Football

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

September 8, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Saboor Karriem)

There is a big non-conference football game this weekend in Champaign as Illinois takes on Virginia at Memorial Stadium.

That gives the Illini an opportunity to host an outstanding cornerback from West Orange, New Jersey. Saboor Karriem is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound three-star recruit who will be making his second visit to campus.

We caught up with West Orange High School coach Darnell Grant, who shared his thoughts on Karriem and the Illinois coaches after his first visit back on June 3rd.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema all but confirmed Monday that he sent the review of Hightower’s play in the corner of the end zone in the second quarter at Indiana to the Big Ten Conference office.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 8, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- By the time the bus carrying the Illinois football team and staff arrived back on its campus on Saturday morning, Brian Hightower felt the need to make sure his head coach still trusted him.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

September 7, 2022

Last Friday was a rough day for the Orange and Blue but the good news is that the defensive front seven performed very well all day. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

September 7, 2022

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

The Illini host Virginia this weekend in what has become a must win for their bowl chances by most accounts.

Neither Illinois head coach Bret Bielema nor offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. are sure who to put on the field when All-Big Ten tailback Chase Brown needs an in-game break. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 6, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The search for Illinois’ second tailback behind Chase Brown is still ongoing. 

llinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. will not hear of anybody saying his boss, Bret Bielema, is tying his hands with his scheme. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 6, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Barry Lunney Jr. didn’t need much time at all to shoot down any implication that his boss is micromanaging his offensive scheme. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Beat Reporter

September 5, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois freshman wide receiver Shawn Miller

Illinois had two plays to get two yards to seal the Big Ten Conference opener at Indiana and couldn’t punch it. We examine what happened to allow Illinois to get stuffed. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 5, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- One yard. 

For the rest of time as we know it, any record book will show Illinois lost its 2022 Big Ten Conference opener at Indiana by three and while that is true, points is not entirely the most accurate measuring stick to use in this endeavor. 

Illinois lost Friday night by three…as in feet. The Illini (1-1, 0-1 in Big Ten) failed to get three yards (and based on the spot of the ball it was probably less than a yard) on a fourth-and-goal situation where Barry Lunney Jr.’s offense could’ve taken an eight-point lead and all but guaranteed itself a 2-0 start to the 2022 campaign. 

However, Chase Brown was stuffed for a three-yard loss and managed to just total one yard on the three goal-to-go carries he was given on a night where finished with 199 yards on 36 carries and a 5.5 yard-per-carry average against Indiana’s undersized defensive front. 

Let’s take a look at how Illinois failed to put this game away and left Illini head coach Bret Bielema so frustrated leaving Bloomington with his first career loss to Indiana. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

September 5, 2022

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

This isn’t how it was supposed to go.

y Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

September 4, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy the Brummel family)

Belay Brummel is another Illinois prep who Illinois is looking to possibly add to the class of 2023.

Brummel is listed as a 6-foot-1, 180-pound quarterback from Wheaton Academy in Chicago, a preparatory school.

Head coach Bret Bielema, in his second year at the helm, said, "Great programs develop depth, being able to recognize talented players that fit what you're doing. If you look at the successful programs all across the country that's what they have."

Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy September 4, 2022 The loss to […]

With Illinois losing another game in frustrating fashion, Bret Bielema now has a week to prepare his Illini squad for the most important 60 minutes of what will be his 15th game as head coach.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 3, 2022

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- It’s now official.

Illinois finds nearly every way to give away a conference road game Friday night and on the final drive of the drive, Indiana finally accepts the gift of a 23-20 victory. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 3, 2022

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Bret Bielema has previously expressed a long-standing theory that more games at this level are lost and then outright won. 

The roster of players that Bielema is employed to coach vigorously proved that point in their Big Ten Conference opener Friday night in a 23-20 loss at Indiana. 

On a night where Illinois outgained the host Hoosiers for the entire evening, Bielema’s squad had penalties, special teams mistakes, dropped passes and defensive secondary lapses that led to instant points and life for an Indiana team desperately looking to respond from a 2-10 campaign last season. 

“I’ve been in this business long enough that in order to win, you got to stop yourself from losing and I think as a head coach and us as coaches, we have to do a better job of emphasizing the things we did that were self-inflicting,” Bielema said after the loss. “I could literally go through the game from offense and defense all the nonsense things we did that we have to clean up.” 

Illinois falls 23-20 in an instant classic in Bloomington

Zain Bando, IlliniGuys Contributor

September 3, 2022 

I settled in to watch Illinois (1-0) take on Indiana (0-0) in Bloomington for the most important game of the regular season to-date.

September 2, 2022 The Illini travel to Bloomington, IN […]