The Trench Report: Michigan
Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst
October 21, 2024
This really feels like a turning point, doesn't it? Illinois just won its third straight sellout game after losing the last eight. They did it by beating Michigan for the first time in 15 years.
Illini Leading Rusher Kaden Feagin Out For Season After Having Hip Surgery
Illinois sophomore tailback Kaden Feagin will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after undergoing hip surgery following a practice injury nearly two weeks ago.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
October 20, 2024
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Kaden Feagin’s 2024 season is over.
After suffering a injury in practice just days before the 50-49 overtime victory over Purdue on Oct. 12, the leading rusher at Illinois had surgery on his left hip Friday that will require several months of rehabilitation.
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said the former four-star prospect and starting tailback on the Illini depth chart was told by the doctor, selected for the procedure after a consultation of the University of Illinois athletics department, Bielema and Feagin’s family, and Feagin’s mother Jennifer Feagin, that the procedure was successful.
‘I told our guys I’m battling some demons’: Bielema Overcomes Extra Emotion of Michigan Week
The week of his team playing Michigan is always going to be challenging for Bret Bielema but Saturday allowed him to address why that opponent conjures difficult memories in his life.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
October 20, 2024
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Unfortunately for Bret Bielema, the winged helmet of Michigan triggers things emotionally in the 54-year-old man that he’d rather not think about.
Instead of ignoring or trying to hide his emotions of what playing the Wolverines program psychological means to his life, the fourth-year Ilinois head coach elected to address the matter directly in a team meeting.
“In our first team meeting on Sunday, I told our guys that I’m battling some demons like probably more than you could ever possibly imagine,” Bielema said.
Bielema’s Keys of Run The Ball, Stop The Ball & Cover Kicks Beats Michigan
The program philosophy of Illinois fourth-year head coach Bret Bielema was never more on display more than Saturday during the 21-7 victory over Michigan.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
October 19, 2024
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Bret Bielema believes the domination by Illinois over the defending national champions, a two-time Big Ten Conference champion and perennial physical bully started months ago.
In a 21-7 victory over Michigan, Illinois exemplified Bielema’s three keys for every football team in a way that was obvious.
Key No. 1 - Run the ball. Illinois (6-1, 3-1 in Big Ten Conference), which arrived at a sold-out Champaign’s Memorial Saturday as the 12th best rushing attack in the league, had 172 rushing yards through three quarters of action on a Michigan defense that had allowed 150 on the ground to two teams in the last two years. And the name of those programs are Alabama and Penn State.
COLUMN: Let’s Get Crazy - Illini Now in CFP Contention
After the 21-7 win over Michigan Saturday, Illinois is firmly in the College Football Playoff contention no matter what happens next weekend at Oregon.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
October 19, 2024
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The time has officially come to lose our minds. Illinois is firmly going to be in the College Football Playoff discussion throughout the following week.
Following the 21-7 win over Michigan, Illinois is a team, that in the third week of October in the year 2024 of our Lord, needs to be taken seriously among some traditional college football blueblood programs.
In picking up a victory in the biggest game of his 44th game since becoming the 26th head coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bret Bielema has taken Illinois to a place they haven’t been in several decades.
22nd Ranked Illini Outmuscle #24 Wolverines Before Sellout Crowd
By IlliniGuys Staff October 19, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]
IlliniGuys Predictions - Michigan at Illinois
October 19, 2024 The Illini played an unexpectedly exciting […]
Why Josh McCray is Special to Illini’s Bret Bielema - ‘Everything keeps telling him that he’s going to get beat down, and he just keeps getting back up’
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is always going to […]
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Winning Illinois Football Brings Four-Star Cameron McHaney to Champaign
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
October 18, 2024
Champaign, IL – There's an old saying: "If you build it, they will come." That phrase, from the 1989 film Field of Dreams, is one of the most iconic lines in baseball movie history.
The Farrell Files Illinois - Key Visitors for the Michigan Game
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert
October 18, 2024
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at some key visitors for the Michigan game and where the Illini stand with them.
Illini Film Review: No. 23 Illinois 50, Purdue 49 (OT) - Evaluating Illini Woes & Luke Altmyer’s Play-Action Mastery
IlliniGuys.com needed some extra time to discuss with Illinois coaches what unique set of circumstances and trouble transpired throughout the week and the 60-minute game vs. Purdue.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
October 17, 2024
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Some IlliniGuys.com subscribers might have been wondering where the film review was this week, am I right?
Well, this one took longer to put together and it’s for a simple reason. I needed to make sure the best I could that what I was seeing on the television copy was even similar to the interpretation of the coaching staff at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Isaiah White, a Committed Defensive Lineman from Indianapolis, Back at Memorial Stadium
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
October 17, 2024
Champaign, IL – Isaiah White, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound three-star recruit from Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, remains firm in his commitment to Illinois. The class of 2025 defensive tackle pledged to the Illini in early June and plans to honor his commitment.
Around The Big Ten - Oct. 17th
October 17, 2024
Here's a look at a few storylines around the Big Ten heading into Week 8:
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Top Ohio LB Is Serious About Illinois Football
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
October 16, 2024
Champaign, IL. – Cam Thomas, a four-star football prospect, attended the Illinois-Purdue game on Saturday, who got the attention of reporters on the field early that afternoon.
Subscriber Testimonials:
Not a member? Join our mailing list: