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

February 6, 2025

The Illini once again got off to a slow start but this time were unable to overcome a poor shooting first half in an 82-73 loss at Rutgers. The Illini trailed by 17 points in the first half before storming back to take a lead, but they could never get any distance and a late Rutgers run led by future lottery pick Dylan Harper gave the Scarlet Knights the win. Will Riley showed flashes in the second half, scoring 11 second half points to help Illinois, but Harper had 15 in the second stanza to counteract Riley’s heroics.

Illinois falls to 15-8 and 7-6 in league play as they head to Minnesota on Saturday before a brutal stretch to close the season.

These 3(5) Things:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 6, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's page on X)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Ohio State may have won the 2025 college football national championship, but Illinois got a big victory of its own by landing three-star linebacker Cam Thomas from Buckeye country in West Chester, Ohio. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound standout chose the Fighting Illini over a host of Power Five programs, including Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Indiana, Duke, NC State, Oregon, Purdue, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) Illinois vs. Northwestern Date […]

By IlliniGuys Staff February 5, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois will boast arguably the most depth in its defensive front this spring than it ever has produced in the Bret Bielema era.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

February 5, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The offseason objective of Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and his defensive line coach Terrance Jamison was to completely overhaul a defensive front that admittedly already was seeing depth issues in the 2024 campaign.

Therefore, Bielema and Jamison both went to a familiar stomping grounds for success in the transfer portal by raiding the University of Wisconsin program.

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 […]