Football

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular June 23, 2025 This […]

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

June 22, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's Instagram page)

Illinois' early summer recruiting blitz continued when Suffield (Connecticut) Academy's Edge rusher Kayden Bennett pledged to the Illini to become the 20th member of the Class of 2026.  Bennett is a real wild card of an addition.  He's a 4 star player according to some services and a high three star player according to others.  He also has an odd mix of offers that includes only the bottom of the ACC despite his high rating.  His other official visits prior to last weekend's visit to Champaign were to Temple and UConn who haven't gotten a football recruit in the 4-star range since (checks notes) forever. 

Those of you who've read my columns closely will remember that Illinois recruited quite a few players from the private school league that includes Suffield Academy in the first year of the Bielema era and came up empty.   There are a lot of small private schools in the Northeast with high major recruits, but its difficult to evaluate them because they'll often play another team with 2 high major recruits together with 20 guys who belong in 1A ball in Illinois.  However, Suffield Academy has produced quite a few star football players including Christian Wilkins and two recent Michigan Wolverines.  This despite Suffield being one of the lesser teams in the Northeast Prep League.  And with 56 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 8 sacks as a junior in the League, Bennett certainly should have drawn some attention.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 21, 2025

Illinois got its first big flip of the 2026 recruiting season when Pearland (Tx) outside linebacker Jaylen Stewart changed his commitment from Oklahoma State to Illinois.  Stewart is a 6'2, 220 pounder who is a plus athlete and put up very good numbers as a junior at Texas' highest level of competition, which is an extremely rare thing to say about an Illinois recruit.  Illinois has picked up some valuable players from Texas over the years, but aside from Marquez Beason they've been under the radar types.  However, Illinois beat out numerous ACC and Big 12 schools for Stewart in addition to Auburn and USC.  And folks, I fully expect that bigger names will get involved before signing day because Stewart is legit.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's Hudl page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Get used to it. Illinois football is now going toe-to-toe with anyone in college football. That’s right, Illinois is landing top-tier talent for the first time in more than a decade.

Today, the Illini received a commitment from Nick Hankins, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound cornerback from Belleville, Illinois. Most top recruiting publications list Hankins as a four-star prospect, and if you gauge his list of offers, it’s easy to see how significant this pickup is for Illini Nation.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

June 17, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

If you gave just about any offensive coordinator an unlimited roster, the first thing he would do is stock up with specialty tight ends.  Even if the 7th tight end you add isn't sexy and doesn't have an NFL future, there's nothing quite like a specialty tight end to take advantage of a certain match-up or run a play you design for him when you really need a first down.  I wrote this same thing when the Illini signed Carson Goda last summer: look for him to get a touchdown when you least expect it.  Sure enough the Illini designed a play for Goda to leak out into the flat after not looking at him all year and he scored the only Illini touchdown against Penn State.  I hope to see more of Will Vala than that long-term, but that's the first thing I thought of when I looked into Will Vala's ability.  He's the perfect type of guy to put on the field in passing situations and use to get a key play when you really need it.  The 6'4 220 pounder from Downers Grove North is a better player that Goda and Illinois had to beat 4 other Big Ten schools as well as a handful of other high majors to gain his commitment.  However, even with Illinois likely switching to using tight ends more and more as receivers like Bret Bielema and Barry Lunney did at Arkansas, he's a little limited.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting June […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – It’s becoming clear that Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema isn’t just content with a top-10 recruiting class, he appears to be aiming for the No. 1 spot in the country.

This 2026 recruiting class is something Illini fans haven’t seen in years, or maybe even decades. Today, Kai Pritchard, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound offensive tackle from Donovan Catholic (Toms River, N.J.), committed to Illinois.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 17, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's Hudl page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – If the name Isaiah Williams rings a bell with Illinois football fans, it’s for good reason.

The original Isiah "Juice" Williams was a highly touted recruit who quarterbacked the Illini to the 2008 Rose Bowl. The next Isaiah Williams was another highly sought after high school quarterback who switched to wide receiver and had a successful All-Big Ten career for the Illini and is now a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Now, the Illini may be in position to land another Isaiah Williams, this one from the Lone Star State and on the defensive side of the ball.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 17, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini football program has rolled up its sleeves and gone to work. When it comes to recruiting, they are currently one of the best in the country with their 2026 class.

Kayden Bennett, a 6-foot-2, 245-pound outside linebacker from Suffield (Conn.) Academy is the latest addition. The three-star Class of 2026 prospect committed to Illinois shortly after his weekend visit, saying he found his home, to play his college football at the University of Illinois.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 15, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's Instagram page)

Illinois football continues to add major talent to its future, flipping a key defensive piece from a Big 12 school. The Fighting Illini landed a commitment from Jaylen Stewart, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound edge rusher out of Pearland, Texas, who had previously pledged to Oklahoma State.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

June 13, 2025

Illinois had some inside info that helped seal the deal with its newest recruit as Landon Von Seggren's Omaha Millard South teammate Nelsyn Wheeler pledged to the Illini to add more speed to the running backs room.  Wheeler had committed to Northern Illinois back in February but soon after that more and more schools got involved and a wave of mid major and then high major schools offered.  Wheeler decommitted from Northern Illinois in early April and after 10 high major schools offered over the next couple of months Wheeler scheduled several official visits.  However, Illinois snagged the first visit and sealed the deal last weekend.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 10, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illini aren’t stopping. They are building their brand and making it known that Illinois' recent success on the field wasn’t a fluke. Sure, coaching matters, but it certainly helps when you have a talented and deep roster, which is exactly what Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is assembling.

Nelsyn Wheeler, a 5-foot-9 running back from Millard South in Omaha, Nebraska, is the latest addition to an already impressive recruiting class built by Bielema and his staff.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 9, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's Hudl page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Bret Bielema continues to stay hot on the recruiting trail as the Fighting Illini builds momentum with their 2026 class. Tonight, Illinois received a commitment from three-star tight end Will Vala, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound prospect out of Downers Grove North High School in Illinois.

The new regulations being put in place following the House vs. NCAA settlement isn’t about creating a level playing field or fairness for Illinois or any other program. It’s just another attempt to restrict/cap athlete’s revenue while still avoid making them employees.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

June 9, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Just when you might think it’s impossible for college sports administrative leadership could make its governing system worse, they manage to always find a way to dig the hole even deeper.

The more I read the 76-page opinion of U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken approving the House vs. NCAA settlement in California, I’m once again reminded to never underestimate how athletics directors and university athletics administrators never cease to make a situation more deplorable especially if their intention was to fix something.

Is the settlement historic? Obviously, yes. Athletes will now get a piece of the revenue they create in a way that should have happened decades ago and nothing about that is wrong or bad. This fact is undoubtably a step forward for the workforce (the athletes) that has been the backbone of creating these big brands in college sports to allow university administrators see millions of school revenue in ticket sales and donations while also see the total college sports dynamic reach billions of dollars in revenue in media rights contracts.

Is anything else in college athletics fixed? No, it most certainly is not.

Starting July 1, all Division I schools will have the opportunity to directly pay players for the first time in collegiate sports history.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

June 7, 2025

In just over three weeks, all Division I athletics departments will have the opportunity to directly pay players via revenue sharing for the first time in the history of collegiate sports.

Following the 76-page opinion, U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken detailed will offer $2.8 billion in damages to past athletes who did not have the opportunity to receive such revenue sharing payments during their time as athletes as well as allow all Division I schools to pay out as much as a reported $20.5 million annually to all the current players in their athletic departments.