SB Nation Chicago - Illinois Football Recruiting: New Coach Tim Beckman Builds Initial Classhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48877/chicago-fave.png2012-08-20T15:12:31-05:00http://chicago.sbnation.com/rss/stream/28772472012-08-20T15:12:31-05:002012-08-20T15:12:31-05:00Illinois Football 2012: Ryan Klachko Officially Transfers
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cmWVZDPbF6WZGWPFgXhd1yfCHyU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828105/large_chicago.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Offensive lineman <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/132023/ryan-klachko" class="sbn-auto-link">Ryan Klachko</a> has officially transferred to the University of Illinois from the University of Nebraska, <a href="http://www.sj-r.com/archive/x1782330139/Illinois-Football-Klachko-s-transfer-to-Illinois-is-official">according to John Supine of the State Journal-Register</a>.</p>
<p>Klachko's transfer <a href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/2012/8/9/3230273/ryan-klachko-transfer-update-illinois-nebraska/in/2877247">was first reported on August 9</a> when he arrived at Illinois training camp in Rantoul, IL, but his transfer did not become official until a week later when the paperwork cleared. He is the third transfer for new Fighting Illini head coach Tim Beckman this offseason, joining former Northern Illinois safety <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37185/tommy-davis" class="sbn-auto-link">Tommy Davis</a> and former Penn State offensive lineman Ryan Nowicki.</p>
<p><a href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/player-Ryan-Klachko-85606"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/player-Ryan-Klachko-85606">According to Rivals.com,</a> Klachko was the 12th ranked guard nationally coming out of Sacred Heart Griffin High School in Springfield, IL when he committed to play for the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers" class="sbn-auto-link">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a>. Klachko redshirted last season at Nebraska, and although he must sit out the 2012 season, he retains three years of NCAA eligibility.</p>
<p><i>For more Illinois recruiting updates, stay tuned to <a href="http://www.chicago.sbnation.com">SB Nation Chicago</a>. And for more comprehensive coverage of college football, check out SB Nation's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football">NCAA football news hub</a>.</i></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/2012/8/20/3256142/illinois-football-ryan-klachko-transferJack Cassidy2012-08-15T11:33:08-05:002012-08-15T11:33:08-05:00Ryan Klachko Transfer: Former Nebraska OT Heads To Illinois
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cmWVZDPbF6WZGWPFgXhd1yfCHyU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828105/large_chicago.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a> offensive tackle <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/132023/ryan-klachko">Ryan Klachko</a> has tranferred to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/illinois-fighting-illini">Illinois Fighting Illini</a>, as <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-spt-0815-fbc-illinois-ryan-klachko-transfer,0,3473710.story">the school announced</a> on Wednesday. A native of Springfield, Ill., he's heading back to his home state after redshirting his freshman year with Nebraska.</p>
<p>A 6-foot-4, 290-pound behemoth, Klachko was considered one of the top players in Illinois out of high school in 2011 after starring at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin. After receiving offers from numerous top programs, including the Fighting Illini under former coach Ron Zook, he opted to head west to play for the Cornhuskers.</p>
<p>An opportunity never really presented itself in Nebraska, though, leading to Klachko's decision to transfer. He'll be forced to sit out the 2012 season due to NCAA transfer rules, but he'll retain three years of football eligibility once he's active in 2013.</p>
<p>Klachko is now the third player to join Tim Beckman's squad as a transfer after Northern Illinois safety <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37185/tommy-davis">Tommy Davis</a> and Penn State offensive lineman Ryan Nowicki.</p>
<p><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 17.981481552124023px;">For more Illinois recruiting updates, stay tuned to <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold;" href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Chicago</a>. And for more comprehensive coverage of college football, check out SB Nation's </i><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 17.981481552124023px;"><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold;" href="http://sbnation.com/ncaa-football">NCAA football news hub</a></i><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 17.981481552124023px;">.</i></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/2012/8/15/3244694/ryan-klachko-transfer-illinois-nebraska-2012Satchel Price2012-08-09T10:04:07-05:002012-08-09T10:04:07-05:00Ryan Klachko Transfer Update: Illinois May Be Leading Destination For Star OL Prospect
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cmWVZDPbF6WZGWPFgXhd1yfCHyU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828105/large_chicago.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/illinois-fighting-illini">Illinois Fighting Illini</a> football team has been building a solid base of recruits for the 2013 season, but the program is still trying to add quality players on the offensive line. Former Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin offensive lineman <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/132023/ryan-klachko">Ryan Klachko</a> recently decided to leave Nebraska's program, and now the Illini may be at the top of his list as transfer possibility. <a href="http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x866121843/Klachko-weighs-transfer-to-Illini" target="_blank">The most recent news on Klachko</a> comes via John Supinie at PJStar.com:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Ryan Klachko attended the Illini workout at Camp Rantoul on Tuesday morning after leaving Nebraska. An insider said Klachko was leaning toward the Illini, but Klachko wouldn't comment when reached by phone. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The O-line prospect was redshirted at Nebraska last season, so if he did transfer to Illinois he would be eligible to play in 2013 and would have three years of eligibility remaining.</p>
<p><i>Related: <a href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/illinois-fighting-illini/2012/6/23/3113225/illinois-football-recruiting-bryce-douglas/in/2877247">Illinois Football Recruiting: DT Bryce Douglas Accepts Scholarship Offer</a></i></p>
<p><i></i></p>
<p>The Fighting Illini's 2013 recruiting class has 16 members at the moment.</p>
<p><i>For more Illinois recruiting updates, stay tuned to <a href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Chicago</a>. And for more comprehensive coverage of college football, check out SB Nation's </i><i><a href="http://sbnation.com/ncaa-football">NCAA football news hub</a></i><i>.<br></i></p>
<p><iframe height="315" frameborder="0" width="560" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL3FF4E82DBEA5AD7E&hl=en_US"></iframe></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/2012/8/9/3230273/ryan-klachko-transfer-update-illinois-nebraskaSteve von Horn2012-08-08T15:34:41-05:002012-08-08T15:34:41-05:00Illinois Football Recruiting: Simeon's Reggie Spearman Commits To Illini
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cmWVZDPbF6WZGWPFgXhd1yfCHyU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828105/large_chicago.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/illinois-fighting-illini">Illinois Fighting Illini</a> football program just added another local star on Wednesday in Simeon senior linebacker Reggie Spearman, as<a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/colleges/post/_/id/6473/source-simeons-spear-picks-illini"> ESPN Chicago's Scott Powers</a> reports. Spearman's commitment to Illinois expands the school's 2013 recruiting class to 17 names.</p>
<p>Spearman, a 6-foot-1, 218-pound linebacker, also received scholarship offers from Houston, Indiana, Minnesota, Akron, Ball State, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan. Rated as the No. 47 outside linebacker in the nation and the No. 15 overall player in Illinois by ESPN, he's a solid local prospect for new coach Tim Beckman.</p>
<p>Under Beckman, the Fighting Illini now have six commitments to the football program from players within the state of Illinois. Keeping local players in-state is presumably a major priority for the new coaching staff, so it's nice to see some progress.</p>
<p><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">For more Illinois recruiting updates, stay tuned to <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold;" href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Chicago</a>. And for more comprehensive coverage of college football, check out SB Nation's </i><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 17.981481552124023px;"><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold;" href="http://sbnation.com/ncaa-football">NCAA football news hub</a></i><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">.</i></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/2012/8/8/3228629/simeon-reggie-spearman-commits-illinois-recruiting-2012Satchel Price2012-08-03T18:56:10-05:002012-08-03T18:56:10-05:00Illinois Football Recruiting: DB Darwyn Kelly Latest To Commit To Illini
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cmWVZDPbF6WZGWPFgXhd1yfCHyU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828105/large_chicago.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The Fighting Illini picked up their latest pledge on Friday, as Washington D.C. defensive back Darwyn Kelly <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-spt-0803-fbc-illinois-darwyn-kelly-commits,0,4442992.story">declared his intention to play football for the University of Illinois</a>. Kelly is <a href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Darwyn-Kelly-136662">rated a three-star prospect</a> by Rivals.com and reportedly had offers from Purdue, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Colorado, among others.</p>
<p>Kelly believes he <a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/ncfrecruiting/east/post?id=3679">has a chance to play as a true freshman ($)</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"It was somewhere I can get a quality education that meant something," said Kelly, who plans to major in business. "It was somewhere I can go and basically compete for a starting spot my freshman year when I come in there."</p>
</blockquote>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><i>Related: <a href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/illinois-fighting-illini/2012/6/23/3113225/illinois-football-recruiting-bryce-douglas/in/2877247">Illinois Football Recruiting: DT Bryce Douglas Accepts Scholarship Offer</a></i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p>The Fighting Illini's 2013 recruiting class now has 16 members.</p>
<p><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">For more Illinois recruiting updates, stay tuned to <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Chicago</a>. And for more comprehensive coverage of college football, check out SB Nation's </i><i><a href="http://sbnation.com/ncaa-football">NCAA football news hub</a></i><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">.<br></i></p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL3FF4E82DBEA5AD7E&hl=en_US" width="560" frameborder="0" height="315"></iframe></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/illinois-fighting-illini/2012/8/3/3218743/darwyn-kelly-illinois-football-recruiting-2013Steven Muma2012-06-23T14:22:47-05:002012-06-23T14:22:47-05:00Illinois Football Recruiting: DT Bryce Douglas Accepts Scholarship Offer
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cmWVZDPbF6WZGWPFgXhd1yfCHyU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828105/large_chicago.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Plainfield Central defensive tackle Bryce Douglas is following in his father's footsteps. On Friday, the incoming high school senior accepted an offer to spend his college years in Champaign playing for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/illinois-fighting-illini">Illinois Fighting Illini</a>.</p>
<p>Douglas is 6-foot-2, 315 lbs. He also had an offer from Central Michigan and received interest from Boston College, Northwestern and Purdue.</p>
<p>Douglas' father Bruce is former Illinois basketball player. The defensive tackle was in Champaign for a lineman camp. He received an offer after the camp and immediately accepted.</p>
<p>Illinois currently has the 21st best recruiting class in the country<a target="_blank" href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/teamrank/2013/all/all"> according the Rivals</a>. Douglas sounds like a kid who <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-22/sports/ct-spt-0622-prep-foot-plainfield-central-douglas-to-illinois_1_illinois-belleville-althoff-peoria-richwoods">wanted to be in Champaign all along</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"I've been around Illinois for as long as I can remember," Bryce Douglas said. "I spent so much time at games and at different events at Illinois it just feels like <a style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; text-decoration: underline; border-bottom: 0.2em solid darkgreen; padding-bottom: 1px; color: darkgreen; background-color: transparent;" class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthookactive" href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-22/sports/ct-spt-0622-prep-foot-plainfield-central-douglas-to-illinois_1_illinois-belleville-althoff-peoria-richwoods#" id="itxthook2" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook2w0" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; color: darkgreen;">home</span></a> to me. Illinois was the one offer I was really hoping for, and to get that offer just blows me away. Both of my parents went to Illinois, and now I can follow in my parents' footsteps at Illinois."</p>
</blockquote>
<p><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">For updates, stay tuned to <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Chicago</a>. For more in-depth coverage of Illinois recruiting, check out <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://hailtotheorange.com/">Hail to the Orange</a>. </i></p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL3FF4E82DBEA5AD7E&hl=en_US" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/illinois-fighting-illini/2012/6/23/3113225/illinois-football-recruiting-bryce-douglasRicky O'Donnell2012-05-02T12:42:22-05:002012-05-02T12:42:22-05:00Illinois Football Recruiting: Illini Land 3-Star DE Jarrod Clements
<figure>
<img alt="Apr 14, 2012; Champaign, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Tim Beckman before the spring game at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bradley Leeb-US PRESSWIRE" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4kiPgEa69X3URKTTL3ENjZU-rgQ=/0x195:465x505/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6489741/20120414_kdl_bl2_281.jpg" />
<figcaption>Apr 14, 2012; Champaign, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Tim Beckman before the spring game at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bradley Leeb-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Illinois landed another highly-regarded commitment this week in Ohio defensive end Jarrod Clements.</p> <p>First-year <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/illinois-fighting-illini">Illinois Fighting Illini</a> coach Tim Beckman landed three-star recruit Jarrod Clements out of Ohio this week, as <a href="http://www.hailtotheorange.com/2012/5/1/2992780/illini-land-3-star-de-jarrod-clements">SB Nation's Hail to the Orange </a>reported on Tuesday.The 6-foot-2, 270-pound defensive end committed to the school on Tuesday, pushing its 2013 recruiting commitments up to seven.</p>
<p>According to Hail to the Orange, Clements turned down offers from Louisville, N.C. State, Tennessee, Toledo and West Virginia in favor of playing in Champaign. He's now the fifth three-star prospect to be reeled in by Illinois since hiring Beckman to replace Ron Zook after last season.</p>
<p>Four-star athlete Aaron Bailey, who will play quarterback at Illinois, is the highest-rated player that's committed to Illinois so among within the 2013 class. </p>
<p><i style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For updates, stay tuned to <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://chicago.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Chicago</a>. For more in-depth coverage of Illinois recruiting, check out <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #03406b; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://hailtotheorange.com/">Hail to the Orange</a>. </i></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/illinois-fighting-illini/2012/5/2/2994199/jarrod-clements-commits-illinois-2012Satchel Price