Football

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema sounding optimistic Williams, starting cornerback Tahveon Nicholson and starting linebacker Isaac Darkangelo will play Saturday vs. Minnesota

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 14, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ron Johnson/USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is sounding much more optimistic about getting key starters back for the game against Minnesota this weekend.

In his final local media obligation before the kickoff against the Gophers (4-1, 1-1 in Big Ten Conference) on Saturday morning (11 a.m., BTN), Bielema expressed more than hopeful language toward the playing status of three projected starters who left the 9-6 victory over Iowa last weekend with various injuries. The Illini second-year head coach said wide receiver Isaiah Williams (concussion), cornerback Taz Nicholson (concussion) and linebacker Isaac Darkangelo (lower body) are all expected to play.

By Zain Bando - IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

October 14, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

It was less than a year ago that Illini football remained deep into the abyss of the college football landscape. A team who struggled to secure wins, keep talent, and maintain a level of consistency that would make a passionate Illini fanbase proud.

As I type this, the date is October 14, 2022, the eve of the Illini’s biggest homecoming game in recent memory. At 5-1 (2-1 B1G) and ranked No. 24 in the nation, the Orange and Blue are on the verge of clinching its first bowl berth since 2019 and moving one step closer to a potential date with destiny in Indianapolis come December.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

October 14, 2022

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

Talk about a big game for the Illini as they host Minnesota this weekend in a game that could determine the Big Ten West race. And there will be plenty of interesting recruits on hand taking in the action.

Illini Head Football Coach Bret Bielema updates reporters prior […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

Oct. 13, 2022

Among the high school recruits on campus for the Iowa game was 2025 athlete Andre Lovett. The Blue Island, Illinois, 6-foot-2, 170-pound prospect was honored to be there.

This week’s film session will focus on what Illinois quarterback Artur Sitkowski does well and what Barry Lunney Jr. can put together for him to succeed on Saturday.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 12, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Steve Snider/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When Tommy DeVito was laying on the Memorial Stadium turf in the first quarter on Saturday pointing at his right ankle in pain, Art Sitkowski said he had one thought and one thought only in his mind.

“Yeah, I kept going over and over in mind that well, I’ve been here before,” Sitkowski said Saturday night after the 9-6 win. “This is something I’ve done before and there’s no reason I can’t do this again right now. And so, I just had to lead my team. I know how to do that.”

With DeVito’s injury status being in serious doubt for this weekend vs. Minnesota (11 a.m., BTN), IlliniGuys.com thought we’d use the film review to show how the game script will change with Sitkowski behind center.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

October 12, 2022

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

I looked at the remaining top targets for the 2023 class the other day but how about 2024?

Not to say that any of these kids are Illinois locks, because at this stage it’s unlikely any are, but these are some kids it appears the Illini are recruiting the hardest early on in the process.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

Oct. 11, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy the Hoitink family)

It was just a matter of time before recruits took notice of what is going on at Illinois. Last Saturday's game originally had 40 recruits who were supposed to visit. According to Bret Bielema, 200 came to watch Illinois take on its rival, the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Charlie Hoitink has a lot of upside. He's a 6-foot-4, 280-pound sophomore offensive tackle from Slinger, Wisconsin who grew up rooting for the Badgers, but Illinois has changed the thinking in the Hoitink household.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

October 11, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

I hope all of you enjoyed that great win over Iowa on Saturday night as much as I did.  The Orange and Blue across the board with clever coaching, hard playing and dealing with some adversity.   I have to believe that tremendous efforts of the DIA to get the fans out for a Saturday Night game had a big part in the win as well.  I'd sure like it if the Illini could clean up the turnover issues, but I'm going to stay in my lane on that one and stick with what I know: line play.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema deflected a question specifically asking if Art Sitkowski would start the game vs. Minnesota on Saturday. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer/Analyst

October 10, 2022

(Photos courtesy Ron Johnson/USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois head coach says he isn’t counting on the availability this weekend of any of the six players who were inactive on Saturday in the win over Iowa. 

And that certainly includes the quarterback position. 

Less than 48 hours after the 9-6 victory over Iowa in which the starting quarterback (Tommy DeVito), starting wide receiver (Isaiah Williams) and starting cornerback (Tahveon Nicholson) all left the game with injuries along with a high contributing linebacker (Isaac Darkangelo) and the inability in pregame for the starting place kicker (Caleb Griffin) and second-team tailback (Josh McCray) to play, Bret Bielema said Monday that he isn’t expecting but remains a little hopeful to see any of those injured players this Saturday versus Minnesota (11 a.m., BTN). 

Illini Head Football Coach Bret Bielema gives his weekly […]

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

October 10, 2022

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

It wasn’t pretty but it was another huge win for Illinois as they are now ranked in the AP Top 25, have the best defense in the country at 5-1.

By Zain Bando - IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

October 9th, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Steve Snider/IlliniGuys)

For the first time since 2008, the Illini (5-1, 2-1 B1G) knocked off the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-3, 1-2 B1G) to increase its home winning streak to five wins in the last six games dating back to 2021. In addition, the Orange and Blue are one win away from bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019.

A 9-6 defensive slugfest was the story of a Saturday night to remember in Champaign-Urbana. 44,910 fans — most of them Illini — packed Memorial Stadium to see the critical Big Ten West showdown.

Head coach Bret Bielema, who came to Illinois with a vision of what the program could become, now finds himself in unfamiliar territory given the team’s recent struggles over the years.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer October 9, 2022 CHAMPAIGN, […]

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 9, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ron Johnson/USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois coaching staff can really be grateful that the service academy lifestyle wasn’t as appealing to Fabrizio Pinton as he once thought it would be. 

The former prep school graduate from Texas, who earned acceptance to the Air Force Academy but lasted only one semester before entering the transfer portal, scored all nine of the Illini’s points on Saturday night in the 9-6 win over Iowa on a trio of field goals (27, 37, 36) after learning right before kickoff he’d be the starting placekicker.