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By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting 

August 21, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

When Coleman Hawkins committed to Illinois, he was not considered a "can't-miss" prospect as was ranked by most recruiting services and consensus a three-star recruit.

 But Illinois head coach Brad Underwood saw the high potential in Hawkins.  During his freshman year, Underwood said, "We don't care about rankings, that's for you guys and the fans. I really think Coleman has unlimited potential because of his size and passing ability."

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting 

August 20, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Los Angeles Daily News)

Brady Dunlap's basketball scholarship offers - and his playing future - continue to rise each week as he enters his senior season.  

The 6-foot-7 wing from Harvard West Lake High School in California is a three-star prospect who has already received offers from the likes of Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, Wyoming and San Diego State.

Leon Clarke, who for over 20 years has been known as one of the best private quarterback instructors in New Jersey, remembers first being asked to train current Illinois quarterbacks Tommy DeVito and Art Sitkowski. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 19, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When Bret Bielema brought in Art Sitkowski to tell him the transfer portal quarterback he just submitted a scholarship offer to, the Illinois head coach had no idea it would invoke the reaction that it did. 

Long before Bret Bielema had secured an in-person visit this winter with Syracuse graduate transfer Tommy DeVito, the Illinois head football coach needed to know if bringing him would cause a problem with his incumbent quarterback. 

In a short meeting in his office inside the Smith Family Football Center, Bielema informed Sitkowski that “I felt we needed a more veteran quarterback” and Sitkowski began to do nothing but smile when he heard the name. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

August 19, 2022

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

Tight ends have become a huge part of college football offenses and Bret Bielema has a good group on his roster this season.

(From the Big Ten office) August 18, 2022 The […]

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

August 18, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Detroit Free Press)

(Editor's note: Michigan State's Tom Izzo signed a contract extension after this interview was conducted.)

Illinois had one of the nation's top guards in the county on campus recently. Trey McKenney is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Orchard Lake, Michigan. ESPN ranks McKinney as a top 20 prep in the class of 2025. I caught up with Trey again for additional information. 

Kedric: What were your thoughts on the Illinois visit recently? It's been reported that growing up, MSU was your favorite or dream school.

(From University of Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. […]

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 17, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Welcome to one of the final days of a preseason football camp for the Illinois program for the 2022 campaign in the second year of Illini head coach Bret Bielema.

Today was the last 15-minute viewing period of preseason camp but here are some quick notes:

The Illini team was on the grass fields behind the Smith Family Football Center.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

August 17, 2022

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

Ohio State dominates the Big Ten in wide receiver recruiting and development.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting 

August 16, 2022

Brandon Hansen is a 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive tackle from Mundelein, Illinois. To say the Illinois football staff is now ahead of schedule would be a lie. When was the last time in early August the next year’s recruiting class is nearly complete? 

This gives Illinois room to start working on the next couple of classes, which is why Hansen made the trip downstate. 

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirms his coaches pulled certain players out of Monday’s full-contact scrimmage including quarterback Tommy DeVito. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 15, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- If local media are listening carefully to Bret Bielema’s post-scrimmage media session, you can deal a conclusion that the quarterback competition phase has ended and a starter has emerged. 

Just 40 seconds into a 14-minute media session following the Illini’s second and final scrimmage before the Aug. 27 season opener against Wyoming (3 p.m., BTN), the Illinois second-year head coach began to rattle off names of players who were removed from the scrimmage after the halftime break for precautionary reasons.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

August 15, 2022

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

Bret Bielema knows power football and knows running backs. Kaden Feagin is likely to play linebacker in college but that was also the plan for Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen and look at him now.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

August 14, 2022

Illinois managed to convince three-star rated North Carolina commit Zachary Tobe to switch his allegiance to the Illini and by doing so the Illini added another talented and athletic Floridian to its core of defensive backs.

Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.’s transition from UTSA to Champaign has involved an evolution of when, where and how to mix up the pace and speed of his system. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 13, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Long before he became a football coach, Barry Lunney was drafted twice into Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher so the new Illinois offensive coordinator knows something about changing speeds.

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting 

August 13, 2022

Illinois recently offered a scholarship to one of the top prospects in the country.