ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI RUMORS & GOSSIP
Patriots Select Illinois FS Tavon Wilson (Rd.2, No.48)
With the 48th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Patriots select Tavon Wilson, FS (Illinois). Feisty college safety with marginal size/speed numbers for the next level. Displays fluid movement skills, the ability to go sideline to sideline and a burst to the action. Works to keep the play in front of him and fights to break up throws. Aggressive defending the run or screen...
Via GridironFans.com
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April 27, 2012
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April 27, 2012
Discuss
Whitney Mercilus Goes To Houston In Round 1
The Fighting Illini continue to place football players in the first round of the NFL draft. Both defensive end Whitney Mercilus and wide receiver A.J. Jenkins were called with the good news Thursday evening. For Mercilus, it was a dream come true. He was not highly recruited out of high school, but his play on the field in 2011 got the attention of pro scouts.
Via illinois.scout.com
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April 27, 2012
49ers Select Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins (Rd.1, No.30)
With the 30th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins. Jenkins is quick off the ball and gets to top speed quickly. If he gets a free release, he can be tough for corners to stay with initially. He has ability to separate when necessary and is very fluid throughout his routes. His body is strikingly under control throughout, and...
Via GridironFans.com
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April 26, 2012
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April 26, 2012
Whitney Mercilus Could Add Valuable Pass-Rushing Dynamic to Patriots' Defense
Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus improved his draft stock last season as much as any player in the country. After serving as a role player for two years, Mercilus ripped the pages out of the Illinois record books and replaced them with photos of himself, figuratively speaking anyway. Mercilus also holds down a position the Patriots need to address, and he's projected to...
Via NESN.com
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April 05, 2012
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April 05, 2012
A.J. Jenkins scouting report
A.J. Jenkins WR Illinois #8
Ht: 6’0″
Wt: 190
Strengths:
Impressive straight-line speed; can stretch the field at the next level. Fairly reliable hands; does a nice job catching away from his body and bringing it in. Impressive leaping ability; much better going up in traffic than you’d expect considering his size and build. Shows excellent body control...
Via DraftAce
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March 10, 2012
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March 10, 2012
MUCH AT STEAK
Coach has unique punishment system
First year coach Tim Beckman is trying to change the culture at Illinois, and his first order of business was to install a unique food-oriented reward system.
Via Kegs 'n Eggs
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March 07, 2012
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March 07, 2012
2012 NFL draft: Whitney Mercilus DE Illinois
Someone has to put an end to an offensive explosion in the NFL and if defensive end Whitney Mercilus had his say he would be the one.
The 6'4, 265 defensive end led the nation with 16 sacks and forced fumbles with nine for Illinois and after his breakout season he continues to shoot up the 2012 NFL draft charts.
Expected to be a top-50 pick he should make a living frustrating...
Via College Sports University
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March 04, 2012
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March 04, 2012
Illinois DE Mercilus earns Hendricks Award
Illinois junior Whitney Mercilus has won the Hendricks Award given to the nation's best defensive end.
Mercilus leads the nation in sacks, sacks per game and forced fumbles. He's also ranked sixth nationally in tackles for loss per game.
The Akron, Ohio, native has 52 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and nine forced fumbles in 2011.
Mercilus has had at least...
Via Fox Sports
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December 07, 2011
So Where Does Ron Zook, a True Nice Guy, Go From Here?
A funny thing happened on the way to Illinois cleansing and ridding itself of the Ron Zook era.
Honestly, as someone who has written numerous pieces for The Sports Bank about how much Zook needed to be fired over the years, I just didn’t see it coming.
I felt bad.
I really did.
(guest post from Paul Schmidt)
There’s a fundamental problem with dancing on the grave of any...
Via The Sports Bank
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November 30, 2011
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November 30, 2011
Sources: Illinois Fires Ron Zook on Sunday
After watching his Illinois Fighting Illini collapse after an inspiring 6-0 start, it appears that head coach Ron Zook is on the way out.
According to sources, both Bob Asmussen of the Champaign News-Gazette and John Surpinie of GateHouse News Service are reporting via twitter that Illinois has fired Zook on Sunday morning.
The firing comes less than 24 hours after Zook's...
Via STLSportsMinute
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November 27, 2011
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November 27, 2011
Zook walks out of press conference
Illinois coach Ron Zook isn't interested in talking about job security.
Zook told reporters Tuesday he would end his weekly news conference if anyone asked about his job following four straight losses and a weekend of off-field trouble for his players. He kept his promise, walking out after he was asked if had talked to his players about handling questions about his future....
Via AP on Fox
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November 15, 2011
Zook ends press conference over job question
Illinois coach Ron Zook isn't interested in talking about job security.
Zook told reporters Tuesday that he would end his weekly news conference if anyone asked about his job following four straight losses and a weekend of off-field trouble for his players. He kept his promise, walking out after he was asked if had talked to his players about handling questions about his future...
Via AP on Fox
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November 15, 2011
Illinois Linebacker Trulon Henry Suffers Gunshot to Wrist While Trying to Assist Teammates at Party
Trulon Henry admits he made a mistake when he was younger, when he committed an armed robbery in an attempt to keep his parents from losing their home in Washington, D.C. After serving a five-year prison sentence and entering college late, Henry, 27, has turned his life around as a linebacker at Illinois. Still, trouble found Henry on Sunday morning, according to a report in the...
Via NESN.com
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November 14, 2011
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November 14, 2011
Progress Report: Illinois Fighting Illini
We’re five weeks into the 2011 NCAA season so I figured I’d take a chance to review the Illinois Fighting Illini. We’re gonna celebrate their 5-0 start by showing their accomplishments thus far this season.
Illinois will start week 6 ranked #19 in the AP poll and #16 in the coaches poll. They earned this by winning their first 5 games that were all at home in Champaign...
Via Rant Sports
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October 02, 2011
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October 02, 2011
GROIN PAINS
Illinois LB hits opponent with real low blow
There are cheap shots, and then there are plays like that above. Illinois linebacker Jonathan Brown kneed Northwestern lineman Patrick Ward in the groin in the first half of their game, prompting Ward to react just how you and I would’ve. I probably would’ve gotten up 25 or 30 minutes later (well, maybe more) and [...]
Via Kegs 'n Eggs
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October 01, 2011
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October 01, 2011
THE FIGHTING ILLINI HOT 11
Latest Illinois Fighting Illini Photos
