IlliniHQ 2
General Category => Halas Hall Football Forum => Topic started by: ThePAMan on September 16, 2026, 01:27:02 PM
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Because I am a lazy, mediocre White guy, all stolen from fightingillini.com unless otherwise indicated....
Illinois (1-1) vs. Southern Illinois (2-1)
Date | Time Saturday, Sept. 19 | 1 p.m. CT
Location Champaign, Ill. (Gies Memorial Stadium) {DRIVE BACK FROM CARBONDALE, JUDGE JUDY!}
TV Peacock
Radio SiriusXM (113/232)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois takes on in-state foe Southern Illinois on Saturday at Gies Memorial {Scoreboard} Stadium to end its three-game nonconference homestand to start the 2026 season. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Peacock. {GAME SHOULD ALSO BE ON NBCSPORTSNETWORK IF YOUR PROVIDER CARRIES IT}
Illinois (1-1) looks to restart its nonconference winning streak after snapping a 10-game nonconference winning streak dating back to 2023 with last week's loss to Duke. Southern Illinois (2-1) is coming off a rivalry win over SEMO.
The Illini have been highlighted through two games by wide receiver Collin Dixon, who is tied for the national lead in receiving touchdowns (5) and tied for the Big Ten lead in receptions (17). Getting Dixon the ball {BECAUSE HE IS NOT LOOKING TO THROW TO ANYONE ELSE!} is quarterback Katin Houser, who ranks seventh in the nation in ESPN's QBR metric (90.2) and ranks among the nation's top quarterbacks in passing touchdowns (14th, 6), passing efficiency (23rd, 178.6), and completion percentage (28th, 71.2).
Paul Bermeister (play-by-play), Ian Book (analyst), and Ashley ShahAhmadi (reporter) have the television broadcast streaming on Peacock. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the radio call with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (analyst), and Kevin Mitchell (sideline).
{Ashley ShahAhmadi is an American sports reporter. She formerly worked for ESPN's college football coverage since 2023, and has worked as an ESPN Radio NBA postseason reporter, covering the Minnesota/Dallas playoff series during the 2023–24 NBA season. She covered the Charlotte Hornets for six years with FanDuel Sports Network Southeast before leaving in 2024.....She covered the Atlanta Braves as well. She is now a sideline reporter for NBC Sports coverage of the NBA and WNBA.
ShahAhmadi is a graduate of the University of Georgia. She began her broadcast journalism career in Meridian, Mississippi as the weekend sports anchor at WTOK-TV. She then made a 100-market jump to Jackson, Mississippi as the weekend sports anchor at WAPT-TV. She then returned to Atlanta, Georgia to work as social media content producer and host for Fox Sports South/Southeast, then in 2018 became the reporter for the Hornets. She also was a CMT correspondent.
ShahAhmadi resides in Atlanta with her husband, retired professional baseball player Tyler Krieger, whom she married in 2023.}
New Traffic Patterns
The University of Illinois Division of Public Safety and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) will implement a lot-specific traffic-routing system for the 2026 Illinois football season. The new routes are designed to ease traffic as much as possible, but fans are encouraged to arrive earlier than usual and review their designated gameday parking route on the Illinois Football 2026 Parking Updates website in advance.
Notes
Illinois vs. SIU
• Illinois is 4-0 all-time against Southern Illinois.
• Illinois legend Howard Griffith produced one of the all-time great games in college football history against Southern Illinois when he ran for a record eight touchdowns against the Salukis on Sept. 22, 1990. Griffith was inducted into the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame last weekend. {MAYBE HE CAN SUIT UP FOR THIS GAME TOO}
The Illinois Offense
• Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. is the longest tenured offensive coordinator in the Big Ten. {YES, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO GIVE HIM A PROMOTION....MAYBE RUNNING THE BALL INTO THE LINE ON 2D AND 3D DOWN IN A CLUTCH POSSESSION WAS NOT A SMART DECISION}
• WR Collin Dixon is off to one of the best starts for a wideout in program history through two games. He is tied for the Big Ten lead in receiving touchdowns (5) with Rutgers' KJ Duff and Indiana's Charlie Becker and tied for the Big Ten lead in receptions (17) with Duff. Dixon ranks third in the Big Ten in receiving yards (236), behind only Duff and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith. Nationally, Dixon ranks tied for first in receiving touchdowns, sixth in receptions, and 13th in receiving yards. Dixon, Becker, Duff, and Buffalo's Chance Morrow are the only players in the nation with five receiving touchdowns.
• Illinois QB Katin Houser ranks seventh in the nation in ESPN's QBR metric (90.2) and ranks among the nation's top quarterbacks in passing touchdowns (14th, 6), passing efficiency (23rd, 178.6), and completion percentage (28th, 71.2).
• In the season-opening win over UAB, Houser had the eighth-best passing efficiency in a game in program history and the best ever in an Illini debut (224.6).
• WR Hudson Clement has caught a pass in 29 straight games, the sixth-longest active streak in the nation.
• The Illinois offensive line has yet to allow a sack this season.
• The Illinois offense has improved every year since Lunney's arrival. The Illini averaged 24.2 points per game in Lunney's first year in 2022, followed by 24.5 in 2023, 28.3 in 2024, and 29.4 in 2025.
• From Lunney's first season in 2022 through the 2025 season, Illinois ranked second in the Big Ten in completion percentage (65.1), fourth in passer rating (143.9), fifth in points (1,359), fifth in passing touchdowns (83), and fifth in passing yards (11,739) among the 14 teams that were in the league all four seasons (2022-25).
The Illinois Defense
• Illinois' defense is run by first-year defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck, the former Montana and UNLV head coach.
• DL Will Holmes ranks 20th in the nation with nine total pressures with a 27.3% pressure rate on pass snaps (data by PFF). {BETTER NOT DEPEND ON THE GIANT SCOREBOARD AS THE REASON THIS DUDE WILL STAY!}
• LB Ismael Kante has the eighth-longest interception return for a touchdown in the nation this season (59 yards vs. UAB).
• DB Matthew Bailey is the only player in the nation returning after leading his team in tackles in 2024 and 2025. Bailey is Illinois' leading tackler this season with 12.
Mr. Roberts? Weather?
(https://i.postimg.cc/67LDTp1k/Mr-Roberts3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/67LDTp1k)
I am in a stew over how that Duke game went. I had big clams on that game with Babe! I have been a bent cigar since last week. What a bunch of baloney that was! I ended up getting the bum's rush out of our favorite juice joint. Next time, I will shiv that soda jerk.
It's going to be sweltering Saturday, see! As hot as a bootlegger’s boiler out on the pavement:
1PM Gametime
Mostly Cloudy
87 °F
Will Feel Like 92 °F
Precip - 15 % 0 in
Cloud cover 66 %
Dew Point 69 °F
Humidity 55 %
Wind 7 mph WSW
Barometric Pressure 29.91 in
I am off to get spifflicated with Babe and check out the gams on the dames.
Thank you Mr. Roberts. Now onto the lines with Jimmy....
(https://i.postimg.cc/0zgkwrcb/James-the-Greek.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0zgkwrcb)
Greek: VSiN does not even have this game listed! So Brent can kiss off today.
Open Illini -41.5
Current Illini -39.5. 40 at BetRivers
Over/under open 53.5
Current over/under 54.5
69% of the action on SIU.
Illini 0-2 ATS. SIU 1-1.
Illini 2-0 on the over.
Last week I said take Duke and the under. Boy, did I underestimate the Illini defense incompetence! No more of that. Take SIU and the over.
Thanks, Greek!
Onto Tempo's Kompendium of Krap. This week, sponsored by Wyffels Hybrids.
At Wyffels Hybrids, we focus solely and intensely on corn. All those other crops can suck it! The result is a level of performance uncommon in the seed business. Sure, more corn growers are planting Wyffels today because our products just perform better than the competition. But a big part of the reason that they keep coming back? It’s the way we treat our business and our customers. Like family. You want to talk corn, we are all ears!
Locally located in Geneseo and Atkinson, Illinois.
Mahomes looked like crap Monday night. This week in your fantasy leagues you should start Justin Fields!
I have to put on my bucket hat here. I have a beef with Ben Johnson. I started Loveland and Thomas in by Billion Dollar DFS last week. ZERO targets! Raymond and Walker got targets and not MY GUYS? WTH? Keep your shirt on this week, Ben. I do not care how many points the Bears score but you better target MY DFS PLAYERS this week! Everyone loves Raymond....except ME!
Ben Johnson has been warned: You do not want to get on Tempo's bad side. Next week he may accuse you of committing genocide against his DFS teams.
Lot 46 Tailgate update: Last week Judge Judy and I stayed out there until 830PM. Everyone else left in a huff (not Huff Hall)! Apparently The Scoreboard was not enough to keep people around post-game.
No clue what I am doing yet this week. Going to be too hot to cook again, so screw that.
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Did you mention that the scoreboard will be a week closer to completion, further enhancing the overall festive atmosphere??
This is sure to create a lasting favorable impression on visiting prospects and their families.
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Did you mention that the scoreboard will be a week closer to completion, further enhancing the overall festive atmosphere??
This is sure to create a lasting favorable impression on visiting prospects and their families.
Uh, the Scoreboard has been completed, Nichi. Did you have a stroke or something? I am starting to worry that something happened to you or you are just a Tempo mult.
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The jokes in these game reports have the confidence of a comedian and the humor of a fire alarm. Every joke makes silence feel like a luxury.
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Uh, the Scoreboard has been completed, Nichi. Did you have a stroke or something? I am starting to worry that something happened to you or you are just a Tempo mult.
My understanding is it is functional and almost complete. They are working on final touch details this week. Will be working on it at least 2 more weeks.
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My understanding is it is functional and almost complete. They are working on final touch details this week. Will be working on it at least 2 more weeks.
If they are working on the final touches this week, why will they be working on it at least 2 more weeks?
What they need to work on is listing the home team second for the out-of-town scores.
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If they are working on the final touches this week, why will they be working on it at least 2 more weeks?
What they need to work on is listing the home team second for the out-of-town scores.
Obviously the final touches will take a couple weeks. How hard is that?
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I have a family member that knows nothing about Buddhism, but acts like an expert.
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Obviously the final touches will take a couple weeks. How hard is that?
My savior, AI says:
The primary construction is finished, and the massive new scoreboard already made its official game debut at Gies Memorial Stadium (University of Illinois) at the beginning of September 2026.
Completion Status: The main 69-by-250-foot video display is fully installed and operational.
Public Debut: Fans got their first live look during the Fighting Illini home opener.
Current State: While minor fine-tuning of software, audio, or display controls may continue through the season, the physical installation of college football's largest videoboard is complete.
The Buddha would likely view the massive Gies Memorial Stadium videoboard as a striking monument to human ego, impermanence, and sensory distraction.
From the perspective of Buddhist philosophy, a 17,315-square-foot monument to college football scores and replays touches on several core teachings:
1. Impermanence (Anicca)
The physical screen: No matter how bright, large, or expensive the 16-million-pixel display is, it is subject to decay. It will eventually weather, break down, or become obsolete.
The score: The wins, losses, and numbers flashed upon the board change constantly. Clinging to the elation of a victory or the despair of a loss is a trap, because the score is fleeting and temporary.
2. Pride and Ego (Mana)
The race for bigness: Seeking to build the "largest videoboard in college football" stems from a desire for status, prestige, and comparison with others.
The illusion of greatness: Buddhism teaches that true worth comes from cultivating a calm, compassionate mind—not from monumental displays of institutional pride or competitive dominance.
3. Sensory Distraction (Pamadha)
Escaping reality: Flashing lights, roaring crowds, and giant spectacles pull the human mind outward into sensory overload.
Missing the present: Instead of bringing awareness to the present breath or inner peace, the screen rivets thousands of minds to an elaborate, manufactured illusion of conflict and triumph.
4. The Middle Way
A game is just a game: Playing or watching a sport with moderation and joy is not inherently harmful.
The trap of excess: Spending vast fortunes and pouring massive resources into a colossal display of entertainment—while ignoring the quiet simplicity of life—is an expression of excess (tanha, or craving) that moves people further away from inner freedom.
In short, the Buddha might smile gently at the cheering crowds, remind everyone that the scores are empty illusions, and ask what is truly being kept score of within their own hearts.
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How do you reconcile that with the fantastic visual imagery of the Lotus Sutra?
or this?
(https://i.ibb.co/sd1Q1RsV/Screenshot-20260916-201953-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zT2b2xP4)
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How do you reconcile that with the fantastic visual imagery of the Lotus Sutra?
or this
(https://i.ibb.co/sd1Q1RsV/Screenshot-20260916-201953-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zT2b2xP4)
Everything happens for a reason.
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To paraphrase the Zooker, it's not the infrastructure it's the Jimmy's and the Joe's
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From the coach I'm glad we didn't get, PJ Fleck ....
He doesn't mention a scoreboard to entice recruits.
"You are going to have to develop freshmen really quickly."
And then they pack their bags and follow the NIL money.
(https://i.ibb.co/j9zrxS3Z/Screenshot-20260917-075425-Chrome.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6c8WpkDJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/QjcdhGVM/Screenshot-20260917-075527-Chrome.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7Nz4BFDK)
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Everything happens for a reason.
reason in the sense of causality, but not in the sense of mystic purpose or meaning..
The Buddha did not say "everything happens for a reason," as that exact phrase is a modern idiom rather than an authentic ancient Buddhist quote.
recruits choose a school for a variety of reasons. nil Money being one.
buddhism is not all about peace and quiet. it's also about giant statues and stupas and noisy festivals.
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Because I am a lazy, mediocre White guy, all stolen from fightingillini.com unless otherwise indicated....
New Traffic Patterns
The University of Illinois Division of Public Safety and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) will implement a lot-specific traffic-routing system for the 2026 Illinois football season. The new routes are designed to ease traffic as much as possible, but fans are encouraged to arrive earlier than usual and review their designated gameday parking route on the Illinois Football 2026 Parking Updates website in advance.
Notes
Illinois vs. SIU
• Illinois is 4-0 all-time against Southern Illinois.
• Illinois legend Howard Griffith produced one of the all-time great games in college football history against Southern Illinois when he ran for a record eight touchdowns against the Salukis on Sept. 22, 1990. Griffith was inducted into the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame last weekend. {MAYBE HE CAN SUIT UP FOR THIS GAME TOO}
The Illinois Offense
• Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. is the longest tenured offensive coordinator in the Big Ten. {YES, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO GIVE HIM A PROMOTION....MAYBE RUNNING THE BALL INTO THE LINE ON 2D AND 3D DOWN IN A CLUTCH POSSESSION WAS NOT A SMART DECISION}
• WR Collin Dixon is off to one of the best starts for a wideout in program history through two games. He is tied for the Big Ten lead in receiving touchdowns (5) with Rutgers' KJ Duff and Indiana's Charlie Becker and tied for the Big Ten lead in receptions (17) with Duff. Dixon ranks third in the Big Ten in receiving yards (236), behind only Duff and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith. Nationally, Dixon ranks tied for first in receiving touchdowns, sixth in receptions, and 13th in receiving yards. Dixon, Becker, Duff, and Buffalo's Chance Morrow are the only players in the nation with five receiving touchdowns.
• Illinois QB Katin Houser ranks seventh in the nation in ESPN's QBR metric (90.2) and ranks among the nation's top quarterbacks in passing touchdowns (14th, 6), passing efficiency (23rd, 178.6), and completion percentage (28th, 71.2).
• In the season-opening win over UAB, Houser had the eighth-best passing efficiency in a game in program history and the best ever in an Illini debut (224.6).
• WR Hudson Clement has caught a pass in 29 straight games, the sixth-longest active streak in the nation.
• The Illinois offensive line has yet to allow a sack this season.
• The Illinois offense has improved every year since Lunney's arrival. The Illini averaged 24.2 points per game in Lunney's first year in 2022, followed by 24.5 in 2023, 28.3 in 2024, and 29.4 in 2025.
• From Lunney's first season in 2022 through the 2025 season, Illinois ranked second in the Big Ten in completion percentage (65.1), fourth in passer rating (143.9), fifth in points (1,359), fifth in passing touchdowns (83), and fifth in passing yards (11,739) among the 14 teams that were in the league all four seasons (2022-25).
The Illinois Defense
• Illinois' defense is run by first-year defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck, the former Montana and UNLV head coach.
• DL Will Holmes ranks 20th in the nation with nine total pressures with a 27.3% pressure rate on pass snaps (data by PFF). {BETTER NOT DEPEND ON THE GIANT SCOREBOARD AS THE REASON THIS DUDE WILL STAY!}
• LB Ismael Kante has the eighth-longest interception return for a touchdown in the nation this season (59 yards vs. UAB).
• DB Matthew Bailey is the only player in the nation returning after leading his team in tackles in 2024 and 2025. Bailey is Illinois' leading tackler this season with 12.
Mr. Roberts? Weather?
(https://i.postimg.cc/67LDTp1k/Mr-Roberts3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/67LDTp1k)
Thank you Mr. Roberts. Now onto the lines with Jimmy....
(https://i.postimg.cc/0zgkwrcb/James-the-Greek.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0zgkwrcb)
Thanks, Greek!
Onto Tempo's Kompendium of Krap. This week, sponsored by Wyffels Hybrids.
At Wyffels Hybrids, we focus solely and intensely on corn. All those other crops can suck it! The result is a level of performance uncommon in the seed business. Sure, more corn growers are planting Wyffels today because our products just perform better than the competition. But a big part of the reason that they keep coming back? It’s the way we treat our business and our customers. Like family. You want to talk corn, we are all ears!
Locally located in Geneseo and Atkinson, Illinois.
Ben Johnson has been warned: You do not want to get on Tempo's bad side. Next week he may accuse you of committing genocide against his DFS teams.
Lot 46 Tailgate update: Last week Judge Judy and I stayed out there until 830PM. Everyone else left in a huff (not Huff Hall)! Apparently The Scoreboard was not enough to keep people around post-game.
No clue what I am doing yet this week. Going to be too hot to cook again, so screw that.
"Paul Bermeister (play-by-play), Ian Book (analyst), and Ashley ShahAhmadi (reporter) have the television broadcast streaming on Peacock. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the radio call with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (analyst), and Kevin Mitchell (sideline)."
Burmeister
And I would use the listen link in the UI website. It doesn't have as much delay as Sirius.
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nobody said s scoreboard will entice recruits. it's the atmosphere. having the best state of the art scoreboard and lighting is not going to hurt.
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nobody said s scoreboard will entice recruits. it's the atmosphere. having the best state of the art scoreboard and lighting is not going to hurt.
Did you say that facilities affect the atmosphere which have an effect on recruiting ?
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Did you say that facilities affect the atmosphere which have an effect on recruiting ?
i think that is an obvious fact..
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i think that is an obvious fact..
And a scoreboard is part of the facilities, correct ?
A Gary Moeller or Tim Beckman team isn't going to put fannies in the seats no matter what our facilities are.
I highly doubt that we've had back to back season ticket sellouts because of the big scoreboard that we didn't have before last year's sellouts.
My apologies for mentioning those 2 clowns. 😂
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Will let the Illinois SID office know about the typo in his name. They were probably too busy working on The Scoreboard software to notice the error.
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A Gary Moeller or Tim Beckman team
when you got outdated facilities, those are the quality coaches you wind up getting.
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when you got outdated facilities, those are the quality coaches you wind up getting.
What the hell has gotten into you, Nichi? You know full well that Zuppke, Mike White, and John Mackovic did well in the same "outdated" facilities.
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buddhism is not all about peace and quiet. it's also about giant statues and stupas and noisy festivals.
Yes — that’s broadly true, with one important nuance.
Buddhism is often associated with meditation, tranquility, and nonviolence, but Buddhist traditions and cultures are much more varied. They can include:
Giant statues — such as monumental images of the Buddha and other Buddhist figures.
Stupas — large dome-shaped structures that serve as important Buddhist monuments and pilgrimage sites.
Noisy festivals — Buddhist celebrations can involve drums, chanting, music, processions, bells, fireworks, and large crowds.
Quiet practices — meditation, silent retreats, monastic life, and contemplation are also important in many Buddhist traditions.
So if you're writing this as a general statement, “Buddhism is not all about peace and quiet” works well. It emphasizes that Buddhism is not just a private, silent practice but also has highly visual, communal, and sometimes exuberant forms of religious expression.
A slightly more precise version would be: Buddhism isn't all about peace and quiet. It also has a rich tradition of giant statues, monumental stupas, colorful processions, and lively festivals.
To focus on the main topic of this thread, the market is strongly tilted toward Illinois: the current spread is about Illinois -38.5 to -39.5, with Illinois coming in 1–1 and Southern Illinois 2–1.
I can’t predict the outcome as a fact, but the available betting market and published models currently have Illinois as the clear favorite. One model projects Illinois by 36 and gives it a 98% win probability.
One interesting wrinkle: Illinois lost 31–27 to Duke last week, while SIU is coming off a rivalry win over SEMO.
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along these lines, the older Shin and Nichiren Temples in the USA were started to serve the needs of ethnic Japanese. As such, their focus was on Japanese culture along with blessings, and devotional chanting. Americans began showing up interested in meditation, so some have begun incorporating sitting.
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What the hell has gotten into you, Nichi? You know full well that Zuppke, Mike White, and John Mackovic did well in the same "outdated" facilities.
were the facilities outdated when Zuppke was here?.
Neale Stoner did what?.
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were the facilities outdated when Zuppke was here?.
Neale Stoner did what?.
Mentioning Zuppke was a joke. Neale Stoner used athlectic department assets to mow his lawn and hired Mike White. The East balcony used to sway back then.
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Mentioning Zuppke was a joke. Neale Stoner used athlectic department assets to mow his lawn and hired Mike White. The East balcony used to sway back then.
Stoner changed the atmosphere and initiated the rebuild of athletic facilities. He did enjoy the same perks as every previous AD and pissed off losers who didn't want change.
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During his tenure as Athletic Director from 1980 to 1988, Neale Stoner fundamentally transformed the University of Illinois athletic infrastructure. When Stoner arrived, the campus had not seen a major new athletic facility built since the opening of Assembly Hall in 1963. Under the slogan "The ’80s Belong to the Illini," Stoner launched a massive $35 million building program that modernized the university's sports facilities.
His crowning achievement and major upgrades included:
Memorial Stadium Football Complex: Stoner oversaw the construction of a $4 million football office and operations complex attached directly to Memorial Stadium, bringing the program's day-to-day operations into the modern era.
New Baseball and Track Stadiums: He spearheaded the creation of brand-new baseball and track facilities constructed just east of Assembly Hall, replacing antiquated setups.
Broad Athletic Expansion: His comprehensive blueprint laid the groundwork for centralized tennis facilities, administrative office hubs, and a multipurpose facility intended to house volleyball and gymnastics.
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He should have assisted in bringing in more guys like Dave Wilson using someone else's school transcripts. Not sure all the Cali JUCOs Mike White brought in cared about the facilities or a new baseball field.
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Mentioning Zuppke was a joke. Neale Stoner used athlectic department assets to mow his lawn and hired Mike White. The East balcony used to sway back then.
Yep. I was in the East balcony then.
We could put a lot more fannies in the seats back then too, before the infrastructure improvements took out 10,000 seats.
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Did you say that facilities affect the atmosphere which have an effect on recruiting ?
I’d say there’s a very real chance facilities and atmosphere matter to a great many players. Most aren’t making 200K+ a year. You need players to fill out the roster, too.
(https://i.postimg.cc/T14B0Zjc/IMG-8428.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CnbvLrQZ)
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What the hell has gotten into you, Nichi? You know full well that Zuppke, Mike White, and John Mackovic did well in the same "outdated" facilities.
How was the Illini program doing 3,500 years ago?
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How was the Illini program doing 3,500 years ago?
The Illini Indians were too busy fighting other Indians at that time.
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Did we have poor facilities in the 20s? I don’t know, I wasn’t around yet. How big was our Jumbotron?
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Did we have poor facilities in the 20s? I don’t know, I wasn’t around yet. How big was our Jumbotron?
Have to ask Nichi. He was at the Red Grange MI game when Memorial Stadium opened.
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Jeff Johnson’s take, kinda fun story about 1985 TailGreat:
Southern Illinois (2-1) at Illinois (1-1)
Saturday 1 PM central kickoff
TV: Peacock
*Notes…Illini basketball coach Brad Underwood this week’s ‘Honorary’ football captain….Hoops must have recruits in town…give them a chance to see/hear the ovation Underwood gets when introduced….Sell the recruiting pitch…’Illinois basketball….it just means more’…..Former Salukis quarterback Nick Hill now in his 11th season as Southern Illinois head coach…damn remember when Hill’s DuQuoin High School team ‘came north’ to play in the Illini 7-on-7 summer tournament maybe summer 2002?…..In the ‘War for the wheel’….After falling behind 10-0…..Salukis impressive come from behind win beating SEMO 34-20 last Saturday in Carbondale…mid-week Bret Bielema’s team a 41.5-point favorite…53.5 over/under.
Former Hawkeye quarterback/Bielema roommate/buddy Paul Burmeister handling the TV play-by-play…’winningest quarterback in Notre Dame football history’ Ian Book providing the color commentary….have no doubt all game Burmeister will parrot Bielema’s talking points….😒
Illini T.J. McMillen out for the season after fracturing his foot last week vs. Duke…McMillen replaced injured Brandon Henderson at guard….’Cagey’ Bielema won’t confirm when Henderson expected to return….Sixth year player Dez Schuster or junior Eddie Turek expected to replace McMillen if #75 isn’t on the field Saturday.
*Southern Illinois on offense…
-Hill’s base offense 11 personnel (one running back/one tight end)….will run four-wide receiver sets majority of time in his own territory….SIU’s star/one man gang at quarterback senior D.J. Williams (#1) got hurt (knee) in the Saluki’s opening season loss at West Florida…was back last week vs. SEMO accounting for five touchdowns in the victory…Williams quoted after win ‘not 100 percent’…looked stiff early on vs. SEMO once he got into game….fine 2nd half…in his seventh year playing college football….6-foot-3, 220-pound former Harvey-Thornton (Ill.) prep at his best making ‘baller’ plays…forced out of the pocket….throwing on the run/gaining yards with his feet/speed/power.
Top skill position players for the Salukis…5-foot-11, 210-pound senior running back Chandler Chapman (#8)…senior slot receiver Allen Middleton (#5) can line up in the backfield…6-foot-3 Northern Illinois transfer Kyle Thomas (#6) Williams’ ‘go to’ pass-catcher…Senior wide receiver Martell Quick (#17) looks like the ‘checkdown’ receiver when QB is pressured….Junior Jake Curry (#7) is an experienced backup quarterback if needed.
SIU o-line…experienced….a lot of trap/power scheme in the run game…former Illini Kellen Francis (#63) starts at guard for the Salukis…Hill loves to get ‘five out’ in pass patterns leaving the o-line no help in pass-pro…Salukis try that vs. Illinois…Hauck’s defense should be able to take advantage of what is a poor group of pass-protectors.
*Salukis on defense…
-Multiple….majority of snaps base looks like a 4-3 scheme….a lot of Tampa 2 zone in pass coverage….middle linebacker drops deep covering the center of the field…Sophomore defensive end Lukas McDonald (#3) best Saluki pass-rusher….linebacker the strength of the defense led by junior Ben Fiegel (#45)….6-foot-3 senior safety Vinnie Pierce Jr. (#4) is an NFL prospect…
like most FCS teams….Southern Illinois doesn’t have a lot of bulk defensive front.
*What I am watching for…
-Defensively….Keep Williams in pocket…set the hard edge…make #1 play quarterback/beat Illinois passing the ball vs. letting Williams run wild….Quarterback’s play kept SIU in the game for three quarters vs. the Boilermakers last season before Salukis defense ran out of gas.
-For Illinois….it’s going to be the same gameplan every week…run the ball…develop receivers other than Collin Dixon….keep the defense on the sidelines as much as possible.
Prediction-Think this one will be like the SIU-Purdue game last season….Salukis will stay in the game for half…maybe three quarters before the Orange&Blue pull away…..42-21 Illini.
*Memories of another SIU vs. Illinois game…
-Been a couple of memorable SIU vs. Illinois football games….Howard G.’s 8 TD performance 1990….my favorite 1985….knew someone who was a Salukis football manager that season/few guys from my high school attending SIU tight with some of the Saluki players…have talked about the game with Illini who played that night in Champaign…this one for all those that remember Gatsby’s/Gold Mine Pizza among other places in Carbondale…so indulge me on this one…going to be long form…..
Sport Magazine pre-season college football issue ranked the Illini number one heading into the 1985 season….with Trudeau/Rooks/Williams/Juriga back on offense…several veterans back on defense…awful schedule….first five games USC/SIU/at Nebraska when the Cornhuskers were ‘Nebraska’/Ohio State/at Purdue and their QB Jim Everett….open season losing at home to USC in that god-awful heat….SIU comes to town….Salukis had won the 1-AA championship in 1983 under head coach Rey Dempsey…He left for the University of Memphis…Don James protegee’ Ray Dorr replaced Dempsey as head coach.
1985….the Infamous TailGreat weekend of the SIU game…school announced crowd at 77K…next weekend when Mike White’s team in Lincoln to play Nebraska…The first/best Farm Aid at Memorial Stadium…quite an 8 days in CU…..many SIU fans/students in the crowd…when, ‘I-L-L’ yelled….Saluki types would answer ‘SIU’….Salukis had a 1-1 record coming off a 40-28 home loss week before to Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State)…another hot, humid night in east central Illinois and you know…..Illini after watching the Salukis lose on film….SIU coaches/players after game, ‘they weren’t taking us seriously’……found the game on film and here goes the review.
First half….Illinois/Trudeau struggle on offense…settling for field goals not touchdowns in red zone (my pet peeve) ….SIU gaining yards statue of liberty play…I shit you not…they ran the play three times gaining yards each attempt…redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Brown leads Salukis down field twice for scores….half SIU 14 Illinois 6…17-6 early 3rd quarter after ‘D’ stopped SIU in the red zone…..settled for the field goal.
3rd quarter Illinois/Trudeau/Rooks woke up…SIU coaches insist 2nd half Illinois running plays they hadn’t run previous week vs. USC out of ‘desperation’…take a 28-17 lead….’game over’…not quite….SIU early 4th mount a scoring drive…TD and two-point conversion 28-25 eight minutes left.
Ensuing kickoff….Salukis on-side kick/recover the ball…SIU sidelines going nuts….penalty flag…on Southern…kicker kicked the ball before the ref blew the whistle…re-kick….with the ball….move down the field…Illinois misses a field goal….SIU makes a valiant effort in position for a game-tying kick as time runs out and….defensive end Scott Davis gets a piece of the ball…attempt falls short….Illini win 28-25.
Particulars…SIU finished 4-7 in 1985….had an offensive line with three future NFL players left tackle Ralph Van Dyke (Bloom/Falcons), center Tom Baugh (Riverside-Brookfield/Chiefs) and right tackle Dave Smith (TF South/Bengals)…Salukis o-line coach young aggressive guy named Mike Michaels….He decided best way to slow down the Illini d-line?….cut blocking…hard to watch….worst offender….#79 Van Dyke….the tackle at snap literally diving at d-line knees…run play Van Dyke got Illini d-end Ron Bohm’s knee…went down in a heap….Ron Bohm was an NFL player till…Van Dyke’s dirty block…after a botched knee surgery reportedly by Dr. Do Over…Bohm never the same player again…could see on film how pissed off the Illini were…Linebacker Sam Ellsworth also caught a cut block…had to helped off the field…didn’t return.
SIU had a starting safety named Popeye Woods that season…not enough guys nicknamed Popeye anymore….Salukis linebacker/future NFL GM Rick Spielman started vs. Illinois 85’…first half…in a battle of ‘characters’…..Cisco (Tex.) Junior College transfer Arael Doolittle started at right tackle for the Illini opposite Saluki defensive end Darren Wietecha….’Tech’ had quite the background/road to Carbondale….his father Ray in the 70’s voted one of the top 100 players ever to play for the New York football Giants.
’Tech’ signed with Syracuse out of high school…210-pound fullback…story always was….Wietecha caught his girlfriend cheating on him…emptied her dorm room on the fifth floor out the window…all her belongings (bed included)…went up to his 7th floor dorm room…emptied all his shit out the window…booted….wound up at SIU a 260-defensive end that called himself, ‘Big Daddy’….Wietecha destroyed Doolittle first half so bad….#75 backup tackle Dave Birky replaced the big Texan 2nd half…handled ‘Tech’ rest of game...Next day in his office White told Doolittle…’you are hurt redshirting’…Doolittle told White, ‘That’s a lie…I am not hurt…I can’t lie….I am a Christian’…White, ‘You are hurt’….Doolittle redshirts.
Few years ago in Texas….Doolittle convicted in two different fraud cases…sentenced to 104 months in jail…reads like he is living in a residential rehab facility in San Antonio…not out/paroled yet….Wietecha hung around with a nose guard named Sunderland in Carbondale…both were 400-plus bench press types….5-foot-10, 280-pound Sunderland would always wear a dog collar around his neck when he went out on the town…telling anyone who would listen…He loved the Road Warriors rasslin’ tag team…Sunderland the ‘real junkyard dog’ why he wore the collar….can’t make this shit up….D-bol ‘Breakfast of Champions’ those days.
https://jeffb59.substack.com/
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Jeff J need a weather report, betting tips, a Tempo life style column, and sponsors.
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Jeff J need a weather report, betting tips, a Tempo life style column, and sponsors.
That’s what we have you for!
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That’s what we have you for!
We both need editors. Though he needs one far more.
Mr. Roberts may have to revise his forecast. Looking like some rain at noon and into kickoff. Then again, since they let go all the competent DEI hires at the NWS odds are the lazy white guys still there are wrong.
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The Trimble catch looked like a Pat Bryant catch.
That should get him more looks.
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Will let the Illinois SID office know about the typo in his name. They were probably too busy working on The Scoreboard software to notice the error.
If you haven't let the SID office know about Burmeister's name yet maybe run this past them too.
The stadium is in Urbana ?
(https://i.ibb.co/60mg7Fyn/Screenshot-20260919-133018-Chrome.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d4rGwDfW)
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If you haven't let the SID office know about Burmeister's name yet maybe run this past them too.
The stadium is in Urbana ?
(https://i.ibb.co/60mg7Fyn/Screenshot-20260919-133018-Chrome.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d4rGwDfW)
the address for Gies memorial stadium
The address for University of Illinois Gies Memorial Stadium is 1402 S 1st St, Champaign, IL 61820.
Location & Venue Details
Location: On the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus near Kirby Avenue and First Street.
Phone: (217) 333-1400
Main Use: Home field for the Illinois Fighting Illini football
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The stats page on the UI website says Urbana
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Offense pulling another disappearing act in the 2nd half
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3 star Barnett is listed at 6'1" 235 pounds and ran the 100 and 200 in hs
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3 star Barnett is listed at 6'1" 235 pounds and ran the 100 and 200 in hs
Dudes gonna be good…
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Dudes gonna be good…
Barnett covered for Lil Valentine and it was nice to see Laughery break one.
It was the Salukis tho.
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Only caught parts of the first half, any improvements we can point to from last week that can’t be attributed to the Saluki?
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peacock has not improved
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peacock has not improved
Absolute trash. It was on my YouTubeTV which was nice. I watched the highlights on the YouTube when we got home tonight, looks like we fixed everything!
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Environmentally conscious recruits will not be happy with the new scoreboard.
AI Overview
The new giant video board and LED lighting upgrades at Gies Memorial Stadium (Memorial Stadium) in Champaign, Illinois, have created massive light pollution visible from up to 25 to 30 miles away
Light Pollution Impact and Visibility
Extreme Brightness: Screen tests and dynamic light shows cast a powerful orange and blue glow into the night sky.
Distant Visibility: Local meteorologists and residents have spotted the stadium's glowing dome and flashes from weather cameras and locations 25 to 30 miles away, including Gibson City and near Philo.
Community Reactions: While many fans praise the upgraded game-day atmosphere and new LED capabilities, local residents and online commentators have criticized the setup as "obnoxiously bright" and raised concerns about biological clock disruptions, bird migrations, and night glare
Stadium UpgradesThe Scoreboard: Funded in part by Larry Gies' $100 million donation, the massive new videoboard in the south end zone is among the largest in college sports.
LED Lighting: New stadium-wide LED fixtures support high-energy light shows during events, debuting ahead of the 2026 season opener against UAB
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Environmentally conscious recruits will not be happy with the new scoreboard.
Yeah, both of them.
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Only caught parts of the first half, any improvements we can point to from last week that can’t be attributed to the Saluki?
We tackled better.
They need to figure out a way to make Will Holmes more productive. At 6'4" 260lbs he had the last block to open up the sideline for Bailey on his 88 yard pick 6. The guy can motor.
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We tackled better.
They need to figure out a way to make Will Holmes more productive. At 6'4" 260lbs he had the last block to open up the sideline for Bailey on his 88 yard pick 6. The guy can motor.
Thanks, Holmes seems like a player