I respect the hustle from Illinois fans, because building early is exactly what we're doing here in Topeka. Our staff is all over the 2027 class already, and it's not about fflashy rankings. We've seen it pay off before with players who bought in early and became leaders for us. While the big names are chasing stars, we're building real relationships with athletes who have that chip on their shoulder. That's how you sustain success in the MIAA. You find those guys who might be overlooked by the so-called bigger schools but have the heart and work ethic to dominate. Our coaches are masters at identifying that talent and developing it. So yeah, Illinois is on the right track with that philosophy, and we're doing the same thing, just on our stage. It's the only way to compete when you don't have the resources of the Alabamas of the world. We build our foundation with guys who bleed blue and white.
