Football

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

July 24, 2023

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll break down another commitment from the summer run and rank TE Tanner Hollinger compared to the industry.

The Illini return two All-Big Ten players to its defensive front, but questions remain about veteran depth behind Jer'Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph. 

Matthew Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 21, 2023

If you were to categorize one set of happy folks to hear Illinois defensive linemen Jer'Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph were returning to college football with the label of players with a locker in the Smith Family Football Complex at the University of Illinois, TeRah Edwards might be the most overjoyed. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

July 21, 2023

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll break down another commitment from the summer run and rank TE Karsen Konkel compared to the industry.

Illinois needs a more effective pass rush in 2023 to possibly account for inexperience and youth in the secondary. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

July 20, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Tork Mason/USA Today Network)

After being offered the outside linebackers coach job at the University of Illinois, Charlie Bullen took inventory in what kind of athletic clay he would be working with in his first college job in a dozen years. 

Bullen’s film session from the 2022 season didn’t last long, about a few minutes in fact, before he said yes to Illini head coach Bret Bielema and the two of them began to formulate a plan for a positional room that now has three players with starting experience, a promising transfer from a Power Five Conference program and a junior college transfer that chose Illinois over Oklahoma’s Brent Venables program this spring. 

“It is a loaded room, and that was part of me being attracted to coming here,” Bullen said. “They were a phenomenal, top defense in this country before I even got here, and I accept this role humbly and knowing that they didn't need me to be great. They were already great before me, so I look at it as I'm just trying to enhance what's already been successful wherever I can. I don't necessarily need to reinvent the wheel, and that hasn't been my approach.”

Illinois will be led by three-year starter Tarique Barnes but need to figure out his sidekick in fall camp.  

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

July 19, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy David Banks/USA TODAY Sports)

For all the talk of Illinois being a cradle of middle linebackers in the history of the game with names like Dick Butkus, Dana Howard and Kevin Hardy, the last time the Illini program saw an inside-the-box linebacker be selected in the draft by a National Football League franchise was Martez Wilson in 2011. 

This statistic of futility may likely change if Tarique Barnes can put together another solid season as the counted-on, veteran inside linebacker in an Illinois defense that has a lot of dangerous talent near the line-of-scrimmage. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

July 19, 2023

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll take a look at DB commitment Chase Green, I’ll rank WR Carlos Orr and compare his ranking elsewhere.

Illinois is trying to replace three members of its defensive backfield drafted to the National Football League this past April. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 18, 2023

There is an argument to be made that Illinois very well could be facing this massive level of talent loss in a specific position group for the first time in program history. 

Illinois will be led by first-year special teams coordinator Robbie Discher where he’ll be involved in a unit that returns the kicker, punter and punt return. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 17, 2023

After being hired at Illinois, Bret Bielema’s first objective was to teach his new players how to use special teams to not lose games

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

July 17, 2023

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll break down another of the early commitments and give my ranking on WR Tysean Griffin.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

July 16, 2023

Illinois football appears to be very successful in the Sunshine State recruiting.

Illinois defensive linemen Jer'Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph both represent Bret Bielema’s best recruiting job this winter as they return to Illini and will be at 2023 Big Ten Media Day. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 15, 2023

In the week leading up to a decision to come back to Illinois for a fourth season, both Keith Randolph and Jer'Zhan Newton agree they were on the phone with Illini head coach Bret Bielema, defensive coordinator Aaron Henry and most importantly, themselves. 

(Editor's Note: Bradley Locker and David Gold of Inside […]

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

July 14, 2023

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll continue to break down the recent commits by looking at local DE Joe Barna and I’ll continue my own ratings for the class with RB Ca’lil Valentine.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

July 12, 2023

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

It’s the dead period so in this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll continue to catch up on the recent commits and begin comparing my personal Illini commit rankings with those of the industry.

Pat Fitzgerald’s written response to his termination eliminated 17 seasons worth of goodwill ambassadorship. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

July 11, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Jeffrey Becker/USA Today Sports)

You might find this hard to believe but Northwestern University does actually provide an undergraduate course specifically in public relations communication. 

Yes, Comm Studies 261 - Introduction to Strategic Communication, is a one-unit course described to “explore the nature of the modern organization and the role of communication in it”. 

My suggestion is everybody involved in this ongoing hazing scandal surrounding Northwestern University, its athletics department and the football program might want to audit that class before they provide the public with any more mind-numbing proclamations.

There’s no doubt Northwestern president Michael Schill has bungled this ordeal from the moment of trying to do a 1960s style Friday evening news dump and a midnight statement admitting to his previous errors in judgment. 

Northwestern athletics director Derrick Gragg, who has apparently been overseas during this whole ordeal, might as well be a permanent mute. The next time we hear from him will be the first. 

And then there’s Wildcats head football coach Patrick William Fitzgerald Jr., who up to Friday, July 7, 2023 was a clean posterboy for leadership in the always ever-muddied world of Power Five Conference football.