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By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 29, 2025

Illinois remained hot on the recruiting trail when Lincoln Way West Edge Rusher Jacob Alexander pledged to the Illini on Monday.  Alexander was among a large group of recruits in Champaign for the Junior Day weekend last weekend and we hope he is merely the first of many commitments from the weekend.  As for Alexander himself, he is a 6'4 240 pounder who plays in a sort of DE/ OLB hybrid for Lincoln Way, and though he only had 36 tackles and 5 sacks last year and merited only a mid 3 star ranking from the recruiting services, I like him more than most.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 28, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Dylan Mingo's page on X)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — While Illinois football has been making waves with its impressive recruiting efforts, let’s not overlook the success of Illinois basketball, which has long set the recruiting standard in Champaign.

Brad Underwood, hired before both football coach Bret Bielema and women’s basketball coach Shauna Green, continues to elevate the Illinois basketball program. Together, the three coaches have put their respective programs to a higher level.

According to Rivals, Bielema’s 2026 recruiting class ranks 17th nationally. Green’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked seventh in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz, making Illinois the only Big Ten women’s basketball program in the top 10.

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

By IlliniGuys Staff January 27, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

In her 113th career game at Illinois, fifth-year center Kendall Bostic reached the top of the school’s all-time rebounding record Monday night against Purdue. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 27, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Before every game she’s played in college, Kendall Bostic calls her dad to discuss the game plan. 

It’s a routine and tradition that Bostic can kept throughout her five-year college playing career, one at Michigan State and four at Illinois, and a daily father-daughter phone call is something that both hope continue long after Bostic is done playing the sport she loves. 

“He’s a coach and he’ll never stop being a coach,” Kendall Bostic said about her dad following the 83-74 season-opening victory on Nov. 7 against then-No. 19 Florida State. “I’ll always ask him ‘what’s your take?’ or ‘what do you see?’ And God love him, he’s goes all in on the scouting reports. He'll send paragraphs. It helps. I love it. He'll send clips and he'll watch stuff. It's just a cool relationship I have with him over basketball. He helped me get to where I am today. I didn't have any of the trainers. I played AAU and worked out with my dad. I credit him to where I am today because he got me here, so I always like to kind of hear his input before games.”

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 27, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After another visit to Champaign, edge rusher Jacob Alexander had seen enough. It was time to let the rest of the country know that he will be playing football for the University of Illinois.

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

January 27, 2025

If you could bottle up the energy that the Illini had on Sunday against in state foe Northwestern, you could have a team that is ready to go somewhere. The Illini cruised to an 83-74 win, leading by 20 points the majority of the game before a Northwestern fake rally at the end. The Illini placed 6 players in double figures and 7 of them had 8 or more points as they moved to 14-6 and 6-4 in league play.

Here’s a recap:

These 3 Things

Energy Is Contagious

By IlliniGuys Staff January 27, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 26, 2025

Illinois closed the deal with wide receiver Kenyon Alston on Orlando's Bishop Moore High School on Wednesday.  Alston had long been rumored to be an Illinois lean, so much so that fellow Class of 2026 QB Michael Clayton has been talking about him as a future teammate from the time of Clayton's commitment.  Alston is a big time get whose high 3 star ranking is a bit misleading given that he has 20+ high major offers including Florida State and Miami.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

Illinois first-year center Morez Johnson has a confidence-building performance in the in-state rivalry win over Northwestern.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 26, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — If there’s a college basketball head coach who has seen what a motivated and angry Morez Johnson can do for a basketball team, it’s Northwestern’s Chris Collins.

Whether it’s been his first three years at St. Rita or his senior year at Thornton Township High School, Johnson’s high school career has been about an hour drive south on Highway 41 from the Northwestern University campus and Collins, who has had a connection to the state of Illinois practically his whole life, had heard about the Illini’s 6-foot-9 freshman big since about the time Johnson entered puberty.

By IlliniGuys Staff January 26, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema declined to get into specifics about assistant coaching contracts and was vague about staff retention for the 2025 season. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 26, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When it comes to the topic of retention of his 2024 coaching staff, Bret Bielema refused to get into specifics and was intentionally vague in his first media session in nearly a month. 

The Illinois head coach claimed Sunday he “for the most part, feel really good about” about the 10 primary assistant coaches to be back on his Illini staff when spring practices begin in late March and early April. 

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

January 26, 2025

The Illini are back in action on Sunday and will once again be short-handed with 7’1 center Tomislav Ivisic against Northwestern. The Wildcats beat the Illini in Evanston back in December by a 70-66 score in overtime behind 27 points from Nick Martinelli. This time Illinois has a sold-out home crowd and are hoping for a bit of revenge.

Here’s a look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage

#17 Illinois (13-6, 5-4) vs. Northwestern (12-7, 3-5)
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 // 2 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: BTN – Dave Revsine (Play-by-Play) & Jordan Taylor (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 25, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team finds itself in a must-win situation as it prepares to face cross-state rival Northwestern after dropping two consecutive conference games against Michigan State and Maryland.

Thursday's loss against Maryland was witnessed by a familiar face