Jeff Thomas East St Louis WR

Leggo24

Freshman
Oct 6, 2018
180
95
0
Transferring to the Illini from Miami. I saw Illini got a couple espn300 athletes coming in next year too via high school. Turn this **** around Lovie! They need a quarterback badly still
 

flyerforlife

All-Conference
Oct 2, 2010
999
1,021
0
Transferring to the Illini from Miami. I saw Illini got a couple espn300 athletes coming in next year too via high school. Turn this **** around Lovie! They need a quarterback badly still

Also his high school QB Rey Estes is Transferring to Illinois. Will probably play db. ILLINI seems to be loading up on talent from in state
 

Lockport Dad

Freshman
Nov 2, 2008
483
52
0
I believe the Illini are hoping that Isaiah Williams an outstanding athlete out of St. Louis will be Juice Williams 2.0.
 

McCaravan

All-American
Feb 1, 2016
4,725
7,464
113
As mentioned above, if they could just find someone to throw to him and Smallings....is he ineligible next season?
 

PowerI66_

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2012
3,943
2,894
0
Lovies reaction
 
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JCHillmen

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2001
3,377
1,350
0
Just came to post this. If Diaz allows him back he's going back to South Beach.


LOL Littyville

Even when the transfer was announced, it was always a 50/50 proposition at best he would ever suit up for the illini. He is declaring for the 2020 draft regardless of what happens and his chances of getting a waiver to play in 19 were 50/50 at best.

Kid probably now realizes this and sees his only guaranteed chance to play fbs ball in 19 is to hope Miami takes him back.
 
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LHSTigers94

All-Conference
Oct 25, 2004
3,173
2,437
93
Even when the transfer was announced, it was always a 50/50 proposition at best he would ever suit up for the illini. He is declaring for the 2020 draft regardless of what happens and his chances of getting a waiver to play in 19 were 50/50 at best.

Kid probably now realizes this and sees his only guaranteed chance to play fbs ball in 19 is to hope Miami takes him back.


He could go down a level and play in ‘19
 

BretEpic

Heisman
Jan 27, 2005
16,866
22,189
113
Even when the transfer was announced, it was always a 50/50 proposition at best he would ever suit up for the illini. He is declaring for the 2020 draft regardless of what happens and his chances of getting a waiver to play in 19 were 50/50 at best.

Kid probably now realizes this and sees his only guaranteed chance to play fbs ball in 19 is to hope Miami takes him back.
It's not how he handled it. Every Illini outlet basically delivered his bags to Champaign
 
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BretEpic

Heisman
Jan 27, 2005
16,866
22,189
113
They are having a pretty good off season so far. At least compared to recent years. Four transfers who were all top 100 kids out of high school as well as some decent recruits.
but six transfers out, including their top TE and DB.
 

BretEpic

Heisman
Jan 27, 2005
16,866
22,189
113
I might be an NU fan, but I'm not an alum. My uncle played for the Cats. So I do still like Illinois as a school, and want them to do just behind NU in sports shared. I'd love to see them right this ship.

I do not like Lovie's approach to the program, I'll say that much. That is where my ire comes from.
 
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USD24

All-American
May 29, 2001
5,498
5,327
113
but six transfers out, including their top TE and DB.

Not claiming that kids leaving is a good thing but I would say the talent that has transferred in is superior to the talent that left. I am just searching for anything positive out of that program. My son will be a senior there next year and I am just hoping he can witness at least one decent season down there. Would love to be able to take him to a bowl game before he graduates.
 

BretEpic

Heisman
Jan 27, 2005
16,866
22,189
113
Not claiming that kids leaving is a good thing but I would say the talent that has transferred in is superior to the talent that left. I am just searching for anything positive out of that program. My son will be a senior there next year and I am just hoping he can witness at least one decent season down there. Would love to be able to take him to a bowl game before he graduates.
that is the hope.

Thomas right now is better than the WR out
Ford has more potential than Dorsey, but Dorsey has a college resume, good RZ threat.
Pettibon is a Bama OL, former elite recruit. But he's surgically repaired, saw very little game time, and he's not as good as Allegretti [I'm assuming he's filling that void].

I'm not too high on the Illinois recruits, but if they are used properly and pan out some of them have superb upsides. Isaiah Williams might be Juice.0 if chips fall as needed.
 

Lockport Dad

Freshman
Nov 2, 2008
483
52
0
It is probably for the best if he is really planning on signing up for the 2020 draft. What ever hardship he was hoping to get a waiver for obviously wasn't that hard and he wouldn't have played for the Illini in 2019 anyway. Would have been nice to have his talent on the team though.
 
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LHSTigers94

All-Conference
Oct 25, 2004
3,173
2,437
93
Not getting a talent like Thomas obviously hurts, but after everything I've read, Illinois did what they could to get him. He publicly changed his mind 3 or 4 times in the last week. Bad look for him.

He never publicly changed his mind. Media outlets created their version of things. When he left Miami he chose Illinois. When the staff in Miami left he gave it a shot to return. They accepted, case closed. If the previous offensive staff was still at Miami, Jeff would still be at Illinois. I am glad Miami accepted him back! He said from day one that he didn’t want to sit out a year because he was declaring for the draft. He was very clear about that!
 

SilverHelmet

All-Conference
Apr 30, 2006
2,027
2,084
77
He signed the paperwork in December and gave an interview in UC on Tuesday. How is that not publicly changing your mind?
 
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LHSTigers94

All-Conference
Oct 25, 2004
3,173
2,437
93
He signed the paperwork in December and gave an interview in UC on Tuesday. How is that not publicly changing your mind?

I will try this again just one more time. He didn’t leave Miami on his own accord. They mutually separated meaning he never wanted to leave, he had to. Since he had to leave he chose Illinois. Miami get a new staff and once they accepted him, he went back. If that’s changing your mind multiple times so be it.
 

EagleDad82

Redshirt
Jan 20, 2019
5
1
0
A great talent and was fun to watch. Hopefully he takes advantage of his second chance. I wish he would would have gone to U of I though. We lose too many kids like this.
 
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