Farrell's comments - 8/17

[jiggafini19]

In regards to Hughes, if Illinois is indeed moving toward more of a spread offense, that would not be a fit for Hughes' running style.

Hughes is an hour away and could visit ND for just about any game he wants as long as he isn't playing on Saturdays.

 

[jrirish4455]

Hey guys nce to be aboard,banquet weekend is usally a big weekend for commits & w/Hughes & wilson coming together maybe a little brewing here?
BTW no way do they go to Ill. & miss being apart of something special for years to come.

 

[eviljudo]

I really dont understand how he is getting interest from recruits at all. Its just amazing to me that is possible. Im not tryin to imply zook is cheatin on his recruiting in anyway, i just dont understand how he gets a look from some of these recruits. Am i the only one that feels this way? Just seems shady.

 

[Irish Envy]

I really dont understand how he is getting interest from recruits at all. Its just amazing to me that is possible. Im not tryin to imply zook is cheatin on his recruiting in anyway, i just dont understand how he gets a look from some of these recruits. Am i the only one that feels this way? Just seems shady.

I understand where you're coming from, but Zook just has a way with words. He was on the local sports radio station talking about the Illinois program progress and he was selling it to the Indianapolis fans over the radio.

I'm pretty sure he comes off as an impressive and influential person to a high school kid. Plus they can offer the big school experience and almost instant PT for blue chip kids.

 

[SillyIrish]

We'll see how much selling he can do once the season starts, because they are in for another tough year. I'm sorry to the Illini fans but they will never win a big ten championship in the years to come with OSU, UM, PSU and Iowa in the Big Ten. I just don't see how they will compete. I can't wait for the Illini fans to be beat back down to the bottom of the barrel where they belong.

 

[jiggafini19]

I just don't see how they will compete.

People thought the same thing not too long ago. Kurt Kittner wasn't good enough, Rocky Harvey was too small, Jeremy Schumacher was too slow. They went to and won a bowl in 1999 and won the Big Ten outright in 2001. This first class is just a start. He brings in a couple more, wait and see what might happen.

Why did Micah Johnson go to Kentucky? He had a brother and friends there, sure. But Kentucky is a basketball school. Kentucky won't contend for an SEC title. So why would this very talented football player go there?

You don't need to be on TV every week if you're 2 hours away from home. Mom and Dad can hop on I-57 and be in Champaign in no time from the South Side. And you don't need to be on TV every week for NFL scouts to find you. Is this technology age, Wilson will not fall off the face of the football planet if he doesn't go to USC, Notre Dame or Ohio State. They'll find him.

The person visiting Illinois or talking to Zook is Martez Wilson, not me or anyone else on this board. WILSON is the one being recruited on a daily basis. The Illini coaches seem to be building trust with him and he is listening to them. Whatever they are saying, they have his attention.

 

[Guest]

I'll take the good coach over the good recruiter anyday. Let's see how well he recruits with another two horrendous seasons under his belt.

Looking at their schedule this year I only see two or three wins for them, Eastern Illinois, Ohio, and Northwestern. Rutgers has a pretty solid team this year and should beat them(should've beaten them last year but they blew a big lead) even Indiana crushed them last year, and Indiana is going to be better this year.

 

[scooper]

I'll take the good coach over the good recruiter anyday.

I'm happy to have a guy who's both.

Looking at their schedule this year I only see two or three wins for them, Eastern Illinois, Ohio, and Northwestern.

Don't be shocked if Ohio beats them.

 

[jiggafini19]

He went 23-14 in three years at Florida, then inheirited Ron Turner's shit storm of a roster at Illinois last year.

I'd give this guy more time before labeling him a bad coach. Or a good one, for that matter.

Considering the day he was hired people started a website asking for him to be terminated, I'd say Ron Zook deserves a bit more of a fair shake.

 

[scooper]

He went 23-14 in three years at Florida, then inheirited Ron Turner's shit storm of a roster at Illinois last year.

I'd give this guy more time before labeling him a bad coach. Or a good one, for that matter.

Considering the day he was hired people started a website asking for him to be terminated, I'd say Ron Zook deserves a bit more of a fair shake.

If Charlie goes 23-14 in three years at ND, what will you think of him?

Remember, it's Florida you are talking about. At most they should never play more than two more talented teams a year. Maybe not better teams, but more talented overall.

 

[ChiND]

It may be that these kids feel that they have a better likelihood of succeeding (academically) at U of I -vs- ND. Also, they may want more of a social life at U of I which you can definitely get. Someone said earlier that ND is not for everyone and it takes a certain level of committment from a 17 year old kid to be able to balance football, academics and social life...some kids are better equipped and maybe more focused than others. The last thing we would want is to bring in a kid without the proper basic tools AS WELL AS motivation to be successful overall. This is not a knock on anyone, but again these are 17 year old kids who need to make the best decision for themselves (and some think that college is the next four years of their lives - not considering the long-term impact of their decisions). Just my opinion.

 

[jiggafini19]

What will I think? Doesn't matter. If CW loses 11 times in the next two years to match 14 losses in three seasons, I'd have to take a real long look at who he lost to, how and why. So will the alumni, the decision makers, and we all know what they'll think.

23-14 is enough to get just about any college football coach in America fired. That's the state of things in the game right now. The guy that replaced Zook had Chris Leak running the spread option, but he beat Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State. So that guy is a "good" coach.

I think it all boils down to one thing: Two guys from Chicago are interested in Illinois. When the blue and gold glasses come off, it isn't as mind boggling as you think.

Hughes will be an ND-tOSU recruiting battle. Wilson is looking harder at ILL than Hughes is, but now Miami is in the picture.

 

[irishlib]

I'm confident that ND lands both Hughes and Wilson.