Big Ten notebook: Illinois football won't be sneaking up on anyone
'I think (Illinois coach) Bret's (Bielema) built something the way that he wanted to build it,' Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said at Big Ten football media days. 'And he's got guys that fit his program, his culture, and now they have an experienced team, which when you're an experienced team, you're always dangerous.'
Defensive back Xavier Scott pointed out the Illini's schedule, having to open the season with seven straight games before a bye, but he and his teammates are looking forward to the challenge.
'We're just excited to see what we got, we're just going to continue to do what we do and continue to grind to success,' Scott said. 'We want to make this an every-year type of thing where we're winning games, multiple games, and we're making more bowl games … and even playoff runs. We're just trying to make that the culture of Illinois.'
After a surprising 10-0 start, a program-record 11 wins and a trip to the College Football Playoff, some believe Indiana is destined to take a step backward in 2025.
Coach Curt Cignetti and his team, however, didn't get the memo.
'We're not looking to sustain it, we're looking to improve it,' Cignetti said Tuesday. 'And the way you do that is by having the right people on the bus, upstairs in the coaches' offices, downstairs in the locker room.'
And with that, he said, is a standard he set long ago at James Madison, one that includes a crystal clear blueprint with expectations of never accepting anything less than what's been previously accomplished.
'Consistency day in, day out,' Cignetti added. 'Consistency is huge so that we can play fast, physical, relentless, smart, disciplined, poised, not affected by success, not affected by failure, and never ever satisfied until the game is over.'
Nonetheless, the Hoosiers' road back to the playoffs is no easy chore, as their conference slate includes trips to Oregon and Penn State — two College Football Playoff teams they didn't face last year.
The Big Ten media poll projected a sixth-place finish for the Hoosiers, indicating they may have been a one-hit wonder.
'I know that's the buzzword — fluke — but I think at the end of the day, we've always overcome whatever expectations people have of us,' said returning all-Big Ten defensive end Mikail Kamara, who followed Cignetti from James Madison. 'So, I feel the way that Cig runs the ship and has a standard, I feel like everyone's kind of bought into it.
'The only goal that we have is to win a championship. I think last year was fun; we wanted to win games, and it was completely all new to us. But now, it's like, we've cemented ourselves in the Big Ten and we're going to go take it over and win.'
Normally, the Big Ten holds its media days inside Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium, and the three-day event certainly could have carried momentum over from the WNBA's All-Star weekend.
But the venue was booked for the week. So, rather than return to another old home, Chicago, the 18-team conference chose Las Vegas, a city where it does not have an actual team but that is closer to some of its newer programs — USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington.
'I think, obviously, we are a conference that goes coast to coast, so having some presence closer to our West Coast members is not a bad thing,' commissioner Tony Petitti said. 'It started with logistics, to be really candid.'
Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola made the rounds, donning a customized suit that reeked of success while embracing a Las Vegas vibe.
Wearing a crisp black suit with red piping and playing cards stitched on the inside to match his red-bottom Christian Louboutin shoes, the second-year signal caller said the Cornhuskers, picked to finish eighth by media members, are loaded with confidence heading into camp.
Nebraska started 5-1 last year, before finishing 2-5. One fun fact: Huskers coach Matt Rhule's teams at Baylor and Temple each improved by four wins from his second to third seasons.
'It all stems from the work that's been put in, all the preparation that guys have had,' Raiola said. 'It's going to be an exciting season, guys are ready to go, and there's no stopping us getting to our goals. The consistency of believing in the program, believing in what we believe, and not losing sight of that.
'I think once guys understand that when something works, that you just keep sticking to it and you don't fade from it, you get a strong (result) at the end of the day.'
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