Football

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illini Football Sends a Message this Week

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illini Football Sends a Message this Week

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 20, 2022

When Illinois head basketball coach Brad Underwood got here, his staff started to offer prospects like drinking water

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Mississippi JUCO Offensive Lineman Gives Verbal Pledge to Illini’s 2022 Class

Mississippi JUCO Offensive Lineman Gives Verbal Pledge to Illini’s 2022 Class

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The title for largest human being on the Illinois 2022 football roster has now been handed to an offensive lineman named Zylon Crisler. 

Crisler, a native of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, has given his verbal commitment to Bret Bielema’s Illini football program and made the announcement official on Thursday afternoon. Crisler, who was named a Class 6A first team all-state selection by the athletics association for Mississippi’s private high schools two years ago, spent last season as a member of the starting offensive line at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

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Breaking: Chicago-based Illini Guardians Kickstarts Major NIL Initiative

Breaking: Chicago-based Illini Guardians Kickstarts Major NIL Initiative

By Larry Smith - IlliniGuys Staff January 20, 2022 […]

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illinois Football Talks with 2024 Prospect

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illinois Football Talks with 2024 Prospect

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 20, 2022

Chauncey Bowens is a 6-foot-1, 205-pound running back from North Palm Beach

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Simeon WR updates his recruitment

Simeon WR updates his recruitment

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting 

January , 2022

Malik Elzy, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver from Chicago

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Luke Ford Turning Down NFL Chance to Return For Illini’s 2022 Season

Luke Ford Turning Down NFL Chance to Return For Illini’s 2022 Season

Luke Ford’s belief in Bret Bielema’s Illinois staff and […]

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Stetson Football Transfer Ready to Work

Stetson Football Transfer Ready to Work

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

January 16, 2022

Most successful DI football programs have a strong redshirt and walk-on system. In his second year, Illinois head coach Brett Bielema is starting to do just that.

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Illini DL Jamal Woods Returning For Sixth Season

Illini DL Jamal Woods Returning For Sixth Season

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Miles McVay Talks Weekend Recruiting

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Miles McVay Talks Weekend Recruiting

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 15, 2022

Miles McVay is an offensive tackle

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Football Coaching Analysis - What can we expect from Barry Lunney?

Football Coaching Analysis - What can we expect from Barry Lunney?

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 13, 2022

While fans of major college teams around the country wouldn't have been surprised by Illinois' sudden replacement of Tony Petersen with Barry Lunney, Jr

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Hunter Nourzad’s Final Five Transfer Options

Hunter Nourzad’s Final Five Transfer Options

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 13, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Cornell graduate transfer offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad has narrowed his list of suitors to five schools

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Reunited And it Feels So Good:  Lunney’s

Reunited And it Feels So Good:  Lunney’s "Tempro” Offense Fits Bielema’s Vision

Nearly a decade ago, Bret Bielema gave Barry Lunney […]

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Illini’s New 2022 Schedule Includes First Trip to Indiana Since 2013

Illini’s New 2022 Schedule Includes First Trip to Indiana Since 2013

Instead of playing a third straight game inside Penn […]

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IlliniGuys Website Celebrates 1st Anniversary

IlliniGuys Website Celebrates 1st Anniversary

January 12, 2022 CHICAGO, Ill. -- The multi-media website […]

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Lunney Jr.’s Hire Represents A Revival of The Tight End Position at Illinois

Lunney Jr.’s Hire Represents A Revival of The Tight End Position at Illinois

By Matt Stevens -- IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 10, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ron Johnson/USA Today)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The hope in the hiring of Barry Lunney Jr. the program’s 12th offensive coordinator in the last 13 years, is the program will finally be able to make good on a promise.  

Since 2009, when then-Illini offensive coordinator Mike Locksley agreed to become the next head coach at New Mexico, Illinois has gone through 11 different offensive coordinators. All of them have pledged, in one way or another, to heavily involve the tight end position in the pass game of the Illini offense. 

In those 13 years, Illinois has never had a tight end be among the top 30 targets in the Big Ten Conference despite having spotty consistency at the position. In 2020, Daniel Barker, who announced earlier this winter he was intending to investigate his options with the upcoming National Football League draft process, was the team’s second-leading receiver...

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