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(From Illinois Sports Information Office) January 17, 2025 IOWA […]

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 17, 2025

While the Illini were finishing up round one of portal season, they were also adding to the incoming Class of 2026 with DeKalb wide receiver Davon Grant.  Grant was extremely productive for the DeKalb Barbs with 67 receptions for 1014 yards in his junior year.  Grant was equally productive as a sophomore with 40 receptions on offense but an addition 4 interceptions as a free safety on defense.  What makes him even more impressive is the fact that DeKalb has had very little success in his two years on the varsity with a combined 4 wins over the two years.  Despite that, Grant had offers from the other three nearby Big Ten schools in addition to Illinois: Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.  However, Illinois made Grant a priority and sealed the deal with Grant on the strength of the program's first 10-win season in a generation.  Check out what makes him special:

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 17, 2025

I have to admit this addition really surprised me.  Like most Illini football scribes, I could see that Illinois was going to need an experienced wideout who could get open reliably (Hudson Clement).  They were going to need at least two experienced defensive linemen, and they added three (James Thompson, Curt Neal and Tomiwa Durojaiye).  They needed to bring in some competition at punter (Keelan Crimmins).  An experienced edge rusher and a tight end with more than one year of eligibility were also on my secondary list, and Leon Lowery and Davin Stoffel agreed to come to Champaign to fill those minor holes. 

By IlliniGuys Staff January 16, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) Illinois at RV/-- Indiana Date […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 16, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A rumor regarding Illinois freshman basketball player Morez Johnson Jr. sparked concern but has been confirmed as false.

The IlliniGuys staff received reports claiming that Johnson had become ill and passed out during a workout. However, after making several calls to investigate, it was discovered the claims were unfounded.

By Brad Sturdy/IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

January 15, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Coming off of a tough loss, you go on the road at Indiana, and tough place to play. Star player out and Illini nation was ready for a long losing streak and instead of looking at seed we even had those wondering if Illinois would make the tourney. Hold your horses with the gloom and doom. KJ is back. Illinois dominated Indiana by 25. And the march to San Antonio is back on.

The Illini scored at will in the first half and dominated the glass as they built a 30 point first half lead and cruised to a dominant 94-69 win in a game that wasn’t that close.

These 3 Things

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 15, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Nebraska's lack of interest in three-star offensive lineman Landen Von Seggern turned out to be Illinois' gain. The 6-foot-3, 280-pound standout from Millard South High School in Omaha, Nebraska, made an official visit to Champaign last weekend, where he also attended the USC-Illinois basketball game and felt it was the place for him as he gave his verbal commitment Wednesday morning.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 14, 2025

Davin Stoffel of South Dakota State became the latest key addition to the Illini portal recruiting class when he joined the Illini tight end corps with three years of eligibility remaining to add key depth for the coming year as well as an important building block for 2025.

By IlliniGuys Staff January 14, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

January 14, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The Illini are headed to Indiana after their loss on Saturday at home in need of a bounce back win. Of course, Indiana was demolished by Iowa so both teams should be hungry. The status of star Freshman Guard Kasparas Jakucionis is still up in the air, but we are told that he did practice on Sunday and will be a game time decision.

Setting the Stage

#19/20 Illinois (12-4, 4-2) at Indiana (13-4, 4-2)
Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 // 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET) // Bloomington, Ind. // Assembly Hall
Stream: Peacock – Noah Eagle (Play-by-Play) & Robbie Hummel (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Doug Altenberger

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 14, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Lincoln Williams, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Kankakee, has become a familiar face on the University of Illinois campus. As a legitimate basketball prospect for the Illini, his visits are a testament to his growing interest in the program. But for Williams, the connection runs deeper—his sister is a proud Illinois graduate.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood stresses Monday that if his team’s process is solid, the results will take care of themselves - including the results on Tuesday night at Indiana.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 13, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After ending the 2022-23 season on a three-game losing streak, Brad Underwood’s Illinois squad failed to have consecutive losses in the following campaign.

With a 2024-25 season squad that only returns one contributing player, Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn, it’s possible trying to find comparisons is a fool’s errand but since the 2020-21 season, the Illinois eight-year head coach is 25-5 in the game immediately after a loss in regular season play. Ironically, Underwood said Monday his team’s ability to, as Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema would say, ‘not allowing one loss to beat you again” comes from “being process oriented” as his team approaches a five-month season.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 13, 2025

Illinois checked the final item off its offseason shopping list when Purdue punter Keelan Crimmins transferred for the second time in two years. Crimmins is an Australian who learned the American game at the Australian kicking academy.

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio […]