Illinois Fighting Illini WR Ryan Lankford was the team's most improved player this spring practice session. But he didn't have a catch on Saturday in the big 33-15 win over Arkansas State. Someone preferably Lankford needs to become Illinois' third option. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase threw for a career-best 267 yards. His 16 completions went to A.J. Jenkins, who had 11 … [Read more...] about Illini Need Wide Receiver Ryan Lankford to Develop Into Third Option
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Illini Football All-Decade Team Announced: Part 2 Offense, Special Teams
The University of Illinois announced their All-Decade Team this week. Today, we'll list the offense named to the 31-player team. The squad, which honors Illini who played between 2000-10, was compiled by a combination of fan voting and input from Division of Intercollegiate Athletics staff. … [Read more...] about Illini Football All-Decade Team Announced: Part 2 Offense, Special Teams
Illini Football All-Decade Team Announced: Part 1 Defense
The University of Illinois announced their All-Decade Team this week. We'll start with the defense, and we'll open with the defensive linemen: Will Davis, Corey Liuget, Brandon Moore, Chris Norwell and Derrick Strong named to the 31-player team. The squad, which honors Illini who played between 2000-10, was compiled by a combination of fan voting and input from Division of … [Read more...] about Illini Football All-Decade Team Announced: Part 1 Defense
Illinois Fighting Ilini Season Preview: Offense
Last year the Illinois Fighting Illini got a bowl win for the first time since 1999, a 38-14 drubbing of Baylor in Houston that kind of resembled their last bowl win, a 63-21 destruction of Virginia. The offense got very hot down the stretch last season, so hot that the unit set new records for points scored and total points. This year QB Nathan Scheelhaase is up for the … [Read more...] about Illinois Fighting Ilini Season Preview: Offense
Illinois Fighting Ilini Season Preview: Defense
If there’s one thing I know in life, it’s that Illinois college football never ever conforms to your expectations. No one saw their two BcS appearances coming (2001, 2007); and since they followed both seasons up with sub .500 choking, both these bowl appearances are now looked upon as fluky. Whenever Illinois has been predicted to do well (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009) they fell … [Read more...] about Illinois Fighting Ilini Season Preview: Defense
Jason Ford Needs to be Illini Football BMOC
When Rashard Mendenhall left the Illinois Fighting Illini with a year of eligibility left in 2007, for the NFL Draft, Illinois suffered the next year. Aside from that whole "planes cannot take down a building" tweets of idiocy and the sponsorship pullout that followed, things have gone pretty well for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mendenhall. But for the two years that … [Read more...] about Jason Ford Needs to be Illini Football BMOC
#38 Illinois Fighting Illini: College Football 77 in 77
If there's one thing I know in life, it's that Illinois college football never ever conforms to your expectations. No one saw their two BcS appearances coming (2001, 2007); and since they followed both seasons up with sub .500 choking, both these bowl appearances are now looked upon as fluky. Whenever Illinois has been predicted to do well (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009) they fell … [Read more...] about #38 Illinois Fighting Illini: College Football 77 in 77
Illini Running Back Situation: Who takes over for Mikel Leshoure?
When Rashard Mendenhall left the Illinois Fighting Illini with a year of eligibility left in 2007, for the NFL Draft, Illinois suffered the next year. Aside from that whole "planes cannot take down a building" tweets of idiocy and the sponsorship pullout that followed, things have gone pretty well for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mendenhall. But for the two years that … [Read more...] about Illini Running Back Situation: Who takes over for Mikel Leshoure?
More Illinois Fighting Illini Named to College Football Award Watch Lists
We already told you about QB Nathan Scheelhaase being named a candidate for the Maxwell Award, the most outstanding player in college football. But there's more: Illinois senior wide receiver A.J. Jenkins has been named a preseason candidate for the 2011 Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation’s most outstanding wide receiver by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club … [Read more...] about More Illinois Fighting Illini Named to College Football Award Watch Lists
What we Learned from Fighting Illini Football Spring Game
A small select group of things are certain in life- death, taxes, and Fighting Illini football seasons ending up much different than what you expected in the preseason. Last year's team wasn't expected to really do much- Yet the finished 7-6 (despite a very difficult schedule) and with a quite decisive bowl victory. Conversely, in '08 and '09, expectations were sky-high … [Read more...] about What we Learned from Fighting Illini Football Spring Game