Thad Ward and Cory Patterson have brought a shot of adrenaline to the Illinois Football Program. Champaign-Urbana is now commonly referred to as #Littyville in the streets of college football twitter. Social media has been ablaze with #Littyville and orange and blue diamonds as Lovie’s coaching staff attempts to build their brand and attract elite HS football players. In 2018, Marquez Beason and Isaiah Williams committed to the Illini. Both are top 100 prospects and the highest rated recruits since the Ron Zook ere. The Columns are hot.
Illinois basketball also landed Ayo Dosunmu, the school’s first 5-star prospect since Jereme Richmond.