Football

Illinois has been eliminated from the Big Ten Baseball Tournament before the weekend for the eighth straight year.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 24, 2024

When Tracy Smith was hired as the next head baseball coach at the University of Michigan on the day before Independence Day 2022, most analysts in the sport thought the Wolverines were getting one of the best baseball minds and recruiters in the college game. What nobody in Ann Arbor, Michigan realized, and that likely includes Smith himself, is the former Arizona State head coach would eventually be bringing north one of the game’s most talented two-way players from the roster of his former employer.

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

May 24, 2024

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

I’m this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at the latest with WR transfer target Zakhari Franklin, more on the commitment from WR Brayden Trimble and a couple new OL targets.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

May 24, 2024

Downstate prep Brayden Trimble, one of the best prospects in Illinois, committed to the Illini earlier this week. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound wideout knew where he wanted to go, but he had a little help from another 2025 Illinois commit, Andre Lovett.

May 23, 2024 Dear Fellow Illini: This week, the […]

Illinois gets two runs in the 10th inning and are benefited from a controversial runner interference call to advance past an elimination game in the 2024 Big Ten Tournament. Illini snapped an eight-game losing streak in the event.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 23, 2024

For the first time since 2018, Illinois has won a baseball game in the Big Ten Conference Tournament. And it took a 10-inning effort along with a controversial umpire decision in the final half inning to see the Illini advance to another day. 

Illinois junior third baseman Coltin Quagliano gave Illinois its first and last lead of the 4-2 win in the 10th inning with a rocket hit two-run single that followed base hits off Iowa reliever Archer Gannon by Jacob Schroeder and Brody Harding. Both Schroeder and Harding would score on Quagliano’s 53rd and 54th RBIs of the season. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

May 23, 2023

Andre Lovett, an Illini commit, plans to play safety once he arrives on campus. The 5-foot-11, 2025 prospect from Blue Island, Illinois, has been proactive in helping his future school secure commitments and continues to do so.

Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman maintains full public confidence in the Illini football program as Bret Bielema enters fourth season as head coach. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 22, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — The excitement and confidence flowing out of the Smith Family Football Complex building is being felt by arguably the most important athletics person on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

Josh Whitman, who just surpassed his eighth year as the Illinois athletics director this past February, said his second head football coach hire at his alma mater continues to give him belief that a consistent product can be achieved in the fall with the university’s highest revenue-generating sport. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

May 22, 2024

With the addition of four new West Coast schools—USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington—joining the Big Ten, media predictions do not favor Illinois as a competitor.

Teams like Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, and Penn State are expected to dominate the first 18-team conference race. But what about teams in the middle, like Wisconsin, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Michigan State? Despite improvements, Illinois is not seen as a competitive threat within the conference by many voters.

New Illinois defensive backs coach Corey Parker understands that he’s going from one of the least penalized Football Bowl Subdivision program to one of the most flagged in 2023.  

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 21, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Corey Parker seems to instantly recognize that at least statistically he’s leaving one of the more disciplined defensive backs rooms at Toledo and inheriting one of the least disciplined units in the Big Ten Conference. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

May 21, 2024

Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema recently hinted at good news on the horizon, promising fans an exciting announcement. For Bielema, getting student-athletes to commit and believe in his program is a point of pride.

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

May 21, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll touch on the Brayden Trimble win, a few key positional needs for the 2025 class, and the latest on transfer WR Zakhari Franklin.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting May 20, 2024 […]

Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb is determined to not have anything change in Big Ten Tournament that has led to Illini’s regular season hot streak. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 20, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Before the Illinois players got on the buses to take the team to Omaha for the Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournament, Illini head coach Dan Hartleb had only one message for his club - don’t change anything you’re doing. 

Mike Cagley, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports […]

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

May 17, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at the silence of Zahkari Franklin, another portal addition and the Illini not giving up on a local 5-star.