4 Illinois 73, No. His game displays a different variety of reserve. 6 of 18 7 of 18 Illinois guard Da'Monte Williams, right rear, celebrates as Giorgi Bezhanishvili follows through on a dunk over Rutgers' Ron Harper Jr. during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten Conference men's tournament in Indianapolis, Friday, March 12, 2021. He was a great player. Ayo Dosunmu made a bounce pass to senior guard Trent Fraizer at the top of the arc. He’s on FaceTime and chatting every single day with all of those Florida boys (Illinois) is recruiting. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP)- Illinois freshman reserve guard Da’Monte Williams only scored 3 points for Illinois in Saturday’s non-conference game against … The Illinois coaches even asked me three months into their offer if I thought I could get bigger and I asked them what they meant. In just a few years since coming home dejected as a seventh grader, Moffitt managed to become one of the most accomplished linebackers in his region. He moves very fast to get into position on defense, and that’s the kind of thing coaches adore. “It’s just a matter of seeing those things go in,” Underwood said about Williams after a win against Michigan State last season. Williams and another Peoria Manual assistant drove to Calvin Coolidge grade school, just two and a half miles north of Peoria Manual, to watch Da’Monte play. "In the most humble way I can say this - I think I’m one of the most athletic kids in the country and I mean that. Andre Curbelo scored 17 points and Da’Monte Williams had 12 for Illinois, which committed a season-high 20 turnovers. He was a great player. “His father and I were both very against it and just because we’re not together anymore, I need to say this that we’ve always been able to easily come together on a consensus on raising our kids,” Shauna Jordan said. Da’Monte Williams is still trying to get his body right. I’ve had two personal conversations with Lovie Smith and I came away both times thinking ‘I really trust my child with him’. “Not everybody is going to be a 45 percent three-point shooter,” Underwood said. The two played together when Miller was a freshman and Williams was a senior at Peoria Manual. What I do know is Trevor is a leader where teachers and kids all flock to him. After the Penn State game, though, Williams started to put it together behind the three-point line. In three games this season, Da’Monte Williams is shooting 67% from the three — converting six of nine attempts— and three of those three-point makes came against Ohio. This might come as a surprise to people who’d assume Da’Monte is a carbon copy of his father. The two played together when Miller was a freshman and Williams was a senior at Peoria Manual. “But he’s always, and I mean always, been fast. ... Melodyshirt – illinois kofi cockburn and adam miller and da’monte williams and trent frazier and ayo dosunmu and andre curbelo and jacob grandison and giorgi bezhanishvili shirt; 1:31. Moffitt’s father, Ben, was a three-year starter at linebacker for South Florida and was an All-Big East Conference selection in 2007. I told them, ‘Coach I’m 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds right now’.”. 23 Illinois hold off No. Da’Monte does his well as anybody on our team and he’s great at it.”. “Out of the gates, Trevor had a smaller frame and he’s just never been built like his dad even nowadays,” Shauna Jordan said. And then we get to the confidence of the Moffitt children, which Shauna Jordan says also applies to Trevor’s younger sister Rylan. CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — There haven’t been any fans to hear it this season, but Da’Monte Williams has been keeping State Farm Center public address announcer Tim Sinclair busy this season. That’s exactly how I was raised to be and how I want to be known.”. “Don’t get me wrong, I respect and love my dad. I don’t know. "I respect and love my dad. Now if this was November 2019, fans might not have felt confident in Williams to make the three to put the Illini up one. “He came home one day and said ‘mom, I just don’t think football is for me’ and I was so heartbroken because I knew how much he loved it since he was about two years old,” Shauna Jordan, Trevor Moffitt’s mother, said in an interview with Illini Now/Sports Illustrated. Even if his 67% cools down to an overall 35% for the whole season, at this pace he’ll hit at least one three a game. Williams has shown that he can hit the three consistently. Williams hasn’t always been known for his ability to score from behind the arc. Both of my kids are to be honest,” Jordan said. Illinois 2021 verbal commit linebacker Trevor Moffitt is growing out of the massive shadow of his father’s football success about as fast as he runs a 40-yard dash. CHAMPAIGN — Ask Da’Monte Williams or Adam Miller about those steamy, intense workouts at the Hanna City Park District gym, and you’ll get similar answers. Da’Monte Williams speaks. 18 Iowa 78-76 to secure the No. Illinois fans certainly know what an All-American linebacker looks like as last fall they unveiled the Butkus statue outside the Smith Family Football Complex on the U of I campus. Having Da'Monte Williams on the roster carries extra meaning for Miller. And those self-created expectations is exactly how Trevor Moffitt would like it. Matic Vesel doesn’t like the food. Due to being so small in stature and having instantly high expectations because of his dad’s past success, Moffitt wasn’t enjoying the sport he grew up loving. Suddenly it was signed, sealed and delivered for Trevor Moffitt to join a college football program that has seen seven different linebackers receive first-team All-American honors (Charles Boerio in 1951, Dick Butkus in 1963-64, Derrick Brownlow in 1990, Dana Howard in 1993-94, Simeon Rice in 1994-95, Kevin Hardy in 1995 and J Leman in 2007). I’m good with this decision because I haven’t been stressed by one day since. For a lot of reasons, the comparison to his father doesn’t make a lot of sense. Smith had just one reservation about Trevor Moffitt and it was the same one as his mom when he started to play - his size. This makes Illinois’ offense, which can be stagnant in the half-court, have more shooting options without having to sit a key defender like Williams. Williams rebounds well, averaging eight a game this season. In that game, Williams had recorded four rebounds, four assists, two blocks, a steal, but not a single point. 23 Illinois held off No. - Shauna Jordan, mother of Illini 2021 LB commit Trevor Moffitt. His father is Illini great Frank Williams. He can make the right passes, and he can defend almost anyone on the court. Wolrddailytee – Illinois Fighting Illini Kofi Cockburn Adam Miller Da Monte Williams Signatures Shirt; Hutechtee – Basketball mom the most stressful position on the team shirt; Hhshirt – Peace love ohio state buckeyes shirt; Hhshirt – Master Yoda and baby Yoda best mom in the galaxy star wars shirt; Hutechtee – Spike united we zag shirt By Matthew Stevens. I needed to tell them that as a single mom this young man is my sun, moon and stars. Illinois never trailed, capitalizing on Wisconsin’s shooting woes. 20 attempts), making 67.9 percent of his attempts. Somewhat of a three-point specialist himself, Frazier was able to draw the defender in the air with a pump fake, drive left to the lane, take one dribble and find a wide-open Da’Monte Williams just waiting in the right corner. In the first 23 games of the 2019-20 season, Williams made four threes on 29 attempts. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When he started middle school, Trevor Moffitt came home from football practice with some distressing news for his mother. 1 of 11 Illinois' Adam Miller, left, and Andre Curbelo celebrate during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Rutgers at the Big Ten Conference men's tournament in Indianapolis, Friday, March 12, 2021. https://www.sj-r.com/sports/20171105/illini-freshmen-bring-different-elements 4 seed in the Big Ten Conference tournament Now, like his team tells him, he just has to shoot it. Trevor’s game at the same position of his father isn’t necessarily about power but revolves around elite level speed. To finish the season, Williams shot 5-11 in the last five games from behind the three. The first time Peoria Manual High School assistant coach David Williams saw senior guard Da’Monte Williams play was when Da’Monte was in seventh grade. From 1990 to 1995, Illinois produced nine All-America selections at linebacker among five players (Brownlow, Howard, John Holecek, Rice and Hardy). “Lovie Smith likened me to (NFL Hall of Fame selection) Derrick Brooks and said to me that ‘Trevor, with your talent, if I don’t get you a shot in the NFL then well, something is just not right,” Moffitt said. He is someone head coach Brad Underwood praises a lot. Basketball. In a small sample size, Williams is showing that he is both willing and able to shoot threes to help out the Illinois offense. ... How Bam Adebayo's mom inspires him to NBA greatness. “It’s strange though. Under Armour Dog Mom Shirt, Youth tee, Ladies tee and V-Neck T-shirt Ladies v neck Youth Shirt. “Now I’m at a place where people understand I’m my own person. DaMonte Williams, a 4-star point guard from Peoria, Illinois, announced his commitment to the Illinois Fighting Illini on Sunday.. Williams, the No. Since he strapped on a set of shoulder pads, Trevor Moffitt has always gone by the moniker of “Ben’s boy” that he initially loved but grew to resent because it hid his ability to step out of his dad’s massive shadow in the small town of Bushnell, Florida. “Just step in and (shot) it with confidence.”. The other fundamentally sound player is Da’Monte Williams. Da’Monte Williams’ jumper put Illinois up by three with 36 seconds to go put his team up by three, but an ensuing three-point play by Justice Sueing tied the game again. Williams wasn’t a three-point asset. In Williams’ last eight games, he’s seen the ball go in a lot. They offered me thinking I was that, 5-11 and 170. But for the most part, Da’Monte is The Silent Illini. Last season Trevor Moffitt was an All-Area Defensive Player of the Year selection (the same honor earned by his dad 17 years earlier) following a 2019 season that produced 110 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and four forced fumbles that led South Sumter High School to a 9-4 overall record and a berth in the Class 4A-Region 2 championship game. CHAMPAIGN — Mark Smith says the game is quicker. “I was wide open,” said Williams. Not because of the three he hit, but because his energy was the best on the team which meant a lot in this game for a team that didn’t have a lot of it. I’ll tell you this. Ben Moffitt was between 245-50 pounds during his playing days at USF and a few year prior while at South Sumter High School, he broke the state record for weightlifting in the 238-pound weight class by executing in the clean-and-jerk a lift of 330 pounds. But I’m Trevor Moffitt and like anybody else, I wanted to make a name for myself.”. If ever a scoreless player deserved a smooch, it was Illinois guard Da'Monte Williams, who came up with three consecutive defensive stops in the final 73 seconds to help save the game. So, Trevor Moffitt will certainly be coming into Champaign as an instantly loud freshman with the expectations not normally associated with an overlooked three-star signee. Williams has proved his offensive ability, making six three-pointers through three games. Are you planning on traveling during the summer. Smith, who had been a NFL defensive coordinator and head coach for two decades before agreeing to be the Illini head coach in 2016, was impressed with all of Trevor Moffitt’s speed and athleticism numbers provided by his high school and individual private camps. Four of those five players (Howard, Rice, Hardy and Holecek) played at the same time under then-head coach Lou Tepper’s 3-4 defensive scheme. “He came home one day and said ‘mom, ... POST-GAME VIDEO: No. He told me ‘I’m going to have my hands on Trevor and I’ll be guiding him through all this’ and you just don’t know how much ease that puts on me.”. Trevor Moffitt (right) was an All-Area Defensive Player of the Year selection (the same honor earned by his dad 17 years earlier) following a 2019 season that produced 110 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and four forced fumbles. Dosunmu, No. If Williams continues the three-point pace he is at for this season, he will shoot 81 three-pointers by the end of the Big Ten season, matching his attempts for his freshman and sophomore year combined. “He’s excelling in his role on this team, and that’s special,” Underwood said about Williams after the Illinois win against Penn State in February of last season. But this is 2020, and the shot fell into the hoop. Stream Purdue's Williams stuffs Da'Monte Williams at the rim on Watch ESPN. Having Da'Monte Williams on the roster carries extra meaning for Miller. They are all convinced they’re going to do big things.”. By Brendyn Jones, Assistant On-Air Editor November 28, 2020. Always.”. The Illini senior is leading the country in 3-point percentage (min. “He's always been that way. “I don’t know why or if it just never got updated or what. Do what you do and do it well. Underwood said after beating Ohio that Williams was the player of the game. Teams won’t be able to sag off Williams to help with Kofi Cockburn’s 7-foot 285-pound frame or slide in to help with Dosunmu’s driving ability without risking giving up the three. Da’Monte Williams shoots a three-pointer in Illinois’ game against Ohio on Friday. Tanejah Branson is Da'Monte Williams's mother. 18 Iowa 78-76. This doesn’t mean that Williams is going to lead the Illini deep range attack by any means, but what it does mean is that he will have to be respected from behind the arc. To finish the season, Williams shot 5-11 in the last five games from behind the three. The three remained absent from Williams’ game for most of his junior season. Be ready to shoot.’ He told me ‘alright.’ No bickering, went on to the next play and you see down the stretch, we believe in him and he stepped up there and made it.”, UI library renovations move forward despite faculty concerns, Alfonso Plummer brings strong offense to Illinois next season, Opinion | American selfishness, ignorance elicit lunacy, Twenty ways to kill time: You don’t have to be bored in quarantine, The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871, The Daily Illini • © 2021 The Daily Illini • Privacy Policy • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO • Log in. His 19 makes through 11 games are more than he made all of last season (13). Trevor Moffitt’s speed is what has led him to accomplish something his father never did - commit and eventually sign with a Power Five Conference school. “I just go out there and give it my all every time I step on the court,” Williams said. Williams going scoreless didn’t matter to Underwood, though. Williams shot it as much and as well as anyone on the team during practices last season. “Not everybody is going to be a great low post player. “They were blitzing my ball screens the whole night, and I put it right in his shooter’s pocket and he didn’t shoot it. Moffitt’s speed, which has already been laser-timed as 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, is what immediately impressed the Illinois coaching staff, especially Illini head coach Lovie Smith. CHICAGO — Adam Miller always wanted to be a superhero when he grew up and, in turn, the best player in the NBA. Before that, Underwood had talked about how well of a shooter Williams was in practice. The former Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach has also publicly stated his affection for players who have successful genetics in their family. Photo Courtesy of FightingIllini Athletics. Being offered and eventually signing with Illinois wasn’t and isn’t good enough for Trevor Moffitt. In his first two seasons with Illinois, 65 games, he shot 81 threes, making only 22. It’s the confidence that led him to verbally commit to Illinois this spring sight unseen due to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down all official visits when both his mother and father didn’t think it was the best idea. With the three games this season, and the final five of last season, Williams is shooting 11 of 20 from behind the three-point line. Ben Moffitt (left) was a semifinalist for the 2007 Butkus Award and a All-Big East Conference selection at South Florida. 7 Ohio State 68 - Illini Guard Da'Monte Williams. It’s only natural for undercurrents of French bourgeois beauty to run through the Official Illinois Kofi Cockburn Adam Miller Da’monte Williams Trent Frazier Ayo Dosunmu Signatures Shirt in contrast I will get this City of Light, and this season saw many iterations, from the two-toned, metallic ombré wings and low chignons at Altuzarra to the shaggy waves and graphic ’60s liner at Celine. Da’Monte does his well as anybody on our team and he’s great at it.” After the Penn State game, though, Williams started to put it together behind the three-point line. But I’m Trevor Moffitt and like anybody else, I wanted to make a name for myself.” - Illinois 2021 linebacker commit Trevor Moffitt. The thing that kept Williams on the court was his versatility in other aspects. He’s simply not flashy. With 40 seconds left in the game against Ohio on Friday, Illinois faced a 73-71 deficit. He hesitated. I’m still not convinced all this separatist arrogance justifies the Illinois Kofi Cockburn Giorgi Bezhanishvili Da Monte Williams Trent Frazier Shirt Additionally,I will love this collateral damage it’s already causing. “I think I can be an All-American.”, "I’ve had two personal conversations with Lovie Smith and I came away both times thinking ‘I can really trust my child with him’." “I actually got on him early in the first half,” said Dosunmu after the game against Ohio. I’m like ‘C’mon Monte, like you’re a great shooter I see you put the work in each and every day. Brad Underwood continually draws attention to Da’Monte’s defensive stance, positioning or effort as an example to the rest of the team. Ayo Dosunmu scored 17 points and No. “Maybe it is spiritual or it is something else. 2 hours ago. I think the sky's the limit for me,” Trevor Moffitt said. I heard him say thanks to someone last night. Da’Monte Williams Shows Off The Full Arsenal In Manual’s Rout Of North Chicago November 23, 2016 [jwplayer g9tBqrGD-0sfMkJ85] On Tuesday night, fans packed Lober Nika Gymnasium to catch a glimpse of Jeremiah Tilmon, who is headed to the University of Illinois. “It was really this past season where I started to get people to understand not only can I be as good as him but that we’re different players,” Trevor Moffitt said about the comparisons to my dad. “On a coaching scouting report that got passed around, I was listed at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds,” Trevor Moffitt said to IlliniNow/SI. “For a long time, I spent a lot of time hearing stuff like ‘oh that’s Ben’s boy there’ or ‘that’s a Moffitt kid there’ and it took until about my sophomore year when people would say ‘there’s Trevor Moffitt making another tackle’,” Trevor Moffitt said. 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