How did Illinois get here? - Off Tackle Empire
We fans do have a habit of taking after our teams, though, and after the Illini decided not to show up, I followed their lead. Living in the Detroit metro amplifies the sting of getting waxed by a. 500 Michigan team in the BTT during a work day. I've been gathering the impression that, compared to our peers with more illustrious records in the TV era, Illinois has a program history largely unknown by the general public. Remember those years when it seemed like Illinois came out of nowhere. The Big Ten Screws Us. From the days of Red Grange to the national championship of 1951, Illinois football, along with Illinois athletics, was a power in the ever-expanding world of college sports. Michigan State wound up on probation in 1953, and slush funds started happening as recruiting got greasy. Coach Ray Eliot refused to do this and refused to kiss the asses of high school players and when he found he was no longer able to compete, he resigned and Pete Elliot took over in 1960. Illinois fans, alums and boosters then got together and... However, they were really really bad at it. So bad, in fact, that this network was plainly visible to the coaches and was extensively documented. Assistant Mel Brewer was a popular candidate, but football coach Pete Elliot ended up getting the job. Brewer was irate, partially because he didn't get the job, but also because Pete Elliot had graduated from Michigan and blah. Source: www.offtackleempire.com
