"There is no greater joy in life than moving a man from Point A to Point B, against his will."

Offensive line the engine of your football team...

“Nothing the o-line position does is natural, so use of hands and proper placement tends to be a clue that a unit is well coached. This is a group of strikers, not catchers. They're not waiting for defenders to start the fight, they're taking it to them.'-late Hall of Fame offensive line coach Joe Moore......Moore was with former Illini head coach Ron Turner at Pitt mid-i80's....He was a mentor to former Illini offensive line coach Harry Hiestand...after leaving Notre Dame Moore spent a good amount of time in Champaign ‘advising’ Hiestand/Turner 20 or so years ago.

This week taking a look at the Illini offensive line 'the most important unit' on a football team....had written earlier this winter about the huge need for that 'unit' to be much improved 2024....criticism of last season's o-line.... 'not physical/couldn't consistently move a good dline off the ball when it mattered'...that should change with this group....mass kicks ass and Illinois has plenty of it...adding two portal transfers play a big part in the improvement of the o-line.

*The Transfers...

J.C. Davis left tackle/protects QB's blind side....6-foot-5, 310-pounder transferred in from New Mexico...one year of eligibility...Named first team All-Mountain West 2023....long arms....excellent pass pro...quick into his set/consistently times up his punch with feet....more of a push than pop in the run game....better as a wall off run blocker in a zone running scheme.....all-222 film showed him doing some cut blocking on the back side last season showed his athletic ability......when Davis came out of Contra Costa (Cal.) JC thought he was under-valued (didn't play in a strong league/few ‘big’ schools checked him out)....better NFL prospect than last year's left tackle Julian Pearl....All-Big Ten potential.

Kevin Wigenton guard....transferred from Michigan State.... two years of eligibility...6-foot-5, 320-pounder played both left/right guard last fall for the Spartans.....majority of time at right guard.....played in both man/zone schemes....physical got to the 2nd level and blocked a moving target without falling on his ass (o-line on their ass after a play drives coaches crazy)....best straight ahead power using his mass to kick ass....pass pro looked like he has a clue....can anchor didn't get bull rushed/feet hands moving first contact....good ad....not an All-Conference type but a solid Big Ten starter that most schools don't let get away.....should be a starter at either guard position.

Melvin Priestly tackle/guard.... transferred from Grambling....played tackle for the Tigers....former East St. Louis Flyer...two years of eligibility....listed 6-foot-4, 295-pounds...wrote about Priestly last newsletter...after watching his 2023 All-22...know head coach wants to mine East St. Louis talent/need offensive linemen...get it....Priestly last year....either he wasn't coached or is lazy or a combo of both....just saw inconsistent effort/technique....hope for the best...just don't see a Big Ten lineman in Priestly......off topic...Grambling staff fired after l2023 season....Tigers head coach Hue Jackson long time NFL guy....if Lovie Smith had stayed for the 2021 season....Lovie going to fire offensive coordinator Rod Smith, hire his buddy Jackson as offensive coordinator....Smith's loved firing offensive coordinator/blaming them for his team's problems.

*Experienced returning linemen...

Josh Kreutz center fourth year in the program....started 12 games last fall....was what we thought he was...under-sized overachiever that had trouble moving big nose/3-tech defensive tackles in the run game/pass pro....needs a couple of good guards to help him out....moving Isaiah Adams from left guard to right tackle last fall exposed Kreutz's weakness as he was having to play next to guards that either weren't ready to play/not good enough.......does a good job snapping/making o-line calls/understands his role...type of player you want to succeed needs two guards next to him to help....below average Big Ten starter.....keen grasp of obvious need to upgrade at position.

Zy Crisler guard/tackle 6-foot-5 320-pounds....JC transfer going into his third year with the program.....starting right tackle to begin the 2023 season...got hurt moved inside to guard....regressed last fall from his 2022 play.....give him benefit of the doubt for a bad 2023 played hurt....when in shape/healthy best as an inside mauler guard.

Josh Gesky guard....fourth year in the program...'earned' Honorable Mention All-Big Ten mention last fall...which is?....each Big Ten head coach can 'nominate' players for honorable mention/reward for hard work cause you don't see an 'All-Big Ten' type of player on film when you watch Gesky....started eight games both guard positions/played some tackle...can Gesky deep snap?....be developed into an Alex Philstrom type of center?....same size/type of player Philstrom was....Illini o-line has plenty of guards/don't want to see Gesky at tackle....just a thought.

Hunter Whitenack recruited as a tackle…..played guard last fall....6-foot-7 330-pounder...2024 will be his third year in the program....his All-22 at guard last fall was....not good....because of injuries had to play before he was ready…..see some tools (power/decent knee bend).........really needs to take that huge 'Mother May I' improvement step in both technique/off-season S&C changing his body/figuring out if he can play tackle or has to stay inside at guard.

Dezmond Schuster guard...Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College transfer...second year in program....sat out last fall cause of injury....loved the 6-foot-4, 330-pounder out of Hutch....very similar to Wigenton powerful inside player that displaces defenders with his run-blocking...JC tape looked like he had a clue pass-blocking/tools to develop.....properly developed/motivated NFL potential.

Brandon Henderson tackle...2nd year in the program....played in eight games last fall....got snaps at guard as a true freshman...didn't see him playing any tackle 2023 All-22....not to sound hyperbolic....unless staff is hiding some young tackle that is ready to play.....Henderson's development/winning a starter job at tackle huge key to 2024 Illini offensive line...read above Bielema's program has a bunch of linemen that are best playing guard....don't have the athletic ability to be trusted on the edge....Henderson plenty of tools to be an All-Big Ten tackle...size/long arms/quick enough feet....have to play Crisler/Gesky etc...at tackle...not good Bob.

Summary:  Davis/Wigenton huge additions literally.…..o-line should be solid at guard plenty to mix and match...who steps up at the tackle position opposite Davis?  We shall see.

*Illini football pick-up 2025 commitments...

-6-foot, 170-pound St. Louis Cardinal Ritter quarterback Carson Boyd committed to the Fighting Illini…..He had offers from Missouri, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Louisville, Purdue, Texas A&M, UCF and West Virginia among others….led Cardinal Ritter to a state title last fall…..winner….very similar to former Illini QB Nathan Scheelhaase….good not great arm strength…accurate passer…can make 2nd reaction/baller plays when protection breaks down….what stood out most on film?….instincts….clearly knows how to play/understands the game….biggest negative? build…skinny lower body/thin thru the hips….not the type of QB you want consistently running the spread option…..like Scheelhaase player that has been well-coached at the position.

-6-foot-3, 275-pound Tinley Park (Ill.) Andrew High School offensive lineman Michaell McDonough....plays guard/center...excellent prospect....state-ranked wrestler and plays like it with leverage/strong hands/quick feet....on film best looking o-lineman Bielema's Illini staff has secured a commitment from....Had offers Purdue, Colorado, several MAC schools.

*Football adds Gibbs loses McDonald…

With two openings on the defensive staff.....'David Gibbs is Illinois' new associate head coach/defensive backs coach, head coach Bret Bielema announced Tuesday. Gibbs' contract is pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its next meeting in March.  Gibbs is a 32-year veteran of the coaching industry, including 14 seasons as a coordinator in college football and nine seasons as a defensive backs coach for three National Football League organizations.'....Gibbs spent the last three seasons as co-defensive coordinator/DB's coach at Central Florida....definition of an 'old campaigner' Gibbs hard-ass tough guy coach am sure hired to bring that toughness/better attention to detail 'D' side of the ball.

The son of former NFL o-line coach Alex Gibbs...He worked six seasons (95-00) for old-school hard-ass Glen Mason when head coach at Kansas/Minnesota...former Illini coach used to call Gibbs 'Barney Rubble' (way he walked/carried himself)  when Gophers defensive coordinator......you remember those days up by double digits late in the game....Gibbs would still be blitzing the Illini...so Mason doing that kind of shit….no idea of the hire to replace fired linebackers coach Andy Buh (immediately hired as an analyst at Purdue)…my info. Buh’s firing reportedly didn’t sit well with many within Illini football program.

George McDonald reportedly leaving the Illini staff to take the wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator job at Ole Miss…..wide receiver/running back coaches should be two of your best recruiters on the staff…would expect Bielema to hire a top recruiter to replace the former Illini wideout…..speculating on some assistants Illini might be looking at…Alan Bailey wide receivers coach Vanderbilt…Brian Anderson assistant at Kansas State…Michael Smith coached wide receivers at South Alabama last season goes all the way back to K-State with Bielema….He worked for the head coach at Arkansas….Terrence Samuel wide receivers coach at Kansas…Former Bears wide receiver Bobby Engram still listed as an Washington Commanders assistant….team doesn’t have a head coach after firing Ron Rivera earlier this month.