Offensive tackle Jeff Allen and defensive back Tavon Wilson were both drafted on day two of the NFL Draft, making it a grand total of four players drafted from Illinois. Allen was selected with the 44th overall pick by the Kansas City Chiefs and Wilson was drafted 48th overall by the New England Patriots.

This year marks the first time in the common draft era (since 1967) that Illinois has had four players drafted in the first two rounds. Last year four Illini were drafted, but not in the first round.

“It’s just like the transition I made from high school to college,” Allen said of joining former Illini Jon Asamoah with the Chiefs. “Jon was one of the guys who took me under his wing, showed me how to work and how to perform at a high level. I see it being the same in the NFL, someone to look to and someone who can give me advice.”

“It’s a dream come true,” Wilson said. “I’m excited to be a Patriot. It’s definitely a relief. I’ve been training since January 10 and it’s been a long road, but now I’m a Patriot and I’m excited to be there. I probably surprised some people by going so high, but I didn’t surprise myself. I had heard anywhere from the second round to free agent (status). I’m just excited to get a chance to play in the NFL.”

With four guys drafted in the first two rounds, that means Illinois had a lot of talent on the team last year, that essentially was wasted. Everyone has always said Ron Zook could recruit, but coaching is another story. It will be nice to see what Tim Beckman can do this year with Zook’s talented guys.

Two former Illinois standouts were selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft last night: defensive end Whitney Mercilus and wide receiver A.J. Jenkins.

Mercilus was selected by the Houston Texans with the 26th pick in the first round, while Jenkins was chosen by the San Francisco 49ers with the 30th overall pick.

This marks the first time that two Illini were selected in the first round of a draft since 1996, when Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rice were the No. 2 and No. 3 overall selections.

Illinois has now had five first round picks since 2008, the most of any Big Ten team during that span. Illinois’ four underclassmen chosen in the first round since 2008 is tied for the second-most by any team. Alabama leads the way with nine underclassman first-rounders in the last five years, while Florida and USC both match Illinois’ total of four.

“When my name was called my emotions just flooded,” Mercilus said of being drafted. “I was getting a little nervous because I thought I might go a little higher, so I was really happy when I got the call. I can’t wait to go to work with the Houston Texans. From day one I want to go prove to them that they spent their mone ywell on me.”

Jenkins was equally thrilled with his selection by the 49ers. “I was kind of caught off guard,” Jenkins said. “It’s just a blessing that I was taken in the first round by a great organization. I think it’s a perfect match. I can’t wait to go out to San Francisco, worth with a great coach in Coach Harbaugh and go to work with some talent players. It’s a great position to be in and a great organization.”

Other recent Illinois first rounders include running back Rashard Mendenhall (23rd overall by the Steelers in 2008), defensive back Vontae Davis (25th overall by Miami in 2009) and defensive tackle Corey Liuget (18th overall by the Chargers in 2011) as Illini first-round draft picks in the last five years. Of the five, all but Jenkins were underclassmen that left Illinois with eligibility remaining.

Illinois could have one or two more selections as the Draft continues. Congrats and best of luck in your NFL careers, guys!

John Groce has nabbed his first Illini recruit! Drake shooting guard, and Champaign native, Rayvonte Rice announced today that he will transfer to Illinois. He had the option to transfer to Xavier as well, but he attended Champaign Centennial High School and decided to return to his roots.

There are actually three open scholarships for next season: Michael Orris bowed out of his scholly before setting foot on campus, Meyers Leonard is heading to the NBA, and Crandall Head transferred abruptly in the middle of the season. Groce filled one spot, and now has two to play with.

Rice, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound guard, will sit out next season, and then will have two years of eligibility with Illinois. He averaged 16.5 points and 5.7 rebounds last season for Drake.

Since Rice has some collegiate experience, he could be able to jump in immediately and take over the guard duties for Brandon Paul and DJ Richardson after they graduate at the end of next year. While he doesn’t necessarily have B1G experience, he will have a year of practice to get with the program. Seems like a good nab, and I live it when the local kids get to come home and play for the fans (ala another Centennial transfer – from Dayton – Trent Meacham).

Groce now has two more spots to fill before the season begins, and will most likely focus on another point guard position and center to fill the more immediate holes left by Leonard and Maniscalco.

Since there is nothing but turmoil going on in the “Big Three” sports (men’s bball, women’s bball and football), it’s refreshing to know that the rest of the Illini athletes are getting things done.

Men’s Gymnastics Named National Champs

First off, on Friday night the men’s gymnastic team became national champs. That’s right, the University of Illinois can boast the best college gymnastics team in the entire nation.

The Orange and Blue posted a season-high score of 358.850, including a school record-breaking 60.750 on pommel horse, to edge host and top-ranked Oklahoma (357.450), which finished second in the field of six. Penn State (354.800) placed third, followed by California (353.000), Stanford (352.650) and Michigan (351.050).

This is Illinois’ 10th title for the men’s gymnastics program, and the first since 1989. This is also the first national championship for any Illinois athletics program since the men’s tennis team won in 2003.

Then on Saturday, freshman C.J. Maestas became Illinois’ first-ever NCAA still rings champion, while redshirt senior Paul Ruggeri matched his career high on vault to earn his fourth NCAA crown in his final performance as an Illini at the Lloyd Noble Center. Ruggeri also place second on parallel bars (15.000) and earned All-America honors on both events in which he competed, marking his second recognition on both apparatuses. Ruggeri ends his collegiate career as a nine-time NCAA All-American.

Maestas earned All-America honors on rings and become the first freshman to win a national title for the Orange and Blue since Ruggeri won on high bar in 2008. The win marks his team-leading eighth rings crown this season and his 20th overall, which ties Ruggeri for the most in 2012. He also earned All-America status on pommel horse, finishing sixth.

Five other Illini finished in the top eight on their respective events to earn All-America honors. This is the third time in the past four years that Illinois came away with at least two national champions and is the first time in eight seasons that the Orange and Blue produced three pommel horse All-Americans (Mori, Maestas and Mason). In all, Illinois totaled 11 All-Americans at the 2012 NCAA Championships, nine during today’s event finals, and two on Friday in the all-around (Maestas and Mori).

Track Star Sets School Record

Then over in track, Senior Andrew Riley set the second fastest time in the world and a new school record in the 110m hurdles at the John McDonnell invitational. It was the fastest time in the nation by seven-tenths of a second. He also placed first in the 100m dash, posting a time that ranks third in the school’s history.

So Illini fans, we might not be rocking the revenue sports just yet, but we seem to be making noise in the Olympic sports. Congrats to the men’s gymnastics team!

John Groce announced that Isaac Chew has been added to the basketball staff as an assistant coach. He will join Dustin Ford and Jamall Walker.

We’ve already addressed the fact that Jerrance Howard won’t be returning, and this latest addition makes it even more official. A Chicago native, let’s hope Chew will jump right in and fill the shoes that Howard is taking over to Southern Mississippi (he was hired this week to join their staff).

Chew spent last season on Frank Haith’s staff at Missouri, where he helped lead the Tigers to 30 wins, a Big 12 Tournament title and No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Chew previously spent four years as an assistant at Murray State under Billy Kennedy from 2008-11. While at Murray State he helped lead the Racers to a school-record 31 wins and NCAA Tournament round of 32 appearance in 2010 and 23 wins and NIT appearance in 2011, as well as back-to-back Ohio Valley titles. He also recruited and helped develop players such as Isacc Miles (three-time All-OVC, 2009-11) and Ivan Aska (OVC Freshman of the Year, 2009).

“We are fortunate to have one of the top assistants in the country join our program in Isaac Chew,” Groce said. “He has a tremendous reputation throughout the coaching community and it’s easy to see why when you look at the outstanding job he has done recruiting, developing and teaching players everywhere he’s been, most recently at Murray State and Missouri. Isaac shares our vision for the future of Fighting Illini basketball and will be a great fit with our staff.”

A native of Chicago, Chew was the 1994 Public League Blue-West Player of the Year at Wells High School. He then played at Iowa Lakes Community College, followed by Avila University in Kansas City. Chew earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Avila in 1999.

Chew entered the coaching ranks at his alma mater, serving as an assistant at Avila from 2000-01. He continued his education, meanwhile, earning an M.B.A. from Baker University in 2002. Chew also experienced the AAU circuit, coaching with Kansas City Pump ‘n’ Run and Kansas City Keys. He returned to Avila as an assistant from 2005-06 and then spent one year as an assistant at Indian Hills Community College, helping guide the Warriors to 34 wins and trip to the 2007 NJCAA DI Tournament.

“This is a great opportunity for me to come back to my home state and be part of one of the top programs in the country,” Chew said. “I know Coach Groce is committed to having a presence in Chicago, and I will work tirelessly in the city, as well as nationally, to recruit the very best players who can succeed here at the University of Illinois.”

Chew and his wife, Patrice, have four children, Deijah, Jada, Patrick and Caas.

New Illini men's basketball head coach John Groce

Though the recruits for 2013 have said they’re on board with joining the basketball team under John Groce’s leadership, the team’s one and only 2012 recruit, Michael Orris, has decided to jump ship and reopen the recruitment process.

According to Shannon Ryan of The Chicago Tribune the 3-star point guard did not think that Groce’s style would fit with the way he plays. Seeing as how Groce is a big fan of guard-heavy play and has been known to play three point guards at a time, it’s sort of a confusing statement.

Now Groce has two spots to fill, as Meyers Leonard has hired an agent and will not be returning this year. Perhaps one of those spots will be filled by DJ Cooper, the star at Ohio who was considering transferring after the news of Groce’s hiring at Illinois. Even so, there is still another opening remaining for Groce, who should be on the lookout for a big guy to fill Leonard’s shoes.

It’s always disappointing when a player decommits, but it is expected to happen when a new coach joins the program. Tracy Abrams was very successful at the point last year, and will most likely continue that role in the future as well. With Mike Shaw and Myke Henry already on the roster, another Michael would’ve been confusing, anyway.

No word of any current players transferring, but there is a lot of time left before the 2012-2013 season begins.

Tim Beckman could be the first of many new coaches for Illinois; Photo by Cary Frye

The Big Ten Spring football games are right around the corner, which means it’s time for coaches and players to face the media music and give us a heads up as to what to expect.

The Ohio State folks spent most of the time talking about the “greatest sports rivalry” in the universe, and then described John Simon as Tebow-ish. Then I realized that my cel does not have unlimited minutes and so maybe I should hang up and call back to listen to my guys at the end of the call.

After listening to the awkward silence that prevailed when no one had any questions for the Purdue defensive tackle, Nathan Scheelhaase (gotta get back in the habit of spelling that) got on the call to discuss my main focus: Illinois football!

According to Scheelhaase, Spring ball is going really well, but let’s be honest, would anyone really say anything different. Despite the changes, Coach Beckman and the others have been doing a good job of getting to know the guys on and off the field, making the transition as smooth as possible.

As for the competition biting at his ankles in sophomore (next year) Reilly O’Toole and junior Miles Osei, Scheelhaase doesn’t seem too nervous.  “People saw we could use two quarterbacks at the end of last season,” said Scheelhaase. “Coach Beckman has respect for what I’ve done and how much I’ve played.” While he said everyone gets a fair opportunity, it seems like Scheelhaase is getting the most practice in, and Beckman said it’s his job to lose. “It’s not about winning or losing the job, but impressing them with what you can do,” Scheelhaase said. “The coaches will put the right people on the field.”

On the whole, Scheelhaase feels like the team has gotten better. Some changes you’ll see from Beckman is a speedier offense, which keeps the defense on their toes.

As for Coach Beckman, my eardrums nearly burst when he got on the phone, but he settled down a tad. He’s excited for the spring game and proud of the way the guys have responded. For defense, he plans to build around the guys that are still around that were successful before. “Anytime you get playmakers coming back, you have to utilize what they’ve done and enhance it as much as you can,” said Beckman, mentioning Spencer Harris, Tim Kynard and Michael Buchanan.

As for the QB debate, it seems that Beckman is pro Scheelhaase, but pleased with the other guys. He noted that one thing you can’t see on the tape is what great leaders all three of them are. Osei has been doing some work as WR and tailback, which he feels is a testament to his athleticism.

Coming into a new program, the focus for Beckman was on building trust. “We needed to build trust to build a successful program to believe in each other,” he said. “These players understand their role of making it the best that they can make it.”

The Spring game will take place on Saturday at 2pm, and will be streamed live on both BTN2Go and The Big Ten Digital Network.

It’s time for Illini fans to say goodbye yet again to a familiar face. This week John Groce announced that he will not be retaining Jerrance Howard as an assistant coach to the men’s basketball team.

I don’t like saying goodbye, and I’ve had to do it an awful lot this season of Illini sports. When I had to say “so long” to Bruce Weber, I thought there was a chance that “Snacks” Howard would be sticking around. AD Mike Thomas jumped over the more experienced Jay Price and Wayne McClain to give Howard the title of interim coach (for no reason since there was no post-season play, but still it was a political gesture), but in the end Groce decided to go another direction.

If nothing else, I thought Howard would be leaving for greener pastures, because according to “sources” everyone wants him. There has even been talk of maybe being offered a head coach position somewhere, which if you ask me is a little premature but good for him!

“I have made a decision that I’m going to hire outside,” Groce said to the Chicago Tribune. “I considered him very, very strongly. His work speaks for itself. For me it was about starting with a clean slate.”

On the one hand, I understand the desire for a clean slate, especially after such an abysmal season mired by rumors and negative feelings. With that, it makes sense that Groce would want to start anew. However, Howard was Groce’s main pipeline into Chicago, and is responsible for assisting with a lot of the high-ranking recruits that have headed to Champaign as of late. Also, what about the notion that it would be nice for the team to have a familiar face alongside all these new coaches?

Another factor that my better half pointed out is that in terms of a power play, having Howard on the sidelines could be a distraction. The players know and trust Howard, so he’s the person they will be listening to/defaulting to, but Groce is the one in charge. When you look at it through that lens, I guess I can see how having Howard around might not work. I suppose it could go either way.

Regardless, I’m a little bit sad. I remember Howard as a player, and then when he joined the staff (he coached for five season). I also remember running into him in St. Louis the weekend of a football game and shouting “Hi, Jerrance Howard!” as he walked by us. Howard stopped and smiled and was happy to chat with a fellow fan. He his heart is made of orange and blue, and I hope it isn’t broken right now. I know Howard will be just fine and I fully believe he will be a head coach somewhere really soon (perhaps in a few years at Illinois if Groce doesn’t work out. Just kidding, sort of).

I just have one request for your Coach Howard: Please, please don’t join the Kansas staff. Other than that, I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

Whelp, the names for new assistant coaches at Illinois keep piling up, and none of them are Jerrance Howard. There is still room for at least one more, but Howard isn’t likely to be on the list. As long as we don’t lose him to Kansas, I might be talked down from the ledge.

On that note, let’s meet the new guys who will be replacing Jay Price and Wayne McClain, and will be tasked with assisting John Groce in taking the Illini on the next step toward greatness (if I write it, then it shall be true).

Dustin Ford and Jamall Walker are the new hires, both of which hung out with Groce at Ohio University.

“I’m pleased to add Dustin and Jamall to our staff,” Groce said. “These two coaches were with me at Ohio and will bring stability, continuity and knowledge of how we want to run the program here at the University of Illinois. Dustin has tremendous experience coaching forwards and posts, and Jamal excels at developing guards. They are well rounded in every aspect of coaching at this level including recruiting, scouting and player development.”

Ford was with Groce at Ohio from 2009-12, where he specialized in working with the frontcourt. Too bad Meyers Leonard won’t be around to be developed. Before that, Ford served three years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator on Larry Hunter’s staff at Western Carolina from 2006-08 and was promoted to associate head coach in the spring of 2008. During his tenure at Western Carolina, he was responsible for recruiting two eventual Southern Conference Defensive Players of the Year in Brigham Waginger (2010) and Richie Gordon (2011) and a SoCon Freshman of the Year in Harouna Mutombo (2009).

Ford played the game himself at Ohio from 1998-01, and led the Bobcats in 3-point field goals as a junior and senior. Ford’s 166 career 3-pointers and 310 career assists currently rank seventh and eighth, respectively, in Ohio school history. Ford’s brother Geno is the head coach at Bradley.   He and his wife, Marcie, have a son, Max, and daughter, Abbie.

Jamall Walker was part of Groce’s original Ohio staff during the 2009 season. After serving as Director of Basketball Operations for Sean Miller at Arizona in 2010, Walker returned to Athens to assist Groce from 2011-12. His specialty is working with guards, and Walker mentored D.J. Cooper, a two-time first-team All-MAC selection and 2012 MAC Tournament MVP (also rumored to be transferring to Illinois if it can pan out).

Before arriving at Ohio, Walker spent one year as an assistant coach at Murray State in 2008, preceded by a one-year stint as anassistant at St. Louis in 2007.

Walker entered the Division I coaching ranks at Ball State, where he was an assistant and recruiting coordinator for two years from 2005-06. During his time in Muncie, Walker played a key role in recruiting Chicagoland guard Maurice Acker, the 2006 MAC Freshman of the Year.

Walker played point guard at Saint Louis for four years from 1996-99, helping lead the Billikens to the NCAA Tournament in 1998. He earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team recognition in 1996 and ranks seventh in St. Louis school history with 350 career assists. Walker and his wife, Rebekah, have a daughter, JaShawn.

I like that Groce is loyal to the guys he knows and loves, but I hope they have what it takes to recruit in what “sources” keep calling one of the most difficult badlands around: Chicago. It was pretty clear that Mike Thomas took a page from my book of “Keep Jerrance Around at All Costs,” but that book is closing quickly.

We shall see Illini fans, we shall see. Oh, and welcome to Champaign, new guys!

Photo by Cary Frye

It’s time to exhale Illini fans, because the final question of the season we’d like to forget has been answered: Meyers Leonard will not return next season. He will forgo his junior and senior years at the University of Illinois, and has declare eligibility for the 2012 NBA Draft.

As soon as the season began and Leonard blew his old career-high numbers out of the water, everyone was wondering if he’d head to the draft or wait another year. For a short while, the “will he or won’t he” discussions were overshadowed by the horrible season and the firing of HC Bruce Weber. However, now that Weber is gone and John Groce has taken his place, Leonard has officially decided he doesn’t want to stick around.

There is no doubt about it, Leonard could be really great in the NBA. However, he could also be a bust. Many experts (and regular Janes like me) believe that he could benefit from one more year of school, but how can you blame a kid who is listed as No. 21 right now on the 2012 Mock NBA Draft? Although, there were moments throughout the season when his number was much higher.

Leonard comes from a small town in Illinois and didn’t have a lot growing up. His dad died while he was young, his mother has medical issues that keep her in pain and his brother is serving overseas. An NBA contract would help his family out – a lot. The Illini had a season so ugly that Leonard was in tears before the end of the road game at Nebraska, where the team was down by over 30 points at one time.

His coach is gone, and it’s unclear exactly what will happen next season. While perhaps he could gain more experience and grow, it’s also possible that he doesn’t fit into what Groce has in mind. Illinois needs time to adjust, so I can’t imagine he’ll be missing out on a miraculous Final Four run, and there is always the risk of an injury. Can you really blame the kid for following his dream?

Some think Leonard was going to leave all along, but I believe he wasn’t quite sure until Weber was let go. At that point, I bet he figured why the heck not? The only thing that concerns me is that he is projected to go a lot lower than he had been in the middle of the season. Leonard has had some really great games, but he also had a few stinkers. He needs to work hard to impress the teams before the Draft actually occurs and see if he can get that stock to rise. He has the perfect body for basketball, and when he’s on point he is unstoppable. I just wish he had a little more time to develop.

Photo by Cary Frye

Listen, this is by no means a crazy decision. Jereme Richmond declaring for the draft last year? That was stupid. Leonard is taking a risk, but I believe there is a great chance he could make a team and be extremely successful. I am sad that he won’t be playing for the Illini next year, but I absolutely wish him nothing but the best in all of his future endeavors.

Nanna Egwu, you’ve got a lot of work to do in the offseason.

What He Had to Say:

“This was a very difficult decision because I love the University of Illinois. But I feel the timing is right for me to follow my dream of playing in the NBA and having the opportunity to provide for my mom and family. I want to thank everyone in the Illini program for their support these past two years. It starts with Coach Weber, who has always believed in me. He taught me so much about the game of basketball and helped me mature as both a player and a person. I will miss all my teammates; we’ve been through so much together and I consider them my brothers. The future is bright here and under the direction of Coach Groce, I know they’ll be successful. Finally, I want to thank the fans for their incredible support. It was a dream come true to represent my state school and play at the Assembly Hall. I will always be an Illini. “

The Stats

Leonard scored in double figures 21 times as a sophomore, led by a pair of career-high 22 point outings vs. Richmond (Nov. 22) and Iowa (Feb. 26). He had six 20-point games on the year and was the Illini’s leading scorer in 10 games. Leonard ranked third in the Big Ten with eight double-doubles and was the Illini’s top rebounder in 21 games, led by a career-high 16 boards vs. Cornell (Dec. 19). His 60 blocked shots were the second-highest single-season total in school history. He tallied a career-high six blocks in the season opener vs. Loyola-Chicago (Nov. 11).

The draft will take place on June 28. Brandon Paul sniffed around without hiring an agent, and though he hasn’t officially said he is coming back to Illinois, I would be SHOCKED (and angered) if he didn’t return. You’ll get your chance next year, Brandon, so get your degree and come on back. We need you.