Believe it or not the Street and Smith's football annual has been available since mid-May. I'll repeat the comment I made last year and then I'll try to give it a rest in future years. The race to be first isn't worth it. The magazine should be released in August. The blow up of the transfer portal has only made the problem worse. Case in point - The Illini write up shows MJ Rivers as the starting QB. Rivers is now in the transfer portal and no longer with the team. Tons of teams will have impact transfers over the summer. The dust isn't close to being settled.
The Redbird write up suggests that the offense will be among the league's best with several key returnees (Robinson, Davis, Edgar). On the defensive side of the ball Safety Kirk and Corner Taylor are listed as part of a stout secondary. Surprising. I would claim the defensive front -McKnight, Ridgeway, Lewan and Clark as the strongest unit on the team. That unit got deeper with the recent addition from Univ of Iowa DE/LB Brandon Simon. I thought Simon would back up McKnight but now it looks like the Jack is more likely. We already have Clark and Guhl at the Jack but Simon brings some special pass rush skills. Film on him shows an impressive bull rush. Let's put Simon up against Himmelman and see how far Simon's low gravity power moves take him. I'd pay admission to practice for that one.
The Redbird write up suggests that the offense will be among the league's best with several key returnees (Robinson, Davis, Edgar). On the defensive side of the ball Safety Kirk and Corner Taylor are listed as part of a stout secondary. Surprising. I would claim the defensive front -McKnight, Ridgeway, Lewan and Clark as the strongest unit on the team. That unit got deeper with the recent addition from Univ of Iowa DE/LB Brandon Simon. I thought Simon would back up McKnight but now it looks like the Jack is more likely. We already have Clark and Guhl at the Jack but Simon brings some special pass rush skills. Film on him shows an impressive bull rush. Let's put Simon up against Himmelman and see how far Simon's low gravity power moves take him. I'd pay admission to practice for that one.