In the last 15 days - the Chicago Cubs rank:
1st in Hits (134)
1st in OBP (.367)
1st in Batting Average (.276)
2nd in OPS (.841)
2nd in Runs (81)
2nd in SLG (.475)
3rd in Home Runs (23)
3rd in RBIs (75)
THE CUBBIES ARE RED HOT 🔥
THE RISE OF KEATON WAGLER
1 Year Ago:
• UNRANKED by ESPN
• Under-recruited
Freshman Season:
• 17.7 PPG | 5.1 RPG | 4.3 APG
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• 2nd-Team All-American
Today:
• Drops 25 PTS in the Elite 8
• LEADS ILLINOIS TO THE FINAL FOUR
One of the greatest stories in college basketball.
“You dream about this as a kid, and I dreamt about doing it at Illinois… this is my dream job” ❤️
Brad Underwood reflects after Illinois advanced to the Final Four
@ryanhammer09 I get Illinois dropping with the loss to UCLA, but cmon Ryan, how could Purdue possibly still be ahead of them. ILLINOIS HAS THE HEAD TO HEAD!! Why does that matter for UConn and Florida but not them?
ELECTRIC: #BEARS HEAD COACH BEN JOHNSON GAVE ONE OF THE ALL-TIME POSTGAME LOCKER ROOM VICTORY SPEECHES.
THE PLAYERS WENT ABSOLUTELY CRAZY.
Johnson has every single one of his players and staff members bought in and has turned Chicago into a winner.
Ben Johnson and Liam Coen should be at the top of every coach of the year conversation.
They call their offenses AND head coach their teams. Both QBs look like different players and the culture change is easy to see. #Bears#Jaguars
Luke Altmyer is one of the MOST DISRESPECTED QBs in the Big Ten heading into 2025.
After a great 2024 season, this Illinois senior is getting ZERO love from analysts and so-called experts.
In 2024, Altmyer was a straight-up game-changer for the Illini, leading them to a 10-3 record (tying the program’s single-season wins record) and three Top-25 victories.
He had 2,717 passing yards, 22 TDs, just 6 INTs, plus 217 rushing yards and 4 rushing TDs, and he led the nation with FIVE game-winning drives in the final minute or overtime, including clutch TD passes at Nebraska, vs. Purdue, and at Rutgers.
He was the only QB in the nation with three game-winning TD passes in the final 2 minutes/OT.
He was the only QB in the nation with four TD passes in a Top-25 road win.
He was 36th nationally in passing efficiency (144.90) last year, which is within 5 points of Cade Klubnik, Kyle McCord, Quinn Ewers, Jalen Milroe, and Nico Iamaleava—also tied with Fernando Mendoza.
He is the first Illini QB since 2013 with 20+ TD passes in a season.
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and a Davey O’Brien Award Class of 2024 member.
Despite all these things, the disrespect is still there.
Analysts are leaving him completely off their Top-10 CFB QB lists and even Top-5 Big Ten QB rankings.
They’re hyping up unproven freshmen like Bryce Underwood and Malik Washington, or guys with minimal starts like Julian Sayin, over a proven QB1 like Altmyer.
Even QBs who haven’t matched his production—Nico Iamaleava, Dante Moore, and Dylan Raiola—are getting more shine. And get this: some NFL Draft sites don’t even list Altmyer as a prospect but have Hank Brown and Malachi Singleton on their boards. Are you kidding me?
This is the same Luke Altmyer who turned down a massive NIL deal to jump ship to Tennessee—a CFP team last year—because he’s loyal to Illinois and believes in the Illini
Luke stayed in Champaign to finish what he started. That’s a 2025 Wooden Citizen Cup nominee and a leader who walks the walk.
The Big Ten is stacked, but Altmyer’s one of the top returning QBs alongside Drew Allar. The hype around untested 5-stars is always high and they'll get their shine this season.
But Altmyer’s 35 career TD passes (tied for 9th in Illini history), clutch gene, and third year in Lunney’s system make him a game changer. He’s not just a QB; he’s the heart of a team eyeing their first-ever CFP appearance.
So, to the analysts, talking heads, and draft sites sleeping on Luke Altmyer: WAKE UP.
This man deserves more respect, and he has a chance to show everyone why sleeping on QB1 in Champaign is a huge mistake.
Let’s ride, Illini Nation! #Illini #BigTen #AltmyerSZN
Coach Elder led Ridgewood into 8-man football and immediately thrusted them into a state power with 3 consecutive quarterfinal appearances, a semifinal appearance, and a state runner-up in 2023.
Congratulations, Coach. We wish you the best of luck with the Storm!
Steamers are home tonight!
Note time change: JV @ 4:30 and Varsity @ 6:00
Following the game you can catch Winter One Acts in the Old (West) Gym. Show begins at 7:30.
Live Stream tonight with our very own @KoleSchipper FHS Alum Class of 2023: https://t.co/2zQtEjUyoU
On Episode 26 of the Sandburg Athletics Podcast, Chargers men's 🏀 sophomores @ediddy2005 & @LoganSluder1 discuss Ethan accidentally destroying a Sandburg laptop, his first in-game dunk, and Logan's knack for wriggling his way to the hoop.
🎧 LISTEN | https://t.co/eHn99ROh9b