Football

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 21, 2025

Just two years ago, many questioned Bret Bielema's ability to recruit top-tier talent. He had always done well with three-star prospects, which is by no means a bad thing—many top programs are built on three-star players, check rosters.

However, Illinois has capitalized on its recent success, and it's important to note that the program is no longer struggling to land high-profile recruits. What impresses me most as a recruiting analyst is hearing from the parents and players Illinois has beaten out for these commitments—and why they chose Illinois.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema valued preserving what continuity he had when needing to make another coaching change at the outside linebacker/pass rusher specialist spot of his staff.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

February 20, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Given the choice of continuity versus another national search for replacement assistant coach, Bret Bielema ultimately went with the idea of promoting a familiar face.

With Clint Sintim’s one-year tenure as outside linebackers coach ending when him eventually taking an open linebackers coaching job at Colorado State, Illinois star pass rusher Gabe Jacas was staring down the idea of having four different positional coaches during his four-year Illini playing career.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 19, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – AJ Marks, a 5-foot-11 defensive back from IMG Academy in the class of 2026, has named his top 10 schools that remain in contention for the three-star recruit.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 14, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Chicago Sun-Times)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The class of 2027 is beginning to make waves in football recruiting, and Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and his staff have shown they can compete with the top programs.

Mundelein, Illinois, star quarterback Trae Taylor, a 6-foot-3, 186-pound standout, recently narrowed his list of potential schools from 25 to five, announcing his decision via his Twitter (X) page.

The finalists include Nebraska, LSU, Illinois, Texas A&M, and Michigan. Taylor spoke with IlliniGuys about what factored into each school making the cut.

Illinois has lately turned to a Ben Humrichous-Morez Johnson-Tomislav Ivisic frontcourt and the answer is the oldest quality in basketball - size.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 13, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — With the Illinois roster being healthier than they’d ever been for a month, it appears Illini head coach Brad Underwood has found a go-to lineup for February and March.

Illinois showcased a completely clean league-mandated availability report two hours before tip of what would turn out to be a 83-78 home victory over UCLA.

However, in the midst of, according to the report, having every player active for the game there were still two players who didn’t see the playing court much or at all.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

February 10, 2025

Illinois continued its early season recruiting haul of 4-star players when Lakota West (West Chester, OH) linebacker Cam Thomas committed to the Illini to join recent Class of 2025 signee Grant Beerman.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

February 7, 2025

Under Bret Bielema, Illinois has always been ready to make a late addition and this year fits that pattern as Oak Park Fenwick linebacker Jack Paris committed to the Illini after decommitting from the Air Force Academy just a few days before the late signing day.  Paris had no high major offers but after compiling 91 tackles, two sacks, and an impressive 17.5 tackles for loss in his senior year, Illinois took a chance on the up and comer just as they have for Matthew Bailey, Mac Resetich and Tanner Heckel in recent years.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 7, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's page on X)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois added to its 2026 football recruiting class, which now stands at nine commitments, with the addition of Kaedyn Cobbs, a 6-foot-0, 195-pound defensive back. Cobbs plays safety and has occasionally lined up as a linebacker.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 6, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's page on X)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Ohio State may have won the 2025 college football national championship, but Illinois got a big victory of its own by landing three-star linebacker Cam Thomas from Buckeye country in West Chester, Ohio. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound standout chose the Fighting Illini over a host of Power Five programs, including Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Indiana, Duke, NC State, Oregon, Purdue, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

Illinois will boast arguably the most depth in its defensive front this spring than it ever has produced in the Bret Bielema era.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

February 5, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The offseason objective of Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and his defensive line coach Terrance Jamison was to completely overhaul a defensive front that admittedly already was seeing depth issues in the 2024 campaign.

Therefore, Bielema and Jamison both went to a familiar stomping grounds for success in the transfer portal by raiding the University of Wisconsin program.

Illinois will be hiring its fourth outside linebackers coach since 2022 as CBS/247Sports.com reports Clint Sintim will be leaving the Illini staff to join Jay Norvell’s Colorado State coaching staff. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

February 5,2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Clint Sintim will not be returning to Bret Bielema’s coaching staff at Illinois for the upcoming 2025 season. 

Bielema, who is entering his fifth season as the Illini’s head coach, confirmed the move in a scheduled media conference at State Farm Center on Sunday afternoon. The move to mutually part ways with Sintim, who came over from his alma mater Virginia, means Illinois will be hiring its fourth outside linebackers coach since 2022.

CBS Sports/247Sports.com were the first to report on Wednesday morning that Sintim is expected to join the Colorado State coaching staff, led by fourth-year head coach Jay Norvell, as inside linebackers coach. 

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 4, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's page on X)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois football prospect Cam Thomas is one of the top four-star recruits in the nation, according to Rivals.com, in the class of 2026. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker has done his homework on the Illini and is closely following both their committed recruits and potential additions in recent days and weeks.

Thomas is a teammate of Illinois’ 2025 commit Grant Beerman, also a four-star linebacker, at Lakota West High School. Beerman, who stands at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, has already pledged to the Illini would like to join forces with Thomas again at Illinois.

IlliniGuys.com details what it means to have five Illinois football assistant coaches are now operating without an approved contract.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the calendar flipped to February 1, the multi-year contracts of six University of Illinois football assistant coaches expired, including defensive coordinator Aaron Henry.

According to documentation obtained from Illinois Board of Trustees meetings minutes and public records requests by IlliniGuys.com, the contracts of Henry, tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Robby Discher, offensive line coach Bart Miller, defensive line coach Terrance Jamison and running backs coach Thad Ward saw their contracts end at midnight on Jan. 31, 2025. The four-year contract of football strength and conditioning coach Tenarius “Tank” Wright also expired on Friday.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Recruiting Analyst

February 4, 2025

Illinois' football team made a big headline to take fans' minds off the ups and downs of the basketball team when cornerback Victor Singleton from Toledo Central Catholic committed to the Illini over offers from just about every team in the Big Ten.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 3rd, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – While much of the focus has been on Illinois' 2026 recruiting class, the work on 2025 continues. On Monday morning, the Illini secured a commitment from three-star Fenwick High School linebacker Jake Paris.