Football

Illinois Football Wins Big-Time Recruiting Battle for Wide Receiver

Illinois Football Wins Big-Time Recruiting Battle for Wide Receiver

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 9, 2023

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois football has made significant strides in recruiting, both from the transfer portal and at the high school level. Today, the Illini secured a commitment from three-star wide receiver Davion Chandler.

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illinois Poised for Another Great Football Recruiting Weekend

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illinois Poised for Another Great Football Recruiting Weekend

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 9, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — During football coach Bret Bielema's tenure at Illinois, he and his staff have excelled in recruiting during the month of June, a period when players visit campus.

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Ked's Keys - Illinois Athletics Recruitments in June

Ked's Keys - Illinois Athletics Recruitments in June

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 8, 2024

Champaign, Ill. – June is always an intriguing month for Illinois recruiting. The Illinois football and men’s and women’s basketball programs may still have some roster moves in store.

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The Farrell Files Illinois - Good News & Bad News

The Farrell Files Illinois - Good News & Bad News

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

June 7, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I have really good news and really bad news.

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Illini’s Bret Bielema Hopeful for College Football Player Salary Cap Structure

Illini’s Bret Bielema Hopeful for College Football Player Salary Cap Structure

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema remains steadfast in his hope and belief the future legislation fallout from the House vs. NCAA settlement will be a player salary cap structure. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 6, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — The head football coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign currently sounds like a man who believes a salary cap structure for players is headed to his sport.

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Small Named GCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year

Small Named GCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year

Illinois Athletics June 4, 2024 NORMAN, Okla. – Fighting Illini […]

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The Farrell Files Illinois - Update on Last Weekend's Visitors & Preview of This Weekend

The Farrell Files Illinois - Update on Last Weekend's Visitors & Preview of This Weekend

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

June 4, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at the two official visitors from this past weekend and where things stand with Ole Miss transfer WR Zakhari Franklin.

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illinois 2026 Prep Lineman Gets First DI Offer from the Illini

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illinois 2026 Prep Lineman Gets First DI Offer from the Illini

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 3, 2024

Casey Thomann, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle from Olney (Ill.) Richland County received the news he had been hoping for recently. Illinois offensive line coach Bart Miller extended a Division I scholarship offer to the talented sophomore.

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Illini Women’s Basketball Adds Another Assistant Coach from Power Program

Illini Women’s Basketball Adds Another Assistant Coach from Power Program

Illinois has announced the hiring of former Tennessee assistant […]

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Football Recruiting Spotlight on Carson Goda

Football Recruiting Spotlight on Carson Goda

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

June 3, 2024

Illinois continued its late-offseason re-tooling when Division II tight end Carson Goda of St. Anselm College opted to join the orange and blue for his final season on eligibility. Goda is a 6'3, 225 pound receiving specialist who figures to aid in Illinois' schematic transition to an offense that spreads the field more and distributes to any of five receivers on a given play.

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Illini LHP Cooper Omans Scratched from NCAA Lexington Regional with Arm Soreness

Illini LHP Cooper Omans Scratched from NCAA Lexington Regional with Arm Soreness

Illinois entered the 2024 Lexington Regional without consistent weekend starting pitcher Cooper Omans due to what was classified as arm soreness

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 2, 2024

LEXINGTON, Ky.  — If Illinois was going to win the program’s first NCAA regional away from home, it was going to have to be without a key piece of its weekend starting pitching rotation.

Cooper Omans, a fifth-year senior left-hander, was scratched from this weekend due to what Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb called arm soreness. 

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Indiana State Blows Away Any Illini Comeback Hope in NCAA Lexington Regional; Illinois 2024 Season Ends With 13-2 Loss

Indiana State Blows Away Any Illini Comeback Hope in NCAA Lexington Regional; Illinois 2024 Season Ends With 13-2 Loss

Indiana State pounds Illini pitching for five extra-base hits […]

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Kentucky Ace RHP Trey Pooser Neutralizes Illini Power; Illinois Faces Elimination Sunday

Kentucky Ace RHP Trey Pooser Neutralizes Illini Power; Illinois Faces Elimination Sunday

For only the second time in the 2024 season, Illinois was held without a single extra-base hit. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 1, 2024

LEXINGTON, Ky.  — If Illinois plans to win the 2024 NCAA Lexington Regional, they’ll have to win three straight games to accomplish this feat. Facing the No. 2 overall seed in its own ballpark and seeing seven innings worth of its best starting pitcher was simply too much for Illinois to overcome Saturday in a 6-1 loss.

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Illini Have Full Bullpen & Pitching Staff for Winners Bracket Matchup vs. Kentucky

Illini Have Full Bullpen & Pitching Staff for Winners Bracket Matchup vs. Kentucky

Illinois needed only two pitchers Friday night to dispatch of Indiana State and Illini closer Joe Glassey is available again versus No. 2 overall seed Kentucky. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 1, 2024

LEXINGTON, Ky.  — One game down and we’re all still waiting for the first pitching decision by Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb and/or interim pitching coach Cameron Hill in this NCAA Lexington Regional. 

Following the 4-1 victory over Indiana State in the opening game of regional play, Hartleb arrived at his post-game media conference with a calmness and satisfaction of a man who hasn’t nearly played any of the cards in his deck needing to take the program to its first regional championship away from home. 

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‘He has responded’ - How Jack Crowder’s Roller Coaster Illini Career Led to His Magical NCAA Regional Moment

‘He has responded’ - How Jack Crowder’s Roller Coaster Illini Career Led to His Magical NCAA Regional Moment

Jack Crowder arrived as a highly touted recruit, suffered severe setbacks and had to rededicate himself to his craft before having a career-defining outing in his NCAA regional debut. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 1, 2024

LEXINGTON, Ky.  — Neither party in the player-head coach dynamic of Jack Crowder and Dan Hartleb would likely describe the past four-year University of Illinois experience as consistently pleasant. 

While Friday night’s eight-inning gem of a performance easily represents the high point of Crowder’s collegiate career, that peak national stage moment didn’t come without more than one noticeable valley.

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