Football

Illinois wide receiver Jayshon Platt is among 44 pass […]

August 19, 2026 Illinois named six captains for the […]

Illinois tailback Ca'Lil Valentine was one of 62 players […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 18, 2026

CHAMPAIGN – He’s larger than life. At 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, Micah “Champ” Smith is one of those guys who fits the “big man on campus” stereotype of a highly-rated football recruit. Not too long ago, though, that could have been a different campus.

Smith, a four-star recruit hailing from Fort Pierce, Florida, had been committed to UCLA since last summer, but reopened his recruitment after the Bruins parted ways with head coach DeShaun Foster.

"It was a difficult process for me and my family,” Smith said. “Coach Foster being fired earlier in the season... it came down to us having to make a decision. They didn't sign a new staff until after National Signing Day, and I planned to sign on National Signing Day, so it was very, very difficult on me and my family."

Smith took official visits to Ohio State, Tennessee, and Texas, and was even spotted at an Illini game last fall — though during that visit to Gies Memorial Stadium, he declined to speak with reporters.

"We kind of went silent on the media just because a lot of false things were being put out around my name, and I didn't say anything,” Smith said. “Because there's no need for me to do that.”

New Illinois defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck says he’ll call the signals from the pressbox viewpoint during games for the first time in his career.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 17, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — For the first time in 34 years, Bobby Hauck will not be on the sidelines while coaching a college football game.

The first-year Illinois defensive coordinator confirmed Monday he will be in the Gies Memorial Stadium pressbox during the Illini’s season opener against the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Sept. 3 (8 p.m. CST, Big Ten Network).

“I’ve never done that for a game since I was a (graduate assistant at UCLA for then-head coach Terry Donahue),” Hauck said Monday. “I’ve been a head coach so long that I can’t remember doing that. I’ve done it here for every spring and camp scrimmage we’ve had so I’m just a believer in being able to see everything that is going on.”

It appeared several Illinois veteran players projected for the team’s two-deep were given the day off from contact on Monday as the Illini began its second week of preparations.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 17, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Zeno Jo/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN — Good afternoon and welcome to the 12th preseason camp practice for the Illinois program for the 2026 season in the sixth campaign of Illini head coach Bret Bielema.

Tonight was simply a 15-minute viewing period after the team stretching pre-practice period of the team using Memorial Stadium for the start of the second week of preseason camp. The Illinois players were back in just helmets, shoulder pads and shorts for this Monday session.

Local media, including IlliniGuys.com, were able to discuss items later on this afternoon. The IlliniGuys.com video of those media sessions should be available on our YouTube channel, X (@matthewcstevens) and on the IlliniGuys.com football board.

We’ll keep the positional change chart up for a few more days in case folks didn’t see it or there are more items to add to it in the coming days.

The Big Ten Conference had the top two teams […]

By IlliniGuys Staff August 15, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By IlliniGuys Staff August 13, 2026 CINCINNATI, Ohio - […]

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirms the addition of 23-year-old wide receiver as a late addition to the 2026 roster but still unsure of his playing status in games.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 13, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's Instagram page)

CHAMPAIGN — While Illinois has officially added 23-year-old transfer wide receiver Josh Lorick as a final addition for the 2026 season, Illini head coach Bret Bielema gave reservations about his eligibility for upcoming games.

Lorick, who is from Adelanto, Calif., is officially on the 2026 roster with a No. 87 jersey number and listed as a fifth-year player. Illinois brought in Lorick, who has played two years of junior college football in California and just finished two seasons at the Football Championship Subdivision program Incarnate Word, for an official visit this past weekend in the hope he could provide depth in the wide receiver room for his final season of college football.

Lorick, listed at Incarnate Word at 6-foot and 170 pounds, is trying to play a fifth season of college football following a ruling from the U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Denver that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season in 2026-27.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

August 13, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois may have a built in advantage in the recruitment of defensive end Ty Kirkpatrick, a three star prospect from Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Kirkpatrick, a member of the 2028 recruiting class, received a scholarship offer from Illinois in late July. While his recruitment is still in its early stages, the Illini have something working in their favor that goes beyond football: familiarity.

Illinois recently caught up with the highly ranked ESPN prospect to gauge where his recruitment stands and how he views the Illini after developing a relationship with defensive line coach Jordan Thomas and other members of the program.

“My relationship so far has been really good. My high school (Cardinal Newman) has multiple players and ties with Illinois,

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 11, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Zeno Jo/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN – As Illinois Football works through its preseason camp, members of the program’s best-ever freshman class are capitalizing on changes, some positive and some negative, to make the most of reps.

Earlier in the summer, the NCAA officially approved a new age-based eligibility model, which will likely bring an end to the redshirt freshman as we know it now. Head coach Bret Bielema, speaking to local media on Saturday, said the new “five-in-five” model is already having an early impact, with true freshmen getting early reps without losing what would have been a year of eligibility.

“Everybody’s trying to figure out how this rule change is gonna affect college football,” he said. “In years past, we’ve kind of even transitioned (away) from guys after four games to guys we wanted to keep their eligibility. To have that alleviated is really big.”

Last year, players like Xanai Scott, Brayden Trimble, RJ Jones III, and Isaiah White played in four games or fewer to retain eligibility, but without having to worry about the four-game limit, there’s more room to experiment.

IlliniGuys.com details noteworthy items from the 15-minute media viewing portion of the seventh practice of the Illini’s 2026 preseason camp session.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 10th, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Zeno Jo/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN — Good afternoon and welcome to the seventh preseason camp practice for the Illinois program for the 2026 season in the sixth campaign of Illini head coach Bret Bielema.

Tonight was simply a 15-minute viewing period after the team stretching pre-practice period of the team using the grass fields in front of the Smith Center for the first time in preseason camp.

Local media, including IlliniGuys.com, are expected to have a media session today with linebackers coach Roger Cooper, defensive backs coach Corey Parker, defensive lineman Pat Farrell, linebacker Ismael Kante and safety Mac Resetich later on this afternoon. The IlliniGuys.com video of those media sessions should be available on our YouTube channel, X (@matthewcstevens) and on the IlliniGuys.com football board.

We’ll keep the positional change chart up for a few more days in case folks didn’t see it or there are more items to add to it in the coming days.

Illini Positional Changes and/or Jersey Number Changes for upcoming 2026 season
WR Jacob Eberhart - what Bielema called a temporary “sixth-month lease” move from defensive back
WR Jershaun Newton - positional switch from quarterback
TE Kaden Feagin - No. 83 from No. 3
DL Will Holmes - positional switch from linebacker to defensive end/OLB
WR Nate Cichy - late signee after decommitting from Harvard - No. 19
OLB Carter Smith - listed on roster as a DL but is working with Archie McDaniel’s OLB position group
LB Des Straughton - listed on roster as a DB but working with Roger Cooper’s LB position group
LB Kaedyn Cobbs - listed on roster as a DB but working with Roger Cooper’s LB position group

Illini Injury Report

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema answered a question at Big Ten Media Days on how his program was able to afford a 38-player signing class from high school and junior college prospects by saying his program doesn’t offer immediate salary to high school prospects. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 10., 2026

CHICAGO — When asked about the cost of recruiting high school players continually getting more expensive every year, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said his program doesn’t have that problem. 

“Well, we’re not paying any high school players. Some teams are but we are not,” Bielema said at the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days.

During the early signing period last December, Illinois’ 2026 signing class was ranked No. 21 in the nation by 247Sports.com, eclipsing the previous high of 22nd in 2008 and 2007. The 2026 recruiting haul included nine signees that received at least one four-star rating by a national recruiting service, the most in program history. The Illini's four-star signees include outside linebacker Kayden Bennett (ESPN), defensive lineman Parker Crim (Rivals), defensive back/wide receiver Jacob Eberhart (Rivals), defensive back Nick Hankins Jr. (247/ESPN/Rivals), defensive back Jakwon Morris (ESPN), offensive lineman Kai Pritchard (247/ESPN), wide receiver Nas Rankin (247/ESPN), offensive lineman Micah “Champ” Smith (ESPN), and linebacker Cameron Thomas (ESPN).

The reporter was asking the question to Bielema about the annual increased expenses of the guaranteed salaries for high school and junior college signees and marveled at Illinois signing 38 first-year players from that player marketplace in a 2026 recruiting class

Following the federal court ruling in Colorado on eligibility for Class of 2022 athletes, Illinois coaches have brought in a wide receiver from a Football Championship Subdivision program.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 9, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — Illinois brought in a wide receiver for an official visit this weekend in the hope he’ll be the final addition to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season.

Josh Lorick, a 23-year-old who has played two years of junior college football in California and just finished two seasons at the Football Championship Subdivision program Incarnate Word, confirmed via his Instagram page that he spent this past weekend as a recruiting visitor in Champaign-Urbana.

Less than two weeks before on-campus classes begin and 25 days before his team opens the 2026 season at Gies Memorial Stadium against the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Sept. 3 (8 p.m., Big Ten Network), Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is looking to further bolster his wide receiving group with a transfer player that already has 26 games of experience.