Football Recruiting Spotlight on Casey Thomann
By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst March 10, […]
Football Recruiting Spotlight on Casey Thomann
By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst March 10, […]
Heat Checks & Hail Marys – The Next 5 Years Are the Most Important in the History of Illini Athletics
Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular March 9, 2025 It […]
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Recruit Casey Thomann: "Bret Bielema is competitive, and to me he's just the type of guy a hungry recruit should want to play for."
By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
March 8, 2025
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois football program continues to build its 2026 recruiting class with another top in-state prospect. Casey Thomann, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle from Olney, Illinois, committed to Illinois early in the week, a decision that was expected, though the timing came as a surprise.
Thomann has visited the Fighting Illini a lot throughout his recruitment, consistently returning to campus. His first scholarship offer came from his home state program, which was a significant factor in his decision.
Pat Bryant Wins Second Annual Loren Tate Award
Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant becomes the second recipient […]
Antonio James & James White Newest Hires As Bielema Continues to Build Out Illini Staff
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema continues to add assistant coaches to his staff with the addition of Antonio James and James White.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
March 6, 2025
CHAMPAIGN — As Bret Bielema continues to reshape his staff of coaches at Illinois, Antonio James is getting the opportunity to return to his alma mater and the community he began his coaching career.
James was named the assistant defensive line coach on Wednesday where he joins Bielema’s staff from a Southern Illinois program, where he spent the last two seasons as assistant head coach/defensive coordinator.
Illini AD Josh Whitman Asks For Congressional Help With College Sports
The athletics director at the University of Illinois is asking for Congress to help structure college athletics but advocates against the employee model for athletes.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman spent Tuesday morning asking for congressional help to reform collegiate sports but only in a way that doesn’t give athletes the rights granted to employees.
Whitman, who as of April 2024 was elected chairperson of the NCAA Division I Council, testified at a hearing Tuesday in front of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which is a subcommittee on commerce, manufacturing, and trade.
How Dylan Rosiek’s Injury Answered Questions About Illini’s Inside Linebacker Depth
The broken leg of Dylan Rosiek in the last game Illinois would lose in the 2024 season forced first-year assistant coach Archie McDaniel to showcase little-used reserve athletes of his position room.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
March 5, 2025
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It only took one injury on the Illinois defense for discussion to turn toward confusion, nervousness and questions.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup: Illini Football Lands Commitment from 2026 OL Casey Thomann
By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois football received a significant boost to its 2026 recruiting class as Casey Thomann, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle from Olney, Illinois, announced his commitment to the Illini.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup: Bret Bielema's Recruiting Impact on the National Stage
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.
Why Bret Bielema Promoted Trent Harris as OLB Coach Instead of Doing a National Search
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.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup: AJ Marks Updates His Top 10 Schools, Illinois Makes the Cut
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.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup: Trae Taylor Names His Top 5, Discusses Why Each School Made the List, Including Illinois
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.
Why Brad Underwood Loves Seeing Ben Humrichous at the Small Forward Wing Spot
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.
Football Recruiting Spotlight on Cam Thomas
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.
Football Recruiting Spotlight on Jack Paris
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?
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