'If they fight....I want them fighting together.'
Illini football continue to add blue-chip commits...
*Bielema's Illini add two more 2026 blue-chip commitments...
-Downers Grove (Ill.) North tight end Will Vala verbally committed to the Fighting Illini after his official visit....wrote in the last newsletter how much liked Vala as a player/one of the top ten prospects in the state my view....yeah I write about John Mackovic's staff's evaluation/development at Illinois ad nauseum.....Vala a perfect fit for Mackovic's philosophy...tight end/defensive end versatile....tough football player that can run.
Other thing I like....thought the Wisconsin Badgers would be main comp. for Vala....Luke Fickell's program took verbals from two tight ends last week (Jack Sievers Everett, Washington/Jack Janda Novi, Michigan).....Vala better than both of them.
-After a weekend visit….Omaha Millard South running back Nelsyn Wheeler verballed to the Illini…with Florida running back Javari Barnett still committed/likely headed to Alabama…taking another running back not a bad idea….reads like Illini also in great shape with Belleville (Ill.) West cornerback Nick Hawkins after his visit.
*Two expected visitors this weekend.
-Pair of defenders scheduled to officially visit Champaign this weekend…
Camaul King safety Miami True North Classical Academy-Started out at Miami Southridge before transferring to True North Academy (Charter School)....6-foot, 170-pounder has several BIG/Big 12/ACC offers including Illinois....free safety that dominates private school competition....long-strider covers a lot of ground....head hunter spends too much time trying for the big hit vs. fundamental tackling...would expect if Bielema's staff wants him....King would commit to the Illini.
Jaylan Stewart defensive end Pearland (TX.) High School-Listed at 6-foot-1 1/2 inch 225-pounds committed to Oklahoma State last spring...reminds of a skinny Gabe Jacas...plays both defensive end (hand on the ground/stand up outside linebacker.....with his build (maybe 6-foot with long arms/thin lower body)....best stand up outside backer…..chasing down plays/rushing off end....shows burst bend hustle on defense.....heckuva running back to boot...size likely why in-state SEC schools not offering....type of player Illinois wins with....under-sized/loves football/plenty of tools to be developed…. why would a player want to play in the Big 12 when he can compete in the BIG?
One player late addition to last week's official visitors....Owen Cabable wide receiver Nashville (TN.) Christ Presbyterian Academy-6-foot-4 prospect got an Alabama offer few days before his Illini trip....again comp level?....on film...go get it wideout who despite being double-teamed second half of season still made all the plays....has the build to become a move tight end...would love to see him go Orange and Blue....likely will end up a Bam'er/Tuscaloosa-bound.
Raderrion ‘DD’ Daniels cornerback Lake Cormorant (MS.) High School supposed to visit Champaign this weekend....doubt that happens….He committed to Barry Odom's Purdue Boilermakers after a recent trip to West Lafayette.
*House settlement for colleges to pay their athletes approved.
‘Starting July 1, schools will be able to share $20.5 million with its athletes. Football is expected to receive 75%, followed by men’s basketball (15%), women’s basketball (5%) and all remaining sports (5%). Power Four football programs will have between $13 to $16 million to spend on rosters during the 2025 season under the settlement agreement.’ (Courtesy ESPN)
Cynic in me thinks…
Non-revenue sports fucked unless a program gets a sugar daddy to fund its operating budgets,,,,,quite frankly most of these power four athletic departments prefer that kind of cash in their own fund-raising pot.
NCAA will now just runs tournaments….toothless as an investigative operation.
Agreement includes an accounting firm going to closely monitor NIL payments/making sure programs staying within the rules.... HA HA HA....majority of coaches have no discipline will be able to go to certain boosters they know who can offer under the table cash/shit to players to come to their school....no accounting firm can monitor that…..Texas Tech reportedly spent 55 million to pay their teams 2024-2025 you think that kind of 'commitment' going away? Follow the letter of the NIL law? C'mon....
Private equity firms already getting involved backing programs (UCLA/Penn State signing deals with Elevate)....dealing with private equity groups like taking out a loan from the mafia in the 50’s….won’t end well…..as written before only a matter of time before the Saudi's dip their toe into college athletics…..start buying up their own programs.
*’If they are going to fight….I want them fighting together.’
-Will Vala’s commitment reminds of a story about another Illini that prepped at Downers Grove North….Kyle Kleckner defensive back recruiting class 2001 out of DG North….his dad Bill played at Illinois early 70’s….Kleckner was committed to NIU when Ron Turner’s staff missed on several prospects late…offered Kleckner a scholarship to fill their class.
Onto the story….Illini win 2001 Big Ten championship…last Friday before finals team is out on the town various bars….freshman Kleckner reportedly liked to hit on dude’s girlfriends at Green Street bars when they weren’t around….said to a girl something like ‘it’s your lucky night can leave with a football player’ (line Kleckner apparently used plenty that fall) wouldn’t leave her alone till she walked away ‘thanks but no’…boyfriend arrives and is told what Kleckner had done….He sees Kleckner walking into the bathroom…follows him in crack on the jaw with a beer bottle….down he goes….for good measure kicks Kleckner few times breaking his jaw.
Word spreads around the team what had happened….even though Kleckner a smart ass freshman…older players are pissed…decided to exact revenge…everyone from Kurt Kittner to lowly walk-ons were out trying to find the guy who assaulted Kleckner….found his dorm room…2nd floor…couldn’t get in from inside….so decided to try to get to the kid thru the window….player found a van and a ladder….drove it up to the dorm….popped the ladder on top of the vehicle and broke the window (supposedly)….found the kid…just depends on which former player you speak with how justice was meted out that night.
Two years later….After a couple of his players got into a fight on Green Street that made the News-Gazette…reporter asked Turner about the altercation…..on the record Turner, ‘against it we don’t want our guys doing that’….then said, ‘hey if they fight....I want them fighting together……being good teammates…..don’t put that in the paper.’