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

October 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini fell to Ole Miss on Sunday in a charity exhibition 92-74 as the Rebels changed their name to ‘Can’t Miss’ and made it rain from 3 point range. The Rebels also stifled the Illini early on with their physical defense and getting ito passing lanes and making it difficult for them. 

Here are our takeaways from this one. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert

October 29, 2024

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll take a look at the latest, and most surprising, commitment.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema believes second-year starting quarterback Luke Altmyer and offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. weren’t on the same communication level on Saturday at Oregon.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Sunday represented a therapy day set up by Illinois head coach Bret Bielema for offensive play-caller Barry Lunney Jr. and quarterback Luke Altmyer to voice things out.

The Illini fourth-year head coach suggested Monday, less than 48 hours after a 38-9 loss at No. 1 Oregon in the previous weekend, whatever the second-year starting quarterback Altmyer was trying to say Saturday wasn’t being heard or interpreted correctly by the Illinois coaches.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the players and coaches arrived at the Illinois team facility Sunday morning, Pat Bryant wanted to guarantee his head coach that he’d be available for the following game against Minnesota.

Upon seeing and hearing that face-to-face interaction, Illinois fourth-year head coach Bret Bielema reminded Bryant he’s not qualified to make that kind of promise.

“He literally told me (Sunday) there’s not a chance he’s not playing in this game,” Bielema said in his Monday media conference inside Memorial Stadium. “I said to him that unless you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night and got a doctorate degree that I’m not aware of, you don’t get to make that call.”

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 25, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. and wide receivers coach Justin Stepp secured their commitment from three-star recruit Brayden Trimble of Mt. Zion, Illinois. Trimble committed to Illinois in early May and stands firm on it.

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

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 27, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Oxford, MS — One of the most iconic westerns of all time, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966), starred Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef. Today, the Illinois men’s basketball team found itself in a fitting comparison as it traveled to Oxford, Mississippi, to take on the 24th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels in an exhibition game.

After Illinois’ impressive March run and a revamped roster, fans were excited to see the ten new players on the 2024-25 roster. However, the Illini faced a veteran Ole Miss team — the second-oldest in Division I basketball. Today’s game showed the importance of experience, as the Rebels beat Illinois 91-74 in front of 7,023 fans at the Pavilion.

By IlliniGuys Staff October 27, 2024 OXFORD, Miss. - […]

Oregon’s ability to avoid first open-field tackle leads to forgettable first 30 minutes from Illinois defense in blowout loss in Pacific Northwest. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 27, 2024

EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon’s offense needed just one missed tackle to showcase its track-level tempo and Illinois certainly allowed that speed to showcase itself. 

Brad Sturdy, Illini Insider & IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio Host

October 27, 2024

No, that isn’t a typo, the Illini are set to face an old and physical Mississippi basketball squad on Sunday in a game that Brad Underwood loves. Under Chris Beard the Rebels will be physical and he has added an older and more talented squad, leading to their first ever preseason ranking in the coaches poll.

Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant left the game Saturday in the second half under the watch of Illini training staff after a hit to the heck area and went straight to the locker room after the hit.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 26, 2024

(Photos courtesy Illinois Athletics)

EUGENE, Ore. — Illinois could be without its leading receiver for the start of the final month of the season.

After receiving a hit to the head and/or neck area following a pass breakup in the fourth quarter of the 38-9 loss at No. 1 Oregon, Pat Bryant was immediately taken off the field by Illinois training staff and taken straight to the visiting locker room. The fourth-year receiver, who came into Saturday leading the Illini with 31 receptions for 484 yards and seven touchdowns, did not return to the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jJWVEezI2E    

Oregon’s nationwide recruiting brand has allowed Dan Lanning’s meteoric rise and the Ducks showed Illinois Saturday what a No. 1 ranked program should, could and does look like.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 26, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

EUGENE, Ore. — Well, it’s official. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what a number one ranked team looks like.

And in so many different ways, it’s critical that Bret Bielema’s Illini saw what that kind of creature looks, acts and behaves like. Identification is, of course, the first step toward possible elimination in the future.

By IlliniGuys Staff October 26, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 26, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois guard Kylan Boswell grew up in Urbana-Champaign until his eighth-grade year before moving to California for high school. He ended his prep career at AZ Compass Prep in Phoenix, where he averaged 14 points per game as a junior. In the summer of 2022, Boswell reclassified to join the Arizona Wildcats, beginning with the 2022-23 season.