mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Illinois needs to land 6-8 of these type of guys (ratings, offers, OVs) every year to have a chance to creep up in B1G success.
What's our current hit rate
Illinois needs to land 6-8 of these type of guys (ratings, offers, OVs) every year to have a chance to creep up in B1G success.
What's our current hit rate
It’s kind of funny how our football program would be so much better off right now in a pre-NIL era, whereas basketball seems uniquely primed for success under the current system.
I think a fairly large percentage of the transfers AFTER their year 2 are for money , more than simply playing timeIt's just so different. There's 85!!! Scholarship athletes on a football team. Most of them should stick with where they are... but they always get antsy because they wanna play.
It’s kind of funny how our football program would be so much better off right now in a pre-NIL era, whereas basketball seems uniquely primed for success under the current system.
Yeah, I just meant strictly recruiting. And I also think the whole "There are so many more players on a football team!" argument only goes so far. It's not like there aren't over 3 times as many Illini fans at our football games than basketball games ... we do not have a smaller number of football fans than basketball fans. They are just less engaged due to a lack of history of winning. If we had the football history of success that we have in basketball (both historically and recently), we'd be as well positioned for football NIL as we are for basketball.I would say Illinois' football prospects were increasingly harmed by B1G realignment than NIL changes.
we need to put pretty much all of the DIA's efforts going forward to football NIL fundraising.
Pretty much, yes. Needs to be a focus. More important than facilities, etc.
buuuutttt... we'd like to recruit 4 and 5 star guys out of HS. to do that, they haveI actually think our NIL strategy is fine for where our program is. We seem to spend our NIL$ on player retention rather than player acquisition. You can still win (maybe not playoff worthy, but 7-8 games every year) finding 3 stars and coaching them up. Iowa, Wisconsin etc continually put these types of guys in the NFL. Of course you’re not going to have a 100% hit rate, but for those that do hit I think using NIL to keep those guys around is very smart. They already hace an incentive to stay so if we come close to matching their market value they should mostly stick around.
As crazy as NIL is for basketball, it seems like it’s even crazier for football. Blue chippers are easily getting 7 figures. We just don’t have the bankroll to overpay for studs and even if we did, that just seems like a super risky approach. If we get to the point where we are a consistent winner, player and NIL interest will rise. But it takes time.
That said…losing players like Tobe to the portal hurts and is alarming. Need guys to stick around to be a development program.
Is it naïve to hope that Tobe might be back?I actually think our NIL strategy is fine for where our program is. We seem to spend our NIL$ on player retention rather than player acquisition. You can still win (maybe not playoff worthy, but 7-8 games every year) finding 3 stars and coaching them up. Iowa, Wisconsin etc continually put these types of guys in the NFL. Of course you’re not going to have a 100% hit rate, but for those that do hit I think using NIL to keep those guys around is very smart. They already hace an incentive to stay so if we come close to matching their market value they should mostly stick around.
As crazy as NIL is for basketball, it seems like it’s even crazier for football. Blue chippers are easily getting 7 figures. We just don’t have the bankroll to overpay for studs and even if we did, that just seems like a super risky approach. If we get to the point where we are a consistent winner, player and NIL interest will rise. But it takes time.
That said…losing players like Tobe to the portal hurts and is alarming. Need guys to stick around to be a development program.
There was a lot of money taken out in bonds during COVID right? Which if interest rates were low, was absolutely the right move. I remember seeing Illinois had a high debt around this time.The horse is already out of the barn. The athletic department spent generously on making facility upgrades when the narrative was your facilities made the difference. Now there are long-term capitol project payments needed as backfill to pay for those improvements through bonds and university payments, but the facilities are no longer the priority.
Do we have a chance?
Malachi Nelson got $750,000 from USC without taking a snap, then transferring. Not endorsements.I actually think our NIL strategy is fine for where our program is. We seem to spend our NIL$ on player retention rather than player acquisition. You can still win (maybe not playoff worthy, but 7-8 games every year) finding 3 stars and coaching them up. Iowa, Wisconsin etc continually put these types of guys in the NFL. Of course you’re not going to have a 100% hit rate, but for those that do hit I think using NIL to keep those guys around is very smart. They already hace an incentive to stay so if we come close to matching their market value they should mostly stick around.
As crazy as NIL is for basketball, it seems like it’s even crazier for football. Blue chippers are easily getting 7 figures. We just don’t have the bankroll to overpay for studs and even if we did, that just seems like a super risky approach. If we get to the point where we are a consistent winner, player and NIL interest will rise. But it takes time.
That said…losing players like Tobe to the portal hurts and is alarming. Need guys to stick around to be a development program.
Assume Indiana in play as coach went thereDo we have a chance?
Him?We’re looking south for help![]()
Seems like this has to change in the TBD iteration of NIL. That's just throwing money down the drain. If it were $75k that might be one thing, but $750k???Malachi Nelson got $750,000 from USC without taking a snap, then transferring. Not endorsements.
It’s very crazy. I knew 7 figures was happening for top guys but always thought that the high #s we’re hearing about were a combination of $ direct from program somehow and things like public appearances, jersey sales, sponsorships, etc…