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April 25, 2022

IlliniGuys.com's Brad Sturdy spent the weekend watching Illinois prospects at the EYBL event in Indianapolis.  The entire Illini coaching staff was in Nap City as well, pursuing the talent and even handing out some new offers to kids in the class of 2023,

Upon his return home Sunday night, Sturdy opened up for questions from IlliniGuys members and the following is the exchange.  Sturdy also adds some additional notes from the weekend.  What Illinois coaches think about transfer center and Kofi Cockburn replacement Dain Dainja and what makes the Illini's class of 2022 commits so special and unique?

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

Apil 18, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Vanderbilt Athletics)

The Fighting Illini added some size and experience to the defense line when Vanderbilt defensive tackle Rashaan Wilkins, Jr. decided to come to Champaign.  Wilkins was a two-year starter at Vanderbilt and figured to remain the starter at the SEC school but decided to enter the transfer portal when Vanderbilt made a coaching change.

Wilkins has taken a very unlikely route from Chicago to Champaign.  He started high school at Mt. Carmel in Chicago as a 6'2, 180 pound wide receiver.  He grew to 6'3, 240 pounds and excelled at both outside linebacker and tight end, but only showed enough to earn Division III offers coming out of high school.  Wilkins took the offer from nearby Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  Wilkins played two games at tight end and caught two passes, but injured his ankle and decided to save that year of eligibility and transfer to Monterey Peninsula Junior College in California.  Wilkins excelled at Monterey and ate his way to a sturdy 300 pounds. That brought the attention of several Division I programs and Wilkins selected Vanderbilt.  Wilkins earned steady playing time in his two years at Vanderbilt but decided to finish his career closer to home in Champaign, and Illinois is quite fortunate that he did.

April 24, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy ID Prospects)

IlliniGuys' Brad Sturdy is watching it all at the EYBL this weekend in Indianapolis.  He posted this on the IlliniGuys.com message forums late last night with more nuggets to come later today:

I was able to watch Meanstreets 16U (2024) squad twice today, they are playing up at 17U. Some thoughts. Illinois was the only school to watch them.

Illinois is swept at home in its Saturday doubleheader […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

April 23, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy The Depaulia)

David Jones, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound small forward from Scott Depot, West Virginia, is a sophomore  many Illinois fans will remember. The Illini went toe-to-toe with DePaul for Jones two years ago. But at the end, he wanted to be a Blue Demon.

Now Jones is in the NCAA transfer portal, one of more than 1,400 players looking for a better situation elsewhere. And Illinois is in the mix.

Jones is considered one of the top players in the portal.  This southpaw does not look as though he is going hard because of his demeanor, but Jones is a great athlete and very effective. 

Against Georgetown in February, Jones recorded the first-triple double in DePaul history. He had 22 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. He is another player who can score on all three levels and the kind of athlete the Illinois coaching staff is collecting.

Illinois bullpen gives us seven earned runs over final […]

Illinois picks up its first post-spring game verbal commitment with former junior college and FCS cornerback Terrell Jennings. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 23, 2022

CHAMPAIGN -- The journey for Terrell Jennings began as a nationally ranked rugby player and will likely end in a Illinois football jersey.

Jennings, who has gone from junior college in California to Football Championship Subdivision programs University of North Dakota and Minnesota State University, committed Friday morning to the Illini program as an instantly eligible graduate transfer for the upcoming 2022 season. 

Jennings, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back, is expected to immediately add to the Illini’s cornerback depth that will also include projected starters Devon Witherspoon and Tahveon Nicholson and battle with redshirt freshmen Tyler Strain and D.D. Snyder for depth positions or could challenge for the nickel cornerback spot when he arrives back in Champaign in July. 

In a phone interview Friday evening with IlliniGuys.com, Jennings confirmed he was on the Memorial Stadium sidelines during the Orange-Blue spring game and elected before he left two to end his recruitment after entering the portal less than two weeks ago. 

Illinois moves into a tie of first place in […]

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By Zain Bando - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

(Cover photo courtesy Zain Bando/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, IL – Bret Bielema addressed the media after Thursday’s spring football game, as the White team prevailed 58-40 behind three touchdowns passes from Syracuse transfer quarterback, Tommy DeVito, along with two of them going to newly-minted wide receiver, Isaiah Williams.

Bielema had a lot of high praises, especially when it came to his new quarterback.

“Offensively, I liked the way Tommy handled the huddle. We've always known that he has a live arm.... dynamic,” Bielema said.

The old ball coach made it clear, however, that it’s DeVito’s job to lose once the summer hits, hinting at when Art Sitkowski might return from his shoulder injury.

“When we start in June, Art Sitkowski will be a full go,” he said.

Bielema also enjoyed the swagger of Kendall Smith, a defensive back who has been through the ups and downs of the program’s current rebuild.

Tommy DeVito shined with three touchdown passes but the Illinois starting quarterback question will still depend on seeing Art Sitkowski actually throw a football. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

April 21, 2022

CHAMPAIGN -- The good and bad news for Bret Bielema is he couldn’t name a starting quarterback following the spring game even if he wanted to do so. 

Zain Bando, IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

April 21, 2022

Quarter-by-quarter impressions from the IlliniGuys first Student Correspondent.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

April 21, 2022

Now that it is official that All-American center Kofi Cockburn will try to play professionally next year in the NBA, Illinois must keep moving.

The Illini already possess the nation's 10th best-recruiting class in 2022, but expect to really hit the transfer portal hard in the coming weeks.

A name that has surfaced before in the transfer portal and now may get more attention is Manny Bates, a 6-foot-11, 230-pound forward from Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The North Carolina State big man played in just one game before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury this year and then choosing to become the fourth player to leave the Wolfpack program this spring.

April 21, 2022

 IlliniGuys Staff

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

So...it's the morning after.  The smoke has cleared and the Illini now step into a future that will be defined in the history books as the "post-Ayo & Kofi" era.

The impact that All-Americans Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn made on the Illinois program can and will never be denied.  From a record-setting 21-loss season to a seat at the table as one of the top 20 teams in the country.  And climbing.  With two conference championship banners as conquests of the nation's toughest conference, you could argue their current status is even more exclusive than that.

As Cockburn waves goodbye and now works to follow his ex-Illini teammate into the NBA, the Illinois coaching staff can now move forward.  

So what will this roster look like this fall?  Who are the top targets to fill the open scholarships as the Illini chase after a repeat Big Ten regular season title?

IlliniGuys' Brad Sturdy always has the goods.  He was the first to tell you Tuesday afternoon that Kofi was turning pro and last night he delivered the very latest on who could be next up.

It's a fun time to be an Illini fan!

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood knows his squad will be drastically different without the focus of a 7-foot 290-pound All-American in the middle. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

April 20. 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN -- We’ve reached the point where the basketball program at Illinois must now figure out how to function in a post-Kofi Cockburn world. 

The 7-foot, 290-pound center has literally and figuratively been the figure the Illini have revolved around on both ends of the playing floor for the better part of two seasons. Over the last three seasons with Cockburn on the roster, Illinois has produced a 68-27 overall record, a 44-16 mark in Big Ten Conference play and won the 2021 Big Ten Conference Tournament championship and won a share of the 2022 league regular-season title. 

On the date of April 20, 2022, Brad Underwood stood in the Fighting Illini Center for Excellence offices beginning the explanation of what his team could look like and how it’ll function without arguably the most dominant center in program history and in all likelihood, all five starters from the 2021-22 season. 

“I think we’ll just be different…and that’s okay. I’m not afraid to change,” Underwood said.