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(From Illinois Sports Information Office) March 29, 2022 (Cover […]

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

Marchi 29, 2022

CHAMPAIGN -- Welcome to the fourth day of practices and second practice in full pads where the Illinois players and coaches moved to the grass fields next to the Smith Family Football Complex for the first time during this spring season.

The one major takeaway was the work being done by outside linebackers coach Kevin Kane with a position group that will require some inexperienced players stepping into new roles following the graduation of Owen Carney Jr. and Isaiah Gay from the past two seasons. One of the players who has quickly emerged is Virginia Tech transfer Alec Bryant, which should not be seen as a surprise after the 240-pound pass rusher was seen as a priority signee when arrived in Champaign last August but was ineligible to play during last season.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

March 29, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy ERT Preps)

Antwon Hayden, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound athlete from East. St. Louis, Illinois, pledged to the Illini this morning. Last week the Illinois coaching staff was able to land four-star Kaden Feagin, a 6-foot-3, 221-pound athlete from Arthur, Illinois. Both know each other and talk to each other from time to time. Hayden is the Trent Frazier version of the class of 2023. He has known for a while how much he has liked Illinois, so he is recruiting others to join him and Feagin. Frazier was great at selling men's basketball coach Brad Underwood's dream; Hayden is selling football coach Bret Bielema's vision.

March 29, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

It wasn't a total shock, but Andre Curbelo made it official Monday afternoon: announcing that he will leave Illinois after two seasons and enter the transfer portal.  This is not the way he, nor anyone else, thought he would be spending his spring.  The preseason All-Big Ten pick had a tough season battling through injury.  We know we IlliniGuys join everyone in Illini Nation in wishing him good health and great success in the years to come.

'Belo's departure is the first of several roster changes expected this offseason.  What could be next for him?  Is Kofi talking to the NBA?  And what potential future Illini teammate has he been wooing?

IlliniGuys Insider Brad Sturdy has the answers to all of that and more in his latest platter of inside Illini stuff, served up exclusively on IlliniGuys.com.

Let's get to it!

Andre Curbelo confirms a widely regarded rumor that he’s entered the transfer portal with the intention of playing elsewhere after two seasons at Illinois. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 28, 2022

CHAMPAIGN -- Andre Curbelo has likely played his final game as a member of the University of Illinois men’s basketball program. 

March 28, 2022

Good Monday afternoon from the IlliniGuys! Sitting here in the state-of-the-art IlliniGuys studio (that's a wink to everyone who listens to our radio show) and anticipating all that's about to happen in the week ahead.

IlliniGuys Insider Brad Sturdy is like your favorite nurse at the doctor's office; he's got his finger on the pulse of Illini basketball!   He's always sharing his notes on our message forum for premium subscribers.  If you have a friend who seems to know what's going on inside the program or hears of things before you do, well...they probably know Brad OR subscribe to IlliniGuys.com!

Here's his latest offerings, including the latest on 5-star recruit Skyy Clark:

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 25, 2022

Andrew Hines is a 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker from Atlanta, Georgia, who made the trip to Champaign recently and came away in awe.

The Illinois offensive line personnel give the Illini coaches more options but also more debate as to the starting five going into the 2022 season. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 26, 2022

CHAMPAIGN -- For what you'd expect in a first-year coaching staff, Bart Miller arguably walked into a more ready-made situation than several of his colleagues.

Zain Bando, IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

March 27, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, IL – Casey Washington may be losing his hair, but not his confidence.

March 27, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

So what does a Big Ten tournament championship followed by a Big Ten regular season title bring you?

In the words of one message board insider  - "Illinois is now competing with the Kentuckys of the world and the big boys know it.  Illinois is back!"

The IlliniGuys message forums saw a record number of members online Saturday night as everyone speculates on the latest whispers.  Could a major decision with serious impact on the Illini's future success take place this week?

Here's the latest from IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy and our team of insiders.  If you didn't already know, Sturdy is the pre-eminent Illini basketball insider and you can find his stuff only on IlliniGuys.com. And we tease him a lot, but IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting Kedric Prince knows every mom in the country. His latest one-on-one conversation is below.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 25, 2022

The Illinois basketball team was on top of the world, winning a Big Ten Championship for the first time in 17 years. 

March 26, 2022

You may have heard that there's no offseason in college basketball and it's 100% true.  The Illini coaching staff had yet to touch down back in Champaign last Sunday night after being ousted from the NCAA tournament when their second season began:

Recruiting.  Or, as we call it here, "'cruitin' season!"

If you have followed along in the past, you know this isn't for the faint of heart.  These players are young men with all kinds of dreams and, sometimes, with all kinds of voices in their ear...sometimes telling them things that may or may not be in their best interests.

The result is a roller coaster of emotions, messages, things said or written -- all which can be interpreted in a number of ways, good or bad.

We're really fortunate to have the best in the business on our side.  IlliniGuys Insider Brad Sturdy, joined by Director of Recruiting Kedric Prince, leads our team of insiders that keep us updated with the very latest regarding the Illini:  who is staying, thinking of leaving, turning pro, on the fence...and what top transfers have their sights set on Orange and Blue.

We have no idea where this will all land, so all we can do is say 'strap in' and get ready.  Sturdy delivers the good on an almost daily basis and sparks so much conversation that our message boards stay in midseason form.

Here's his latest contribution.  Some eye-popping stuff here and a possible foreshadowing of some decisions and/or announcements that could take as early as this week.

For up-to-the-minute updates, subscribe to IlliniGuys.com.  Don't get left out!

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

March 26, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Matt Stevens/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN -- Once again (and for the last time), since I was stuck in airports during the open media window and interviews coming out of the first Illinois spring practice, we’re going to go ahead and call this the third practice report but forget that the first practice existed.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

March 24, 2022

Illinois made its first big splash on the recruiting front when 4-star athlete Kaeden Faegin of Arthur, Illinois decided to stay close to home when he chose the Illini. 

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

March 25, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Prep Redzone)

The Fighting Illini are off to a great start with the class of 2023 after Wednesday's commitment of 4-star running back Kaden Feagin from Arthur-Lovington looking to lead the charge.

With the Knights' highly-touted two-way star in the fold, head coach Bret Bielema now locks in on making good on his pledge of prioritizing the best in-state prospects.  And that means Antwon Hayden is high on his priority list..

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker/athlete from East St. Louis will visit the Illinois campus this weekend.