If I’m doing my math right, the season opener against Arkansas State will be Jeff Allen’s 35th consecutive start at offensive tackle.  From wide eyed true freshman starting on the road at Penn State to 2nd Team All Big Ten left tackle as a junior, it’s been fun to watch him develop and grow.  I [...]

Two assistant coaches survived the sweeping coaching changes after the 2009 season – offensive line coach Joe Gilbert, and defensive line coach Keith Gilmore. And if last season was any indication, keeping both coaches around was a very smart decision. I had a chance to sit down with Coach Gilmore last week and discuss the [...]

I kept my Daily Illini subscription in 1995 because some guy on the sports page made me laugh.  I was a jaded upperclassman by then, and I hated the “President Stukel is trying to ruin the world” tone of the paper, but I loved reading Will Leitch, so I kept my subscription. I didn’t hear [...]