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- [00:00]
Jeremy Werner
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- [01:25]
Jeremy Werner
Indiana can can sort of cement itself as we are no longer this team that's going to be fighting for six wins anymore. It's Malachi Toney.
- [01:32]
Bud Elliott
Is he going to be ready?
- [01:33]
Jeremy Werner
Dante Moore, he showed improvement, better command.
- [01:43]
Bud Elliott
What's going on y'? All? I'm Bud Elliott. This is summer school on the COVID 3 college ball podcast network. And man, I am excited to bring on Jeremy Werner. Today school is session. We are talking all things Illinois Illini Inquirer. Jeremy, what's going on dude?
- [01:55]
Jeremy Werner
Hey, bud. How you been man?
- [01:57]
Bud Elliott
Doing well, man, doing well. You've been a little busy with all this, you know, basketball, spring football, you know, pro baseball season, you know, kicking off. This is exciting times.
- [02:05]
Jeremy Werner
Yeah, Bri doesn't want to see much in spring ball, especially with a new defensive coordinator. I'm sure we'll dive into that, but we were away on the road covering the final four team for the first time in, you know, 20 something years here, so it's been busy. NFL Draft Illinois gets guys, a couple guys drafted as they have under Brett Bioma. So certainly been a busy time, but good to hop in and start thinking about the fall.
- [02:24]
Bud Elliott
Absolutely, man. So nine and four season for Illinois last year, I think a pretty, pretty satisfying season, I would guess, for Illinois fans, you know, and I just enjoyed watching that team, like, I like these teams that Brett puts together and, you know, an exciting time to watch them. Let me ask you, this coaching change on offense. Really None. Lonnie gets the three year extension. Right. But they do have a lot of like, you know, changeover on the offense, offensive line. They bring in Katie Hauser from East Carolina to be their transfer quarterback. What? Why did they think he was a fit for what they want to do?
- [02:58]
Jeremy Werner
It's a good point though, that there's continuity at the offense coordinator position because Illinois before Brett Bielma arrived and really after his first year, they were kind of on par with Rutgers with how much they were turning over quarterbacks, turning over offensive systems, turning over play callers. It was just one of the worst offenses. You just never could build on anything. With Barry Laundry entering the fifth year of his tenure here at Illinois, that's massive for Illinois, especially as they go through all these defensive changes. He's getting paid $1.5 million. Now. You would have told me that five years ago Illinois was paying 1.5 million to an offensive coordinator. I probably would have laughed at you. But that's kind of where this program has gone. It's where the Big Ten has gone. But kudos to Josh Whitman and Brett Buma for getting him there. He's the longest tenured offense coordinator in the Big Ten, one of the longest tenured in the power four. So to keep him around, to keep him away from maybe some lower group of five jobs, I think it shows where Illinois is at and really where these power four coordinator positions are at. But Katen Hauser, Illinois kind of liked its guys. They had after Luke Altmire, Ethan Hampton, I believe he transferred to Southern Miss. He transferred from Northern Illinois last year to kind of be the backup to Luke Altmire. They thought he could help them win games. Probably be more of a running offense, but. But they thought he could help them win games. They really like the red shirt freshman Carson Boyd, and they got talented freshman and Michael Clayton. So they had a very narrow window of guys they were looking at in the portal. I was told only four or five guys they thought they would go get, spend that kind of money on. But Katen Hauser was one of them. And it makes sense, bud, because he's a guy with Big Ten experience. He has started games in the Big Ten at Michigan State in a terrible situation after the Mel Tucker ordeal. Then he transfers down a level and he's very successful at ecu. He really liked it there. Was willing to pay up for him. But kudos to Luke Almer, Tommy DeVito, Barry Lonnie. They made it a very, you know, appealing thing to come to Illinois. Obviously Illinois has the resources to get him, but he's a guy with a stronger arm than Luke Altmire. I think he gets rid of the ball a little quicker than Luke Altmire. Whether he's as accurate is up to be remains to be seen. But he's not as athletic as Luke, but he is a big physical runner. So I think in some of those short yardage situations, I think Katen Hauser can be effective. But they saw a guy with experience, but they could have gone to younger quarterbacks. But if you're Illinois with so many other questions, you really need an answer at quarterback to help you maintain this momentum. This is an off season of huge change on the roster. They lost a special senior class that led him to 19 wins. They have some playmakers, but to have an answer at quarterback like Katen Hauser, who you think is at least going to be a solid to good Big Ten quarterback, but still has some upside. This is a former four star prospect. This is a guy that I think is going to be in an NFL training camp. To add him, I think elevates the floor of what Illinois is capable of and I think it gives them a really an offense that can be one of the top half of the Big Ten where they've been the last couple years.
- [05:58]
Bud Elliott
Obviously you mentioned the, the step up in arm strength, maybe the step down in mobility going from Altmire to Hauser, that might matter a lot because they do lose four their five starting offensive linemen, including J.C. davis, who was, you know, like a real hit for them obviously in terms of scouting, signing, retention and whatnot.
- [06:16]
Jeremy Werner
How is this?
- [06:17]
Bud Elliott
I. I think you give him a certain bit of the doubt. At least I do as an outsider with B Lima, with, with offensive line like, like I think more often than not he's going to get it right. What's the path to getting it right and what does right look like for this team?
- [06:29]
Jeremy Werner
Yeah, I think this offensive line but actually might be raw talent. Better. I think they're deeper than they've been but boy, they have big question marks and most of their Starting spots. Right. Brandon Henderson is a three year starter. He's been a solid starter. They're looking for him to elevate and to be starter in the Big Ten to being a guy who can be more consistent. Getting Jake Renfro out of the portal from Wisconsin. A guy who's dealt with a lot of injuries but when he has been available he's been very good. He's bigger than what Josh Cruz was. But a lot of those intangible things, a lot of calling out protections. Jake Renfro has all of those things that you want in a center with a new quarterback but he's been out for the spring. TJ McMillan's their backup. They feel good that he's a good number two. So I think they feel pretty good about center but all these other positions they're leaning on guys that are unproven at this level. They invested a lot in a Christian Martin left tackle transfer out of Colorado State looks the part 663-103-13 really athletic but needs to anchor a little bit better so that that's his big question mark. I think his pass protection. I think the ceiling is high but what is the floor? We still got to see that. They're really excited about the JUCO transfer Micah Matalow. They won over byu, some other really good programs in the power four. I know some powerhouses were really looking at him. I think he's gonna be their starting left guard. But they added TJ Taylor is one of the highest ranked JUCO offensive linemen. Brandon Hansen's been in the system for a couple years. Nathan Canapic started the bowl game in place of J.C. davis, a kid they got from Idaho I believe. And you know he played really well against a good Tennessee. Talented Tennessee team didn't allow pressure so they're pretty high on what they have ceiling wise. But that's four new pieces to an offensive line. The chemistry has got to be built. Plus these guys got to prove themselves. So I think the talent is there to be effective in some games but I think there's going to be growing pains with that group.
- [08:27]
Bud Elliott
Makes sense receiver wise. So Dixon and Clement are back which is a. That's like a nice base. I mean 71 combined catches. Bowick's gone. What to the portal. Both starting tight ends are gone. Like what's our kind of not really concerned but like question level with this group.
- [08:44]
Jeremy Werner
I think it's one of the most talented groups on this team. I think the floor is really high as you said. Hudson Clement, Colin Dixon are either of those guys, NFL guys, I don't know. I think they'll get into training camps but you know what you're getting out of them. Hudson Clements got went over 1600 yards receiving at the Power 4 level. Was really good at West Virginia. Really came on late in the season. Colin Dixon's just so steady. He's the leader of that room. Kind of built like a running back. So I think Both those guys are 500 plus yard receivers. Could go up with Hank Beatty out this year but they're really excited about the transfers they added. Jean Platt's gotten a lot of buzz during spring ball. Had a great year at FAU. Just brings legitimate NFL type speed to that room. He's six 1, 185. So what he's like after the catch, we'll see. But the speed is legitimate that he could take the top off the defense and he's really impressed them. While Alex Perry kind of takes that Justin Bowick role of that basketball small forward. Go up and get it guy, just six five, 210 pounds, was a first team guy at Florida International last year. They're really excited about him but they feel they have a good room. And then there's some young guys that they're excited about including Braden Trimble. He's a red shirt freshman. Red shirt of last year. Probably could have played but they had the veterans they really liked. He had a bunch of SEC offers. Probably should have been a four star. They think if he's healthy. He had some, some injury issues in the off season but they really like him. So he's another name. No, but they feel the talent there, the depth there. Probably as good as anywhere on their roster. So wide receiver is not a huge question mark for them.
- [10:21]
Bud Elliott
Nice man. I, I, I'm like a little more encouraged about this is why we bring the insiders on as opposed to the outsiders. I'm a little more encouraged about this offense than I was. You know just kind of doing my pre research here and obviously checking out line. I inquire. So running back. I think despite the transfer of McCray they still have to feel really good.
- [10:37]
Jeremy Werner
Yeah. And they actually moved Kaden Fagan from running back to tight end. They, they need a, a tight end that can make plays and they really like what Fagan who's an NFL athlete but it's kind of like where does this guy play? His vision wasn't the best, wasn't the most natural running back. When he gets the ball in space, he's really dangerous. It'll be interesting to see what he does at tight end as he makes the move there. And you really hope that he can get the five for five pass because two years for him at tight end would be really good for them. But they, they like Khalil Valentine emerges their number one guy. He's a four star kid out of Arizona as a sophomore, ran for about 600 yards. You can see the explosiveness, the quick cut ability is definitely number one running back in the big ten. He added a physicality to his game after a year in the strength and conditioning program. If he can just continue to add that vision and, and kind of make that second guy miss at the second level, he can make that first guy. If he can make that second guy miss, I think he's got some explosiveness. They haven't had a lot of it running back since Chase Brown left, but it'll be interesting to see with Tyrone Wheatley coming in what he can bring to that running back room. Aiden Lawfrey is a guy that I think kind of goes under the radar even locally here when he's healthy, he's a really good back. He's kind of like that starting pitcher that you can only count out for about 20, 22 games a year to start. But in those starts he's really good. He's really productive. So he's always dealt with some injuries, but when he's on the field, he's a really good back. So that top two I think they feel good about. And then they kind of traded Caden Fagan for Jordan Anderson. He moves back to the running back room after being the tight end. Good short yardage back, gives him a power guy. So running back they feel pretty good about and they have some young guys that, that they've recruited pretty well. So as you said with the offensive line, you kind of trust Brett Biuma when it comes to running backs. But clue, Valentine's probably their highest ceiling guy they've had at that position since. Since Chase Brown left the program.
- [12:27]
Bud Elliott
And man, Wheatley as running back coach, like that just kind of fits with Bill, you know what I mean? Like, like just there's certain guys like, yeah, that, that checks. Okay. All right, let's. Let's go and take our first break here on summer school with Jeremy Werner of line. I inquire covering all things Illinois. I know Tom's gonna be super psyched about this episode. On the flip side, we've saved some time for it. We got a lot of questions to get into on, on this new defense, so we'll take a break Be right back.
- [12:51]
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- [13:50]
Jeremy Werner
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- [14:00]
Bud Elliott
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- [14:01]
Jeremy Werner
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Bud Elliott
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Jeremy Werner
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Bud Elliott
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Jeremy Werner
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- [14:50]
Bud Elliott
All right, guys, welcome back into the summer school episode here on the COVID 3 College Ball podcast. That's Jeremy Werner, a line I inquire covering all things Illinois for us. I mean, Aaron Henry, overall, pretty solid job for Illinois. You know, built some good defenses. Now he's off to Notre dame as their DB's coach slash, you know, defensive passing game coordinator below made an interesting hire. It's. It's Hauk. Bobby Hauck. Yeah, I believe. I mean, coming from Montana, FCS guy, really proven coach. But they're going to run a whole new system, let the audience know, like what? How is this going to change for Illinois?
- [15:24]
Jeremy Werner
Well, in Illinois, when Brett Bioma first got Here he hired Ryan Walters and they created this kind of, they call it the Illinois defense, but it was basically a three man based defensive front, but it's basically a 5, 1, 5 for everything. They have the single high safety. We'll play a lot of man coverage. Well, a lot of teams started to adopt that in the last couple years. So after Ryan Walters led the number one defense in the country in 2022, Devin Witherspoon becomes the number five pick in the draft. They have a couple other guys go in the top 100. All of a sudden Aaron Henry becomes first time defensive coordinator. Didn't go very well. His first year team started to figure out this defense and then some other teams started to adopt it. So it wasn't as tough of a one week prep. Brett Bielma has realized that. And Aaron Henry goes in Notre Dame to be the defensive backs coach. I don't know if he would have been the defensive coordinator at Illinois if he didn't take that job. He was looking at some NFL jobs too. So I think Brett Bilmo is going to change play callers no matter what, which is hard because Aaron Henry was obviously a Wisconsin guy, one of Brett's, you know, best, best coaches he's developed and Aaron's a great defensive backs coach. But Illinois was ready to move on. I think fans were ready to move on, but everyone was kind of looking at the NFL, what they would do here. And Brett just kind of pivots and finds Bobby Hulk who he'd known for a long time in the business. But the most important thing is he's making a big bet on the 3, 3, 5 defense, which bud, you know, is not run very often at the power four level like Florida State with Tony White. Iowa State's run it a little bit, but there's only about a handful of teams that really run this. And, and part of why Brett is doing this is because it's a tough prep if you only have to prepare for it one time a year. It's very tough in one week. And Barry Lonnie junior's talked about that, that he's only faced it I think three or four times in his career and that the fourth time's the time he kind of figured it out. So at least in the interim, like the short term, Illinois hopes to get a boost there. But also it's just a complete change in aggression. The last couple years, like Ryan Walters was really aggressive. A lot of single high man, a lot of blitzing. Last couple years, partly due to personnel in the Secondary. Illinois has run a lot of zone coverage and just tried to keep everything in front of them, take advantage of mistakes, rely on turnovers. And they just got gashed in certain games. Washington gashed them. It was just really unaggressive. Right. You're kind of reacting to everything they do. Well. This Bobby Hawk defense, 335, it's aggressive. You don't know where blitzes are coming from. Blitzes are always coming. It's one gap system. So you're just trying to get up field. You're playing a lot of man coverage, which Illinois has some better personnel in the back end. So it's a big bet. Brett Bioma to go with Bobby H, longtime Montana head coach who's never been a defensive coordinator, but he's going with this style shift that he thinks can surprise some people. And we'll get into the personality, I think a little bit. But Align's weakness is defensive front and this kind of negates that. They hope in that your defensive line, they're kind of giving themselves up, disrupting a gap. Your playmakers are your linebackers, your defensive backs. So I think that plays a role in it too. They knew their defensive line was going to be one of their weak businesses and they're hoping their scheme and play color makes up for that.
- [18:39]
Bud Elliott
I also think like, there's got to be a bit of like, you know, market inefficiency to exploit here in some ways in terms of like, you know, preserving your capital. Right. Like, like defensive linemen, the premier ones that fit the scheme, that like the, the kind of the dominant scheme out there, not in terms of like effectiveness but like in terms of how many people are running it are going to be really expensive because there's so much competition for them in the market. Like maybe you can find some guys who work really well for you, but they don't work really well in other systems. So they're not quite as expensive.
- [19:08]
Jeremy Werner
And then when I found that out this, this off season, they, they do. They had to spend more on their defensive backfield because Matthew Bailey and Xavier Scott came back for a year that they didn't think they would get out of those guys and you know, those are big time expenditures. But Illinois lost a lot of their defensive lineman to the portal, which has not been the case under Brett Bielma. He has been unbelievable at keeping his players at under market value because they think it's the best in the long term. Gabe Akkis could have gotten more money, Johnny Newton could have gotten more money elsewhere. Luke Altmire it's very out there. Tennessee was going after him last spring. Those guys stayed there. That was not the case with the defensive front. And while some of those guys, I don't think Illinois was too upset left Eli Cooning got poached by Michigan State and got paid a lot to go there. Andrew McCollum gets paid a lot to be the backup at Texas A and M and he's a good player that I think would have fit this scheme. Tommy Wade goes to his fourth school in four years at South Carolina, so it's not that big of a surprise. But he's a good player for Illinois last year. Now they're relying on guys like Carter Janky who comes up from Penn, Daryl Prater who comes up from Jacksonville State. They're counting on a lot of under recruited guys that they have to hit on. These evals or the scheme as you said, has to prove to be a market inefficiency where they can maximize their talent without having to spend some top dollar on the defensive front.
- [20:27]
Bud Elliott
Man, replacing, replacing Gabe though is going to be hard like that. He was so good. But yeah, that, that for sure. So linebacker wise we feel like, like they might be okay there.
- [20:40]
Jeremy Werner
I think this is the group I'm most interested with the scheme because there's some solid players or some intriguing players that are kind of tweeners and that's what this defense is all built around. Right. I think of the defensive backfield like Matthew Bailey is a perfect kind of. I don't want to say he's not the athlete Nicki Minwari is, but like this defense is built to put a boundary safety in position to make a lot of plays. The nickelback Xavier Scott is going to be involved in a lot of plays here, but a guy like Dan Brown who's a JUCO all American edge rusher has struggled to stay healthy. He's kind of just a situational pass rusher for Illinois. Now he becomes an incredibly important piece where he's off the ball. He can be on the edge, but he could be Mike linebacker one play, he could be on the edge another play in this scheme or he could be lined up in the A gap, is a pass rusher and get a five yard head start and kind of blitz. They brought in William Holmes, whose former major league draft pick, Major league baseball draft pick who's kind of turned into this player at Utah State who became a passer crusher. You know, I'm really interested to see James Cruz. He's a good blitzer. It's Kind of been his best thing that he's done. Now he's in a scheme where he's going to blitz a lot. Ish Kante was a number one juco linebacker. He's kind of a tweener. It's really an interesting group, bud, where it's like they have some of these guys who are kind of tweener edge rushers, linebackers. Well, that fits this scheme, but there's still a lot of unknown here. So this is the group that I think I'm most interested to see because I don't know exactly what they are and I don't know exactly what they are in this scheme, but I do think there's some interesting pieces here.
- [22:13]
Bud Elliott
So I was like he's all hawks off the rocky long tree of three because there's a couple different trees that run 335 and they run it differently. Okay. That the rocky long tree is like the we're gonna bring it tree.
- [22:25]
Jeremy Werner
Yes. And that's every. Everything we hear is I think there's gonna be a blitz on every play because one you have three down linemen but you don't know where it's going to come come from. I think there's me a lot of man coverage because of that, which I like, but there's also. I love that because you're dictating things, right. But you're also going to give up something which Brett Bioma has not wanted to do the last couple years. So they're probably going to give up some bigger plays here, but I think they just want to be able to dictate more and, and surprise some teams a little bit more and, and just put some pressure on college quarterbacks to make tight throws in the tight windows with the talented secondary in the back.
- [22:59]
Bud Elliott
You, you mentioned obviously you know, Bailey's back, Scott's back, like, like huge retains for this program. Is there somebody on defense who we've not talked about a lot or not mentioned at all yet who like if they live to their potential this year as opposed to maybe what you or the staff expect, like maybe they're a year away but like if they arrive this year, you know, they're just. They improve faster than everybody thinks. That really like changes how you feel about, about this defense this year.
- [23:22]
Jeremy Werner
I'll give you a couple names. Joe Barnes, one that's going to be replacing the Gabe Akis role. He was probably the most valuable player outside of Luke Altmeyer in the line as bowl win. He had a strip sack that Illinois recovered fumble for a touchdown He's a really good player and he's going to be moving from outside linebacker to defensive line kind of more hand on the ground. He's really disruptive. So he's a guy that I think is really going to step up and be one of their best defensive linemen. Juice Clark is a name to know. I think he's probably the third best NFL draft prospect on this team behind Xavier Scott and Matthew Bailey. He came back from injury last year and played really competitive football against some of the best wide receivers in the Big Ten. Jacoby Lane, Denzel Boston. I thought he had a pretty good game against Jeremiah Smith. It was the fewest yards I think Jeremiah had in game last year. So he's another name to note. Grant Beerman is a former four star prospect out of Ohio. He's a sophomore linebacker, kind of one of those guys who could be an edge rusher. But he's also really fast sideline to sideline. Just one of their more talented players. So in this scheme I'm interested to see what he can become. And then Jaquan Morris is one of the, he's the number one juco corner, really good player. They flipped him from usc. This is a big time player. I think he's going to start. And just another wild card is macro. He's, he's a senior fourth year player replacing Miles Scott who was drafted by the Denver Broncos over the weekend. He's always had talent. Like he looks like a baseball center fielder, right. He's kind of rocked up. He's really athletic, is really rangy. So he had a rough year last year partly due to injury. I didn't tackle well. But he's going to get a great opportunity and, and in this defense, if you're running more man coverage that, that free safety is going to have a chance to make some plays on the ball. So it's just a guy that I'm really intrigued by looking at this schedule
- [25:06]
Bud Elliott
and I, I think you kind of hinted at this earlier. Like certainly this team does have high potential but it's also really like critically important to not you know, not have like some large step backs. You can continue to you know, improve Illinois as a program. Bilmus, I mean I think cemented them as like a really solid program. Now I love the soft start for them honestly like with all these new pieces like to me I think the like the schedule is not easy but the order in which it comes I think is, is really nice. If you kind of look at it, it like UAB to start Duke at home, Southern Illinois at home. You go to Ohio State. Okay, probably not, you know, Purdue and then at Michigan State. It, it's really not crazy to think this team could start 5 and 1, which would be a, you know, give them a huge leg up to like, like if I told you, hey, Illinois will comfortably make a bowl game this year. Like, I think that's like, I mean, like to me as an outsider, like, yeah, I think they would take that like not sweating a bowl game in the final week or two, you know, that would be huge because then it gets a little tougher, right? Oregon at home, you go to Maryland on Halloween, Nebraska at home at ucla, home against Iowa and you finish at Northwestern. I, I mean I'm not going to say like, hey, this is a dumb question, like how important is for him to get a hot start. But like where do you see this thing getting tricky?
- [26:20]
Jeremy Werner
Well, I thought seven and a half is an over. Under was really one of the biggest signs of respect for what Brett Bemo is built here, right? Because you think of all the turnover that's happening. There's like 50 new players on this roster. There's a new staff there, there's new guys on the offensive staff. You got a new quarterback. Luke Almeyer is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in Illinois history and Gay Back is one of the best players that Brett Buma has produced in his time here. So you think of all of that and it's still seven and a half. But part of that is the schedule like Ohio State and Oregon gonna be losses most likely, right? Like, but there's not any other game that you sit there and go, they can't win. Like Iowa is difficult, but at least you get them at home, right? Duke, Purdue, Nebraska, Iowa, all at home. And your road games are at Michigan State with a new coach with all that turnover. I think Michigan State will be better, but under fits. But it's a year one for them. Ucla, I think they're going to be better under Bob Chesney. I think he's a really good hire. But this is year one for them. Maryland. What's that program going to be in October if they struggle to start? Northwestern just hasn't had the talent and obviously they got a new stadium, so it'll be fired up there. But still, like those are all winnable games for Illinois. So you said, I think it's really important in the non conference to beat Duke when they lose. Darian Mensah, like that was a big break for Illinois that, that he got poached but UAB South Southern Illinois, you got to win, got to keep beating Purdue. That's a good thing about Illinois. They are protected with Purdue and Northwestern. Those rivalry games give you a chance to, to make bowl games every year. And then I really think that last five game stretch from Halloween on. If you told me they won only two of those, I think it's a bad season for Illinois. If you told me they went three, it's probably a solid season. If you told me they won four, I think it's gonna be a really successful year. But you kind of hit on it, bud. Like I don't think this is the year that Illinois goes to a college football playoff. I, I don't think it's set up for that with the talent, the change they are going through. But if you could maintain where Illinois just wins eight games every year, is turning into what Iowa has been and what Wisconsin was. I, I think that's a huge success for this year. It's kind of maintaining that. Yes, Illinois continues to be in that second tier of Big Ten programs. Continues to, to raise their profile and continues to raise their resources because that's where they're at right now. It's like they have good coaching, they have stability, they kind of have an identity with their offense under Barry Lonnie Jr. Now we'll see if they can establish their defense and if it could take people by surprise. I don't think this is the year they lift the ceiling of it. But it can be just that year where you continue to Solidify where the 4 for Illinois football is. 8 plus wins. Like let's take a minute, bud, and think about what that means for a program like Illinois. That was one of the worst Power 4 programs for about 20 years. 100.
- [29:08]
Bud Elliott
Like you, we. You said like cultural playoff when I was kind of going through like simulations and whatnot. I think 9 and 3, given the non conference is like a hard. No. Yeah. I think 10 and 2, they would be like kind of, you know, conversation potentially. But the problem there I have is if you get to 10 and two, what is the likelihood that like the teams on the schedule have enough to.
- [29:34]
Jeremy Werner
You'd have to beat Oregon or.
- [29:36]
Bud Elliott
Right.
- [29:36]
Jeremy Werner
Ohio State to be in that and like lose to Iowa to be in that conversation.
- [29:39]
Bud Elliott
Yeah, like you would. Would if you did lose to Oregon and Ohio State, you're gonna need like more than just Iowa to be really damn good to like actually have like the, the resume wins. Not just, you know, the, the number of wins, I guess. But yeah, I think it's, I think it's possible. Not super likely. Yeah, that checks. Man. This has been great. I really like what obviously these are all important but like with so many new players on Illinois, like man, you always bring it. This has been fun.
- [30:03]
Jeremy Werner
Appreciate man. It's just like if Brett can get them there again, it's just Illinois football mattering and, and being a driver of revenue for, for this athletic department, it'd be massive. And then you can see if you could build on that and start to get into more of these big time recruiting battles because they did have a top 25 recruiting class, their best recruiting class in 18 years. Like they got a good freshman class that could make an impact on their Too deep. They've gotten off to a slow start in recruiting probably because of the coaching change. They have a small class but I think it's really important you to kind of continue to establish that, that you are kind of Iowa and that you can keep getting talent quite like that.
- [30:42]
Bud Elliott
No doubt about it. Jeremy Warner, Inquirer this has been summer school. Appreciate it, buddy.
- [30:45]
Jeremy Werner
Thanks man. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money. Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings, there's a money side to every story. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe now@bloomberg.com.