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

February 5, 2025

The Illini are headed to Piscataway on Wednesday night to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in what was expected to be a battle between 3 of the top Freshmen in the country. But Dylan Harper is likely out and although Ace Bailey and Kasparas Jakucionis continue to impress as lottery picks, Illini Freshman Will Riley and Morez Johnson took center stage in their last outing. Even without Harper, this is a fantastic group of youngsters.

Here’s a look at this matchup.

Setting the Stage

#23 Illinois (15-7, 7-5) at Rutgers (11-11, 4-7)
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 // 7:30 p.m. CT // Piscataway, N.J. // Jersey Mike’s Arena
TV: BTN – Jeff Levering (Play-by-Play) & Robbie Hummel (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas

Illinois will be hiring its fourth outside linebackers coach since 2022 as CBS/247Sports.com reports Clint Sintim will be leaving the Illini staff to join Jay Norvell’s Colorado State coaching staff. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

February 5,2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Clint Sintim will not be returning to Bret Bielema’s coaching staff at Illinois for the upcoming 2025 season. 

Bielema, who is entering his fifth season as the Illini’s head coach, confirmed the move in a scheduled media conference at State Farm Center on Sunday afternoon. The move to mutually part ways with Sintim, who came over from his alma mater Virginia, means Illinois will be hiring its fourth outside linebackers coach since 2022.

CBS Sports/247Sports.com were the first to report on Wednesday morning that Sintim is expected to join the Colorado State coaching staff, led by fourth-year head coach Jay Norvell, as inside linebackers coach. 

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 5, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois freshman Morez Johnson Jr. is living up to expectations and quickly becoming a fan and national media favorite. The 6-foot-9, 255-pound forward/center continues to improve, showing his talent with each game on the schedule.

The former Illinois Mr. Basketball, Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year, Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year, and Champaign News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year committed to Illinois in 2021 and remained loyal to his home-state university. Fans were excited about the new additions to this year's roster, including Carey Booth, Ben Humrichous, Kylan Boswell, Will Riley, Tomislav Ivisic, Jake Davis, Tre White, and potential NBA lottery pick Kasparas Jakucionis.

It was easy to overlook the talented Thornton High School product, but head coach Brad Underwood made sure the media knew what the Illini had in him.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 4, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's page on X)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois football prospect Cam Thomas is one of the top four-star recruits in the nation, according to Rivals.com, in the class of 2026. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker has done his homework on the Illini and is closely following both their committed recruits and potential additions in recent days and weeks.

Thomas is a teammate of Illinois’ 2025 commit Grant Beerman, also a four-star linebacker, at Lakota West High School. Beerman, who stands at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, has already pledged to the Illini would like to join forces with Thomas again at Illinois.

IlliniGuys.com details what it means to have five Illinois football assistant coaches are now operating without an approved contract.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the calendar flipped to February 1, the multi-year contracts of six University of Illinois football assistant coaches expired, including defensive coordinator Aaron Henry.

According to documentation obtained from Illinois Board of Trustees meetings minutes and public records requests by IlliniGuys.com, the contracts of Henry, tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Robby Discher, offensive line coach Bart Miller, defensive line coach Terrance Jamison and running backs coach Thad Ward saw their contracts end at midnight on Jan. 31, 2025. The four-year contract of football strength and conditioning coach Tenarius “Tank” Wright also expired on Friday.

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

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Recruiting Analyst

February 4, 2025

Illinois' football team made a big headline to take fans' minds off the ups and downs of the basketball team when cornerback Victor Singleton from Toledo Central Catholic committed to the Illini over offers from just about every team in the Big Ten.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 3rd, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – While much of the focus has been on Illinois' 2026 recruiting class, the work on 2025 continues. On Monday morning, the Illini secured a commitment from three-star Fenwick High School linebacker Jake Paris.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– Illinois forward Will Riley is Big Ten Freshman of the […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois freshman guard Kasparas […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – For the […]

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

February 3, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - With 15:39 to go in the second half, the Illini trailed Ohio State by 11 points and looked lost on both ends of the floor. The Buckeyes were hitting 3’s off the dribble and Illinois was struggling to make anything. Then, the Illini took advantage of what they were being given. Ben Humrichous hit a short jumper in the lane, Tomislav Ivisic had a pair of layups, Will Riley scored and then Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn had a put back and a steal and dunk that fired up the crowd and gave the Illini life.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 3, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois football is beginning to establish a trend in recruiting similar to what we saw in the 2019 season when the Illini landed Devon Witherspoon, Shammond Cooper, Keith Randolph, Seth Coleman, Casey Washington, Isaiah Williams, and Marquez Beason.

Illinois forward/center Morez Johnson finished Sunday with seven offensive rebounds on a team that leads the country in rebounding margin.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 2, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has seemingly re-invented a new and more efficient halfcourt set play for first-year forward/center Morez Johnson.

At a critical point in the half when Illinois was attempting turning the momentum of its matchup against Ohio State Sunday, the 19-year-old Johnson yelled for his lead guard Kasparas Jakucionis to shoot a three-pointer early in the shot clock. Even if the first-year guard missed long range shot, Johnson knew he’d track down the attempt in a position to do damage with the basketball.

By IlliniGuys Staff February 2, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]