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Key Walk-Ons - Joep Engbers, Henry Engel, Patrick Mahoney, Nick True, Johnny Schmitt and Ronan Poynton

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

February 12, 2023

I know I'm not alone in always holding a special place for walk-ons, and especially those guys who had full scholarship offers at other programs. 

The near 10-minute stretch where Rutgers didn’t score in a 69-60 home victory for Illinois was catapulted by the defensive strengths of Coleman Hawkins. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 11, 2023

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The boos from the Orange Krush student section every time Sam Mulcahy touched the basketball weren’t at all phasing the confidence of the Rutgers’ senior guard. 

By IlliniGuys Staff

February 11, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - For most of Saturday afternoon, 24th ranked Rutgers could smell its first ever victory in Champaign.  But Illinois stepped up its defense in the second half to come away with a 69-60 win at State Farm Center

The Scarlet Knights took a 47-41 lead on a pair of Caleb McConnell free throws with 15:03 remaining.  But Illinois (17-7, 8-5 in Big Ten) held them without a field goal for the next 10:05 to spur a 19-0 run and take the lead for good.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema says in his February signing day media conference that he’ll resist handing out pay-for-play dollars to players before they make an impact on the field at Illinois. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 11, 2023

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The leader of the football program at the University of Illinois said he’ll resist having name, image and likeness dollars being distributed to any prospect before they make an impact in an Illini uniform. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 10, 2023

Still working the East Coast for recruits, Illini defensive coordinator Aaron Henry has done well gaining interest in Illinois football from the prep scene there.

By IlliniGuys Staff

February 10, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illinois women's team got a big road win at Nebraska 72-64 Thursday night.  It's a statement win and a victory that further boosts their already impressive resume as they work toward their first NCAA tournament bid since 2013.

We at IlliniGuys began our commitment to covering the women's basketball team at our first anniversary in January 2022 by bringing then-freshman guard Adalia McKenzie on for a weekly segment on the IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular radio show.  Adalia's insights into the team has given our audience, which includes 30 stations and an audience reaching six Midwestern states each weekend, a first-hand view of the team's highs and lows as they struggled through the end of last season and then began a new program under head coach Shauna Green.

We have noticed an increase in interest in the team among our IlliniGuys members, so we will do a special one-on-one with Adalia and IlliniGuys co-founder Larry Smith after every game for the rest of the season.  It has been a treat for us to watch Adalia grow as a student-athlete as well as a person during the past year and we are thrilled to provide our members with this exclusive access and to give Adalia the opportunity to expand her growing platform.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

February 10, 2023

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I look at two 2024 offensive linemen, a depth chart update and where Illinois stands in Big Ten QB recruiting.

By IlliniGuys Staff

February 9, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

LINCOLN, Neb. - Eleven months ago, Nebraska ended Illinois' season with a 92-74 rout in the Big Ten tournament.  Thursday night, they found out this is a very different Illini team.

Jayla Oden scored 12 second half points off the bench and the Illini defense held Nebraska without a field goal for more than 10 minutes in the second half to score a key 72-64 road victory over the Huskers.

Illini coach Brad Underwood talks about Saturday's home matchup […]

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 9, 2023

Illinois fans, you can fully expect to see a plethora of Illinois offers in the class of 2024.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

February 9, 2023

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

Here are my final Big Ten team recruiting rankings and where the Illini stand.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 8, 2023

The state of Florida continues to be a hotbed for football talent; Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry hales from Immokalee, Florida.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

February 8, 2023

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

Welcome to the Farrell Files Illinois preferred walk on edition. 

The recruiting of late addition 2023 defensive back Mac Resetich involved Bret Bielema withholding the prospect’s information from some of his own assistant coaches inside the facility. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

February 7, 2023

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Bret Bielema’s circle of trust involving information about the final signee of the Illinois football 2023 recruiting class was intentionally small.

The level of confidentiality of people not being given top secret clearance to be included were current assistant coaches and staff members inside the Smith Football Center. The recruiting meetings were small in numbers. The in-person contact was covert and the verbal commitment was kept to a need-to-know basis among personnel employed with the football program at the University of Illinois. 

Mike Cagley, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular February 7, 2023 […]