Illinois Might Be Kryptonite

[Gophers_4life]

Dave is correct. I live here and no one cares. Even the alumni expect the team to suck if you ask them.

No one means 0.000%. So, that's incorrect. "Not on the radar" means they get zero write-ups in main newspapers and zero time even mentioning the game results on local TV news. So guessing that's not correct either.

Sure, if you want to say less than 0.1% care, that's fine. I won't argue it

 

[Dave H]

No one means 0.000%. So, that's incorrect. "Not on the radar" means they get zero write-ups in main newspapers and zero time even mentioning the game results on local TV news. So guessing that's not correct either.

Sure, if you want to say less than 0.1% care, that's fine. I won't argue it

If you want to be pedantic to try and make it sound like you have a point go right ahead, it doesn't make you any closer to correct though. I was in South Africa recently and two people saw my U of M hat/shirt and said "HEY GO GOPHERS!" does that mean the Gophers have a real presence in South Africa since it isn't "0.0%"?

Trust me, Illinois has no real inroads in Chicago and hasn't pretty much ever. Chicago people care way more about Notre Dame and you will definitely see more Wisconsin gear than Illinois or NW. (combined...and it isnt close) It is common knowledge and always comes up when people talk about attendance in Evanston. Chicago is a completely different world than the rest of Illinois it is almost a completely different state. Champagne is just not something Chicagoland cares about.

 

[Gophers_4life]

OK, you've moved from "no one" to "no real". I'm good with that

 

[Gophers1992]

I think, unfortunately for everyone else in the West, that Bert was a home run hire.

He has the capability to do exactly in Champaign what he did in Madison. Lot of big, corn fed linemen in the state. Big population in Chicago area.


Year 2 might be too early yet, but I think he can get it done there. Hope I'm wrong.

Inherit a well-oiled machine from a legendary coach and then leave for an SEC job that ends up in disaster?

 

[Word]

No one in Chicago cares one lick about Illinois. They aren't even on the radar. It is sad but it has been that way since forever. He will never recruit there well because to Chicagoland Champagne might as well be in Indiana. Hell NW barely is on the Chicago radar and Evanston is much closer.

He will have them better but I think people are overrating how well he will do there and it will be without any presence in Chicago.

Not saying Bert can make it happen, but there's definitely potential there if he can build the inroads to Chicago. Just because it hasn't historically been a recruiting hotbed doesn't mean it can't change. They do have some Chicago metro area kids on their roster and their basketball team has 3 Chicago players. It hasn't been completely ignored, but yes it does seem like an untapped resource for U of Illinois.

 

[Panthadad2]

I hadn't really thought about it before the posts above, but Madison and Champagne are both about the same distance from downtown Chicago. I hadn't realized that. Champagne is closer to Indianapolis than Chicago. St. Louis isn't that much further. Notre Dame is a lot closer to downtown Chicago than Champagne and darn near an eastern suburb of Chicagoland that seems to stretch forever in that direction.

Regardless, it seems like U of Illinois should have untapped recruiting potential with close proximity to all those markets.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Kind of goes without saying, I mean there are no easy games in the Big Ten. But while the Gophers aren't in a position to overlook anyone in the conference they are also getting to the point where they shouldn't feel overmatched against most teams in the conference either.

We have very definitely closed the talent gap with the majority of the teams in the conference to the point where we have a legit shot of winning all our games against teams in the West and we are on equal footing talent wise with the majority of the East as well. Only Ohio State, Michigan and maybe to a lesser degree Penn State have us at a fairly sizable talent mismatch.

As for Illinois being our kryptonite as the thread implies, I don't know that I agree with that. I think we have been a sort of kryptonite for Purdue and Nebraska even at times when it seems like they should have the upper hand against us.

If any team has been our Kryptonite of late it is Iowa. We have had them dead to rights and have not been able to seal the deal.

Didn’t mean to imply to Illinois was “our” Kryptonite. Just meant that the Illinois team, under Bert, can be Kryptonite to B1G West teams that look past them or fail to prepare mentally for a tough slugfest with them. Illinois has some real talent at critical areas; doesn’t have the Gophers’ depth. PJ has never beaten Bert (small sample size). This should be the year he does it. But Illinois is going to spoil some hopes this year. Probably Iowa’s!

 

[cjbfbp]

ESPN FPI thinks the Illinois game (and Purdue game) will be tougher for Minnesota than Iowa.

I really can't disagree. Unless Iowa improves significantly on the offensive end, we should win as long as we don't give them short fields because of interceptions, fumbles, blocked kicks, and big kick returns. They don't pass or run well at this point and don't look capable of executing much in the way of sustained drives. With Purdue, we have to keep constant pressure on the QB and our DBs have to run all over the damn field. Illinois has a good defense and the Gophers sure aren't going to underestimate them after last season.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Champaign, Illinois is a very logical spot for players in the St. Louis area who want to play in the B1G and stay reasonably close to home.

 

[btowngopher]

Champaign, Illinois is a very logical spot for players in the St. Louis area who want to play in the B1G and stay reasonably close to home.

You would think so. Illinois should be able to recruit better you would think. But BB is still struggling to crack the top 50 in recruiting rankings and this is year three. He couldn’t transform Arkansas into winners with inferior talent, and I don’t see him turning Illinois into winners with inferior talent. Frankly I think NW is still the better program in that state, Fitzgerald has been recruiting well this year too.

 

[pharmacygopher]

No one means 0.000%. So, that's incorrect. "Not on the radar" means they get zero write-ups in main newspapers and zero time even mentioning the game results on local TV news. So guessing that's not correct either.

Sure, if you want to say less than 0.1% care, that's fine. I won't argue it

Yes you will. You love arguing semantics LOL

 

[Dakota2]

I think, unfortunately for everyone else in the West, that Bert was a home run hire.

He has the capability to do exactly in Champaign what he did in Madison. Lot of big, corn fed linemen in the state. Big population in Chicago area.


Year 2 might be too early yet, but I think he can get it done there. Hope I'm wrong.

You are not wrong. Add Illinois to Iowa and Whisky as games we need to win for West supremacy.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I have not done a deep dive on this, but from the emotional fan perspective, it seems as if there is always at least one game a year in the B1G where the Gophers lay an egg and lose a game they should have won 'on paper.'

that might be the real test for Fleck and this current squad to see if they are really different. can they get the job done every week, with no "oops" games?

and Illinois does worry me. as much as I detest their coach, Jabba the Hutt, he has a track record of doing well against MN. and if you try to cheat him, he'll send Greedo after you.