Football

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

April 20, 2025

Illinois finally closed the deal on a longstanding recruitment of Jacksonville (Florida) Raines linebacker Tony Williams on Monday.  Williams is the type of athletic linebacker that linebackers coach Archie McDaniel has made a priority, and in fact, McDaniel had made no secret of his desire to feelings about Williams throughout the recruiting process.  McDaniel had been pushing for a commitment for months but Williams held off until he could visit the campus last weekend. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 19, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Just like that, Victor Singleton, a 2026 four-star cornerback from Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio), who had recently been on campus at the University of Illinois, has decommitted, according to On3Sports.

Illinois secures quality depth in the transfer portal with a Football Championship Subdivision product looking to compete with a Big Ten Conference program. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 19, 2025

Less than 12 hours after completing its spring football season, Illinois has once again gone to the Football Championship Subdivision level to add depth to its offensive line for the upcoming 2025 season. 

Ethan Moczulski, who holds the record for the longest converted field goal in Illini football history, has filed paperwork to enter the post-spring transfer portal. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 17, 2025

The player who holds the record for the longest field goal in University of Illinois football history has elected to do his kicking somewhere else for the remainder of his college eligibility. 

The 5-foot-9 Strain, a four-year player who redshirted in 2021, will have one season of eligibility remaining after missing the spring practice season following shoulder surgery.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 17, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Tyler Strain has elected to play his final season of eligibility somewhere other than Illinois.

The plan is for 3-star 2026 prospect Tony Balanganayi from Palatine (Ill.) High School to transition to a full-time defensive lineman at the college level with the Illini.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 17, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The newest commitment of the Illinois 2026 recruiting class will be started in Terrance Jamison’s defensive line room.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting April […]

Illinois running back Josh McCray, who had 114 yards and two touchdowns, in the 21-17 victory over South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl, plans to enter the transfer portal.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 15, 2025

The leading rusher of Illinois’ 2024 season and the most valuable player selection of the 2024 Citrus Bowl will not be on the Illini’s roster for the upcoming 2025 season.

Illinois uses a light-work Monday evening session to get corrections made from last weekend’s closed scrimmage session inside Memorial Stadium.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 15, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Good evening and welcome to the 13th spring football practice for the Illinois program for the 2025 season in the fifth campaign of Illini head coach Bret Bielema.

This low-intensity 90-minute practice session was held in Memorial Stadium without players in shoulder pads (just spider pads) and no full-contact hitting. The session was attended by several high-dollar donating ICON members and several season-ticket holding members of the 77 Club.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
April 14, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Once again, the state of Florida has delivered for the Illinois football program. Early this morning, defensive back Almirian Thomas announced his commitment to the Fighting Illini. While sources close to the program expected the decision, Thomas was so excited he couldn’t wait any longer to make his announcement public.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting April […]

Former Mississippi State and Purdue punter Keelan Crimmins represents the only new kicking member of the Illinois special teams unit for the 2025 season. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

April 12, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Keelan Crimmins has done a lot of things as a two-year starting punter at two different programs in his college career since the then-22-year-old arrived in the United States from the highly popular Prokick Australia program. 

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

April 10, 2025

Illinois continued its run of running backs from the Sunshine State when 6-foot, 205-pound Javari Barnett of Tampa Tech pledged to the Illini Sunday to break the Illini hoops stranglehold on recruiting news.  Barnett drew early offers from some of the biggest names in college football early on, but when he sprained a knee ligament in the third game of his junior year the recruiters from schools like Alabama, Tennessee, USC and Penn State backed off while Illinois continued to make Barnett a priority.  The continued attention paid off for the Illini with the commitment from the prototypical 21st century running back.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 6, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The state of Florida has been very kind to the Fighting Illini football program under the Bret Bielema era. On Sunday, Illinois received a commitment from Javari Barnett, a three-star running back from Tampa Bay, Florida.

TeRah Edwards college football career is officially over after the NCAA Eligibility Center ruled the Illini defensive tackle does not qualify for a waiver exemption for the upcoming 2025 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 3, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The waiver request submitted by the University of Illinois compliance office on behalf of defensive lineman TeRah Edwards was denied by the NCAA Eligibility Center.

In a university statement released Thursday morning, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirmed his office received the news of Edwards’ waiver appeal denial “last week”. Bielema said on March 13 during his Illini Pro Day media session inside the Smith Family Football Complex that paperwork has been filed to the NCAA Eligibility Center in order to potentially get Edwards another year of eligibility in college football.