, but I might be more excited about Bentley than any other player in this class.  We need cornerbacks so very badly, and I think this kid can be a great one.  Go watch some of his highlights from this video to see what I’m talking about.  It’s 14 minutes long, so just skip to the 2:10 mark and watch all of his highlights from the game that Glenville played at Ohio State’s stadium.  Punt return for a touchdown, fumble return for a touchdown, and several great runs (he was a tailback in high school but projects as a corner in college).

I’m a huge fan of high school tailbacks at cornerback (see: Green, Justin).  And with Green and Hawthorne set to graduate next year, we’ll have openings for starters at both cornerback spots.  I’m guessing Bentley will hold down one of those spots in 2013.

ALE Projection: I don’t think he redshirts.  I think he’s our 3rd or 4th corner next year, and a starter in 2013. That’s probably putting too much on a kid who only had 4 or 5 BCS offers, but I really like his film.  And his high school.  And his hat.

Teko Powell (3-star on Rivals, 3-star on ESPN, 2-star on Scout)
Defensive Tackle
Miami, FL (Norland)
Best Offers: Florida, Florida State, LSU, Wisconsin

I see a theme developing.  It’s called “recruit guys from high school powerhouse programs”.  Ayoola is from St. Thomas Aquinas.  Bentley from Cleveland Glenville.  And Powell is from Miami Norland.  These are high schools that produce multiple FBS athletes every single year, so I’m glad that Beckman’s staff is targeting the factories.

Powell fits a big need – we’re pretty short on defensive tackles once Glenn Foster graduates and Akeem Spence possibly leaves for the NFL (something I think he does after next season).  We have Jake Howe and Austin Teitsma, and I think redshirt freshman Chris O’Connor might play some DT, but that’s it.  So getting a good DT from a good program with a great offer list is a big win.

ALE Projection: I still think he redshirts, though.  Next year, we’ll have Spence and Foster starting with Howe and Teitsma backing them up – I think Powell redshirts and adds some weight to his current +/- 280 pounds (ESPN lists him at 250 pounds).

RECRUITS I’M EXCITED ABOUT BUT CAN’T REALLY TELL YOU WHY

LaKeith Walls (3-star on Rivals, 2-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Running Back / Athlete
Cleveland, OH (Rhodes)
Best Offers: Iowa, Louisville, NC State, Pittsburgh

All Cleveland all the time.  That’s a theme you’ll see in this class and hopefully the next eight.  Our head coach is more plugged-in in Cleveland than any other city, so that’s where we’ll recruit the hardest.

Walls is an interesting prospect.  He doesn’t go to one of the football factory schools in Cleveland, so he’s a little off the radar, but I feel like we found a steal.  He’s maybe too tall for a running back but has many long runs on his film.  And he runs kind of weird (upright with shoulders moving), but he’s deceptively fast.  So my hope is that he finds his way to safety, learns some technique, and then uses that speed to blow up receivers over the middle.

And, of course, by “blow up” I simply mean “gently help to the ground within the rules of football”.

ALE Projection: Tried at tailback, sitting behind Young, Ferguson, and Ayoola, switches to safety as a redshirt freshman, blows people up starting in 2014.

Vontrell Williams (3-star on Rivals, 3-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Defensive Tackle
Chicago, IL (Mt. Carmel)
Best Offers: Michigan State, Kansas, Indiana

All Chicago all the time.  If we’re going to get plugged in with Cleveland Glenville and Miami Norland, let’s get in good with Mt. Carmel as well.  And if we’re going to get in good with Mt. Carmel, why not bring in an athletic defensive tackle who can move a little bit?

I really like Williams on film, and I have no idea why he only had 3 other BCS offers.  He’s big, strong, and surprisingly mobile.  I think he challenges for playing time in 2013.

ALE Projection: Redshirt for strength, he and Powell push Teitsma and Howe for playing time in 2013.

Joseph Spencer (3-star on Rivals, 3-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Center/Guard
Mason, OH
Best Offers: Cincinnati, NC State, South Florida

I really like this guy.  I like what some of the talent evaluators at Rivals had to say.  I like that he finishes blocks on film.  I like that he projects as a center.  I like that he’s an offensive lineman from Ohio, because for some reason, in my head, offensive linemen from Ohio are 31% better than offensive linemen from any other state.

ALE Projection: Redshirt for strength (duh), and then he’s immediately in the competition with Jake Feldmeyer and Tony Durkin for the starting center position after Graham Pocic graduates next year.

Devin Church (3-star on Rivals, 2-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Running Back
Bloomfield, MI (Brother Rice)
Best Offers: Boston College, NIU, Toledo

Flipped him from NIU, so he’s automatically going to be as diamond-in-the-rough as Jon Asamoah, another player we flipped from the Huskies.  And I like him on film – great vision.  If you’ve read this blog for long, you know I’m a sucker for great vision.  What made Mikel Leshoure great in my book was his ability to see a hole before it was there.  And run full speed at that spot until it appeared.  And then make one extra cut once he got through that hole.  I see some of that in Church’s film.  Does he have the physical skills to make it work?  We’ll see.

I’m also working on some Rick Reilly-ish quips for Church in a few years.  Stuff like “CALL ME SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BECAUSE I LIKE CHURCH ON SATURDAYS”.  It’s gonna be epic(ally bad).

ALE Projection: I’m 50-50 on Church redshirting.  If Ayoola can be our #3 tailback, then yes, I think Church redshirts.  But there’s a chance he plays.  There’s also a chance that all three tailbacks work out and we move Church to corner (like Justin Green).

RECRUITS I’M NOT THAT EXCITED ABOUT BUT CAN’T REALLY TELL YOU WHY

Ryan Frain (2-star on Rivals, 2-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Kicker
Indianapolis, IN (Scecina)
Best Offers: Georgia Tech

I always have to begin players listed in this category with a giant NO DISRESPECT disclaimer. I’m simply calling it like I see it. And this one I don’t get.

Yes, we lost Derek Dimke. But at kicker, we have Nick Immekus. And Taylor Zalewski. And Baron Von Mieghem. And Patrick Dunn. Out of those four we can’t find a solid kicker? To the point where we had to use a scholarship to get one?  I don’t get it.

(This means Frain will win the job and kick a 59 yarder to beat Northwestern)

(Just kidding. No chance we’d need a last-second field goal to beat Fitzee)

BJ Bello (2-star on Rivals, 2-star on Scout, not evaluated by ESPN)
Safety
New Lenox, IL (Lincoln Way West)
Best Offers: Toledo, Western Michigan, Bowling Green, Ball State

We do need safeties.  But I’m not sure if we need safeties who we flipped from Western Michigan.  Sorry, BJ, nothing personal, but the word “Western” followed by the word “Michigan” makes me flinch.  So while I’m glad you chose the orange and blue over that awful school from Kalamazoo, I’m still gonna keep one eye on you, because there’s a 17% chance you’re a Western Michigan spy.

Mason Monheim (3-star on Rivals, 2-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Linebacker
Orrville, OH
Best Offers: the entire MAC conference (seriously – 11 offers, 10 from the MAC and one from Illinois)

We need linebackers?  I didn’t know we needed linebackers.  After TJ Neal and Tajarvis Fuller, I kinda thought we didn’t need any more linebackers.  With BadNewsBrown and RBOBK (Houston Bates) and Dickinson and Cooper and Zeph Grimes and Earnest Thomas, I thought we were pretty set at linebacker.  Add Neal and Fuller to that mix, and I’m surprised we also added Monheim and…

Mike Svetina (3-star on Rivals, 2-star on ESPN, 2-star on Scout)
Linebacker
Cleveland, OH (St. Ignatius)
Best Offers: Syracuse, Air Force, Toledo

We need linebackers?  Gosh, I’m being unfair here.  Monheim and Svetina could be J Leman and Brit Miller, and here I am claiming there’s no room at the inn.

Wait – Svetina is in the 6′-2″/6′-3″ range, right?  Any chance we can bulk him up and move him to defensive end?  We can? GOOD.  I’m on board.  Welcome Mike Svetina.

RECRUITS I JUST DON’T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT

Robbie Bain (3-star on Rivals, 2-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Guard/Center
Bolingbrook, IL
Best Offers: Colorado State, Western Michigan, Bowling Green

I get to use this once per year, so I’m choosing to use it here: Offensive linemen are a crapshoot.  2-star guys go to the NFL, 4-star guys never find the field.  So with many offensive linemen recruits, I don’t pay much attention.  Redshirt, get stronger, understudy, let’s see what you got in 2014.

Daniel Rhodes (2-star on Rivals, unknown, unknown)
Tight End
Charlotte, NC (Independence)
Best Offers: can’t remember

Totally forgot about Rhodes. He was one of the guys that was on our committed list last year right up until signing day, and then he and Hunter Wells went elsewhere (Wells eventually ended up at Miami, FL, and Rhodes disappeared). Well, as of today, he’s back. And I can’t remember anything about him besides thinking “maybe he’ll grow into a left tackle” last year.

Taylor Barton (3-star on Rivals, 2-star on ESPN, 2-star on Scout)
Safety
Orlando, FL (Lake Highland)
Best Offers: Syracuse, Temple, Ball State

We need safeties.  He’s a safety.  That’s all I got.  His offer list isn’t strong, but he’s a defensive back from Florida, so that makes me happy.  Given the numbers issues, he might find the field sooner rather than later.

Jevaris Little (3-star on Rivals, 2-star on Scout, not evaluated by ESPN)
Cornerback
St. Petersburg, FL (Lakewood)
Best Offers: Indiana, Kansas, Toledo

This one came down to Illinois and Indiana, with Illinois coming out on top.  The good news: he’s a defensive back from Florida.  The bad news: this one came down to Illinois or Indiana.

Justin Hardee (2-star on Rivals, 2-star on Scout, not evaluated by ESPN)
Wide Receiver
Cleveland, OH (Glenville)
Best Offers: Toledo, Bowling Green, Ohio

There’s that Cleveland word again.  How many Browns fans can one team recruit?  Hardee is a teammate of Bentley and projects as a wide receiver.  But given his size and athleticism, I want him at safety.

Jason Robertson (2-star on Rivals, 3-star on ESPN, 3-star on Scout)
Wide Receiver
Frankfort, IL (Lincoln Way East)
Best Offers: Western Michigan (his only other listed offer)

Every year, there’s a guy in the class that I should pay more attention to but don’t. For whatever reason. It was Akeem Spence in 2009 – I was all fired up about the late flip of Justin Green from Ohio State to Illinois that I didn’t pay attention to a defensive tackle from Florida who committed late. This year, it’s Robertson. Scout and ESPN both list him as one of our top-5 recruits. Why would I more or less ignore an in-state receiver listed highly like that?

I promise to do better next year. And I’ll go watch more of his film later and maybe come back and edit this.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It is now time to DO. WORK.  As of right… NOW the grace period for Tim Beckman’s recruiting is over.  He found some nice pieces in the last 6 weeks, fought off some other suitors for guys like Ayoola and Powell, and filled some needs last minute with guys like Bentley.

But now – as in, right now – it is time to DO. WORK.  The 2013 class in-state keeps looking better by the day.  Guys like Ty Issac and Logan Tuley Tillman already look like 5-star possibilities.  Aaron Bailey MUST be our quarterback of the future.  We need top-end talent and soon.  At the high point of his recruiting, I believe Ron Zook had 19 four-star players on his roster at the beginning of 2009.  After the final whistle next November in Evanston, we’ll be down to one (Nathan Scheelhaase) for 2013.  One.

You can’t win 8 games in the Big Ten with one blue chipper.  You just can’t.  So it it imperative that Tim Beckman bring in talent talent talent in 2013.

OK, I can’t close with that.  The label for the 2012 class can’t be “hope we get some blue chippers in 2013″.  Guys like Teko Powell, TJ Neal, and Dami Ayoola could have named their school, and they picked Illinois.  Welcome, gentlemen.  Time for you to be the class that builds the foundation for the new era of Illini Football.  Where every other player is a linebacker.

But can they coach?

This is my signature out of convenience.  I used to put fun things there at the bottom of all my posts – I had President Hogan’s fantastic quote from before the Illinois/Northwestern Wrigley game for a long time…

“Red Grange played at Wrigley. Dick Butkus played at Wrigley. The sign outside may have been painted purple, but the echoes inside are orange and blue.”

…but for now, I’ve gone with “but can they coach?” Why? Because all I seem to talk about these days are the assistant coaches that Tim Beckman is hiring. And every time I discuss their recruiting acumen, I’m left to wonder one thing. Can they coach?

Here. Watch. I’ll discuss each coach, and when we’re done, like some call-and-response church service, I’ll simply look to you and let you say “but can he coach?”

Billy Gonzales, co-Offensive Coordinator

A home run hire, in my book.  I first became aware of Gonzales when he was Urban Meyer’s recruiting coordinator at Florida.  News of his departure for LSU hit my ears – someone pointed me to this article where he left by leaving a sticky note for Meyer – and then when Florida fans started to decry the fact that Urban Meyer picked Steve Addazio instead of Gonzales (here’s what EDSBS had to say, including their awesome panda gif)…

Gonzales was aggrieved due to not getting the OC job after the departure of Dan Mullen for Mississippi State, but who can argue with Urban’s logic given the success the team has had HNNNNNNNNNNGGGG—–

Our emotions regarding this matter can only be summed up thusly:

…I was then aware of Billy Gonzales, his recruiting skills, and the why-won’t-anyone-let-him-be-OC cloud hanging over his head. If Florida fans hated to see him go, I love him already.

So the fact that a top-20-in-college-football recruiter is now headed to Champaign to be our co-offensive coordinator, well, pinch me.  I first heard the rumor days after Beckman was hired when someone used flight tracker to determine that Beckman flew to Baton Rouge, and to be honest, I’ve been dying for it to be official since that very moment.  And when I’m waiting that long for something to happen, I build ridiculous expectations in my head.  Here they are:

• I think he’ll be a better recruiter than Mike Locksley.
• I think he’s more plugged-in in south Florida than Dan Disch was in northern Florida.
• I think when he leaves Champaign, he’ll be known as the best recruiting assistant coach we’ve ever had.

Don’t believe me?  He’s been our assistant coach for 5 hours, and this might happen:

Yesterday the drama continued as word spread that in addition to Morris Claiborne, Michael Brockers and Rueben Randle, who had long ago expressed interest in going pro, another Tiger, Kadron Boone, is considering leaving LSU. At 3:00, LSU held a press conference to announce that Claiborne and Brockers would be leaving early for the NFL. Shortly after, TigerSportsDigest.com reported that Randle has also decided to go pro. Shepard is still undecided, but it looks likely that he will also leave early for the NFL as he is disappointed in the amount of playing time he has received. The deadline for entering the draft is Sunday. Boone is rumored to be following Gonzales to Illinois, although that is not yet official.

Who’s Kadron Boone? Oh, only a 4-star receiver from Florida who would be the most talented player on the field when he’d be eligible at the beginning of the 2013 season (seriously, only Terry Hawthorne and Justin Green were ranked higher in recruiting rankings, and they’re both seniors next year). So yeah, I expect him to recruit like a boss. What’s that? Oh yeah, our call-and-response.

I expect him to recruit, but… (this is where you say “can he coach?”)

Chris Beatty, co-offensive coordinator

I think Gonzales will be calling the plays.  But we have another offensive coordinator (my guess, Gonzales coordinates the passing game and Beatty coordinates the running game).  Oh, and he’s also a fantastic recruiter.

Beatty was Percy Harvin’s high school coach in Virginia Beach (Harvin’s lead recruiter at Florida? BILLY GONZALES.)  He then moved to Hampton for one year, to Northern Illinois for one year, and then to West Virginia where he was recruiting coordinator for Bill Stewart.  Last year, James Franklin hired him to be wide receivers coach/recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt, and after a year there, Beckman brought him here.

His connections in the Virginia Beach area brought multiple 4-star players to West Virginia and several players to Vandy (in their best recruiting class ever).  Now, he gets to use those connections to bring kids to Champaign.  I can’t wait.

What’s that?  How will he do coordinating an offense?  No idea.  He was a high school coach when Zook took over in Champaign.  So yeah, I guess you’re right – he can really recruit, but…

Alex Golesh, Tight Ends, Recruiting Coordinator

Golesh would follow Tim Beckman anywhere.

He was a “student assistant” at Ohio State while Beckman was the secondary coach. When Beckman got the defensive coordinator job at Oklahoma State, he added Golesh as a graduate assistant.  And when Beckman was named head coach at Toledo, he brought in Golesh as running backs coach (and eventually recruiting coordinator).

By the way – anyone seeing a theme here?  Gonzales was recruiting coordinator at Florida.  Beatty was recruiting coordinator at West Virginia and then Vandy.  Golesh was recruiting coordinator at Toledo.  And we’re not done.

I kind of compare this hire to Chip Long, our last tight ends coach.  Right down to the red hair.  Long was a graduate assistant for Paul Petrino, and when we needed a tight ends coach, Petrino hired Long.  Beckman did the same with Golesh at Toledo, and now he’s brought him along to Illinois as well.

So he’ll be the guy in charge of assembling our recruiting classes.  That’s all good and fine, but…

Luke Butkus, Offensive Line

My first reaction to Butkus as the OL coach was a negative one, mostly because I had no idea of his NFL experience.  His five years as and assistant OL coach – 3 with the Bears and 2 with the Seahawks – probably don’t make for the best resume for a BCS line coach job, but hey, his name is Butkus.  YOU tell him he’s not fully qualified.

That little quip I just made – the whole “he’s a Butkus – YOU tell him” bit?  That’s the reason he was hired, and that’s the reason I love the hire.  This University’s biggest selling point – over and above anything ever – is that this is the University of Dick Butkus.  Red Grange too, yes – the greatest college football player of all time played in Champaign.  But while he is alive, Dick Butkus is the main attraction.  The baddest man to ever play the game was an Illini.  His nephew will now enter Chicagoland high schools and recruit players using exactly that tactic.  He’s a Butkus – YOU tell him no.

Yes, it’s really strange for me that a player who played at Illinois after I graduated is now an assistant coach.  An assistant coach in charge of assembling an offensive line that loses Jeff Allen and Jack Cornell and struggled in the second half of the season to find a rhythm.  Young tackles… new offensive scheme… open position battles everywhere but center… good luck, Luke.

I think he’ll be able to recruit – his name will open many doors in this state.  But…

Tim Salem, Running Backs and Special Teams

But can he recruit?

I have to say – Tim Beckman is putting together this coaching staff nearly exactly as I would have done.  Go find the top recruiting assistants and offer them more money to come to Champaign.  With one caveat – find the best Special Teams coach you can, because we’ve had the worst Special Teams in the nation the last 5 years.  Seriously – no team in the country has been collectively worse.

Enter Tim Salem.  Illinois was 120th out of 120 teams last year in kickoff returns, averaging a hard-to-believe 15.71 yards per return.  Central Florida, where Tim Salem was the special teams coach?  3rd nationally, averaging 26.93 yards. Think about that.  That’s one first down the offense doesn’t have to gain on every single drive.  42 kickoff returns for UCF, meaning 42 drives with one less first down required.  11 less yards needed to get into field goal range.  11 yards closer to setting up the other team with poor field position even if you go three-and-out.

And if you think it was just a fluke, in 2010 UCF’s kickoff return teams were #1 nationally, averaging a stunning 27.78 yards per return.  2009?  Oh no – only 13th nationally.

Kickoff coverage?  UCF was 9th last year (Illinois was 82nd). Fluke? Nope.  In 2010 UCF was 3rd, and in 2009 UCF was 10th.

Let’s recap all of this.  Kickoff returns the last 3 years – Salem: 3rd, 1st, 13th.  Zook: 120th, 101st, 105th.

Kickoff coverage the last 3 years – Salem: 9th, 3rd, 10th.  Zook: 82nd, 84th, 90th.

What about punt returns?  Salem: 60th, 12th, 29th.  Zook: 118th, 117th, 114th.

I need a second.  I loved Ron Zook as a “great guy” and all, and the players loved him like a dad, but ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME RON ZOOK?  Do you understand how many close games you lost simply because you spotted the other team more than a hundred yards of field position during the game?  Your best special teams unit in the last three years was the 2011 kickoff coverage team that finished as the 82nd best team out of 120?

Enter Tim Salem.  Enter our offense starting at the 31 instead of the 19.  Enter our opponents needing an extra first down on every single drive. Enter a special teams coordinator whose teams had 906 punt return yards the last 3 years.  Ron Zook’s punt returners? 180 total yards in three years.  I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to Tim Salem’s special teams.

But can he recruit?

Editor’s note: I had originally intended for this to be one giant mega post on all of the assistant coaches, but we’re already north of 1,700 words and we still don’t have a defensive coordinator named.  So once that person is named, look for part two.

OK, mostly done.  Maybe we add two or three more players.  Maybe we lose three guys to the pros and have 2 or 3 additional scholarships open up.  Maybe a few guys that are currently committed never sign.  Maybe they sign but don’t qualify.  Maybe I’m not making much sense.  Let me back up.

What we know: There are 61 players currently on the roster that will be returning next season.  With a scholarship limit of 85, that means we have 24 scholarships available for this class.  We currently have 25 players committed, and we’re still scheduling official visits in January.  Why is that?  Several reasons.

1. Nate Palmer is no longer listed on the official roster.  There’s been no official word that I’ve seen – only that he’s “not currently with the team”.  If he’s transferring out of the program, that opens a 25th scholarship.
2. We have 3 players currently pondering an early leap to the NFL.  There might be more, I don’t know, but I think it’s clear that Mikel Leshoure, Martez Wilson, and Corey Liuget will all at least consider it.  If all three leave (please, God, no), there’s three more available scholarships.
3. Several of our verbally committed players are taking visits to other schools.  The odds that all 25 of these gentlemen fax in an LOI on signing day are very slim – one or two will probably go elsewhere, opening one or two more scholarships.
4. Another current player could leave the program.  I certainly hope not, but with the attrition we’ve seen in the last year, it would have to be likely.  Maybe a player like Miami Thomas hangs up his cleats after four long years because the four surgeries were just too much.  Maybe a backup offensive lineman leaves – we’ve lost one or two per year for the last several years.  Point being, there’s a chance other players besides Nate Palmer might leave the program.

All told, I’m guessing four scholarships open up, which means we’ll bring in three more players in the next six weeks.  I’ll go with… Palmer leaves the program, two of the three juniors jump to the NFL, and one current verbal decides to go elsewhere.

What do we need with those three scholarships?  Let’s see what we’ve brought in since the season ended…

RB/WR Jordan Frysinger – Sleeper recruit of all sleeper recruits, this kid was headed to Johns Hopkins to play lacrosse when we convinced him to give football a shot.  The fact that he averaged 18.8 yards per carry, even if he’s an undersized kid playing in a poor football state, has me intrigued.  Sometimes, I like out-of-nowhere recruits like this more than I like 2-star project recruits that many schools recruited but never offered.

ATH (TE?) Matt LaCosse – Was headed to Minnesota but reconsidered after Tim Brewster was fired.  Probably projects as a tight end, which is a big position of need.  A friend and I were talking the other day how this appears to be the “athlete” class.  Lacosse, Frysinger, Tyler Marcordes, Henry Dickinson, Josh Ferguson – take the kid who is the best athlete in his school and try to find him a place on our football field.

DB Nick North – Vic Koenning said before this season that he likes to have 5 safeties and 5 cornerbacks ready to play each Saturday.  He had maybe 6 total this past fall.  Which is likely why we have 4 safeties and one (maybe 2) cornerbacks committed.  North can come in and compete for a spot in the 2-deep as a freshman.  Playing time is available.

OT Pat Flavin – Might be the most important recruit in this class.  As far as true left tackles go on the current roster, there’s Jeff Allen and maybe Corey Lewis (for a year after Allen leaves).  But that’s it.  All other players seem to project as guards and right tackles.  This means Flavin has a chance at breaking into the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman in 2012.  Next year is Allen on the weakside and Lewis on the strongside.  In 2012, I could easily see Lewis and Flavin.

WR Jeremey Whitlow – A bit of a head-scratcher. He had only MAC-level offers, so I watched some film of him the other night to see if I could see what the coaches saw.  The biggest thing that jumps out: footwork.  He made some pretty nice jab steps to get a defensive back to open up, and then he cut and separated.  Didn’t look like he had top-end speed, and he wasn’t particularly fluid, but the footwork is a good starting point.

DE Kenny Nelson – Like Whitlow, another head-scratcher.   Here we are with maybe only 3 scholarships left, and we’re taking a 2-star DE with only one D-1 offer (Western Michigan)?  I watched some film of him as well, and I’m not sure I see a Big Ten defensive end.  He looked a bit clunky and slow.  Of course, I said the same thing about Evan Wilson last year, and he went on to start at tight end as a true freshman, so…

S Dondi Kirby – No head-scratching required.  4-star (#152 overall) on Rivals.  4-star on ESPN.  3-star on Scout.  Offers from USC, Florida, Ohio State, and other big boys.  Our best recruit, rankings-wise, since Terry Hawthorne and Justin Green in 2009.  The only downside is his knee.  He tore his ACL last June and missed his entire HS senior season.  He should be fine for Rantoul, but a redshirt year to make certain the knee is fully healed might be in the cards.

So what do we need with these final three scholarships?  Looking over the roster and these 25 recruits, I’d say that our future needs, both for the last three scholarships from this class and the 2012 class, are as follows:

RB
DT
DE
CB
WR
LB
OL
S
QB

If we’re going to give out 3 more this class, put me down for a running back (Marcus Caffey? Mikail McCall? Deion Walker?), a defensive tackle (Mason Fuller? Willie Beavers? Maybe a guy committed somewhere elsewhere but still apparently looking around like Jamon Brown?), and a linebacker (Kirby’s teammate Armstead Williams? Armonze Daniel?).  And in 2012, I want six defensive linemen.  And a stud running back.  And two 5-star cornerbacks.  And a top-15 class.

Are you there, God? It’s me, Robert.

So now, for the first time, there’s precedent for a post.  I present to you my summary of Illini Football Signing Day 2010, in the same format as last year:

IMMEDIATE IMPACT PLAYERS:

Chandler Whitmer (4-star QB, Elite 11 invitee)

For some reason, Whitmer’s pedigree is being lost in all of the negativity directed towards this disappointing recruiting class.  Yes, it’s a poor class.  Leanest of the Zook tenure.  Low on studs, high on projects.

But Chandler Whitmer is good.  Probably really good.  Maybe awesome.

Making the Elite 11 camp (think “McDonald’s All American game for Quarterbacks”) is no small feat. Only one other Illini QB (Juice) has made the camp in its 12 year existence. And when they handed out the awards at the end of the camp, Mr. Whitmer was named “Most Accurate” and finished 3rd in the MVP voting. So it’s strange to peruse all of my Illini bookmarks and not see more Whitmer love. Of course, Bob Weiner loves him, and that’s probably enough for me:

Robert Weiner was out to prove to some of his players that it didn’t take much for him to spot top-shelf talent.

“We were in Champaign at Illinois’ camp and one of my players was joking around with me telling me I couldn’t spot the top players,” said Weiner, the head football coach at Tampa’s Plant High and one of the top prep quarterback coaches in the Southeast. “I told him I could tell in two throws.”

So Weiner watched an undersized quarterback with a gun sling it twice and said “that’s the one, right there.”

Whitmer will have every opportunity to win the starting job as a freshman.  He’s enrolled right now, taking classes and watching film.  I’m really excited to see this kid in spring ball.

Before we move on, a little more press from last summer so you understand that Whitmer is one of the top-5 Illini QB recruits in the last 25 years.  Here’s a blurb from the Orlando Elite 11 regional camp, where he was chosen as MVP over Brion Carnes (Nebraska’s 4-star QB of the future):

Whitmer was a ball boy for the Elite 11 event a year ago, and he held his own against the likes of Aaron Murray, A.J. McCarron and Co. in the 2009 class. He is now a bit taller and has bulked up some. He was polished, nicely groomed and displayed solid footwork, ball speed and arm strength. His natural wrist velocity gave him an edge against the wind and aided in his overall accuracy. At this stage, Illinois, Arizona and Stanford have offered, and he is also receiving interest from Northwestern, Notre Dame and Purdue.

And from the Illinois regional NFTC camp, where Whitmer was chosen as the MVP over players like Robert Bolden (Penn State’s 4-star QB of the future), Devin Gardner (Michigan’s 4-star QB of the future), and Joe Boisture (Michigan State’s 4-star QB of the future):

The quarterback position was the deepest it’s been all tour-long in Champaign, but it was the local pocket passer Whitmer bound for Illinois that emerged as the group’s MVP over a slew of other outstanding prospects. Whitmer was the day’s most consistent passer, showing great accuracy, footwork and coachability. He doesn’t have A-plus arm strength but more than makes up for it with quick decision-making and a hair-trigger release.

This kid is pretty good at throwing the football in the direction of faster athletes who like to catch it and run.

GREAT GETS:

Darius Millines (3-Star WR from Delray Beach, FL)

Watch this Youtube video, and you’ll see why this guy was such a nice pickup late in the recruiting game.  Whitmer and Millines make this class for me, and I’d love to see them get all Kittner-to-Lloyd over the next 4 years.  There are rumors of grade issues, and rumors that Florida and Alabama backed off their offers because of grade issues, and rumors that the grade issues were resolved this fall and he’s good to go.  So believe what you want.  All I know is that the people of the Commonwealth of West Virginia (it’s a commonwealth, right? no?) are very upset he’s not headed their way.  And in a year where not much went our way, it’s nice that someone is jealous.

In ESPN’s class rankings, they put Millines as our best recruit, just missing their ESPN 150 (he’s #162).  If his grade issues are truly resolved, you’ll probably see him in the two-deep this fall.

Earnest Thomas (3-star DB from Orchard Lake, MI)

To show you how thin this recruiting class is (rankings-wise), last year there were seven consensus 4-stars and at least five 3-stars with big-time offer lists.  This year, there’s only one consensus 4-star and only two 3-stars with big-time offer lists.  Guh.

But don’t let that diminish your excitement over Whitmer, Millines, and Earnest Thomas. The latter was a UCLA commit last summer, de-committed, flirted with Penn State, considered Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, and West Virginia, and settled on Illinois.  I know – I don’t know why either.  But I’ll take it.

From watching his film, I think he’s the perfect hybrid.  A lot of safety, a little linebacker, and a little corner.  Groom him as the nickel back and set him loose in 2011.

GUYS I’M EXCITED ABOUT BUT HAVE VERY LITTLE REASONING AS TO WHY:

Ryan Lankford (3-star WR from Jacksonville, FL)

I love guys with solid bloodlines.  And Lankford’s dad spent 10 years in the NFL with the Dolphins.

You don’t have to watch the whole film, but check out the punt return at the 2:25 mark of this video.  Kid is fluid with a nice accelerator.  I’m planning to use a few the-kid-was-under-recruited standbys with him: both “small school kid who was overlooked” AND “football bloodlines in his family”.  All that’s missing is “word is, USC and Alabama coaches just discovered his tape on the internet and were prepared to offer” to complete the trifecta.

Jonathan Brown (3-star LB from Memphis)

It’s been a long, long time since we signed a linebacker that was projected by the scouting services as an inside linebacker.  All of the linebackers in the 2009, 2008, and 2007 classes projected as outside ‘backers.  The last prototypical inside linebacker was Anterio Jackson in 2006 (now an offensive guard).  Before that?  Brit Miller.

When he looks over the defensive recruits he gets to coach, I think Vic Koenning might be most pleased with Jonathan Brown.  It’s nice to have a versatile athlete like Earnest Thomas coming in, but it’s really, really nice to have a guy who you could count on as your run stuffer.  Especially in the Big Ten.

Jay Prosch (2-star fullback, Mobile, AL)

The unsung hero of the 2007 Rose Bowl team? (I mean, besides the most underrated Illini player in the last decade – Antonio Steele.) The offensive unsung hero? Russ Weil. Not only did he enjoy opening holes for Rashard, he enjoyed blowing people up on special teams.

I like guys who like to hit people.  Jay Prosch likes to hit people.  Using a trick I learned in math class:  I like guys who like to hit people. Jay Prosch likes to hit people. = I like Jay Prosch.

Michael Heitz (3-star OL from Vermont, IL)

The Wisconsin Way.  1) Find a big farm boy who sees 6:00 a.m. weightlifting sessions as “getting up late”.  2) Redshirt him, put more weight on him, and teach him how to maul people. 3) Plug him in at offensive tackle and move the chains.

Miles Osei (3-star QB from Mt. Prospect, IL)

I’m getting a Johnny Johnson vibe from him.  In the summer of 1993, I could be heard telling people “between Jeff Hecklinski and Scott Weaver, we are SET at QB for the next few years”.  And then come to find that the unheralded QB recruit was the best of the bunch.

If nothing else, he’s Eddie McGee – a decent backup, and a promising receiver.

GUYS I’M JUST NOT THAT EXCITED ABOUT AND I HAVE NO REASON AS TO WHY:

Brandon Denmark (2/3-star DE/ATH from Tallahassee, FL)

When you see him on film, he kind of reminds you of a young Will Davis.  Big + athletic, played everywhere in high school, ready to rush the QB in college.  But all it took was reading a rumor on some message board somewhere that we had to promise him that we wouldn’t make him a DE if he picked us over Arkansas.  And suddenly, I had Cordale Scott flashbacks and have transferred my hatred for his situation towards Mr. Denmark.  Sorry, Brandon.  Nothing personal.

Simon Cvijanovic (2-star OL from Cleveland, OH)

I’ve never known less about an Illini recruit.  He committed during the Petrino/Koenning/revamp the coaching staff days, so I couldn’t give him my typical video/article search after a player verbals.   And then I forgot.  And then he didn’t waver with his commitment, so there was no message board chatter.  And then his fax came in yesterday, and I was all “oh yeah – totally forgot about him. He any good?” So then I watched his official film on the school website, and one of the highlights showed him continuing to block while a fumble was bouncing around behind him.  I’m now labeling him as someone who “needs more awareness on the field” and placing him here.

Mark Wilson (3-star LB from Tallahassee, FL)

My yearly “man, I should be more excited about him, because he has some pretty solid offers, but I’m just not seeing it when I watch him on tape” recruit.  This should be very, very good news for us, because 3 years ago I said the same thing about Miami Thomas.

He hits hard, which is good, because Koenning needs hitters.  Maybe it’s just that he looks a bit awkward running laterally.  I don’t know.

Trulon Henry (2-star JUCO Safety)

It’s Bo Flowers fault. I was so excited when Flowers chose football after he gave up on minor league baseball. According to me at the time, he was to bring “maturity” and “leadership” to our secondary. And then he just looked like an old guy back there.

So I’m sorry, Trulon, that I have to place you on this part of the list. It’s just that when I hear of your “maturity” and “leadership”, I have this facial tic that kicks in.

GUYS I HAVE VERY LITTLE COMMENT ABOUT BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THEM:

Spencer Harris (2-star WR from Greenwood, AR) – Weakest offer list of any of the recruits, which means, of course, he has the most to prove. Prove away, Spence.
Shawn Afryl (3-star OL from Niles, IL) – It’s pronounced uh-FREEL. That’s all I got.
Ean Days (2-star DB from Kingsland, GA) – Tailback in high school, Zook said in the press conference he will be tried at Safety.
Evan Wilson (3-star TE from Woodstock, GA) – We need tight ends, but he might need 2 or 3 years before he’s ready.
A.J. Williams (2-star TE/WR from Chesapeake, VA) – Big tight end who was recruited as a wideout.
Jake Howe (2-star DL from McHenry, IL) – With Prosch’s commitment, he moves from fullback to the defensive line.
Alex Hill (3-star OL from Slidell, LA) – Could be solid if he loses some weight. Projects as a center.
Austin Teitsma (2-star DL from Glen Ellyn, IL) – Sometimes, these guys work out great. Lower level prospect looking at MAC schools, dying for a Big Ten offer, and after they get it their career is defined by what they told the coach when they got the offer: “I won’t let you down.”

And now, the sad part.  For the most part, 2010 Illini Football recruiting will be known not just for who we didn’t get (Kyle Prater, anyone?), but for who we had and then lost.  4-star C.J. Fiedorowicz left and went to Iowa (eww).  4-star Corey Cooper to Nebraska (sigh).  Dan Foose to Florida State (eek), Daniel Easterly to Missouri (ick), Dexter McDonald to Kansas (yuck), Zach Bolton to Utah (what?), Andy Gallik to Boston College (ok, stop).  Add those seven and shave off some of our backup recruits, and this is a decent-to-good class.  Remove them, and, well, welcome to Zook’s worst class.

With something to prove.

Well, self, get ready to be happy.

That sound you just heard?  That was Illini fans from Galena to Vienna becoming familiar with Chandler Whitmer.  Next step for him is an extra star from Rivals and Scout.  After that, look for “will Scheelhaase switch to wideout because of Whitmer?” debates at a message board near you.

Elite 11 has quickly grown in stature over the last few years, mostly because of the 2005 Class.  Who was in the 2005 Elite 11 class you ask?

Mitch Mustain
Pat Devlin
Tim Tebow
Jake Locker
Josh Freeman
Cody Hawkins
Jevan Snead
Neil Caudle
Juice Williams
Zach Frazer
Matthew Stafford

Some big, big names in there. Here’s hoping Whitmer is the next.

A big-time recruit with offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, and the rest of the Big Ten, he is most likely an instant impact guy next year after Hoomanawanui leaves.

This is a guy who put out a list in the beginning of May, stating that his top-4 were Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Notre Dame. But then Zook gets him on campus for our seven-on-seven passing tournament. And drives him around on his golf cart. And now he’s an Illini.

I will never, ever doubt Ron Zook in recruiting. Ever. If you can take a top-100-players-in-the-country kid from “no interest” to “verbal” in 2 months, you can do anything.

Bring in one of the top tight-ends in the country and infuriate Iowa fans in the same motion? Yes, please.

As of yesterday, there are now 5 recruits in the 2010 class so far.  My feelings…

Shawn Afryl OL, Niles West HS (IL): Projects as a guard, maybe a center. That’s as far as I’ll go, because offensive line recruiting is the biggest crapshoot in all of recruitdom.  Just look at our current O-line. Three 2-stars and two 3-stars have won the starting spots over several 4-star recruits.  The key, of course, is numbers. And Afryl is one. That’s all I got.

Corey Cooper DB, Proviso East HS (IL): Our top recruit to date.  Also our least committed recruit to date. He’s said he’s planning to take all of his official visits.  But I’m not worried.  Zook, in my opinion, is brilliant in how he handles “soft verbals”.  Instead of playing the role of the jealous boyfriend, texting his girl 14 times on girls night and asking insecure questions like “you guys didn’t, like, hang out with any guys, did you?”, Zook does this: “Fine. Go see every program in the country. You won’t find a family like this one at Illinois.” Worked with Juice, worked with Corey Liuget, worked with Terry Hawthorne, and will work with Corey Cooper.

Chandler Whitmer QB, Downers Grove South HS (IL): As each camp passes where Whitmer wins MVP, I get more and more excited.  He plans to graduate early and enroll in January, so spring ball next April will be really, really fun. Who’s the QB? Redshirt senior Eddie McGee? Redshirt sophomore Jacob Charest? Redshirt freshman Nathan Scheelhaase? Or true freshman Chandler Whitmer?  (For a little perspective, all four of those QBs would probably start at Wisconsin next season.  Take that, Barry).  I’m really hoping Whitmer gets and invite to the national Elite 11 QB camp.  Apparently, he is too.

Daniel Easterly Safety, Detroit Cass Tech (MI): He was the one player I was focused on this summer.  Offers from Alabama, Michigan State, Missouri, UCLA, and 18 others.  Big, tall, strong frame on a guy who likes to hit.  Could play wide receiver in college, but want to play defense so he can hit people.  I’m already putting him in the 2-deep for Camp Rantoul, 2010. We’ll be losing Donsay Hardeman, and Easterly will have every opportunity to win his spot in 2010.

Mark Wilson LB, Tallahassee Lincoln HS (FL): You can’t ever have enough fast Florida linebackers, can you?  Especially those with SEC offers from Arkansas and Ole Miss. This is pure speculation, but I think Zook played the “sorry your dream school hasn’t offered yet, but I’d kill to have you in orange and blue” card with both Easterly and Wilson.  Easterly is at Michigan-factory Cass Tech. Wilson is at FSU-factory Tallahassee Lincoln.  Both were gaining more and more offers, but waiting on one from the hometown school. The Zooker swept in, sold his program, and got the verbal. Outstanding.

I’m headed out of town on vacation starting tonight, so A Lion Eye will be silent for 10 days.  But I’ll be back on June 29th to skewer Bob Asmussen some more. And at the beginning of August, I’ll be giving you some in-depth reports directly from Camp Rantoul. 10-2 here we come.