True Frosh Who Will Push For Varsity Spots and Blow Off Redshirt Year?

[Simpleman424]

1 hour ago, bnwtwg said:

You thinks he sees the wrestling before mid-Jan at the earliest? Illinois is a serious football school at the moment with genuine CFP aspirations. This isn't Iowa where 130 passing yards, 2 field goals, and 12 punts is considered an offensive explosion of a game.

WHAT?! lol

[bnwtwg]

48 minutes ago, Simpleman424 said:

WHAT?! lol

Finished top 25, ranked as high as 9th last year, massive cash infusion, good MBB program splitting the cash, Bielema is a solid Tier 2/Tier 3 coach. Not to mention UIUC has installed the largest screen in college football as part of the arms race.

12 teams get into CFP now and that will be expanding soon, so yeah, Illinois and about 15 others schools are all in the hunt for the right to play an extra game or two before the real football schools show up.

[Simpleman424]

6 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Finished top 25, ranked as high as 9th last year, massive cash infusion, good MBB program splitting the cash, Bielema is a solid Tier 2/Tier 3 coach. Not to mention UIUC has installed the largest screen in college football as part of the arms race.

12 teams get into CFP now and that will be expanding soon, so yeah, Illinois and about 15 others schools are all in the hunt for the right to play an extra game or two before the real football schools show up.

You know what, I recant my statement. That schedule is REALLY nice. There’s a chance Illinois only has 2…maybe 3 losses on the year. Oregon, Nebraska and Iowa are all at home…should take 2 of those 3. That UCLA game though…that’s a tricky one.

[bnwtwg]

18 minutes ago, Simpleman424 said:

You know what, I recant my statement. That schedule is REALLY nice. There’s a chance Illinois only has 2…maybe 3 losses on the year. Oregon, Nebraska and Iowa are all at home…should take 2 of those 3. That UCLA game though…that’s a tricky one.

Just as good of a chance as being the 12 seed in the playoffs as going 7-6 on the year. Parity is real for the middle programs in the Big Ten and SEC and each year there is always a program that overperforms, might as well be one where one of my degrees came from.

[Simpleman424]

4 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Just as good of a chance as being the 12 seed in the playoffs as going 7-6 on the year. Parity is real for the middle programs in the Big Ten and SEC and each year there is always a program that overperforms, might as well be one where one of my degrees came from.

I wouldn’t say that…I don’t see any world where Illinois has 6 losses. I think 8-4 is the floor. The real problem is Ohio State, Oregon (eye roll) and Indiana will be top three in the conference in any given order.  That 4th spot isn’t good in the B1G…for some reason the SEC can still get 4+ in but we can’t…

[kschlosser]

3 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

Finished top 25, ranked as high as 9th last year, massive cash infusion, good MBB program splitting the cash, Bielema is a borderline Tier 3 coach. Not to mention UIUC has installed the largest screen in college football as part of the arms race before the real football schools show up

The yen infusion from Chinese student body has been good to UIUC the last twenty five years as well. 

[1032004]

On 7/15/2026 at 11:16 AM, ionel said:

I question your "usually."  Most coaches these days are gonna let the best kid wrestle.  Is most > usually?  OSU had a senior kid they spent a lot of money on so why did they let some high school kid take his spot? 

Was Luke Surber better than Cody Merrill?

 

[ScottishSteel]

20 hours ago, Simpleman424 said:

That’s not real life…

Go back and listen to the Baschamania right before NCAAs.  Basch and Willie both picked a kid at each weight for their All Feel Good team; Willie would pick someone like Andrew Sparks who had battled so many injuries worked hard, was a senior and would just feel good to see him go out with success he had never gotten.  Basch picked Braeden Davis as someone America should feel good about . . . 

[ionel]

3 hours ago, 1032004 said:

Was Luke Surber better than Cody Merrill?

 

tFr v Sr year believe so.  Even Mower evidently better than Merrill beginning of rsFr year but not so much later.  

[Simpleman424]

1 hour ago, ScottishSteel said:

Go back and listen to the Baschamania right before NCAAs.  Basch and Willie both picked a kid at each weight for their All Feel Good team; Willie would pick someone like Andrew Sparks who had battled so many injuries worked hard, was a senior and would just feel good to see him go out with success he had never gotten.  Basch picked Braeden Davis as someone America should feel good about . . . 

Oh I didn’t mean I didn’t believe you…just pondering what twilight world he made that decision in.

[ScottishSteel]

43 minutes ago, Simpleman424 said:

Oh I didn’t mean I didn’t believe you…just pondering what twilight world he made that decision in.

If I recall correctly, Willie gave him the what the heck are you talking about treatment and Basch justified it by saying Davis was a team player who gives up his redshirt every year to go whatever weight is necessary for the good of the team and he takes unwarranted heat online from the public for minor incidents

[1032004]

1 hour ago, ionel said:

tFr v Sr year believe so.  Even Mower evidently better than Merrill beginning of rsFr year but not so much later.  

So you don’t think Merrill would have won a match at NCAA’s as a true freshman?  Interesting

[MoveCountermove]

1 hour ago, ScottishSteel said:

If I recall correctly, Willie gave him the what the heck are you talking about treatment and Basch justified it by saying Davis was a team player who gives up his redshirt every year to go whatever weight is necessary for the good of the team and he takes unwarranted heat online from the public for minor incidents

Interesting perspective

[ionel]

2 hours ago, 1032004 said:

So you don’t think Merrill would have won a match at NCAA’s as a true freshman?  Interesting

Do you think they should've had a wrestle off after Big 12?  

[1032004]

Just now, ionel said:

Do you think they should've had a wrestle off after Big 12?  

Did they have one at all?  And yes I know Merrill lost one this year.

Of course more teams exist than Oklahoma State.  As mentioned by others there are plenty of recent examples where a guy redshirted but was better than the starter (and more examples at OK State if you go back a few years as well). 

[ionel]

1 minute ago, 1032004 said:

Did they have one at all?  And yes I know Merrill lost one this year.

Of course more teams exist than Oklahoma State.  As mentioned by others there are plenty of recent examples where a guy redshirted but was better than the starter (and more examples at OK State if you go back a few years as well). 

There are but I don't think Merrill was one of those guys true freshman year.  Surber was better had a good Sr year record but his style may have bit him end of year.  When dinged up that big guy scrambling style doesn't work so well ... see also P Weigel.  

[Simpleman424]

3 hours ago, ScottishSteel said:

If I recall correctly, Willie gave him the what the heck are you talking about treatment and Basch justified it by saying Davis was a team player who gives up his redshirt every year to go whatever weight is necessary for the good of the team and he takes unwarranted heat online from the public for minor incidents

I’m the first one stick up for kids and not excuse things but bring some reason…that sounds like a complete blow off. 

[Fletcher]

19 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

You thinks he sees the wrestling before mid-Jan at the earliest? Illinois is a serious football school at the moment with genuine CFP aspirations. This isn't Iowa where 130 passing yards, 2 field goals, and 12 punts is considered an offensive explosion of a game.

I thought he wasn't really serious about football, sort of like a Ben Kueter situation, but my sources say otherwise. Which probably rules out 174 and you may be right about a late start date. Also means he'll be rusty and out-of-shape when he gets around to wrestling.

[MoveCountermove]

3 hours ago, Fletcher said:

I thought he wasn't really serious about football, sort of like a Ben Kueter situation, but my sources say otherwise. Which probably rules out 174 and you may be right about a late start date. Also means he'll be rusty and out-of-shape when he gets around to wrestling.

Facts. The out-of-shape thing really doesn’t make sense to anyone who doesn’t come from a sport like wrestling. How could he be out-of-shape if he just played 4 months of football? I’d imagine the gas tank won’t be nearly as big for the first few weeks when he gets back to wrestling

[Husker]

2 hours ago, MoveCountermove said:

Facts. The out-of-shape thing really doesn’t make sense to anyone who doesn’t come from a sport like wrestling. How could he be out-of-shape if he just played 4 months of football? I’d imagine the gas tank won’t be nearly as big for the first few weeks when he gets back to wrestling

I had a couple college wrestling teammates who were also football players and they were not close to being in wrestling shape when they started wrestling  practice. Football plays last 10 seconds on average (guess) and teams average around 60-70 plays per game (guess). It’s just not similar enough to a wrestling match unless there are multiple stoppages for going out of bounds or blood and injury timeouts. Just my 2 cents. 

[Fletcher]

On 7/16/2026 at 6:41 PM, bnwtwg said:

Finished top 25, ranked as high as 9th last year, massive cash infusion, good MBB program splitting the cash, Bielema is a solid Tier 2/Tier 3 coach. Not to mention UIUC has installed the largest screen in college football as part of the arms race.

12 teams get into CFP now and that will be expanding soon, so yeah, Illinois and about 15 others schools are all in the hunt for the right to play an extra game or two before the real football schools show up.

This is what Bielema does everywhere he goes. Overperforms the first couple years, raises expectations, does/says some controversial things, underperforms for a few years, then leaves for another program and nobody's sad when he does.

He's a mini version of Lane Kiffin.

[Simpleman424]

1 hour ago, Fletcher said:

This is what Bielema does everywhere he goes. Overperforms the first couple years, raises expectations, does/says some controversial things, underperforms for a few years, then leaves for another program and nobody's sad when he does.

He's a mini version of Lane Kiffin.

We should probably use a different word than “mini” when referring to Bielema…but let’s be honest he was a really good hire for them. Despite the largest screen in football and all that they’re not actually a serious football school across the college football community anyway. Solid team, could steal a spot on the back end of the CFP selection because that schedule is an absolute gift. He’s not the problem it’s getting kids to Illinois that will take them to the next level. He could do that IF they could get the players.

Edited July 20 by Simpleman424

[MoveCountermove]

3 hours ago, Fletcher said:

This is what Bielema does everywhere he goes. Overperforms the first couple years, raises expectations, does/says some controversial things, underperforms for a few years, then leaves for another program and nobody's sad when he does.

He's a mini version of Lane Kiffin.

Bielema is not mini to anyone

[MoveCountermove]

2 hours ago, Simpleman424 said:

We should probably use a different word than “mini” when referring to Bielema…but let’s be honest he was a really good hire for them. Despite the largest screen in football and all that they’re not actually a serious football school across the college football community anyway. Solid team, could steal a spot on the back end of the CFP selection because that schedule is an absolute gift. He’s not the problem it’s getting kids to Illinois that will take them to the next level. He could do that IF they could get the players.

What is it now, 64 teams that make it to the CFP? Illinois could find their way in, but I’m not a believer. 7-9 wins seems like a good landing spot, 9-10 could certainly happen and possibly get them into the field. Don’t personally think Bielema is good enough to win anything spectacular, regardless of the players he has

[Fletcher]

22 hours ago, Simpleman424 said:

We should probably use a different word than “mini” when referring to Bielema…but let’s be honest he was a really good hire for them. Despite the largest screen in football and all that they’re not actually a serious football school across the college football community anyway. Solid team, could steal a spot on the back end of the CFP selection because that schedule is an absolute gift. He’s not the problem it’s getting kids to Illinois that will take them to the next level. He could do that IF they could get the players.

All true. Similar to wrestling, if Illinois could just lock down the Chicago area talent, that would get them most of the way there.