Illini Need To Notch Another W

Today the Illini face Northern Illinois in a tough in-state matchup at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

The Illini can't sleep on the Huskies. Northern has a tradition of producing NFL-caliber beasts - current and former Bolts Larry English and Michael Turner come immediately to mind - and are more than capable of going back to DeKalb with in-state bragging rights.

I'm looking for a big game from Mikel Leshoure today. Through two games Mikel has 224 yards on 32 carries, averaging out to 6.4 yards per carry. He's a monster, folks, and just needs that one big game to get national notoriety. Today could be that day.

Kickoff in Champaign in about 5 minutes

Guest Post: A Rebuttal In Favor of Larry English's College Choice

Note to our reader: From time to time this humble blog will have guest posts written by true sports fans who also happen to be friends or acquaintances of mine. These posts could touch on any topic, but will most likely address some aspect of the guest writer's favorite teams. Today, in a response to this blog's post yesterday questioning Chicago-native Larry English's once-upon-a-time decision to attend Northern Illinois instead of the University of Illinois, I am proud to offer this guest post by Michigan alum and renowned Big Ten football expert, Tatt Mareeco.

Dear Bevormo,

Larry would have loved to have played for the Illini. Sadly, Larry was a late bloomer or someone that the scouts just dropped the ball on. He was a 2 star recruit according to Rivals. The list of schools with interest in him was as follows: Northern Illinois, Toledo, Iowa, Ball State, Bowling Green, and CMU. You should apologize to Larry for being baselessly mad at him. You should also thank him for not going to Iowa where he apparently would have wreaked havoc on your Illini, or in the alternative would not have developed into the now Charger beast you believe him to be today.

Regards,
Tatt Mareeco

Thanks, Tatt. This blog always welcomes the opinions of others. And you're right. It's certainly possible the Illini knew about English coming out of high school and just decided he was not a worthy recruit. Unfortunately Ron Turner never left his sofa his last few years as Illini head coach so I doubt English was even considered by the Illini.

But your point is well taken. Ronnie T.'s blatant attempt to get back into pro football by refusing to recruit for the Illini is no reason to hate on Larry English.

Consider me upbraided.

Larry "DeKalb" English

Larry,

You've got a lot of nerve.

A. Lot. Of. Nerve.

I mean, listen, I'm ecstatic that you were the Bolts #1 pick during last weekend's NFL Draft, and am already chalking up your selection as yet another classic "A.J. Snake," the likes of which have brought Shawne, Phil, Darren, Kris, Antonio and Vincent into the San Diego fold. Not only do you seem to be an eloquent, classy, stand-up individual, but from what I've heard you've got the skillz to go out and dominate quarterbacks with the same intensity as our boy Shawne Merriman himself. I can hardly wait until Ron Rivera puts you, Shaun and Shawne on the field at the same time and cuts you loose to wreak utter havoc.

In fact, let me be the first to congratulate you on that two sack game you are going to have in Pittsburgh on October 4th.

That's going to be choice.

But despite all this, I have to tell you, I'm not happy with you.

I know all about your dominant collegiate career. Your four years as a starter, your 237 tackles, your 31.5 sacks, your back-to-back wins of the Vern Smith Leadership Award, given each year by MAC league coaches not to the best defensive player in the conference, but to the best overall player in the conference. You were the first defensive player in MAC league history to win the trophy twice.

I also know you grew up in Aurora, Illinois, a fine Midwestern suburb of the great city of Chicago.

I know all this about you and, knowing all of it, I can't help but get annoyed at one simple fact.

You didn't go to the University of Illinois.

Nope. Somehow, coming out of high school you chose Northern Illinois over the Illini. Why a young man of your stature would chose DeKalb over Champaign I just can't fathom. Perhaps you had your reasons, Lar, but darned if I can figure them out.

Trust me, I'll do my best to forget this disappointing fact about your past, but I can't say exactly when that will be.

I'm gonna need a little time.

Best,
Bevormo

ps - I'm guessing I'll be over it right around the start of training camp. I've never been one to hold a grudge. Especially against guys who play outside linebacker in the National Football League.