Football

While acknowledging assistant coaches could be poached by other programs, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema says he won’t force change before the bowl game.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 11, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois coaching staff will remain completely intact throughout the two-week preparation for the Music City Bowl game.

Illinois fifth-year head coach Bret Bielema confirmed he didn’t anticipate making changes to his coaching staff before the completion of the postseason game against Tennessee on Dec. 30 (4:30 p.m. CST, ESPN) in Nashville. In the on-campus Music City Bowl media conference inside the Smith Family Football Complex in Champaign, Bielema declined to confirm if he’d be forcing change to his coaching staff for the upcoming 2026 season but the Illini head coach seemed more concerned on members of his coaching staff being poached this month as the carousel of head coaching changes in the sport could result in Illini staff members being pursued by recent openings.

“I haven't really had many conversations with our staff," Bielema said on Sunday. “I just know that when you hire good coaches, people that there's going to be things that happen.

By Kedric Prince - Sr. Recruiting Analyst December 10 […]

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular December 8, 2025 The […]

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema says he’s conducted a one-on-one meeting with Altmyer and exchanged text messages with Altmyer’s mother about the Music City Bowl.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 7, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Despite doing everything in his power to not spoil an upcoming announcement from the player himself, Bret Bielema did everything but confirm he will have his three-year starting quarterback for one more game.

In the on-campus Music City Bowl acceptance media conference inside the Smith Family Football Complex on Sunday afternoon, Bielema confirmed he has conducted one-on-one meetings with players out of eligibility after this postseason game, including starting quarterback Luke Altmyer. Bielema also said Sunday he received a text message from Altmyer’s mother, Betsy, that “half of Mississippi will be there” and based off all of these elements, the expectation of Bielema and the rest of the Illini coaching staff is for Luke Altmyer to make one more start in the 2025 Music City Bowl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZbl6qJsCGU    

Illinois will play in a bowl game in consecutive […]

Illinois wins its Big Ten Conference opener for the […]

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

December 5, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

Illinois added a Vero Beach football player for the fifth straight year with the signing day of Micah "Champ" Smith. Smith is a four star player who flipped from a prior commitment to UCLA to Illinois over offers from nearly all the blueblood programs in the nation, most specifically Ohio State. Smith is a likely tackle but could play guard or even flip to the defensive side of the ball.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

Smith is a rare athlete who can make a difference on the field in numerous ways.

Illini head coach Bret Bielema has been strategic and intentional in his desire to build up the football pipeline from junior colleges to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 4, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — While a big percentage of the industry are intently focused on high school and transfer portal, the 2026 signing class showcased Bret Bielema’s strategy to find a third marketplace of talent - junior colleges.

Four members of the 30-player 2026 Illini signing class come from a recently ignored but talent-infused junior colleges and a trio of those older players at very important position groups will likely be asked to immediately take over starting role in the upcoming 2026 season.

With Illinois recently promoting more financial resources than they’ve ever had in the Bielema era to use for player acquisition, Bielema and his player personnel staff including general manager Patrick Embleton and executive director of player evaluations and acquisitions Nate McNeal still understand they still needed to find a strategic way to zig while the rest of power conference programs are zagging into this new world of a professional sports nature of college football recruiting. Enter a further evaluation of junior college prospects.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

December 4, 2025

Illinois filled a 300-pound size hole at a tackle position when College of the Canyons offensive tackle TJ Taylor pledged to the Illini over several high major offers from the lower tier of the Big Ten and SEC.  Taylor is a right tackle for College of the Canyons and that's where I project him for Illinois next year, probably as the starter from day 1.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

Taylor is a high-quality athlete who has developed an impressive skillset in his two years at College of the Canyons. 

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema has said for severa weeks that multiple high school signees could find themselves in the starting lineup for the 2026 season opener by September. Here’s a look a five possibilities.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 3, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — This 2026 recruiting class represents a brad new world for Illinois head coach Bret Bielema.

The fifth-year head coach, who just wrapped up his first consensus Top 25 ranked signing class on Wednesday, has consistently said for the last two weeks that he believes this recruiting haul could have multiple true freshman starters for the upcoming 2026 season. This is a claim that Bielema has never been able to publicly declare in his 16 years as a college football head coach despite winning three straight Big Ten Conference championships at Wisconsin and going to three straight bowl games at Arkansas.

“So, I knew when we signed Gabe Jacas that he was going to be a good player. I had a good feeling on that one,” Bielema said. “What makes this class different than any other class I’ve had here is I think I’ve got two to four guys who could walk in the door and instantly be starters. It’s not because they’re athletic but it’s because well, a lot of time freshmen play because of their mental ability more than their physical ability. You have to have a certain awareness in the way you’ve been built and this class will have a higher number of those people than any other I’ve ever had.”

IlliniGuys.com wanted to preview five possible instant starting options for the 2026 Illini that Bielema and his staff have acquired in this recruiting class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ4qHv2tdTU    

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

December 3, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

These are not the 10 highest rated, and probably not the 10 best players at this moment that Illinois is adding on signing day. But these are 10 guys that I think are the most important and will make a big impact at Illinois over the next 4 or 5 years.

This is a top 25 recruiting class and a class that has a chance to lay the groundwork for the Illini moving up a notch in the college football world.

Nick Hankins - Guys with elite cover skills do not grow on trees

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

December 3, 2025

(Cover photo player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — IlliniGuys Football Writer and Analyst Matt Stevens had a hunch that Illinois had a strong chance of flipping offensive lineman Micah Smith, a 6-foot-5, 325-pound standout from Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, Florida. That prediction proved accurate, as Smith backed off his pledge to UCLA and is now set to join Illinois’ 2026 recruiting class.

Smith originally committed to the Bruins in May, but Illinois was one of the programs heavily involved with him early. Before choosing UCLA, he held offers from a long list of national powers, including Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Indiana, Florida, Kentucky, Iowa State, Florida State, Ole Miss, Penn State, and North Carolina.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

December 3, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Chowan University)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois continues to build momentum in building a solid roster for next year, securing a commitment from Chowan University quarterback Maurice Smith Jr., who was officially offered a scholarship on Nov. 16 according to On3. The Illini have landed several impactful JUCO players in recent days, but adding a seasoned quarterback with proven production marks another meaningful step in reshaping the roster.

Smith, originally from Vero Beach, Florida, will arrive with one year of eligibility remaining. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound quarterback posted impressive numbers for the Hawks, throwing for 3,243 yards and 25 touchdowns this past season.