'He rode the bus for 36 hours.'

What could have been....

*What could have been...

-Former SID Mike Pearson preparing his Illini football quarter-century team (2000-2025) for the fall....decided to take a look back at the Illini football quarter-century 'what could have been’ team...hyped recruits that didn't live up to potential....highly-touted prospects that never made it to campus etc....chance for me to write some stories if you might have wondered why some never quite lived up to the attention.....am sure I missed some....below the 'team'.

-Disclaimer...not ripping on the young men mentioned below....writing more of an indictment of recruiting/coaching mistakes by a staff/those that 'rank' prospects…..Next newsletter will have the definitive Illini All-quarter century team...HA HA HA.

Matt Dlugolecki quarterback Rancho Santa Margarita (Cal.) High School-Class of 2001 recruit 'heir' apparent to Kurt Kittner....originally committed to UCLA....de-committed after a December 2000 visit to Champaign...Ron Turner knew 'Dlugs' or 'The Duke' might have some personality 'issues'….head coach felt he could keep him in line....nope....away from home for the first time with no parental supervision....rubbed teammates wrong way/partied his way off the team ending up transferring back to San Diego State...class of 2001 full of shit heads more trouble than they were worth...group played a big part in the end of Turner’s time at Illinois.

Aaron Bailey Bolingbrook (Ill.) High School (pictured above)-Class of 2014...four-star prospect one of the top five players in-state class...big recruiting win for Tim Beckman's Illini....recruited to play QB in the Billy Gonzalez/Chris Beatty run first spread offense....pair fired after 2013 season....dumb ass Beckman hires pass first spread coordinator Bill Cubit....Bailey not a passer despite puss pimple/Beckman top assistant Alex Golesh assuring Illini fans 'We know Aaron is a good passer'....Cubit and Bailey clashed....He transferred to Northern Iowa once figured out he wasn't going to be the starter in Champaign.

Deries Hodge running back Harrisburg (PA.) High School-Class of 2007....Called a 'fast Robert Holcombe' by then Illini running backs coach Reggie Mitchell...6-foot-1, 220-pounder running a 4.5 forty dominated everywhere he played....because he twice physically assaulted his mother's boyfriend(s) after they had hit her...ended up at Glen Mills Pennsylvania reform school....played his senior season back in Harrisburg...didn't qualify....Illini sent him to Milford (Conn.) Academy year at a prep school to get his grades...didn't....placed at two different Kansas JC's by Zook's staff....never played at either...what happened after no idea.

Devin Singletary running back Delray Beach (Fla.) American Heritage High School-Class of 2016 committed to the Fighting Illini before late in the process....admissions denied him....signed with Florida Atlantic...after record setting career with the Owls...starting NFL running back.

Derrick McPhearson wide receiver Hyattsville (MD.) DeMatha High School/Fork Union (VA.) Military Academy-Four-star class of 2005 prospect.....Committed to Zook's Florida Gators squad early 2004...when he was fired/hired his Gator recruiter Mike Locksley as Illini offensive coordinator...wide receiver 'big steal' on signing day....never grasped the offense enough to be trusted in his two years in CU......convicted of stealing from other students (rumor was he also was stealing from his teammates in the locker room)....booted off team spent most of the 2007 summer in the Champaign County Jail....transferred to FCS Bowie State (MD.)....played minor league baseball in the Milwaukee Brewers organization....one of his younger brothers played for Lox when he was New Mexico head coach.

Cordale Scott wide receiver Cleveland Glenville-Class of 2008 recruit....Four-star recruit one of the top five players in the Buckeye state....First time Illinois beat Ohio State for a Glenville product...never found his niche' at Illinois...work ethic/maturity issues....left after 2009 season to play tight end for Beckman/Matt Campbell at Toledo

Luke Ford tight end Carterville (Ill.) High School-Class of 2018 recruit…..very big fish in a small southern Illinois pond....ranked as the top prospect in the state......Originally committed to Bret Bielema's Arkansas Razorbacks....de-committed and signed with Georgia....'just a guy' in Athens transferring to Illinois....great on social media....not so great on the field...6-foot-6, 260-pounds looked like Tarzan too many times played like Jane....when Midwest tight ends leave the area for SEC….always think of Ford and how many of those who do that actually have success in the south?

Rob Needham tackle Rolling Meadows (Ill.) High School-Class of 2001 recruit committed to Illinois junior year of high school with teammate/running back Abe Jones....four-star recruit was a nice kid who....didn't love/need football....in way over his head being coached up by Harry Hiestand/hazed by veteran Illini o-linemen...left team after one semester on squad....before he signed with Illinois....remember his father talking about how 'Rob has a lot of interest the band, the drama department, the science labs'....thought 'these people have no idea what big time football is about'.....Jones wasn't worth a shit either...quit to run track.

Larry Boyd tackle St. Louis Trinity Catholic High School-2017 recruit started as a true freshman at tackle opposite fellow frosh Ved Lowe....Lovie Smith's staff promoted the pair as 'the foundation of our future success'....Lowe stayed and became an NFL player....Boyd flunked out....ending up gaining much weight/playing at a couple of Mississippi JC's before a year at D-2 Davenport (Mich.) University.

Verdis Brown guard IMG (Fla.) Academy via Chicago Mt. Carmel-Class of 2018....Four-star recruit committed to Tim Brewster/Florida State football before his senior season.....reportedly blew up to close to 400 pounds after commitment....Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher fired 2016 season....new FSU staff rescinded Brown's offer...next stop Champaign...tried on both sides of the ball with little success before transferring to FCS Campbell after 2022 season.....another young man who seemed to enjoy the recruiting process more than putting in the work to be a successful power five player.

Leon Hill guard/tackle Chicago Leo High School-Class of 2009....played for former Illini running back Mike Holmes in high school....he and teammate/defensive tackle Lendell Buckner both rated four-star recruits.....ummm..had transferred with Buckner from Chicago Mt. Carmel to Leo after then Caravan head coach Frank Lenti had enough of the pair/their handler.....Lenti supposedly told the Illini staff 'those two (Hill, Buckner) and their handler...pieces of shit stay away'....Zooker talked into the pair by Mitchell/Locksley...Hill supposedly another player that had a crazy girlfriend who 'demanded' as much as his time as football..…..?work ethic/attitude at that age.....left after a couple of seasons ending up at Glenville State (W.VA.).....Buckner got in trouble with the law...leaving the program….played a year at Western Illinois....hindsight staff should have taken Lenti’s advice….Hill got his life together graduating college….now coaching high school football in Chicago.

Gabe Megginson center/guard Jacksonville (Ill.) High School-Class of 2015....another 'big recruiting win' for the Beckman staff....Four-star reportedly chose Illinois over Ohio State (who wanted him as a center)....another kid great on social media...on the field?….played seven games redshirt freshman season (2016)…...Lovie’s staff demoted him beyond true freshmen 2017…left for Illinois State where he had a decent career earning 2nd team Missouri Valley honors after senior season…..as have written linemen always hardest to eval cause position you have to love/need football to do all the dirty work required…..never know how they will react at next level when they get hit in the head by someone their own size or bigger.

Melvin Alaeze defensive end Hargrave (VA.) Military Academy-Originally from Randallstown Maryland....Five-star prospect signed with Maryland out of high school....didn't qualify they sent him for a year at Hargrave...re-signed with the Terps....dropped by Maryland March of 2006 after being charged with marijuana possession/intent to distribute.....cause of his high school coaches relationship with Locksley.....Alaeze shows up in Champaign late summer...OK'ed for admission....2006 media day SID brings Alaeze in to 'meet the press'....awkward could tell the kid wanted nothing to do with answering questions....at Camp Rantoul earns the nickname 'U-Lazy'....actually plays in a couple of games September before leaving team early October for 'personal reasons'....later in 2006 charged with attempted murder/armed robbery back in Baltimore....ends up in prison for over eight years...research shows he is back in the DMV working at the Amazon distribution center.

Josh Brent defensive tackle Bloomington (Ill.) Central Catholic High School-Class of 2007...another four-star recruit who picked Illinois over Ohio State....had his heart set on going to Notre Dame but couldn't get past Fighting Irish admissions....contributed but never close to the recruiting hype…..always seemed to be in trouble on and off the field (rumor of assaults in campus bars were always out there).....one of the reason reportedly Zook fired d-line coach Tom Sims after the 2008 season 'He (Sims) couldn't control Josh'...well it turns out no one could 'control' Josh....got a DUI ended up spending most of the summer of 2009 in Champaign County Jail...flunked out after the 2009 season/supplemental draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys where....his drinking got him in trouble again...good news....thanks to the Cowboys....they stuck with Josh...helped him thru his issues and is working for the team in the front office.

Reggie Ellis defensive tackle Washington (D.C.) Dunbar High School-Class of 2008....Four-star recruit high school teammates of Illini stars Vontae Davis/Arrelious Benn....convinced cause most recruiting 'analysts' missed rating Vontae a three-star....over-rated Ellis cause of that...didn't want to miss on a Dunbar player again....Ellis talked a lot of shit....carried himself like a 'tough guy'...wasn't...short armed plugger who....enrolled early remember asking one of the Illini S&C coaches, 'how is Ellis doing?'....Coach, 'well....he hasn't impressed anyone yet...bitch just to get him here on time'....ended up following his recruiter Locksley when he left for New Mexico...played some guard for the Lobos.

Brian Schaefering defensive end Hazelwood (MO.) East High School-Class of 2001....one of the craziest fuckers ever to play at Illinois....6-foot-6....38-inch vertical...could run with receivers....win off the snap vs. future NFL tackles....only problem.....always distracted....from missing class cause of his partying to reportedly being stabbed by his girlfriend/wife with a steak knife causing him to miss practice time….’always something’ type Schaefering....flunked out after 2004 season....transferred to Lindenwood (MO.) University....played in the NFL at defensive tackle.

T.W. Norman linebacker Stockton (MO.) High School-Another class of 2001....still might have the best high school highlight film of any Illini recruit ever saw....course it was against shit talent in SW Missouri....New Mizzou head coach Gary Pinkel and staff go en masse to Stockton talk Norman out of his Illini pledge...stays true to the Orange and Blue....Turner's staff felt Norman could come in be in the two deep at linebacker/fullback/special team demon freshman season....only issue?....T.W. showed up with a bad foot....early Camp Rantoul practice he makes a sharp cut and literally tears the tendons off the bones of his foot....several surgeries never recovers....Classic story....late fall 2001....Dr. Do Over's surgery didn’t work....decide to send Norman to Northwestern Hospital to have them operate...then football athletic trainer Al Martindale told to drive Norman to Chicago on a Friday night home game next day....Trainer pissed...pulls up to the front door, gives Norman his papers tells the freshman, 'go thru that door and check in'....puts it in drive back to CU leaving the kid there alone....surgeries never worked so football career over....Norman now a pastor at the Little Chapel Church in Harrisburg, Illinois....by the way….Martindale got his ass chewed for that stunt….switched to hoops once Turner got let go....after one meeting dude hated Ron Zook so much asked to be moved to the basketball program.

Steve Octavien linebacker Naples (Fla.) Lely High School-Class of 2003...classic story...Mike Cassity 'found' Octavien at a track meet when spring recruiting in Florida....young man wasn't getting a lot of interest....took a bus from Naples to Champaign to work out at the week long camp then (Cassity would talk about how ‘he road the bus for 36 hours’)....did so well got an offer/committed on the spot...took the bus back home...visited a few times next fall/didn’t have to ride the bus...two weeks before signing day....admissions said, 'nope'....cause of the class of 2001....Turner's staff had lost their academic passes from UIUC admissions...staff placed Octavien at Harper (Ill.) College...two-year standout who was all set to come back and play in Champaign when....Turner fired....retained assistant Tommy Thigpen forgot to tell Zook's staff about Octavien (Thigpen on his way out the door to North Carolina)....Harper called Illinois about young man...never got a return call....Octavien signed with Nebraska....two-year starter for the Huskers/bounced around the NFl for a few seasons.

Shammond Cooper linebacker St. Louis Trinity Catholic-Class of 2019….four-star prospect….another product of then Trinity head coach Cory Patterson’s hype machine….lot of dumb asses ‘ranking’ recruits fell for Patterson’s line of bullshit over-hyping Trinity players…played in 18 games over four seasons at Illinois…majority of time special teams….given a chance at defensive end when Bielema’s staff took over….didn’t help…left after 2022 season transferring to Akron (started four games two years with the Zips)….IIRC Cooper most remembered for his mother going on social media bitching and moaning about her son not being used correctly.

Marquez Beason wide receiver/defensive back Dallas Bishop Dunne High School-Class of 2019....Four-star prospect at the time 'highest rated recruit to sign with the Illini since Arrelious Benn/Martez Wilson class of 2007'.....followed his Bishop Dunne teammate d-tackle Calvin Avery (Class of 2018) to Champaign....Tore his ACL freshman year training camp.....never the same again....didn't help shitty coaching from Lovie's staff....Beason at cornerback in the Cover 2 zone defense...zone coverage hardest scheme to teach defensive backs cause they all have to work together (man coverage coach, 'hey you got that guy stay on him').....never developed before moving to wide receiver....Transferred to Alabama A&M after 2021 season then played a year at East Texas State.

Darnell Ray cornerback Hazelwood (MO.) East High School-Class of 2001....cousin of Illini cornerback Christian Morton...rated one of the top three players in the St. Louis metro area by the Post-Dispatch....beat Mizzou, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Kansas State for the 175-pounder.....even with the family connection.....Ray big win for Turner's staff/finally beating Mizzou and Wisconsin for a top recruit...or so they thought....since they had kissed Ray's ass so much to get him to Champaign...entitled wasn't a worker...fell in with freshmen corners 'Smoke' Harris, Anthony Longe....another 'always something' crew....Harris and Longe left after 2002 season....Ray ended up playing sparingly leaving for Tennessee State year later.

James McGill safety Bakersfield (Cal.) Junior College-Class of 2002....'best safety in junior college football'....Cassity felt McGill in his scheme an immediate starter/little drop off from previous season starters Jackson/Abdullah (yeah right those two were great in 2001)....'legend' Cassity in his car recruiting pulled over to the side of the road got out and 'jumped around' when McGill called to tell him he was coming to Illinois...He was on-campus going thru summer workouts with the team/had one class to pass to 'get eligible' when....admissions questioned one of his classes and that led to a closer look by the NCAA clearinghouse at his transcripts....since Turner's staff had lost the benefit of doubt on academic passes year earlier....McGill packs his shit leaves town...ends up at K-State....average player for the Wildcats…ended up being more 'famous' for getting into trouble off-the-field vs. what he did on-the-field.

Dondi Kirby safety Monroeville (PA.) Gateway High School-Four star recruit…..earned the praise of Illini fans when after his visit to Iowa City commented 'place smelled like ass'....questionable academics....remember sitting in Zook's office and him assuring, 'yeah admissions going to help us get Dondi in cause our guys have been doing well in class'....well.....nope....ended up playing at year at ASA Community College in New York....signing with Temple....never quite got an explanation (as usual) why admissions 'didn't come thru’ on Kirby.