Mike Bellamy adds juice to Illini recruiting efforts

CHAMPAIGN – It’s hard to say who is more confident.

You going with Illini second-year recruiter Corey Patterson or Mike Bellamy, who is in his second stint as an Illini assistant coach?

Neither one of them thinks they can get beat by rivals.

“I bet on me,’’ Patterson tweeted over the weekend.

Then Bellamy followed with the same thought. With coach Lovie Smith heading into his fourth season in charge of the program, there’s finally some recruiting juice around the Illini, especially with the local kids. For all the talk about Littyville over the past year, the place is really getting to be some prime real estate.

Patterson made his mark in the first year with Illinois by helping the Illini lock down the stars at St. Louis Trinity Catholic High School, Patterson’s former program. With his influence reaching down to pee wee football before he left for Champaign, that likely won’t dry up for years. He also rekindled relationships for Illinois with East St. Louis and other spots on both sides of the river, so St. Louis is once again a hot spot for the Illini.

Now Illinois has a true leader in Chicago in Bellamy, the former first-team all-Big Ten wide receiver and second-team All-America. Evidently, he knows how to talk to the players in Chicago, where he played prep ball at Kenwood Academy before a stint at College of DuPage and his two-year career with the Illini.

“It’s trending up,’’ said Bellamy. “That’s the most exciting perspective in players committing. When it all comes together, it’s perfect. It’s a good feeling right now.

“I have some validity in that I bleed the school colors. I’m a vocal guy. Being from Chicago, whether playing (at Kenwood Academy) or junior college, then I was successful here as a player and a coach, it does become an easy sell to me. I take it personally.’’

Just like when kids from Georgia go to Georgia and Georgia Tech, or recruits from Texas go to Texas A&M and Texas, Illinois should be the first thought for local studs.

“If you’re an instate kid with Illinois on your birth certificate . . . it’s what you get to do, not what you’ve got to do,’’ Bellamy said. “It will be a destination school.’’

Bellamy and Patterson have a way with social media, and there’s a vibe around the program connects with players. Even though the Illini also have strong additions in the recruiting ranks from recent hires Keynodo Hudson and Bob McClain, much of the spark comes from Bellamy and Patterson.

There has been an immediate payoff. Following junior day on Saturday, the Illini landed verbals from four-star Chicago Marist wide receiver Jadon Thompson, four-star Trinity running back Reggie Love and Chicago Simeon offensive lineman Marcus Harper.

Said Rivals national recruiting director Mike Farrell: “This is an important year on the field for Lovie Smith and his future, but off the field things are going much better in recruiting and landing a back like Love, who is strong, shifty and explosive, sends a powerful message.’’

Farrell also said Thompson “is a dynamic instate receiver with good size and a great frame. The Illini are hot.’’

After a big weekend like that, Bellamy has reason to talk the talk.

“You get excited about having the best players in the state or the area want to be part of the program, want to be part of change,’’ Bellamy said. “You can see it. The biggest thing for us is having fun.’’

So, he’s pumping out tweets, having fun spreading a few GIFs, talking big and betting on himself – and the Illini.

“You have to have confidence,’’ Bellamy said. “I’m passionate about (recruiting). I understand recruiting, the running backs position, the offense we’re running. I bet on me every time.’’

It’s a second chance for Bellamy and Lovie, who didn’t keep Bellamy from the previous staff when he was hired in 2015.

“We’re a confident group,’’ Lovie said. “Recruiting has gone well. There’s a lot to like about the University of Illinois. Guys believe in the vision of our program. They see we’re close and want to be a part of it.

“Every coach is what can you do on the field first. You need to be a good teacher, a good coach and a good man. Recruiting is a big part of that. There are a lot of boxes. I try to check them all. Everybody has a history and a background. When (Bellamy) got here, he knew more than most about the university.’’

And now Patterson has a talented partner to work the recruiting trail while concentrating from Chicago to St Louis, two sweet spots for the Illini.

But the elephant in the room is the concern over success this fall. It’s a schedule giving the Illini every chance to make a move at a time when Lovie needs to show progress between the lines.

“The only thing that has been a negative around here, we know about what we’ve done on the field,’’ Lovie said. “That will change.’’

It’s not something that has Bellamy concerned, even if there’s pressure to win this fall.

“Every season is important,’’ he said. “You hate to say it, your job is always on the line. At the same time, players win games. Coaches lose games. You surround yourself with better players, you have a chance to win games.’’

And Bellamy is used to winning here.

“I never lost to Ohio State when I played,’’ said Bellamy, who played here in 1988 and 1989. As a senior, he caught 59 passes for 927 yards and eight touchdowns.

From his perspective, playing here means “going to a bowl game and not being surprised about it.’’

So, he’s not shy when saying, “I bet on me.’’

Illini recruiting has a different edge, thanks in a big way from the addition of Bellamy.