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By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The on-field entourage before No. 9 Illinois’ 38-0 victory over Western Michigan included a crowd of 2027 and 2028 football recruits, the full Illinois men’s basketball team, with its staff and their 2026 recruit Sinan Huan.

Of everybody present, one person seemed more eager than any other for next year. Casey Thomann, a three-star, in-state offensive line commit in the class of 2026, was present for pregame festivities,

With Illinois having so many veteran players and returning starters on both sides of the ball, it’s the trusted players making suggestions to coaches at halftime.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Justin Stepp keeps consistently saying that the one thing that surprised him after he was hired as the wide receivers coach at the University of Illinois was the football intelligence of the players in his meeting room.

The living embodiment of what Stepp is referencing is fourth-year receiver Hank Beatty. It should be noted that Stepp has been around intelligent people serving as receiving targets in his stops at Clemson, Appalachian State, Southern Methodist University, Arkansas and South Carolina. It is also accurate to suggest Stepp has never had a player in his room where both his parents are doctors and was a highly productive offensive player in a wide-open, spread-option Rochester (Ill.) High School playbook based on timing and rhythm as much, if not more, as size and power.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 19, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Just before Illinois hosted Western Michigan in a 38-0 shutout victory last Saturday, a handful of recruits lined the edge of the north end zone. A few 2027 recruits and a 2026 commit were taking in the atmosphere, but there was no recruit bigger – literally – than Sinan Huan.

Huan, a larger-than-life 7-foot center who is part of the 2026 recruiting class, is rated as a four-star recruit by 247 Sports, a top-100 recruit, and the tenth-highest rated center in the class.

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

September 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini schedule for the 2025-26 season is a gauntlet, but that’s just the way Brad Underwood wants it. Illinois will play a total of 25 games against high major opponents with a veteran team capable of making a run.

“Players want to play in big games,” Underwood told IlliniGuys.com last summer. “They want to play against the best. We’re going to play good people. We don’t shy away from it.”

The Jim Thorpe Award watch list candidate is not expected to be on the travel roster when No. 9 Illinois plays at No. 19 Indiana on Saturday night.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Unless a second opinion on his lower body injury reveals a drastic medical theory shift, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema does not sound optimistic about having his Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten Conference first team selection on the travel roster this weekend.

In his final media availability before the game on Thursday afternoon, Bielema confirmed fourth-year defensive back Xavier Scott have not been active for practice this week. Scott suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury that appeared to be an ankle or foot issue late in the fourth quarter of the 38-0 win over Western Michigan last weekend.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Several in-state and regional recruits lined the north end zone before No. 9 Illinois faced off against Western Michigan last Saturday. Among them was Corey Laga, a 2027 offensive lineman who spoke with IlliniGuys about his visit and the recruitment process that’s been heating up with his junior year of high school football ahead of him.

Laga could be one of head coach Bret Bielema’s early in-state finds. This year’s team has 50 players who played high school football in Illinois. Laga, who is from Lemont, about two hours north of Champaign in the Chicago suburbs, says that when he thinks of Illinois football, he thinks of one word.

“Really, I just think family,” he said. “They have the FamILLy slogan, they have a family in their locker room. And also culture, too. Coach Bret has brought them together.”

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois hosted one of the nation’s top young prospects last weekend when Keller Daugherty, a 6-foot-9 shooting guard from the class of 2027, made his visit to Champaign. For Daugherty, the experience matched what he was hoping to see.

“It’s everything I thought it would be,” Daugherty said. “Yeah, for sure, for sure.”

Assistant coach Tyler Underwood is the lead recruiter for Daugherty, saying they have built a strong connection.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 17, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Jaxon Davis, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound point guard from Gurnee, made a trip to Champaign to watch an Illinois men’s basketball workout this past weekend, and he walked away impressed with what he saw. Ranked No. 53 in the country by ESPN, Davis described his visit as a business trip, focusing on how the Illini develop their guards both in and out of season.

“I loved the guard play here and the freedom they have,” Davis said. “I was paying attention to the little things they do, because they’re all different players. (Kylan) Boswell, (Keaton) Wagler, and (Mihailo) Petrovic are very fast, athletic, and shoot the ball good.”

There had been speculation about Davis

By IlliniGuys Staff

September 17, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy delivered the latest news on the men's basketball board on our premium forums earlier this week. Here's what we found out:

The 255-pound tailback for Illinois had a 100-yard evening against Western Michigan and might be hitting his most confident stride as the No. 9 Illini enter Big Ten Conference play.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 17, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The first and possibly only person who can properly know if Kaden Feagin finally felt back to normal in a game following extensive lower body physical therapy is the young man wearing a No. 3 Illinois jersey.

Following his 100-yard performance in the 38-0 win over Western Michigan on Saturday, Feagin told local reporters that in the midst of his 20-carry performance, the 21-year-old said there was a moment he felt different with the football.

“I felt like on my (3-yard) touchdown run was where I stuck my head in there, made one cut and then kept my feet going after contact,” Feagin said Saturday night. “I felt like that moment really set the tone for the night for me.”

According to Pro Football Focus data,

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 16, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – On Saturday, the nation’s ninth-ranked Illinois football team hosted Western Michigan. Head coach Bret Bielema and his staff brought in a large group of potential football recruits, but the men’s basketball program also made noise, welcoming one of the top players in the 2026 class to campus.

Cameron Holmes, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona, made his first trip to Champaign for an official visit. For Holmes, the experience was eye-opening.

"I am really glad to be here. I didn't know what to expect, but wow

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

September 16, 2025

I hope everyone enjoyed the last out of conference warm-up before the Big Ten season starts off with an exciting game at Indiana next Saturday night.  Despite another bad start for the Illini, it was a good night in Champaign as Illinois outclassed the Broncos and pulled away to make it a laugher at the end.

I'm going to start with the more problematic side of the ball, the offense.  Illinois was hapless on the offensive line again in the first half before outmuscling and outclassing Western Michigan in the second half.  This particular play was especially hapless.  Hank Beatty apparently didn't feel like the accolades he'd earned so far were sufficient, because he decided to go ahead and make a TFL as well.  On one hand, its easy to look at this and wonder what he's thinking.  However, on the other you can see why a mistake like this would happen.  Any time you're running a play that depends on precise timing from the motion man, you're taking a risk like this.  And to be fair, if Beatty wasn't the only person on the wrong page, as JC Davis starts to block down before realizing his mistake that he was leaving 2(!) edge defenders unblocked.  I'm pretty sure Beatty was supposed to motion down and block the safety on the end of the line while Davis and Josh Gesky double the defensive end before Gesky climbs to the linebacker.  However, the snap count, organization, and effort were all lacking on this one.

IlliniGuys.com’s Matt Stevens gives his weekly Top 25 ballot […]

Through the first three quarters of the 38-0 win over Western Michigan, the Illinois run defense allowed just 2.8 yards per rush. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 16, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a honestly very forgettable game, Illinois showed in the most important play its physical dominance and intelligence in gap control in its run defense. 

With just three seconds remaining in the second half, Western Michigan had the football inside the Illini’s 1-yard-line in what obviously their best chance to score on Saturday night. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema talks about the “double dip” of scoring at the end of the first half and then getting the football first in the second half to score again. With Illinois ahead 10-0 in this moment, Western Michigan desperately needed this “double dip” opportunity and Lance Taylor’s squad ran a play that requires perfect nose tackle play and solid fundamental eye discipline in the second level of the defense. 

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular September 16, 2025 The […]