About 6-7 years ago some guys started You Tube skits about SEC football and occasionally other conferences. They do it each week in football season and have built up a large following, mainly in the SEC footprint.

Anyway they did an end of season (for them) skit and it has an Illinois mention at the 2:20 mark! Guess we are getting noticed after beating S Carolina.

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ps. this season wasn't that funny but the 2 seasons before were really good if you want a few chuckles. Here is the 1st one I saw from 4 years ago during covid when they were thinking of canceling that season. Love the Big 12 having to say they need to check with Texas first on things.

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Good group coming in this weekend. Then a big junior day coming up the weekend of January 26

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No interest? No NIL? No room?

I'll take Illinois by 6 points. The Illini were bad against USC, but Indiana was terrible against Iowa.

1. The offensive game plan was flawed from the get-to. USC does not defend the rim, and yet Illinois chucked up 32 threes (7-for-32 / 21.9%). They needed to get to the rim against the Trojans, who are undersized. Illinois has completely abandoned post-ups to Ivisic. He does need to finish stronger, but they should have made an effort to get him going down low early on.

2. No adjustments on defense to slow Desmond Claude down. You cant' let one guy take over a game like that. Illinois kept switching on the big-on-little ball screens, and Claude kept getting the favorable matchups that he wanted. (We've seen that movie before). There was zero backside help. Illinois should have mixed it up against the balls screens with some double teams / traps, hedges, etc. How many times did he get one-on-one vs. Morez Johnson? Too easy for a big downhill player like Claude.

3. Humrichous continues to show a more well-rounded game. That's been a major adjustment for him over the last several games. He's putting on the deck more and using his size to back guys down. It can look a bit awkward and sluggish at times, but he can use his size to shoot over guys. Ben was 3-for-3 on 2's today. He didn't get to the line at all, though.

4. The 24.4 usage rate for Kylan Boswell is a losing stat for Illinois. He's too loose with the ball with 6 TO's today, he doesn't finish when he gets to the rim, and it takes others out of the offense when he dominates the ball. Obviously, they missed Kasparas Jakucionis, who's ability to get anywhere he wants on the floor sets up others for open looks. His ill-advised 3's out of rhythm killed several possessions. Boswell needs to play more within himself.

5. You can't lose the rebounding battle to USC, the worst rebounding team in the Big Ten. While much of it was simply lack of effort and focus, the rotation also was a factor. Morez Johnson had a game-high 22.5 rebounding rate, but only played 20 minutes. I know Underwood was frustrated with Tomislav Isivic, but it doesn't make much sense to only play him 17 minutes against an undersized USC. The worst culprit in terms of lack of focus on the glass was probably Tre White. He was flatfooted a lot of the time and seemed to be in a fog. No way USC should have won the battle for second-chance points (12-9). That's all about effort.

6. Illinois folded during the game-winning three-minute stretch by USC. As bad as Illinois played, they had the game tied at 57 with 8:46 to go in the game. Then the wheels fell off. The next 4 out of 5 shots were 3's, including consecutive missed 3's Gibb-Lawhorn and Tre White on the same possession. Turnovers by Boswell and White. Runouts by Wesley Yates, Claude, and Rashaun Agee. 70-60 at 5:18. Ball game.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Former Illini All-American Devon Witherspoon earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection, the NFL announced Thursday. Witherspoon is the first player since Dick Butkus to finish his Illini career then earn a spot in the Pro Bowl during his first two seasons in the NFL.

Witherspoon has 90 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, and seven passes defended on the season.

"He plays with his hair on fire," said Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald during the season. "You talk about shocking effort, and if you want to shock people, watch 21 play. We talk about ball finding energy, and it kind of all comes together with Spoon. People want production and they want to be certain type of players, but if you don't do it every day, I don't see how you could have a reasonable expectation to be a great player. This guy brings it every single day, and does it every rep, and that's why he's a great player."

Witherspoon joined Dick Butkus (1965-66, Chicago Bears) as former Illini to make the Pro Bowl during their first two seasons immediately following their careers in Champaign. Former Illini Bob Trumpy also made the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons (1968-69, Cincinnati Bengals) but he finished his college career at Utah after transferring from Illinois.

Witherspoon is the first Illini to make back-to-back Pro Bowls since CB Vontae Davis for the Indianapolis Colts from 2014-15.

Illinois has three Pro Bowl alternates that could get in the event: Chase McLaughlin, K, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1st alternate); Kerby Joseph, S, Detroit Lions (2nd alternate); and Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals (3rd alternate). Joseph is the NFL's leader in interceptions with nine, two more than any other player.

The Seahawks' official release is here.


ILLINOIS PRO BOWL ALTERNATES

Chase McLaughlin, K, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1st alternate)

Kerby Joseph, S, Detroit Lions (2nd alternate)

Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals (3rd alternate)

Maybe I missed it but I thought I read Melvin Priestly was going to Colorado now today I'm seeing he's got a post on Twitter saying run it back with Illinois??

Good news right at least for back up?

Right here:

Do we make it into the top 15? We have a chance to start next year with the longest winning streak in the nation. Depending on the football playoffs.

Final: 82-72

Bad game plan and terrible effort.

I taped it. Are there any Illini players in it? Any overall players of note? Or do I just hope for players to not pick a ND hat???
As I try to get my mind off basketball for 48 hrs.....

Then:

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Now:

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Tipoff coming up at 11 am

Jakucionis is out again.

ESPN put out an article today about how IL could end up as a No 1 seed. What is shocking to me is that the article says that nobody expected anything from IL this year. I say BS, I know we talked a lot on this board about how good this team could be and many were shocked IL was not ranked in the preseason. It’s like some of these idiots don’t know or pay attention to basketball.

West Virginia defeated Oral Roberts 87-59. Sencire Harris and Amani Hansberry were both in the starting lineup for WVU. Harris had 4 points and 4 rebounds. Hansberry had 9 points and 12 rebounds.

Memphis defeated Mizzou 83-75. Dain Dainja started and had 6 points and 8 rebounds.

Indiana (Luke Goode) opens its season on Wednesday night vs. SIUE. Goode came off the bench in both of Indian's exhibition games.

Kansas State (Coleman Hawkins) opens its season on Tuesday night vs. New Orleans. Hawkins started in KSU's exhibition vs. Fort Hayes State. 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Just a stupid penalty on Henderson! Fine him NIL $! If they can make it…they can lose it.

There is a group of Ohio State Buckeye fans there. They bought tickets to the wrong bowl. Bucknuts at their best.