Football

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 20, 2024

Champaign, Ill. — Recent weeks have seen Illinois football secure several key recruits and transfers, with the most notable addition being Zakhari Franklin, a wide receiver from Ole Miss who was a four-year starter for UTSA prior. Franklin leads active college football players in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, boasting 266 catches, 3,386 yards, and 38 touchdowns.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 19, 2024

Champaign, Ill. — It is often said that no single player can define a football team's success, given that 11 players take the field at one time. However, the Illinois Fighting Illini are hoping that Ole Miss transfer Zakhari Franklin will be the key to transforming their offense and creating headaches for opposing defenses.

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

June 18, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at a few recent visitors, and a commitment that didn’t go their way (as expected).

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

June 17, 2024

Does everyone remember that embarrassing loss Illinois suffered in the season opener in 2021? It was the second game of the Bielema era, and fate had put one of the best low majors in the country on Illinois' schedule against a team that was not prepared for the different type of offense it was facing.

Detry, the former 2015 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year at Illinois, finished T-14th in the 2024 United States Open Championship. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 16, 2024

Thomas Detry has made it back-to-back years where a former University of Illinois golfer has finished in the Top 20 of the United States Open Championship. 

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

June 16, 2024

Illinois continued its trend of successful recruiting attempts for both defensive linemen and Indianapolis recruits when nose tackle Isaiah White of Indianapolis Ben Davis High School pledged to the Illini to complete an excellent first recruiting weekend of the summer.

The former 2015 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year struggled Saturday but still having his best season on the PGA Tour in his career. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 15, 2024

Even after moving down the leaderboard in the third round of the 2024 United States Open Championship, Thomas Detry still has a chance for an important top 10 finish. 

Detry, a former Big Ten Conference Player of the Year selection in 2015 and current No. 55 ranked player in the world, sits tied for 16th place and just three shots from a pair of players tied for seventh after a 6-over-par 76 in the second-to-last pairing on Saturday. 

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

June 15, 2024

Illinois has been playing from behind in defensive line recruiting throughout the Bielema era, but that trend changed with the commitment of Cameron Brooks from Homewood Flossmoor and Isaiah White from Indianapolis Ben Davis (article coming soon). 

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

June 14, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, the Illini fans can finally celebrate another huge portal win, the latest on 2024 RB John Forster and how the Terrance Shannon verdict impacts football recruiting.

Veteran wide receiver Zakhari Franklin reunites with Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. after Franklin was the top receiving option at Texas-San Antonio from 2019-22.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 13, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Barry Lunney Jr. has brought over his top receiver from his days running the offense at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 12, 2024

Champaign, Ill. — On December 13, 2020, Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman decided to go in a different direction with the football program, relieving Lovie Smith of his duties. This decision marked a turning point for Illinois football, which had struggled through the Tim Beckman era from 2012-14, resulting in his firing after a dismal 12-25 record.

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

June 11, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at the three latest commitments and another that could be on the way.

Brad Sturdy, Illini Uber-Insider & Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio

June 11, 2024

It’s summer, unofficially as we head into a busy June and July. Let’s look at what’s happening in the world of sports and the Illini sports universe.

Dan Hurley stayed at UConn, as he weighed a large offer from the LA Lakers, and solidified his need to get more money from UConn for NIL to continue to compete in the college athletics world that is stacked against teams not in the Big Ten or SEC moving forward. 

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema would love to coach a football game at Wrigley Field but he and Ohio State head coach Ryan Day are in sync that the contest must have two working sidelines.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

June 10, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Illinois football head coach Bret Bielema would like everybody to know and was quick to point out the reason not one single ticket to a Northwestern University home football game has been sold.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 10, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After making a visit to Illinois this weekend, Isaiah White, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive lineman from Indianapolis, committed to the Illini this morning. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema sent out his usual announcement that something special was happening. It was White’s commitment coming.