Illini linebacking would carry a more robust look next August if new assistant coach Tim McGarigle had the UI’s second-leading tackler, T.J. Neal, cracking heads alongside 2015 backups LaKeith Walls and B.J. Bello plus prep commits Amani Jones of Chicago Phillips and Tim Walton of Detroit Cass.
But all five took a powder. They will play elsewhere.
Walton mentioned Bill Cubit’s short (two years) contract before joining Dino Babers at Syracuse on Tuesday. Jones switched earlier to (ugh!) Iowa. Neal expressed his concern about coaching upheaval here with the departure of coordinator Tim Banks and linebackers coach Mike Ward.