Football

By Zain Bando/IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

August 21, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — It's safe to say Bret Bielema and his Illini football program are both in a different place this time a year ago.

Last August, Bielema had begun laying the foundation atop the scorched earth that was Illinois football.  The team was coming off a 2-6 COVID-affected, Big Ten opponent-only season that marked the ninth straight year with a losing record and the 14th consecutive conference campaign in which the Illini failed to win more games in Big Ten play than they lost.

Fast-forward to today and, while Bielema has openly admitted he wasn't satisfied with the 5-7 showing in his initial campaign, the improvements are obvious to even the casual fan. 

Leon Clarke, who for over 20 years has been known as one of the best private quarterback instructors in New Jersey, remembers first being asked to train current Illinois quarterbacks Tommy DeVito and Art Sitkowski. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 19, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When Bret Bielema brought in Art Sitkowski to tell him the transfer portal quarterback he just submitted a scholarship offer to, the Illinois head coach had no idea it would invoke the reaction that it did. 

Long before Bret Bielema had secured an in-person visit this winter with Syracuse graduate transfer Tommy DeVito, the Illinois head football coach needed to know if bringing him would cause a problem with his incumbent quarterback. 

In a short meeting in his office inside the Smith Family Football Center, Bielema informed Sitkowski that “I felt we needed a more veteran quarterback” and Sitkowski began to do nothing but smile when he heard the name. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

August 19, 2022

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

Tight ends have become a huge part of college football offenses and Bret Bielema has a good group on his roster this season.

(From the Big Ten office) August 18, 2022 The […]

(From University of Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. […]

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 17, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Welcome to one of the final days of a preseason football camp for the Illinois program for the 2022 campaign in the second year of Illini head coach Bret Bielema.

Today was the last 15-minute viewing period of preseason camp but here are some quick notes:

The Illini team was on the grass fields behind the Smith Family Football Center.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

August 17, 2022

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

Ohio State dominates the Big Ten in wide receiver recruiting and development.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting 

August 16, 2022

Brandon Hansen is a 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive tackle from Mundelein, Illinois. To say the Illinois football staff is now ahead of schedule would be a lie. When was the last time in early August the next year’s recruiting class is nearly complete? 

This gives Illinois room to start working on the next couple of classes, which is why Hansen made the trip downstate. 

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirms his coaches pulled certain players out of Monday’s full-contact scrimmage including quarterback Tommy DeVito. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 15, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- If local media are listening carefully to Bret Bielema’s post-scrimmage media session, you can deal a conclusion that the quarterback competition phase has ended and a starter has emerged. 

Just 40 seconds into a 14-minute media session following the Illini’s second and final scrimmage before the Aug. 27 season opener against Wyoming (3 p.m., BTN), the Illinois second-year head coach began to rattle off names of players who were removed from the scrimmage after the halftime break for precautionary reasons.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

August 15, 2022

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

Bret Bielema knows power football and knows running backs. Kaden Feagin is likely to play linebacker in college but that was also the plan for Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen and look at him now.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

August 14, 2022

Illinois managed to convince three-star rated North Carolina commit Zachary Tobe to switch his allegiance to the Illini and by doing so the Illini added another talented and athletic Floridian to its core of defensive backs.

Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.’s transition from UTSA to Champaign has involved an evolution of when, where and how to mix up the pace and speed of his system. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 13, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Long before he became a football coach, Barry Lunney was drafted twice into Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher so the new Illinois offensive coordinator knows something about changing speeds.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

August 12, 2022

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
Illini QB commit Caleb Swanson courtesy Ardmore HS Athletics

Illinois isn’t known for producing great quarterbacks over the years, that’s the sad fact.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 11, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- We all catch ourselves saying things that are drastically outdated and well, stupid. 

For example, I will still, to this day, say “I’m taping that '' or “I am recording that”' when asked about an upcoming game or television/ streaming service show. The fact is there is no physical tape and because I’m a streaming television/service customer, it doesn’t actually record as much as get placed in a file of stuff I intend to watch whenever I have time to binge. So, why do I say “I’m taping that”? Because my appreciation for the language I make a living writing causes me to almost audibly sigh when we’re forced to turn the DVR process into a verb (DVRing). Whether it’s the vocabulary we use or the beliefs we illogically hold onto, the social marketplace will always dictate the most important aspect of life: Relevancy. 

One would think that in 2022, the sophisticated fan wouldn’t need this refresher course on this issue but unfortunately there are those who are following famous talking heads spouting outdated and borderline platitudes that cloud the reality of what is college sports.

Of the eight newcomer offensive linemen brought in this offseason, only three are under 300 pounds and Illini looking to start one of the largest o-line units in Big Ten in 2022. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 10, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When Hunter Whitenack walked into the weight room for summer conditioning work, the sheer look of his body got the attention of his older teammates. 

The freshman, 19-year-old from New Carlisle, Ind., measured in for preseason camp at 6-foot-7 and weighed in at 345 pounds - which is 55 pounds heavier than his listed weight as a three-star prospect at New Prairie High School where he was a three-time all-area, and all-conference selection. 

“I look at Hunter Whitenack and have to think how I was 215 (pounds) and now I was a walk-on tight end at the time but my God, I can’t imagine being that big and moving that well at 19 years old,” Illinois center Alex Pihlstrom said on Aug. 1. “I have work so hard to keep my flexibility and mobility and I’m only 305 to 310. This kid has 20-30 pounds on me. As of today, Hunter benches more than most of the offensive line and he’s never blinked at anything. All of these are worlds ahead of where they probably should be.”