Spotlight on Isaiah Adams
Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst
December 17, 2021
I decided to start my week of signing day spotlights with Isaiah Adams because I believe he's the one guy on this list that Illini nation is going to have to know about first.
Fly on the Wall Part 1 - Meet St. Francis
December 20, 2021
It’s a 2-day scout and game prep for Illinois basketball in today’s day and age of analytics and video, and our insider Brad Sturdy was able to be a fly on the wall for two days of prep and scouting before the St. Francis game last weekend. In the first of this 3-part series, we look at the last full practice prior to the game.
9AM Friday
At 8:30AM, the 3 Freshmen, RJ Melendez, Luke Goode and Brandin Podziemski are getting shots up in the State Farm Center. I’m told that one of the biggest (pleasant) surprises has been the time spent in the gym by these 3. Although they have had their issues at times, they are beginning to ‘get it’. Underwood said the last week of practice and these 3 games over break will be important for them if they want to be in the mix in Big Ten play.
‘Film Room’ is called out repeatedly as the timer on the State Farm Center basket ticks down, and the players, coaches and staff head to the ‘Ready Room’.
The Ready Room in the State Farm Center is the multi-media room, there are about 25 seats in 3 rows where the players sit in the first two rows and they watch film and clips. The session starts with Underwood going over COVID and the situation right now, with all of the shutdowns in college basketball, but quickly turns to the film session. This is actually the second film session on St. Francis. The players received their personnel packets and St. Francis team sheets on Thursday.
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Why Tommy DeVito Found a Perfect Fit with Illini Offensive Scheme
Tommy DeVito is transferring 857 miles from Don Bosco Prep School in New Jersey, but his private QB coach says the Illini offense will “get Tommy back to his football roots”.
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- By just introducing their offensive system this past season, the Illinois football program was recruiting Tommy DeVito without either party knowing it at the time.
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Illini Set School Record In 106-48 Rout of St. Francis (PA)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Kofi Cockburn recorded his 34th career double-double and the Illini hit a team record 18 three-pointers as Illinois cruised to a 106-48 win Saturday afternoon at State Farm Center.
Alfonso Plummer added 19 points, ending his streak of six consecutive games in which he scored 20 points or more. Jacob Grandison added 18 as Illinois (8-3) rebounded from an 83-79 defeat to Arizona on this same court a week earlier.
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Illini’s Underwood on Curbelo’s Instant Return: “It doesn’t work like that”
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer
December 17, 2021
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Do not expect to see Andre Curbelo playing in games before the end of the Christmas holiday season.
While still holding details back from the public on the nature of the ongoing condition of his sophomore point guard, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood did make it clear his staff is not aware of a current timeline for Curbelo’s active return to not only games but practices.
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Radio silent.
Bielema’s ‘Bruise Brothers’ Offensive Linemen Define First Full Recruiting Class
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- While it wasn’t exactly a mission from God, Bret Bielema’s first full recruiting class at his new program was built to put his version of the Illini band back together.
The 2022 recruiting class for the Illinois head coach was always going to have the look and foundation of what he wants this football program to be and early in this process it was the commitments of big, tough and athletic offensive linemen who stayed loyal throughout the fall months that will define the success or failure of this recruiting class.
“What is significant about this first class? I think it embodies what we believe in,” Bielema said in his Wednesday media conference. “We have a strong belief here in the importance of offensive linemen and defensive linemen. We need numbers…so to get (the offensive linemen) and have the chance to mold them was critical.”
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