This talent has committed to play football for Lovie Smith and the Illini coaching staff. They will help build the program into a Big Ten contender once again. Let’s not forget, just ten years ago Illinois was in the Rose Bowl. Getting back to that point can happen and that is what I am hoping will happen, eventually.
But, we all know the struggles this great program has gone through. In a span of eight months, the football program fired their head coach for player mistreatment. Promoted their offensive coordinator to interim head coach and followed that up with signing him to a two-year contract.