The transformation of the Illinois football team from a bottom dweller to a perennial bowl program is just about complete.
Illinois was just a blown fourth-quarter lead to South Florida away from having five wins in 2018. With the talent this program is bringing in from the class of 2019, I have no doubts that we will be bowling this upcoming season. So that will complete the process of making it back to a bowl game, but now we can move on to the next transformation.
I believe, with the coaching staff we have and the talent that is or could be coming in, this team can compete for the Big Ten West title. This would also get us into the Big Ten Championship Game as well. That is the next step in the transformation of this great program. To complete this transformation, Illinois is going to need to have a great class of 2020.
There was always one player who I was hoping to snag for the class of 2020. Mookie Cooper was one of the best players on the Missouri Class 3 State Champion Trinity Catholic Titans. He was also one of the favorite targets for incoming Illinois quarterback, Isaiah Williams.
Williams finished the 2018 title run with Trinity Catholic throwing for 2,178 yards and 30 touchdowns. Nearly half of those yards that he threw for were to Cooper. Cooper ended the season with 28 receptions for 834 yards and nine touchdowns. These two had such a strong connection where 38-percent of the yards and 30-percent of the touchdowns through the air were from Williams to Cooper. Those are amazing numbers.
This is one of the reasons why I wanted Cooper to come to Champaign. The connection Williams and Cooper have on the football field is something that takes years to develop and they would come in from day one and have that connection.
Cooper isn’t just a wide receiver, though. This kid is a playmaker who can do it all on the football field. Throughout the 2018 season, Cooper rushed the ball 17 times for 261 yards and three touchdowns. He finished his senior season with 1,095 total yards and 12 total touchdowns. These numbers must make Illinois offensive coordinator Rod Smith drool. His offense is tailormade for a player like Cooper to come in and dominate.
Illinois doesn’t have a Cooper type of player on the roster right now. In fact, I am not sure what we have on the roster talent wise beyond Ricky Smalling. The depth at wide receiver scares me a little bit, and this is another reason why I was hoping we could land Cooper from the class of 2020. He would start from day one with this program. But, I thought Cooper’s recruit ended a month ago.
Cooper decided to commit to the Texas Longhorns back on February 16. This was a blow to the Illini class of 2020 because he was one of the big fishes who the Illini were eyeing. He is also someone who could start a great recruiting class for the Orange and Blue. Illinois wasn’t finished with him, though.
For anyone asking or putting their own twist to it.. yes I am de- committed from the University of Texas. This was a tough decision but my family and I feel it is in my best interest. #AGTG
— Mookie Cooper (@mcgetbusy5) March 8, 2019
On March 3, Cooper took an unofficial visit up to Champaign. On March 8, Cooper backed away from his commitment to the Longhorns and is now looking at all options. 247Sports’ Allen Trieu now has Illinois as the landing spot for Cooper. If this ends up being true, this would be a massive get for the Illini.
There are so many reasons why I believe Illinois would be the best landing spot for Cooper. But, while I hope he picks the Illini, I also hope he goes somewhere that makes him happy and betters his career. There is no point of being somewhere you don’t enjoy. He needs to pick a destination that is best for him, I just hope that is Champaign.