A new era of Illinois football is upon us, as Bret Bielema has the program on an upward trajectory with no downturn in sight.
Bielema is doing wonders for an Illini program that has had many bad seasons in recent years. But that has all changed. The bottom isn’t nearly as low, as Illinois seems to be close to crashing the party at the top of the Big Ten.
This program can’t change completely overnight. There will still be some bumps along the way, but step one was winning on the field. That has been a success.
Step two is winning off the field. Illinois needs to bring in recruits to elevate this program to another level.
Bielema’s first three full recruiting classes were the class of 2022, 2023, and 2024. Those three classes ranked No. 39, No. 36, and No. 45, respectively. While not closed up yet, the class of 2025 is heading in a similar direction. Illinois currently sits with the No. 46 class in the country.
While Bielema figures out the finishing touches on that recruiting class, he has already started to land talent for the class of 2026.
Just a few days ago, quarterback Michael Clayton II pledged his commitment to the Orange and Blue. Elevating the Illini program takes talent, and Clayton has that on paper, as he is a four-star recruit who is ranked as the No. 183 player in the class of 2026.
Clayton had roughly 30 scholarship offers. Some of the bigger programs included Miami, Ole Miss, Missouri, and Iowa, among others. So, why Illinois? What made the talented quarterback from Florida pull the trigger and pick the Illini?
“There was not really an aha moment. It was during my visit two weeks ago against Minnesota,” Clayton told the Writing Illini, “It came down to my belief in the coaches and their belief in what I can accomplish at Illinois.”
“Their approach and the consistency of what they do, how they teach it, results on the field, and belief that we can win the biggest games in college football. I really feels like famILLy up there,” Clayton continued.
Winning is one of the priorities on the football field at the next level. Clayton knows what winning feels like with his Seminole High School program down in Florida. After an 8-1 season, he is in the 7A FHSAA Football State Championship where he looks to lead his team to a state title.
Illinois football commit Michael Clayton II is getting great knowledge from former NFL coaches
Getting to that level of talent and success isn’t easy, and you can’t do it alone. Clayton has been honing his skills and is always looking to improve his game.
“I have two great quarterback coaches I’m fortunate to work with in Pat O’Hara and Jon Gruden,” Clayton said, “I’ll continue to work on the mental aspects of playing quarterback, along with staying sharp, being quicker in all aspects, and work on continuing to get stronger and faster.”
Those are some impressive names for Clayton to learn from. O’Hara has decades in the game. He was a quarterback with USC before getting drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1991 NFL Draft. After his playing career, O’Hara had numerous stops as a coach, with his last stop coming with the Tennessee Titans as a pass game analyst.
Gruden’s coaching tenure is even more impressive. Starting with the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers in the early and mid-1990s, Gruden got to work with quarterbacks like Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Brett Favre.
In 1995, Gruden’s career really took off. He became the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. That job was parlayed into the head coaching job for the Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Las Vegas Raiders. Gruden would win a Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2002.
Clayton was able to connect with both of the great coaches through his connections with Draft Academy. This is the facility where he goes to work on speed, strength, and recovery in Orlando. Owner Bert Whigham connected the star junior quarterback to O’Hara and Gruden, and the work Clayton has done with them has been extensive.
“Coach Pat and I do fieldwork, board work, and film study. With Coach Gruden, it is mostly film and board work, but we have been on the field as well,” Clayton told the Writing Illini, “It is really amazing to learn from both, as their accomplishments and knowledge of the game are definitely next level.”
Michael Clayton II is eyeing elite level talent, and he has a message for Illinois football fans
A player isn’t going to work with coaches like O’Hara and Gruden just to be average. On paper, Clayton is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He also has the mentality of being one of the best on the field at all times, and this is what makes him tick.
“I want to win and be the best,” said Clayton.
Stylistically, Illinois fans can only map out what we see with clips and on Hudl film. It is very limited, so you don’t have the full scope of what you are getting with a player.
With Clayton, a couple of high-level NFL players is who he looks at when comparing his game.
“CJ Stroud and Patrick Mahomes, I think there are similarities in my game as far as winning from the pocket and being able to beat the defense with throws on the run and can run when needed,” Clayton told the Writing Illini, “Obviously, they are two of the best, so I watch, learn, and continue to work.”
Clayton elaborated to the Writing Illini on what exactly he would bring to the Illinois football program and what Illini fans should expect from him and his game when he arrives in Champaign.
“I want them to know that I love to win and compete, love football, the process of getting better, and working on my game,” said Clayton, “I am a pocket passer, extremely accurate, love to throw the ball down the field, and can fit throws into tight windows. Most coaches who review my film are always very impressed with my pocket presence and ability to throw accurately running in both directions.”
Most Illinois football fans are not familiar with the adjectives above when describing our quarterbacks. Sure, we have had a quality passer here and there, but attributing words like “accurate” and “pocket presence” is something I am not willing to do with the vast majority of Illini quarterbacks in my lifetime.
I also didn’t attribute “winning” and “bowl games” to the Illinois program either until Bret Bielema took over. His presence at the helm has changed the direction of this program. Now that he has added a player like Clayton for 2026, soon we can start getting used to the terms “Big Ten Championship” and “College Football Playoff.”