Football

Former Illinois defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton, who is a projected first round pick in 2024 NFL Draft, confirmed Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine he played last season on a broken foot.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 28, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS — If you’re watching tape of the final six games of Illinois’ 2023 football season, you’re watching Consensus All-American Jer’Zhan Newton play on a broken bone in his foot.

Cameron Chee-Aloy has an eight-game hitting streak to start his collegiate baseball career after the Toronto native was one of the most coveted signees in Dan Hartleb’s Illini program in several years.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 28, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — The way anybody can tell the Illinois baseball coaching staff loves Cameron Chee-Aloy is where he was listed on the Illini lineup card. 

By Chee-Aloy’s third collegiate baseball game, the Toronto native was the first name that Illini head coach Dan Hartleb wrote at the top of the lineup and the 18-year veteran head coach doesn’t typically race out to put a true freshman in the leadoff spot.

Former Illini wrestling head coach Mark Johnson recruited Steve Rusk from his home area of the Quad Cities almost 30 years ago and is thrilled Steve’s son is a graduate transfer for Illini football. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 27, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — During his first week after moving into his residence at the University of Illinois, Cole Rusk was told there was a delivery for him on the front stoop at their family home in Rock Island.

Rusk immediately thought this was strange until he was told who the gift came from. 

“My dad told me that the next time I get home there was an Illini shirt waiting for me,” said Cole Rusk, the newest tight end signee for Illinois out of the transfer portal. “And then (my dad) said it was from his coach at Illinois and I was like ‘oh, that’s so awesome’.” 

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

February 26, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll take a look at two key 2025 targets and a 2026 emerging quickly.

A federal judge ruling in Tennessee issuing an injunction prohibiting the NCAA from enforcing its regulations on using name, image and likeness payment inducements in recruiting fully opens pay-for-play activities across the nation.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 24, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — During his end-of-season media conference on November 30, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said he believed the recent news surrounding name, image and likeness issues in college athletics and specifically his sport of college football would “lead to something breaking” involving legislation on the matter.

The third-year Illini football coach likely had no idea he would be this fundamentally correct and philosophically incorrect at the same time. What Bielema, and several other people inside college athletics, was hoping for was federal legislation leading to further restrictions on NIL inducements being used in player acquisition and, therefore, providing a more even platform across the nation. What happened was the opposite after a federal judge issued a ban on the NCAA being able to enforce any rules or regulations regarding NIL inducements in recruiting.

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

February 23, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll take a quick look at where the Illini stand overall 2025 Big Ten recruiting, the PANIC factor at positions starting with QB and I’ll look at 2024 DE signee Joe Barna in four key categories.

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

February 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 huge unofficial visit coming soon and continue the 2024 breakdown with a look at DE Demetrius John in four key categories.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 21, 2024

The Fighting Illini football program is transforming, adapting to the evolving landscape of college football with the recent addition of West Coast schools to the Big Ten conference. This expansion means that the Illini will need to target higher-profile prospects to remain competitive in the star-studded world of college football recruiting.

Head Coach Bret Bielema has built a reputation for finding and developing talent, molding players into All-Big Ten performers. However, with the shift in the conference dynamics, the emphasis on recruiting top-tier prospects becomes even more critical for the Fighting Illini.

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

February 19, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at a possible two sport athlete for the Illini and perhaps a new recruiting strategy?

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

February 16, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at an interesting new offer in the 2025 class and break down 2024 signee DE Angelo McCullom in four key categories.

Former Illini All-American Martin O’Donnell announces end to a […]

New Illinois football assistant coaches Archie McDaniel and Justin Stepp have been given a promise by their new boss Bret Bielema that he intends for them to add their name to the list of people who have been promoted to coordinator or head coach roles.  

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 16, 2023

CHAMPAIGN — Similarly to the promise a coach makes with a prospect, a pledge has been made by the Illinois head football coach to his two newest assistant coach hires - I’ll get you better.

Throughout the short interview process of hiring wide receivers coach Justin Stepp and inside linebackers coach Archie McDaniel, Bret Bielema has vowed to these two men that he can get them to a future coordinator position or even possibly a head coach spot in their respective careers. 

“The one thing that I consistently got from everybody who I talked to was (Bielema) makes you better as an assistant coach in every aspect of coaching,” McDaniel said in his first public comments since being announced hired to Bielema’s Illini staff on Feb. 9. “That was extremely attractive to me and intrigued me more than anything. I consider myself a sponge. I’ve been doing this 18 years and constantly am looking for ways to grow professionally and personally.” 

Illinois RHP Jack Crowder, one of the program’s most anticipated signees in 2021, hopes to put all his natural ability together for a final year of college baseball.  

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 15, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — The last person to throw a pitch last season for Illinois may likely throw its first pitch in the 2024 campaign.

Senior right-hander Jack Crowder is likely to get the baseball first as the Illini look to rebound from its first under .500 season since 2017. And in a lot of ways, Crowder getting this opening game start for a 9 a.m. CST first pitch against Akron at Wake Forest’s David F. Couch Ballpark is fitting because the 6-foot-4 pitcher is looking to turn his results around as well. 

In his last appearance at the Big Ten Tournament at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., Crowder held Michigan to just one run over the final four innings while striking out five in a 55-pitch outing. He’ll be looking to find that level of success in Illinois’ first game of the 2024 season. 

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

February 15, 2024

It was a surprise when Matthew Bailey committed to Illinois right before signing day in 2022. No one even knew that Mac Resetich was even interested in playing football in college when he signed for Illinois on signing day last year, so that news came out of nowhere too. No serious Illinois football fan should have been shocked when Illinois offered Tanner Heckel a scholarship right before signing day in 2024.

Grant Beerman Eyes Future Amidst Multiple College Offers Including Illinois

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 14, 2024

Standing at an impressive 6-foot-4 and weighing 210 pounds, Grant Beerman has caught the attention of college football programs across the country, earning offers from prestigious schools such as Illinois, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Duke, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, Virginia, and more.

Beerman's junior year was nothing short of spectacular, earning him a well-deserved spot as a first-team All-Conference player in the Greater Miami Conference (GMC). His stat line speaks for itself, boasting 79 tackles, including 12 for loss, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 pass breakups.