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Illinois Fighting Illini (you'll see)

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Illinois under Zook should be a lot like Minnesota under Mason - they'll get a bunch of "second tier" recruits who never get offered by OSU, PSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, and might occasionally land a top-20 player from Ohio. Buckeye fans shouldn't worry too much. Now Iowa, on the other hand, might just see their Chicago pipeline dry up considerably now that Zook is running the show in Champaign.
 
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i think zook was not given enough credit at UF. they weren't even the 2nd best team in the SEC. i think he will compete for a big ten title almost every year in a couple of years. they already have isiah "juice" williams(who was offered by everybody in the big ten). i also understand that they're hitting JUCO hard. they got 2 LOI from justin sanders and antonio steele, 2 really good prospects. they also have rahkeem smith(4 star-10th best prep school prospect). they also have marques wilkins and a bunch of other good players, plus they're in on other top prospects like reshad jones. and that's not it. if you look at '07, illinois has some really good talent and they have the interest of top players in the country like arrelious benn and joseph barksdale. i think they have a really good shot at benn if they land his teammate this year(vontae davis). i think them even getting consideration from prospects of that caliber is great considering they were 2-9. i would hate to see what he'll sell when they're winning around their first 5-7 games next year. they have a pretty easy schedule to start off. i don't know about you guys, but i'm kind of concerned about illinois in the next couple of years.
 
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Illinois might compete for a Big Ten title once every few years but I doubt it. Zook couldn't coach his way out of a wet paper bag with scissors in his hand. If he couldn't win in the SEC with Florida how is he supposed to win in the B10 with Illinois?
 
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Having seen a few Zook coached Florida games, I was always struck by how much they reminded me of teams coached by none other then John Cooper. Great talent on the field but something always happened (stupid play call, etc.) that would cost them the games they had to have.

Just my FWIW.

:osu:
 
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Zook will complete with everyone O/T PSU, tOSU, TSUN and sometimes Iowa adn every once in a while knock off one or two of the aforementioned which is going to make the whole conference even more dangerous like the SEC.

There's no way to get through that conference unscathed. That's what makes Auburns's run last year more incredible and in my opinion screwed because they may have beaten USC.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!
 
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It seems that Ohio is going to be more 'cherry-picked' in the near future. Zook (OSU assistant), Hoeppner (Miami U head coach), Glen Mason (OSU Head coach wannabe), all have 'worked' Ohio for the HS talent we possess. The MAC and DII schools mine the smaller sized talent (that might grow to a first rounder NFL choice). But the new DI coaches that know the HS coaches and can get into see the kids will have an impact. Add to this the resurgence of Notre Dame (in the old days they'd go in and pick the best back/OL, etc in teh State and say - we want you) in the midwest. Add to that the continued presence of Michigan State and Penn State, and Tressel will have his hands full.

Having said that, he'll continue to get the good to great kids, who grew up on OSU football, and his even-handed treatment (the best kids play) and genuine concern for their well-being will help the parents steer their kids to OSU. We'll never be the world recruiter of USC or Michigan (check the kids that both are still in on), but if we get the top 20 in Ohio every year, we'll be in the top five EVERY year.

Oh well, a Christmas diatribe. Merry Christmas to all Buck fans wherever you may call home, Ohio Stadium is still mecca.
 
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look at this now

diuante morrow now list illinois on scout.com. how much is he interested? how is zook doing this? he has guys like chris duvalt(from florida-4 star), jeff cumberland, michael crabtree(from texas-4 star), kenny britt(from NJ i think-4 star)and anthony jones(from texas-4 star) visiting next weekend along with ramone johnson(illinois-4 star) next weekend. i think he's probably the best recruiter in the B10 already. no disrespect to JT, but zook is getting them in and of those guys, all of them really like illinois. they might all just committ. plus they just got OT akim millington(originally from illinois who went to Oklahoma but transfered this year-4 stars-is eligible next year). these guys have a host of top players like anthony davis and arrelious benn interested in them. they might committ too. plus, illinois has a really nice class for '07. these guys will be scary to play in the next couple of years. here's the scout list and the rivals database.

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=169&p=9&c=4&yr=2007

http://illinois.rivals.com/prosearch.asp
 
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buckeyefan773 said:
diuante morrow now list illinois on scout.com. how much is he interested? how is zook doing this? he has guys like chris duvalt(from florida-4 star), jeff cumberland, michael crabtree(from texas-4 star), kenny britt(from NJ i think-4 star)and anthony jones(from texas-4 star) visiting next weekend along with ramone johnson(illinois-4 star) next weekend. i think he's probably the best recruiter in the B10 already. no disrespect to JT, but zook is getting them in and of those guys, all of them really like illinois. they might all just committ. plus they just got OT akim millington(originally from illinois who went to Oklahoma but transfered this year-4 stars-is eligible next year). these guys have a host of top players like anthony davis and arrelious benn interested in them. they might committ too. plus, illinois has a really nice class for '07. these guys will be scary to play in the next couple of years. here's the scout list and the rivals database.

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=169&p=9&c=4&yr=2007

http://illinois.rivals.com/prosearch.asp
Click to expand...

I am not totally sold on your thesis - particularly as it goes to the 2007 prospects.

For 2006 Zook has worked his butt off, he has - more through numbers than quality - garnered a class currently ranked #25 by Scout. That ranking will tail-off dramatically however as several sub-25 ranked teams are still closing on quality prospects. (Wisconsin, V. Tech and the Vols come to mind).

For 2007 I think the book remains almost entirely and completely open.

At first glance Illinois looks in on many prospects and appears listed first. This however is the convention used whenever a prospect is listing schools, has no particular preference, when scout uses alphabetic sort on the college name. So happens that Illinois goes ahead of Indiana, Iowa etc.

Zook is not to be under-estimated for his recruiting hustle in and out of the State of Ohio, but declaring Illinois dangerous anytime soon is premature IMHO. Declaring Zook the best recruiter in the Big 10, even more of a stretch.
 
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you gotta look at what he's doing

this is a 2-9 doormat getting attention from some of the top guys in the nation. i'd hate to see when they're winning and he has FB to sell. they're more than dangerous if you ask me. i mean, illinois fans have to be going crazy with these commitments. they might actually have to turn down some 4 star recruits. next year will be really interesting. if they were to come and steal 1 of our top prospects, i'd flip.
 
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buckeyefan773 said:
this is a 2-9 doormat getting attention from some of the top guys in the nation. i'd hate to see when they're winning and he has FB to sell. they're more than dangerous if you ask me. i mean, illinois fans have to be going crazy with these commitments. they might actually have to turn down some 4 star recruits. next year will be really interesting. if they were to come and steal 1 of our top prospects, i'd flip.
Click to expand...

What is it with you and Zook? Are you getting paid to spin him up into a recruiting giant :wink2:

Let us just go through the list of prospects you gave.
2006 Class
Cumberland - All other things being equal, he who is visited last may have the edge. Plus, it isn't equal, there is more sizzle to Jeff getting the nod in Morgantown than in Illinois. We all wanted a qualified Cumberland here in Columbus, and I'm saddened that he has to go elsewhere. That said, I'd rather he find his home in Morgantown than in the Land of Lincoln if Ohio State is not to be part of his future.
Diauntae Morrow - 2* and not listing Illinois per scouts, stated High preference Purdue.
Chris Duvalt - same thing, 2* and not listing Illinois at scout, stated High preference none, visits listed W. Va this weekend.
Michael Crabtree - yes listed - but he isn't a 4* ranked player nationally, and his areas for improvement per scout outweigh his strengths. Clearly a 2* developmental project. Visiting Illinois 1/20 per scout
Kenny Britt - 3* recruit who visits Illinois last on the weekend you list (1/20). Could be Illinois is in the lead
Anthony Jones - 3* listed as visiting Illinois this weekend. Still has the Vols as the team to beat.
Ramone Johnson - 4* recruit per scout. #1 prospect in Illinois. This could be a very interesting test for Zook's ability to reel in the best local talent. Johnson visits Knoxville this weekend, and that Southern Charm can work magic on young men's minds. Besides which there is this
"Johnson reports a 2.3 GPA/September first-time ACT" which may be a harbinger of a failure to qualify.

Perhaps rivals has a more complete list of visit dates, but that seems a little strange

Sum and substance - the best two prospects in terms of likelihood seem to be Britt and Johnson - and that assumes the Vols don't press hard on Ramone. (For perspective, the Vols presently sport a pretty anemic class by their standards, and will be pushing strong to add quality.)


2007 Class - been there explained that before. Its all about the alphabet, and way too early to go into a Zook is the Big 10's greatest recruiter rant complete with gnashing of teeth and rending of cloth.



 
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i dont go by scout

their rankings SUCK, well some of them anyway. plus they have updates like a week after rivals has made the update. and rivals is more accurate than scout. the only 1 who isn't a 4 star is anthony jones. chris duvalt list WVU and Illinois as his leaders, and i think he'll opt for illinois. crabtree is electric with the ball in his hands and can play a # of positions. kenny britt reminds me of calvin johnson with his height/speed/hands combo. ramone johnson was reported down to illinois and northern illinois in a chicago newspaper. i think he'll be in C-U. and are you implying that morrow will be a 2 star?
 
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