Football

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the players and coaches arrived at the Illinois team facility Sunday morning, Pat Bryant wanted to guarantee his head coach that he’d be available for the following game against Minnesota.

Upon seeing and hearing that face-to-face interaction, Illinois fourth-year head coach Bret Bielema reminded Bryant he’s not qualified to make that kind of promise.

“He literally told me (Sunday) there’s not a chance he’s not playing in this game,” Bielema said in his Monday media conference inside Memorial Stadium. “I said to him that unless you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night and got a doctorate degree that I’m not aware of, you don’t get to make that call.”

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 25, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. and wide receivers coach Justin Stepp secured their commitment from three-star recruit Brayden Trimble of Mt. Zion, Illinois. Trimble committed to Illinois in early May and stands firm on it.

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio […]

Oregon’s ability to avoid first open-field tackle leads to forgettable first 30 minutes from Illinois defense in blowout loss in Pacific Northwest. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 27, 2024

EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon’s offense needed just one missed tackle to showcase its track-level tempo and Illinois certainly allowed that speed to showcase itself. 

Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant left the game Saturday in the second half under the watch of Illini training staff after a hit to the heck area and went straight to the locker room after the hit.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 26, 2024

(Photos courtesy Illinois Athletics)

EUGENE, Ore. — Illinois could be without its leading receiver for the start of the final month of the season.

After receiving a hit to the head and/or neck area following a pass breakup in the fourth quarter of the 38-9 loss at No. 1 Oregon, Pat Bryant was immediately taken off the field by Illinois training staff and taken straight to the visiting locker room. The fourth-year receiver, who came into Saturday leading the Illini with 31 receptions for 484 yards and seven touchdowns, did not return to the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jJWVEezI2E    

Oregon’s nationwide recruiting brand has allowed Dan Lanning’s meteoric rise and the Ducks showed Illinois Saturday what a No. 1 ranked program should, could and does look like.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 26, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

EUGENE, Ore. — Well, it’s official. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what a number one ranked team looks like.

And in so many different ways, it’s critical that Bret Bielema’s Illini saw what that kind of creature looks, acts and behaves like. Identification is, of course, the first step toward possible elimination in the future.

By IlliniGuys Staff October 26, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

As somebody who 16 years ago intentionally manipulated the […]

October 26, 2024 The Illini repeated the events of […]

After seven years and a coaching staff change, Illinois defensive line coach Terrance Jamison finally got seventh-year player Ezekiel Holmes to thrive in his positional group.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 25, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Terrance Jamison is one of the few people inside Illinois’ Smith Family Football Complex that remembers what Ezekiel Holmes looked like as a 17-year-old in 2017.

Seven years later, Holmes has been through one head coaching change, four defensive coordinator changes, six positional coach changes and two undergraduate degrees (graduated from the University of Illinois with degrees in sociology in Aug. 2022) and communication in Dec. 2023).

Amongst all this change, Jamison, the current Illinois defensive line coach since Jan. 2021, finally got his chance to coach the young man he met as a high school junior at Hirschi High School in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 25, 2024

Champaign, IL – In recent weeks, the Fighting Illini football program has hosted some of the nation's top recruits on campus, and the recent Michigan game was the perfect opportunity to bring in top prospects. Illinois secured a 21-7 victory over the Wolverines in a statement game all across Illini Nation.

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio […]

IlliniGuys.com discusses what changed from the second half performance vs. Purdue to the next week vs. Michigan and other unique situations after reviewing the 21-7 win over the Wolverines.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 23, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — While it has been only 663 days since Aaron Henry was officially named the defensive coordinator and play-caller at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and it’s a safe bet the lessons will continue to keep coming.

The takeaway from Henry after reviewing what he and his defensive staff executed during the open week following loss at Penn State is they found themselves doing the one thing Henry’s boss attempts to remind each staff member and player that comes through the Smith Family Football Complex.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert

October 22, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at a 2026 QB rising on the board, an update on 4-star Colorado DB commit Alex Graham after his visit and another potential flip.