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Despite suffering a severe ankle injury last week vs. […]

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 15, 2022

Trey McKenney made the visit to Champaign back in August; the outstanding 6-foot-5, 200-pound combo guard finished the summer ranking in the top 30 nationally.

By Larry Smith - IlliniGuys Staff

October 15, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Anyone with the basic ability to search the internet knows about the recent history of Illinois football.  And to that end, Bret Bielema knew what he was inheriting when he said 'yes' to athletic director Josh Whitman in December 2020.

The glory days of Illini football were so long ago, many of the students on campus then are now grandparents.  In fact, in 1989 - when John Mackovic was leading the Illini to a 10-win season - Bielema himself was a teenaged Iowa defensive lineman proudly getting a Hawkeye tattoo.

The point is...it's been a while. I predicted last year that on our IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular syndicated radio show that Illinois might build a statue of Bielema if he puts together back-to-back eight-win seasons and I was only half kidding.  His tattoo has probably aged better than Illinois football, which has seen only one 10-win campaign in the three decades since Mackovic skipped town.

By Zain Bando - IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

October 14, 2022

CHAMPAIGN — No. 24 Illinois (5-1, 2-1 B1G) is in a spot it has not been in since 2011 — ranked nationally. After a rocky start that included a crushing loss to Indiana, the Illini rebounded in a big way on both sides of the ball. On offense, running back Chase Brown has continued to rack up big yardage, as he is during a seven-game surge of at least 100 yards per game. Against Iowa, despite Illinois not scoring a touchdown, Brown managed to get 146 yards on 31 carries and helped the offense control clock in the process. The Illini won the game 9-6, sealing the win with a Matthew Bailey interception on Iowa’s final drive. Illinois remains the only FBS program to not allow a touchdown at home.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema sounding optimistic Williams, starting cornerback Tahveon Nicholson and starting linebacker Isaac Darkangelo will play Saturday vs. Minnesota

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 14, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ron Johnson/USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is sounding much more optimistic about getting key starters back for the game against Minnesota this weekend.

In his final local media obligation before the kickoff against the Gophers (4-1, 1-1 in Big Ten Conference) on Saturday morning (11 a.m., BTN), Bielema expressed more than hopeful language toward the playing status of three projected starters who left the 9-6 victory over Iowa last weekend with various injuries. The Illini second-year head coach said wide receiver Isaiah Williams (concussion), cornerback Taz Nicholson (concussion) and linebacker Isaac Darkangelo (lower body) are all expected to play.

By Zain Bando - IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

October 14, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

It was less than a year ago that Illini football remained deep into the abyss of the college football landscape. A team who struggled to secure wins, keep talent, and maintain a level of consistency that would make a passionate Illini fanbase proud.

As I type this, the date is October 14, 2022, the eve of the Illini’s biggest homecoming game in recent memory. At 5-1 (2-1 B1G) and ranked No. 24 in the nation, the Orange and Blue are on the verge of clinching its first bowl berth since 2019 and moving one step closer to a potential date with destiny in Indianapolis come December.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

October 14, 2022

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

Talk about a big game for the Illini as they host Minnesota this weekend in a game that could determine the Big Ten West race. And there will be plenty of interesting recruits on hand taking in the action.

Illini Athletic Director Josh Whitman gave media members a […]

Illini Head Football Coach Bret Bielema updates reporters prior […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

Oct. 13, 2022

When 6-foot-9 power forward Morez Johnson from St. Rita committed to Illini basketball almost a year ago, not a lot of people knew much about him. The skinny from gurus was all the same; he's young, needs to shoot better, get stronger blah, blah, blah.

The current high school junior just simply rolled up his sleeves and went to work. Johnson, now a guaranteed first-team all-state selection, is one of the nation's top 50 basketball recruits. The extra notoriety hasn't changed the perspective on his future at all.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

Oct. 13, 2022

Among the high school recruits on campus for the Iowa game was 2025 athlete Andre Lovett. The Blue Island, Illinois, 6-foot-2, 170-pound prospect was honored to be there.

October 12, 2022

IlliniGuys' Brad Sturdy (front row, 3rd from left) was one of several media members to accompany the Illinois basketball attendees at the Big Ten Media Days event in Minneapolis earlier this week.

Big Ten Basketball Media days took place in Minneapolis and although it was by far the smallest media turnout outside of a COVID year, it was still a fantastic event that gave us an opportunity to learn more about the Big Ten.  IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy made the trip north and offers these thoughts:

This week’s film session will focus on what Illinois quarterback Artur Sitkowski does well and what Barry Lunney Jr. can put together for him to succeed on Saturday.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 12, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Steve Snider/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When Tommy DeVito was laying on the Memorial Stadium turf in the first quarter on Saturday pointing at his right ankle in pain, Art Sitkowski said he had one thought and one thought only in his mind.

“Yeah, I kept going over and over in mind that well, I’ve been here before,” Sitkowski said Saturday night after the 9-6 win. “This is something I’ve done before and there’s no reason I can’t do this again right now. And so, I just had to lead my team. I know how to do that.”

With DeVito’s injury status being in serious doubt for this weekend vs. Minnesota (11 a.m., BTN), IlliniGuys.com thought we’d use the film review to show how the game script will change with Sitkowski behind center.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

October 12, 2022

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

I looked at the remaining top targets for the 2023 class the other day but how about 2024?

Not to say that any of these kids are Illinois locks, because at this stage it’s unlikely any are, but these are some kids it appears the Illini are recruiting the hardest early on in the process.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

Oct. 11, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy the Hoitink family)

It was just a matter of time before recruits took notice of what is going on at Illinois. Last Saturday's game originally had 40 recruits who were supposed to visit. According to Bret Bielema, 200 came to watch Illinois take on its rival, the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Charlie Hoitink has a lot of upside. He's a 6-foot-4, 280-pound sophomore offensive tackle from Slinger, Wisconsin who grew up rooting for the Badgers, but Illinois has changed the thinking in the Hoitink household.