Featured

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

February 16, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at an interesting new offer in the 2025 class and break down 2024 signee DE Angelo McCullom in four key categories.

Former Illini All-American Martin O’Donnell announces end to a […]

New Illinois football assistant coaches Archie McDaniel and Justin Stepp have been given a promise by their new boss Bret Bielema that he intends for them to add their name to the list of people who have been promoted to coordinator or head coach roles.  

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 16, 2023

CHAMPAIGN — Similarly to the promise a coach makes with a prospect, a pledge has been made by the Illinois head football coach to his two newest assistant coach hires - I’ll get you better.

Throughout the short interview process of hiring wide receivers coach Justin Stepp and inside linebackers coach Archie McDaniel, Bret Bielema has vowed to these two men that he can get them to a future coordinator position or even possibly a head coach spot in their respective careers. 

“The one thing that I consistently got from everybody who I talked to was (Bielema) makes you better as an assistant coach in every aspect of coaching,” McDaniel said in his first public comments since being announced hired to Bielema’s Illini staff on Feb. 9. “That was extremely attractive to me and intrigued me more than anything. I consider myself a sponge. I’ve been doing this 18 years and constantly am looking for ways to grow professionally and personally.” 

Illinois shoots an impressive 54.4 percent from the field to obtain the program’s first back-to-back victories over Penn State since 2009. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 15, 2024

Illinois picked up its most impressive victory of the 2023-24 season with a dominating performance at Penn State.

The Illini led for most of the final three quarters of its 86-71 win over a Nittany Lions squad that came into their home arena - the Bryce Jordan Center - at No. 26 in the latest NET rankings produced daily by the NCAA. 

Illinois RHP Jack Crowder, one of the program’s most anticipated signees in 2021, hopes to put all his natural ability together for a final year of college baseball.  

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 15, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — The last person to throw a pitch last season for Illinois may likely throw its first pitch in the 2024 campaign.

Senior right-hander Jack Crowder is likely to get the baseball first as the Illini look to rebound from its first under .500 season since 2017. And in a lot of ways, Crowder getting this opening game start for a 9 a.m. CST first pitch against Akron at Wake Forest’s David F. Couch Ballpark is fitting because the 6-foot-4 pitcher is looking to turn his results around as well. 

In his last appearance at the Big Ten Tournament at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., Crowder held Michigan to just one run over the final four innings while striking out five in a 55-pitch outing. He’ll be looking to find that level of success in Illinois’ first game of the 2024 season. 

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

February 15, 2024

It was a surprise when Matthew Bailey committed to Illinois right before signing day in 2022. No one even knew that Mac Resetich was even interested in playing football in college when he signed for Illinois on signing day last year, so that news came out of nowhere too. No serious Illinois football fan should have been shocked when Illinois offered Tanner Heckel a scholarship right before signing day in 2024.

Grant Beerman Eyes Future Amidst Multiple College Offers Including Illinois

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 14, 2024

Standing at an impressive 6-foot-4 and weighing 210 pounds, Grant Beerman has caught the attention of college football programs across the country, earning offers from prestigious schools such as Illinois, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Duke, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, Virginia, and more.

Beerman's junior year was nothing short of spectacular, earning him a well-deserved spot as a first-team All-Conference player in the Greater Miami Conference (GMC). His stat line speaks for itself, boasting 79 tackles, including 12 for loss, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 pass breakups. 

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

February 14, 2024

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

I’m this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at the battle between Bret Bielema and Mario Cristobal and take a look at 2024 OT signee Andrew Dennis in four key categories.

Terrence Shannon Jr.’s 31-point effort even made Michigan head coach Juwan Howard smile despite the fact he dominated the Wolverines in a 29-point blowout. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 13, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Even after a 29-point blowout loss, Michigan head coach Juwan Howard made it clear he wasn’t going to leave State Farm Center without showing appreciation to Terrence Shannon Jr.

Following a 97-68 home win for an Illinois team severely in need of a confidence-building performance, Howard put Shannon in a bear hug during the post-game handshake and whispered several things in the right ear of the 23-year-old guard that made the Illini’s leading scorer smile. 

By IlliniGuys Staff February 13, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 13, 2024

Hailing from East Saint Louis, IL, Jason Dowell is making waves in the football world as a standout 6-4, 275-pound Defensive Line 2025 prospect from Althoff Catholic High School. With an impressive four-star rating, Dowell has become one of the most sought-after recruits in the state of Illinois and nation.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is keen on keeping Dowell within the state, recognizing his potential as a game-changer on the defensive line. Dowell has garnered interest from Auburn, Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas State, Kansas, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon, Missouri, and USC.

In a recent interview with IlliniGuys,

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio Co-Host and Illini Uber-Insider

February 13, 2024

After a rough finish on Saturday the Illini are back in action against Michigan on Tuesday at the State Farm Center. The Illini want to get the bad taste out of their mouth from the final 7 minutes in East Lansing against a struggling Michigan squad. The Wolverines have lost 11 of 13 and since beating Iowa in Iowa City on December 10th they have lost their last 5 road games with the last 3 being by 19+. 

It’s a game Illinois should win, and a must win. 

Setting the Stage

#14 Illinois (17-6, 8-4 B1G) vs. Michigan (8-16, 3-10 B1G) 

Feb. 13, 2024 // 6 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center 

Stream: Peacock – Noah Eagle (Play-by-Play), Stephen Bardo (Analyst) 

Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas 

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood had some unpleasant and yet very choice words to describe his team’s mentality following one of the worst defensive efforts in several years last weekend.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 13, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Brad Underwood has broken out the emergency four-letter word about his basketball team - soft. 

It took one of the least consistent defensive efforts in several years for the emergency “soft” glass to be broken with just under a month remaining before postseason bids are handed out by the Illini seventh-year head coach. However, there Underwood sat inside the State Farm Center media room Monday afternoon calling his squad one of the most incredulous things his 60-year-old mind could think of following an 88-80 loss at Michigan State on Saturday afternoon. 

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

February 12, 2024

For 33 minutes it looked like Illinois was set to grab a massive road win at Michigan State. The Illini led 72-64 after a Marcus Domask 3 pointer and then after a Luke Goode blocked shot (it really happened), they got out in transition and Domask hit Harmon for a wide open wing 3 to go up by 11 with 6:47 to play. Ty Rodgers would foul on the rebound and Tyson Walker would make 2 free throws to begin the meltdown. 

Illinois would then go to Terrence Shannon for a 3 and then a mid-range jumper which were both misses, while Michigan State would get misses from Walker and Akins to keep it 72-66 with 5:05 to play.