Football

COLUMN: Illinois 48, Indiana 45 (OT) - Does Bielema Have An Upcoming No-Lose QB Decision?

COLUMN: Illinois 48, Indiana 45 (OT) - Does Bielema Have An Upcoming No-Lose QB Decision?

As he faces his alma mater next weekend, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema must decide between Luke Altmyer or John Paddock. And he may soon learn either decision has a lot of merit.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 12, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — In his 11-minute post-game media session, Bret Bielema knew the quarterback question was coming. 

The Illinois third-year was asked how he’s going to handle his quarterback room after John Paddock’s record-setting 507-yard passing performance and Luke Altmyer being medically cleared for contact late Friday but too late to make him active against Indiana on Saturday. 

Read
Illinois 48, Indiana 45 (OT) - How Illini WR Isaiah Willaims Has Become “A Quarterback’s Dream”

Illinois 48, Indiana 45 (OT) - How Illini WR Isaiah Willaims Has Become “A Quarterback’s Dream”

On day where he finishes with 207 all-purpose yards, Illinois wide receiver Isaiah Williams is now second in Illinois history in career receptions with 200. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 11, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — In early May 2021, Isaiah Williams elected to move to a brand new positional group of wide receiver. 

In early November 2023, the same player has now found himself to be second all-time in career receptions in University of Illinois football history. The only more productive pass-catcher in Illini history is College Football Hall of Fame selection and former two-time All-American David Williams. 

In the 48-45 overtime victory over Indiana Saturday, Isaiah Williams made it back-to-back weekends with a game-winning touchdown catch. Both game-winning scores, the deep ball at Minnesota and the quick strike in overtime over Indiana, were the product of Williams trusting his new quarterback and his instincts after having started as a quarterback for the first 19 years of his life. 

Read
Paddock's Career Day Lifts Illini Over Hoosiers

Paddock's Career Day Lifts Illini Over Hoosiers

By IlliniGuys Staff

November 11, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Walk-on John Paddock threw for a career-high 507 yards and 4 touchdowns in his 1st start as an Illini to engineer a 48-45 OT win over Indiana Saturday afternoon.

Read
IlliniGuys Predictions - Indiana at Illinois

IlliniGuys Predictions - Indiana at Illinois

November 11, 2023 Pretty good week based on the […]

Read
Breaking: Altmyer Out, Paddock To Start At QB For Illini

Breaking: Altmyer Out, Paddock To Start At QB For Illini

By IlliniGuys Staff November 11, 2023 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Read
Bielema Confident Altmyer Can Start vs. Indiana Without Practice If Given Medical Clearance

Bielema Confident Altmyer Can Start vs. Indiana Without Practice If Given Medical Clearance

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said he would feel fine in the 10th game of this season starting Luke Altmyer against Indiana despite the 21-year-old not being fully active for practice all week. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 11, 2023

Indiana at Illinois

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023: 11 a.m. CST, Memorial Stadium, Champaign

Surface: Field Turf

Capacity: 60,670

Records: Illinois 4-5, 2-4 in Big Ten; Indiana 3-6, 1-5 in Big Ten

Betting Line: Illinois by 7

Series notes: Illinois leads the all-time series 45-25-3. Illinois leads 29-9 in games located in Champaign but have lost the last four in the series. The only time Illini head coach Bret Bielema has ever lost to Indiana was last year’s 23-20 victory for the Hoosiers on Sept. 2.

TV: Big Ten Network; Connor Onion (play-by-play), Matt Millen (color analyst) and Elise Menaker (sideline reporter)

Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (PBP), Martin O'Donnell (analysis), Michael Martin (sidelines) & Steve Kelly (Pre/HT/Post) » The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, SiriusXM (138/195), SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com.

----------------

CHAMPAIGN — In the mind of his head coach, by the time the calendar flips to November, Luke Altmyer’s practice time becomes less and less relevant to whether he can start and play in a game.

Read
Big Ten Suspends Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh For Remainder of 2023 Season

Big Ten Suspends Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh For Remainder of 2023 Season

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has been suspended by […]

Read
Bret Bielema on Michigan Staff Members Scouting Illini Home Games: ‘It’s sickening, it’s disgusting’

Bret Bielema on Michigan Staff Members Scouting Illini Home Games: ‘It’s sickening, it’s disgusting’

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema views reports of Michigan personnel scouting games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign before their 2022 contest as ‘sickening’ and ‘disgusting’ behavior. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 9, 2023

CHAMPAIGN — Illinois head coach Bret Bielema wanted to make it very clear he’s not happy about the idea of University of Michigan football personnel being at Memorial Stadium to scout games.

Read
Former Michigan Football Staffer Connor Stalions Purchased Tickets to Three Illini Home Football Games Since 2021

Former Michigan Football Staffer Connor Stalions Purchased Tickets to Three Illini Home Football Games Since 2021

The former Michigan football staffer at the center of […]

Read
Illinois 27, Minnesota 26 - Illini Film Review - An Oral History & Inside Look at the Paddock-to-Williams Game-Winning TD

Illinois 27, Minnesota 26 - Illini Film Review - An Oral History & Inside Look at the Paddock-to-Williams Game-Winning TD

IlliniGuys will dissect and get the perspective from multiple people involved before and during the play resulting in the 46-yard game-winning touchdown pass from John Paddock to Isaiah Williams

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 8, 2023

CHAMPAIGN — It’s not often that one play is the focus of this piece but it’s also a rarity that the key components of a miraculous game-winning play are so open in detailing the ins and outs of what might be remembered as one of the remarkable endings to a recent football game regarding the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. 

Read
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Opposing Teams Trying to Lure Valentine Away from Illini

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Opposing Teams Trying to Lure Valentine Away from Illini

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 7, 2023

The Fighting Illini are down to their last running back, although the season started with six on the depth chart. All were injured but true freshman Kaden Feagin; from all indications, the only backfield mate who could join Feagin again this season might be Reggie Love.

Read
Bielema Expects Luke Altmyer “to be involved” in Illini’s Next Game vs. Indiana

Bielema Expects Luke Altmyer “to be involved” in Illini’s Next Game vs. Indiana

While Illinois head coach Bret Bielema wouldn’t confirm if quarterback Luke Altmyer was medically cleared for contact, Bielema was encouraged Altmyer would be active Saturday versus Indiana.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 6, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — Bret Bielema has been encouraged by what he’s seen in the progress regarding the health of his starting quarterback. 

Luke Altmyer, who has started all of the previous nine games this season for Illinois, has given the football training staff and his head football coach preliminary indications he’ll be active Saturday to make the start against Indiana. 

Read
Inside Trey Petty’s Attendance at Ole Miss and MSU Summer Camps While Being Committed to Illinois

Inside Trey Petty’s Attendance at Ole Miss and MSU Summer Camps While Being Committed to Illinois

Two months after verbally committing to Illinois, Trey Petty and his mother give IlliniGuys.com their perspective to his attendance at Ole Miss and Mississippi State summer football prospect camps. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 31, 2023

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Trey Petty knew he was likely to garner attention this past July with his attendance at recruiting events at the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State. And in most instances, the 18-year-old didn’t particularly care too much.

Read
DL Jer'Zhan Newton’s Second-Half Energy Powers Illini to Key Victory

DL Jer'Zhan Newton’s Second-Half Energy Powers Illini to Key Victory

Not many defensive linemen can affect just one half the way Illinois’ Jer'Zhan Newton accomplished on Saturday, but he was able to flip the momentum in Illinois’ 27-26 victory at Minnesota.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 5, 2023

MINNEAPOLIS — And here’s Johnny. 

After 30 minutes of play at Huntington Bank Stadium, arguably the best defensive player in college football was unleashed from his first-half penalty. The most pleasant thing for Illinois head coach Bret Bielema to watch in the halftime locker room was watching Jer'Zhan “Johnny” Newton put his shoulder pads and helmet on to begin to go to work and make an impact on this college football game in a way no other player Saturday could do.

Read
The Trench Report: Minnesota

The Trench Report: Minnesota

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

November 5, 2023

Illinois' win on Saturday is going to be one that Illini fans recount for generations to come. John Paddock put his name on the same list as David Reisner (PSU 2014) and Johnny Johnson (Michigan 1993) as players who put their best foot forward at the best possible time. 

Read