On paper, when you take the names away from Illinois football, things are looking promising: a team returning a four-star quarterback, a premier running back, five out of the top six receivers, five offensive linemen that have started, and a defense with returning contributors at every position. They've improved from two to four to six wins over the last three seasons. Team on the upswing, right?
Well, this is Tim Beckman's Illinois, that one that never fails to find the banana peel. The Tim Beckman who sent his staff to Penn State in the wake of the NCAA's sanctions like vultures, trying to pick off players questioning the future of that program.