CHAMPAIGN, Ailing. — Navy-and-orange billboards line I-74 by central Illinois from close to the Mississippi River on the west to the Indiana border on the east. One reads I-L-L. The subsequent one: I-N-I. They alternate sporadically, weaving between communities, relaxation stops and tons of, if not 1000’s, of orange cones that match the environment however haven’t any connection to the state’s flagship college.
Illinois soccer coach Bret Bielema calls this foremost artery of the state his house. He grew up on a farm close to Prophetstown, Ailing., about 30 miles from the Quad Cities close to the Iowa-Illinois border and two hours northwest of the Illinois campus. He performed highschool soccer in opposition to applications up and down this freeway and recruited the world as an assistant at Iowa, then as head coach at Wisconsin and now at Illinois.
When Bielema stops at a fuel station, whether or not it’s in Champaign-Urbana or elsewhere in central Illinois, he conducts somewhat take a look at. On recruiting journeys as an assistant at Wisconsin, Bielema realized from Barry Alvarez to observe offensive linemen transfer whereas stacking groceries to see whether or not they may block for the Badgers. At Illinois, Bielema applies the instinctual classes of his hall-of-fame teaching mentor to gauge fan curiosity. After they’re dropping, he will get ignored at comfort shops. That’s not occurring as of late.
“I simply turned it into the fuel station. Like, what occurs on the fuel station?” Bielema stated. “Folks come as much as me and say, ‘Coach, I’m so enthusiastic about what you’re doing.’ I take my daughters to high school, and I’ll stroll by the hallways, and I’ll see one million Illinois sweatshirts on and T-shirts. I simply don’t assume it was that manner two or three years in the past.”
Illinois soccer is cool once more, and the conversations at fuel stations and elementary faculties all through the I-74 hall revolve as a lot across the soccer Illini as their extra traditionally profitable basketball brethren.
“You see the influence that it has on a group like this who hadn’t skilled an entire lot of W’s,” Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer stated. “To see what we created and did final yr with a historic season, and to see the way in which that has introduced a group collectively and actually united followers and our program, it’s cool to see lots of glad individuals.”
The Combating Illini gained 10 video games final yr for the primary time since 2001 and simply the fifth time ever, highlighted by a win in opposition to defending nationwide champion Michigan and a Citrus Bowl victory in opposition to School Soccer Playoff bubble group South Carolina. That itself was motive to have a good time, but it surely doesn’t clarify all the passion surrounding this program this spring.
With 16 returning starters and a good schedule, Illinois deserves extra buzz than a patronizing cap tip to 2024. 4 of the Illini’s 5 beginning offense linemen began all 13 video games final yr; 4 of their 5 first-team defensive backs began at the very least 12 video games. If the helmets and jerseys featured a unique emblem and coloration patterns, Illinois could be favored to win the 18-team Huge Ten. Because it stands, the Illini have a reputable path to enter the School Soccer Playoff debate.
Some individuals might scoff, contemplating Illinois’ popularity as a perennial underachiever. However Indiana confirmed everybody final yr that it’s attainable to leap from Huge Ten backside feeder to CFP participant. A brand new coach, an inflow of economic sources, shrewd switch portal strikes and an advantageous schedule led to a particular season for this system with the worst successful proportion in Huge Ten historical past. Illinois is constructing off a a lot stronger basis now than Indiana did final yr, however the Illini lack the aspect of shock.
“I don’t assume it does something however assist soccer, proper?” Bielema stated about Indiana’s on-field breakthrough. “There’s by no means been a time the place annually is independently totally different, it doesn’t matter what college you’re at, due to the enjoying discipline that’s being established by the NIL and portal world. You may change your roster on a flip of a hat. And that excites me.”
After battling their manner up the CFP rankings late in 2024, the Illini have their eye on actual competition this fall. (Ron Johnson / Imagn Photos)
Getting into 12 months 5, each participant on Illinois’ roster is a Bielema man, and the coach’s mantra of “Powerful, Sensible and Reliable” is so embedded that his present and former gamers tout the acronym “TSD” as this system’s DNA. A core of 4 star gamers selected to return slightly than search the best bidder within the switch portal or depart for the NFL. All 4 compete at premium positions and are thought of among the many Huge Ten’s greatest at these spots.
Left deal with J.C. Davis acquired an additional yr when a court docket dominated in December that junior faculty expertise didn’t depend towards NCAA eligibility. As an alternative of staying in Florida after the Citrus Bowl to coach for the draft, Davis selected one other season in Champaign.
“I didn’t need to depart Illinois, it doesn’t matter what,” Davis stated. “It was both go to the league or keep right here. I wasn’t desirous about leaving Illinois as a result of I really feel like they did a lot for me and my household, too. So, I felt like I owed them that.”
Like Davis, edge rusher Gabe Jacas and first-team All-Huge Ten cornerback Xavier Scott postponed their NFL careers, and Illinois made it financially price their whereas. Illinois’ ICON Collective has turn out to be pivotal in this system’s retention efforts, and it counts a number of central Illinois and Chicagoland companies as key sponsors. Illini basketball’s recognition may create friction as each applications compete for high expertise, however that wasn’t an issue this offseason. Exterior of dropping rotational operating again Josh McCray to Georgia this spring, Illinois maintained its soccer roster (whereas additionally selecting up key basketball recruits within the portal).
“We stated, ‘Hey, that is what we have now allotted. That is what the quantity is,’” Bielema stated. “Right here’s what I do know: If you happen to do what you’re able to doing over the following yr, this would be the smallest contract you’ll ever signal. (Former defensive deal with) Johnny Newton signed for $250,000 after which ended up being, what, the fourth decide within the second spherical (of the 2024 NFL Draft)? And what he signed for was tenfold what he signed for us as a result of he knew what was on the finish of the tunnel.”
“Anyone needs that cash. I imply, it positively helped somewhat bit,” Scott stated. “However I positively need to accomplish a few of these accolades. Expectations are going to be totally different for us coming on this yr.”
Few gamers embody extra of Illinois’ tenets — or 2025 potential — than Altmyer, a former Ole Miss switch. Illinois offered the quarterback with a possibility at a power-conference program, and he has used his three-year window in Champaign to develop into an all-conference candidate beneath offensive coordinator Barry Lunney. After an inconsistent 2023 marketing campaign, Altmyer led the Illini to 4 top-25 victories final season and tossed three game-winning landing passes within the closing minute of regulation or in extra time. Amongst Huge Ten returnees, solely Penn State’s Drew Allar threw extra landing passes in 2024.
Altmyer had choices after final season, whether or not that’s shifting on to the NFL or transferring for extra money. Finally, he determined Illinois provided the appropriate alternative for a particular season.
“What we may actually accomplish coming off final yr to this yr may actually change the course of this program and the attitude that individuals have on Illinois,” Altmyer stated. “So it was greater than me. It truly is. And I knew that I wanted one other yr of school, too.
“There’s no secret that I may have taken one other alternative elsewhere, however, man, I didn’t see the necessity in that as a result of we’ve acquired an actual reputable shot and probability to do one thing particular at a program that hadn’t executed it ever or in a very long time.”
Positioned within the nation’s sixth-most populous state, Illinois has just one different power-conference program inside its border, and that’s personal college Northwestern. Champaign sits close to the confluence of three main roadways, simply two-hour drives from Chicago and Indianapolis and just a few minutes farther to St. Louis in the wrong way. However this system that boasts statues of first-among-equals greats Pink Grange and Dick Butkus slipped into irrelevance whereas watching league rivals decide the state aside over a long time of recruiting battles.
Since 1992, solely as soon as has Illinois reached back-to-back bowl video games, and that was a pair of 7-6 seasons in 2010 and ’11. The sample has included a Huge Ten championship in 2001 and a Rose Bowl journey in 2007, adopted by 5-7 finishes in ‘02 and ‘08. Bielema additionally fell sufferer to it after 2022’s 8-5 marketing campaign, dropping three stretch-run convention video games by 4 factors or fewer en path to a 5-7 file in 2023.
This yr’s group vows to be totally different.
“It was cool having a 10-win season, however that don’t keep it up to subsequent yr,” stated Jacas, who had 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2024. “We will’t be complacent simply because we gained 10 video games final yr.”
To associate with a stable roster, Illinois has the proper schedule to make a Huge Ten run. The Illini’s 9 Huge Ten opponents have been a mixed 33-48 in league play in 2024, and solely two (Indiana, Ohio State) sported successful league data. For the second consecutive season, they play the defending nationwide champion in Champaign; this time it’s the Buckeyes.
Altmyer and the Illini celebrated a win over defending nationwide champion Michigan in October. (Ron Johnson / Imagn Photos)
The whole lot is lining up for the Illini to make a transfer, however now they must take benefit. Bielema stated the surface world views Illinois as a contender based mostly on the wins in opposition to Michigan and South Carolina. He as a substitute is wired to consider final yr’s losses to Oregon, Penn State and Minnesota. The mission is to achieve the Huge Ten championship recreation, which might all however assure the Illini a CFP spot.
For now, Bielema balances his give attention to each day program objectives with exterior optimism by conversations with followers carrying the block “I”. However preserving that dialogue alive takes ongoing work, just like the unending rows of orange development cones alongside I-74.
“If you happen to attempt to assume past that, you’ll by no means get there,” Bielema stated. “It’s type of just like the pot of gold on the finish of the rainbow. You’ve acquired to consider it exists, however when you go to attempt to discover it, you’ll by no means benefit from the journey. We’ve acquired to give attention to the each day journey, as a result of that’s the one factor I do know, confirmed in my thoughts, that will get us the place we should be.”
(Photograph: Michael Hickey / Getty Photos)
