Loren Tate

1 week ago | sports.yahoo.com | Loren Tate

Apr. 15—CHAMPAIGN — Bret Bielema knows his football X's and O's. The Illini head coach is fully up to date in handling training regimens as well as game-day oversight. But his greatest strength is roster retention in a chaotically mobile age of unlimited transfers and pay-for-play.

1 week ago | news-gazette.com | Loren Tate

CHAMPAIGN — Bret Bielema knows his football X’s and O’s. The Illini head coach is fully up to date in handling training regimens as well as game-day oversight. But his greatest strength is roster retention in a chaotically mobile age of unlimited transfers and pay-for-play. Bielema’s bonding skills became apparent early in his first go-around here (2021) when Casey Washington and Owen Carney, each with a leg out the door, were talked into returning to the weak group of Lovie Smith’s leftovers.

2 weeks ago | sports.yahoo.com | Loren Tate

Apr. 8—Brad Underwood's responsibility, as the Illini men's basketball coach, is to weave the talents of his athletes into a productive relationship ... meshing individual skills, creating favorable matchups and taking advantage of the best assets. However, his athletes may have a more personal considerations, that of displaying individual skills more attractive to the next level, hopefully the NBA. AdvertisementAdd the influence of the new pay-for-player era, and conflict is inevitable.

2 weeks ago | news-gazette.com | Loren Tate

Brad Underwood’s responsibility, as the Illini men’s basketball coach, is to weave the talents of his athletes into a productive relationship ... meshing individual skills, creating favorable matchups and taking advantage of the best assets. However, his athletes may have a more personal considerations, that of displaying individual skills more attractive to the next level, hopefully the NBA. Add the influence of the new pay-for-player era, and conflict is inevitable.

3 weeks ago | sports.yahoo.com | Loren Tate

Mar. 31—The state's high school basketball tournament came and went here earlier this month and, despite strong supportive efforts locally, it resembled more of a whisper than a roar. A time used to exist when this event took Champaign-Urbana and downstate Illinois by storm. Some of us remember the charm of Huff Gym's map of Illinois with the 16 lights blinking ... until only one remained. AdvertisementThe state's top players turned the IHSA event into a recruiting mecca for college coaches.