Ked's Focus on Ty Rodgers
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
October 10, 2023
The men's basketball program held its annual media day a week ago. Our staff provided multiple videos with different questions and answers. This year, unlike in the past, I am going to focus on three players that I spoke to off the video, not the entire team, for the subscribers here at IlliniGuys.
‘We can’t live in the defense we ran last year’: Illini’s Aaron Henry Finding Adversity In First Season As Defensive Boss
Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry has admitted to struggling to find a proper adaption to the 2023 defensive unit with younger, inexperienced talent.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
October 10. 2023
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
CHAMPAIGN — The message being immediately sent by veteran defensive Illinois players after the loss at Kansas is now being reinforced by this Illinois coaching staff following a 2-4 start to the 2023 season.
Last year is gone. And it can’t be replicated in the same way.
Following the team’s second straight loss and third straight Big Ten Conference loss, Illinois first-year defensive coordinator Aaron Henry presented the harsh reality to fans of the program that NFL secondary pieces Devon Witherspoon, Sydney Brown and Jartavius Martin aren’t ever walking through the Smith Family Football Complex ever again in an Illini football jersey. Neither are leading tackler Issac Darkangelo, sixth-year senior safety Kendall Smith and nose tackle Calvin Avery.
Sturdy's Hoops Du Jour - October 10
Brad Sturdy, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio
October 9, 2023
The Illini hoops team welcomed some quality talent on Friday for the first practice and the football game against Nebraska along with an indoor tailgate at Ubben due to the weather. They did get out on the golf carts to see some tailgating prior to the Football game.
2024 Offensive Lineman Caleb Pyfrom De-Commits from Illini
By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting
October 10, 2023
The Fighting Illini football program had as much buzz around the program as one could expect. Athletic director Josh Whitman proudly put his chest out with 10,000 new season ticket holders.
But now reality has set in; the team is 2-4, and one pass away from being 1-5. Senior wideout Casey Washington made a game-saving catch to keep a drive alive against Toledo in game one which Illinois won 30-28.
Time to be realistic here. Illinois is having a dismal season, and it is starting to have an effect on recruiting.
Barry Lunney Jr. Attributes Illini Short-Yardage Issues on Poor Play Calls & Poor Execution: ‘That’s a bad combination’
Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. addressed his offense’s inability to convert key short-yardage situations in 20-7 loss to Nebraska last weekend.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
October 9, 2023
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
CHAMPAIGN — For the first time in his head coaching career, Bret Bielema has entered new, awkward and uncomfortable territory at Illinois where his team struggles to get a single yard running the football.
“Very frustrating. In my 15 years of head coaching, I’ve never been in a position where we can’t gain half of a yard. It’s absolutely insane,” Bielema said Friday night in his post-game media conference following the 20-7 loss to Nebraska. “So, we’ll look at what we’ve asked our guys to do. Obviously we have to change the equation in the end. Bottom line, we can’t keep playing games like things and not scoring points.”
Bielema Promises Changes Following Crushing Loss vs. Nebraska
Following a 20-7 loss to Nebraska Friday night, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said he’s never been more frustrated in his 15 years of experience in the job and guaranteed changes are coming.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
October 9, 2023
(Cover photo courtesy Darron Cummings/Associated Press)
CHAMPAIGN — Bret Bielema had only a one-word answer to what was coming for his Illinois football program that he repeated over and over - changes.
After a 20-7 loss to a Nebraska team that hadn’t yet defeated a power conference opponent in the 2023 season that pushed Illinois to a 2-4 start and a 0-3 hole in Big Ten Conference play, Bielema assured folks listening to his post-game media conference that changes were coming.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Jeremiah Fears
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
October 9, 2023
One of the many reasons to be a member of IlliniGuys is obviously the great staff, but also because of the “inside” information you receive. With the recruitment of junior guard Jeremiah Fears, things just got really interesting.
The Trench Report: Nebraska
Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst
Cover photo courtesy Steve Snider, IlliniGuys
October 9, 2023
That was a painful one.
The Farrell Files Illinois - How Horrible Offense Impacts Recruiting
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert
Cover photo courtesy Steve Snider IlliniGuys
October 9, 2023
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at how the horrible offense impacts recruiting and compare the Illini TE recruiting to the rest of the Big Ten for the 2024 class.
Illini Film Review - Nebraska 20, Illinois 7 - How the Short, Quick Passing Scheme Helps and Hurts Luke Altmyer
Barry Lunney Jr. believed Friday night his offensive line wasn’t going to protect Altmyer for long developing passing routes, so Illinois limited its passing offense with early success but long-term failure.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
Steve Snider, IlliniGuys Cover Photographer
October 8, 2023
CHAMPAIGN — Several days before Illinois hosted Nebraska on a short week of preparation, Illini offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. was asked about scheming around offensive line issues.
Around The Big Ten - October 8th
October 8, 2023 (Cover photo courtesy Northwestern Athletics) Think […]
Sturdy's Solioquy - Nebraska
By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host of IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular
October 8, 2023
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
Following the 20-7 loss at home to Nebraska on Friday night there are no easy fixes for Illinois football, and that is the most disappointing part. As Illlini fans know, and have lived in the past, there isn’t a band aid that can stop a leak, or in this case a waterfall. This program is in shambles, and not just because of the rough season, because of the current situation and the conference additions in 2024. But the rough season shouldn’t have happened the way it has played out….
Heat Checks and Hail Marys - The One-Two Combination that Staggered Illini Football
Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio […]
Stevens Column: The Illini’s 2023 Season is Over…Eden Is Burning
Following the 20-7 loss to Nebraska, the 2023 football season for the University of Illinois is all but over.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
October 7, 2023
CHAMPAIGN — From now until the end of time, the record book will show the first Big Ten Conference wins for two of the league’s first-year head coaches will have come against the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
Another Early Double-Digit Deficit Buries Illini Against Nebraska, 20-7
By IlliniGuys Staff October 6, 2023 (Cover photo courtesy […]
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