Redbox Bowl Means A Return Home to California For Illini LB Milo Eifler
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When Milo Eifler wanted to transfer to Washington following the 2017 season, his initial desire was to return home to California.
The Illinois linebacker will finally get that opportunity to play in his home state while representing the orange and blue in the Illini’s return to the postseason. Illinois (6-6) officially ended the program’s five-year bowl drought with an invitation to the 2019 Redbox Bowl in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California - just an hour from where Eifler grew up in Berkeley.
“The family is ecstatic and almost more excited than I am,” Eifler said. “From three to 30 (friends and family are planning to attend this Redbox Bowl). You’ll see a lot of No. 5 jerseys in the stands for this game.”
What makes the Illini’s return to bowl games even more special for the 21-year-old linebacker is he’ll play facing the hometown team as Illinois drew California (7-5) from the Pacific 12 Conference as its bowl opponent. Eifler’s cousin, Ricky Walker III, plays as a slot receiver for the Golden Bears.
For Eifler, this going to postseason bowl games is a regular thing no matter where he’s been enrolled. Most of this Illinois roster will be experiencing the bowl festivities for the first time but Eifler will be making his third bowl game appearance in his career after experiencing a Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl/College Football Playoff semifinal game at Washington.
“We’re here to stay now,” Eifler said. “Illinois belongs in bowl games and we’re going to prove that.”
Illinois linebacker Milo Eifler (5) will be involved in his third bowl game after being a part of two high-profile bowl teams at Washington.
Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports
When Eifler, a 2015 U.S. Army All-American Bowl selection out of Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, made the determination to transfer from Washington, his primary desire was to return home and play for the Golden Bears. However, NCAA regulations combined with restrictions put on Eifler by Chris Petersen’s staff at UW created a roadblock for his return to California.
“Out of high school, (Cal) was talking to me almost every day,” Eifler said. “After I left Washington and posted my transfer release but my release didn’t let me go Pac 12. So of all the schools I would’ve gone to but couldn’t, Cal would have probably been the one.”
Eifler is one of six players on its current Illinois roster from the state of California. This is a list that includes Matt Robinson, the starting quarterback for two games this season including the regular-season finale against Northwestern and Southern California transfer Trevon Sidney, who suffered a season-ending injury to his knee in the middle of this season.
Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman stated Sunday night during the bowl announcement media conference that the Bay Area of San Francisco and Oakland combine for the second-largest contingent of alums for the university.
“I was talking to (Illinois players) Nate Hobbs and Alex Palczewski (and) neither player has been to California,” Illinois fourth-year head coach Lovie Smith said. “Never been to California and we have a lot of that on our football team. It’s going to be a great experience for our football team.”
This season Eifler has been a consistent force at the outside linebacker spot creating the much-needed takeaway critical to Lovie Smith’s defensive scheme. Eifler, who was reportedly convinced by former Illini defensive coordinator and NFL linebacker Hardy Nickerson to try football as a sophomore in high school, has 59 tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown this season.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker is well aware of how west coast football is perceived in other parts of the country and knows that won’t be a talking point during this Redbox Bowl matchup with Cal. The Golden Bears, led by one of the nation’s best defensive minds in Justin Wilcox, has held its last four opponents to less than 100 yards rushing (Washington State 16, USC 56, Stanford 61 and UCLA 58).
“A lot of people like to label west coast football as soft just because they’re throwing for 300 yards a game instead of running for 300 a game but I can tell you California athletes can compete with anybody in anything. Trust me.”