Featured

By IlliniGuys Staff May 27, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By IlliniGuys Staff

May 26, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's Instagram page)

Next month, a scene will take place at the NBA Draft that's become very familiar:

A star, lanky Fighting Illini guard hearing his name called and taking center stage for pictures with NBA commissioner Adam Silver to begin his professional career.

6-foot-6 inch All-American guard Keaton Wagler will become the fifth such Illini to be drafted this decade. The projected lottery pick joining draftees Kasparas Jakucionis (6'6" guard to Miami in 2025), Will Riley (6'8" guard to Washington in 2025), Terrence Shannon Jr. (6-foot-7 wing to Minnesota in 2024) and Ayo Dosunmu (6'5" guard to Chicago). 

It's become a calling card for Brad Underwood's program and his staff is watching another teenage prospect that appears to fit the mold.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

May 26, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

Illinois fans finally got what they were waiting for all offseason when the Illini added a new player to the defensive line room with Joshua Davis from Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Davis is a 6'3 275 pounder who played only one year at Copiah-Lincoln after receiving very little interest from colleges at Mendenhall (Mississippi) High School. Just like recent JUCO signee BJ Thurman, Davis was not on anyone's radar as a P4 recruit until the moment that Illinois showed interest. Then, in the four days after Illinois offered Davis received offers from 4 other Division 1 schools before Illinois sealed the deal and earned Davis' signature. Though Thurman had offers from several other P4 schools and Davis only had offers from local schools, I actually like Davis a lot more.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

This is a relatively short highlight film because just like Thurman, Davis was playing for a junior college that was spreading playing time around and didn't commit to any one player at any position.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

May 25, 2026

Illinois doubled down on its offensive line group when Morton's Soren Fifer committed to the Illini. Fifer is a massive individual who is only 16 years old as we speak yet every bit of 6'6 and 290 pounds. Fifer really hasn't grown up yet, and despite that he received offers from most of the upper tier of the Big Ten, including Indiana, Oregon and Iowa. None of that surprises me, because what I see from Fifer is a player who really should be a 4* player yet has been overlooked a little bit because he's still maturing.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

I think everyone needs to understand the type of size Fifer brings to the table. He's already

Illinois and Brad Underwood agreed to put all changes to Underwood’s contract in his annual retention bonus.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 24, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — The University of Illinois Board of Trustees on Thursday approved the amendments to the originally agreed between representatives of Illinois men's basketball coach Brad Underwood and Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman.

As IlliniGuys.com detailed on May 14, only three elements of Underwood’s agreement changed. One, Illinois administration simply agreed to replace the guaranteed year along with the automatic one-year extension that Underwood earned following the Illini’s most recent 2025-26 season that ended with a trip to the Final Four for the third time in the modern era.

After visiting both Louisiana State and Vanderbilt, Ean Rhea elected to play his final season of college football eligibility at Illinois in Bobby Hauck’s new 3-3-5 formation. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 23, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — Illinois has received a verbal pledge from a Division II All-American pass rusher for the upcoming 2026 season. 

Ked Prince, IlliniGuys Senior Recruiting Analyst

March 23, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois continues to build momentum in the class of 2027, and the latest addition gives the Illini another in-state piece to strengthen an already promising recruiting class.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

May 22, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

Even as Illinois gets going on the upcoming Class of 2027, more Class of 2026 players are committing to the program. The newest one is tight end of Benjamin Thurman from College of San Mateo. Thurman is an athletic but undersized tight end who played only one year at San Mateo, totaling only 16 catches for 322 yards. However, when you consider that Thurman had six touchdowns in those limited touches and also played defense, he gets a lot more interesting as a prospect.

Thurman's lack of production is also the result of San Mateo's odd system of playing time. San Mateo averaged 15 completed passes per game, but they spread the ball around so much and played so many players that Thurman's 1.5 receptions per game are actually third on the team. To add to this crazy story, like a few other rumored Illinois recruits, Thurman had no interest from high major schools.... and then he had tons. Thurman tweeted that he was open for recruitment in January. After Spring practice was over, Fresno State pulled the trigger with an offer in March. Then, Illinois offered on April 30 and the floodgates opened with 5 more high major offers in the next five days. Ole Miss joined the fray on May 4 and presented the biggest challenge on the recruiting trail for the Illini before Thurman committed to the Illini on May 13.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

May 22, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's Hudl page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – There has not been a single game played on the gridiron at Gies Memorial Stadium this year, but those around the Illinois program believe the Illini could feature one of the most aggressive offenses of the Bret Bielema era.

Illinois added another piece to that vision this morning when wide receiver Nathan Cichy announced his commitment to the Illini’s 2026 recruiting class. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound prospect from Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Illinois, gives Illinois another speedy target on the outside.

Early Friday morning on X, Cichy announced his decision after previously being committed to Harvard.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

May 21, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's social media page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois Fighting Illini football coaching staff has already turned its attention toward the Class of 2027, aggressively pursuing some of the top in-state talent as recruiting efforts continue to ramp up across the Midwest.

One player drawing significant attention from the Illini is Matthew Brady, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound linebacker from Bloomington Central Catholic. Brady is rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and has quickly become one of the more sought-after defensive players in Illinois.

IlliniGuys recently caught up with Brady to discuss his recruitment and growing interest from Power Four programs.

For just the second time in the last 19 events, Illinois men’s golf will not be participating in the NCAA Championships. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 20, 2026

For the first time since 2022 and just the second time in the last 19 events, Illinois men’s golf will not be participating in the NCAA Championships. 

The Illini failed to advance out of the 2026 NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional and for just the second time since 2002 will not have any players on its roster playing in the national tournament. On a day when Illinois needed to start fast to make up a multi-shot deficit to get within the top five teams advancing into the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif., it took 31 consecutive holes for anybody on the Illini roster to make a birdie. 

Illinois would finish in 11th place in the 13-team NCAA regional, the program’s worst since the NCAA went to the smaller field regional format, with a team score of 7-under-par after posting a 2-over-par total in the final round on Wednesday - which was the worst team score of the day. 

The Illini, which began the final round on Wednesday morning just two strokes behind the fifth and final transfer spot, finished 12 shots behind host Georgia that used its home course advantage to advance to NCAA Championships field with a three-day total of 19-under-par. 

Ryan Voois’ All-American collegiate golf career at Illinois is over in Athens, Ga., with a 72 to complete a three-day total of 2-under-par 211 and a tie for 29th place finish individually in the 88-player field. 

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) May 20, 2026 (Cover […]

Illinois trying to will themselves to the NCAA Championships for the 17th time in the last 18 years of its existence after a poor start. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Mike Small’s biggest gripe about the mentality of the players on his 2025-26 team is their inability to physically, mentally and emotionally deal with something suddenly bad happening in a competition going well right up to that point.

The good news for him and his players about the 2026 Athens (Ga.) Regional is the Illinois head men’s golf coach found out what happens when bad stuff happens to his players first.

A cavalcade of mistakes leading to big numbers on individual holes resulted in a very disappointing even-par opening round on Monday and a multiple-shot deficit for Illinois to do what is considered historically basic in postseason play - advancing to the NCAA Championships. 

However, these unforced roadblocks didn’t happen in a second round situation similar to the most recent league title event in Oregon or a final round collapse such as the 2025 Big Ten Championships. The fact that the start to this tournament at the University of Georgia Golf Course was so poor is something Small is trying to mentally press on his players that the bad day is already out of their system. 

Illinois attempted to prove that idea was true on Tuesday

Illinois made up a pair of strokes and jumped a team in its second-round comeback effort in the 2026 NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illinois men’s golf team has put together a possible pathway to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the 17th time in the last 18 years of its existence.

Illinois executed one of the best second-round performances in the 2026 NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional on Tuesday with a 9-under-par mark that included all of its four qualifying scores being under-par rounds. Mike Small’s 2025-26 squad found that the scoring conditions at the University of Georgia Golf Course on Tuesday morning and afternoon allowed for birdies and low numbers to be grabbed much more frequently than during Monday’s opening round of competition. 

On a day where the scoring average of the entire field dropped by approximately 1.5 strokes from Monday’s first-round action, Illinois posted the second-best score of the day to close its gap to the fifth and final transfer spot into the NCAAs from five to two.

When Illinois’ group of five players tee it up Wednesday morning, the Illini will sit in seventh place in the 13-team regional - one shot back of the College of Charleston, two back of fifth-place Brigham Young and just three back of host Georgia. 

Illinois men’s golf will need a multi-shot comeback over the next two days to advance to the NCAA Championships.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 18, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

A comeback effort over the next two days will be required by Illinois to make another appearance in the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships. 

Illinois finished the first round of the NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional five strokes back from the top five cutline after a disappointing opening day at the University of Georgia Golf Course. The finished in a two-way tie for eighth in the 13-team regional field with an even-par team score that saw them near the bottom of the leaderboard throughout the day and a double-digit deficit from the program’s third straight regional championship. 

The problem of big numbers on single holes was the culprit for nearly the entire Illinois roster on Monday as the Illini made a combined five scores of double bogey or worse in its combined 90 holes of play on the 7,258-yard, par-71 track that played nearly a shot over par for the entire field. 

Max Herendeen led the Illini on Monday in what could only be categorized as the most roller coaster mix of birdies and big numbers by an elite two-time All-American. Herendeen was able to post a 2-under 69 thanks to eight birdies that was mixed in with a bogey, a double bogey and a triple bogey early in his round on the 210-yard, par-3 third hole. 

The third-year star player managed to rally from the major error on No. 3 with birdies and the fourth, fifth and seventh holes to make the turn in even-par 35. Herendeen would get to 3-under through 13 and seemed on pace to challenge for the individual lead but a double-bogey 6 on the par-4, 418-yard 14th hole preceded a birdie-bogey-birdie-par finish to his round.