The Farrell Report - Post Bowl Moves
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert
January 4, 2023
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
The Illini lost their bowl game to an inspired Mississippi State team 19-10 and now the focus is on the portal.
Sturdy's Takeaways: ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa
By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst
January 3, 2023
(Photos courtesy Steve Snider/IlliniGuys)
The Illini fell 19-10 to Mississippi State in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Monday in a game that they led for most of the afternoon before a couple of late scores flipped the script. The Bulldogs made numerous key plays late to set up a game winning field goal in the final seconds. The ‘desperado’ play by Illinois to end it led to a fumble return for a TD to give us the 19-10 final.
Isaiah Williams had 9 catches for 114 yards, while Tommy DeVito hit on 23-34 passes for 253 yards, but the Illini failed to convert a key 3rd down with 2 minutes to play and allowed 7 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Here’s what we saw…
Isaiah Williams’ Breakout Performance Leads to Career-High 114 yards for Illini’s ReliaQuest Bowl Loss
Fourth-year sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Williams left little doubt who the most impressive athlete on the Raymond James Stadium turf was in Illinois’ first January bowl win since 1990.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
January 3, 2022
TAMPA, Fla. -- Since the day of the bowl announcement, Isaiah Williams kept saying how this experience felt different than his first postseason game experience three years ago.
Without Chase Brown, Illini Run Game Stalls in ReliaQuest Bowl Loss
The Illinois tailback duo of Reggie Love and Josh McCray couldn’t make up the difference of a missing Doak Walker Award finalist.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
January 2, 2023
(Cover photo courtesy Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA Today Sports)
TAMPA, Fla. -- Bret Bielema has brought the mentality to Illinois that “what we do” is producing 100-yard rushers but without the services of Chase Brown, the running game stalled in the Illini head coach’s first bowl game.
Without Chase Brown, who elected to opt out of this bowl game and concentrate his efforts into the upcoming National Football League draft, the duo of Reggie Love and a notably healthy Josh McCray was not enough to make up the difference from the absence of the Big Ten Conference’s leading rusher.
Wild Finish Sinks Illini In ReliaQuest Bowl
By IlliniGuys Staff January 2, 2023 (Cover photo courtesy […]
The Farrell Report - Transfer Portal News
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert
January 2, 2023
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
The focus is on the bowl game of course and Illinois is unlike some other programs in this respect.
New Year’s Day Bowl Game Serves As Reward For Jamal Woods’ 6-year Illini Journey
Game Preview: 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl - No. 22 Mississippi […]
IlliniGuys ReliaQuest Bowl Predictions
January 2, 2023 The first ever IlliniGuys football picks […]
ReliaQuest Bowl Notebook: Newton’s Clearwater Crew Secured As Many 100 Tickets; Illini OC Lunney Jr. Believes Sitkowski ‘will be a phenomenal coach’; Who Dots the ‘I’ in Bielema’s Victory Formation?
Illinois defensive lineman Jer'Zhan Newton played his high school football games just 30 minutes from Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
January 1, 2023
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
TAMPA, Fla. -- Illinois’ star defensive lineman believes their will be a ‘Johnny Newton section’ decided to just him for the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl.
Since the moment Illinois (8-4) was selected to play in Tampa for its bowl game against No. 22 Mississippi State (8-4) for the Illini’s first New Year’s bowl game since 2007, Newton has been acting as a ticket broker on the roster trying to manufacture and convince teammates to give me their allotment of tickets to play the final game of the 2022 season just 30 minutes from where he played high school football at Clearwater Central Catholic.
Bielema Values Experience & Work Ethic of New DB Coach Hire Antonio Fenelus
Fenelus drove down to Tampa Friday night with his family and attended Illinois’ Saturday afternoon practice session.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
Illini defensive coordinator Aaron Henry (left) and defensive backs coach Antonio Fenelus (center) at the 2012 Rose Bowl news conference during their Wisconsin Badgers playing days. (Courtesy Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
December 31, 2022
TAMPA, Fla. -- As soon as Ryan Walters accepted the Purdue head coach job, Bret Bielema know the answer of who he’d be hiring and Saturday the Illinois second-year coach answered the question of why it was Antonio Fenelus.
Fenelus, who will turn 33 years old on January 19, was a four-year letterwinner at safety for Wisconsin under Bielema as the Badgers head coach and the defensive back from Boca Raton shined as a senior in 2011 where earned first-team All-Big Ten Conference honors. However, it was Fenelus’ experience and perceived work ethic outside of being under Bielema’s purview that has made the Illini head coach want to bring his former player back on staff as soon as possible.
The Illini Hope New Year's Bowls Become Commonplace
Illinois Football looks to add to the history books with a win at Raymond James Stadium Jan. 2, 2023.
Zain Bando, IlliniGuys Correspondent
December 31, 2022
Throughout the long-standing history of Illinois football, January bowl games simply mean more.
Lunney Excited About Illini’s Tailback Future Showcase in ReliaQuest Bowl
Without the services of Chase Brown, Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. looking forward to show his offensive’s future talent at tailback.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
December 31, 2022
TAMPA, Fla. -- On the second day of 2023, Illinois will be showcasing the future of its tailback talent they hope to be using throughout the rest of the calendar year.
The Farrell Report - News and Notes
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert
December 30, 2022
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
In this edition of the Farrell Report — Illinois I’ll take a look at what the Illini have at RB from the 2023 class, make a guess at who the new defensive backs coach will be and drop some portal info.
Bret Bielema Hires Former Player & DB Coach Antonio Fenelus to Illini’s Staff
Antonio Fenelus has been added to Bret Bielema’s Illinois staff to fill the vacancy left by Ryan Walters’ head coach hiring to Purdue and Aaron Henry’s promotion.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
December 30, 2022
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema has hired his third former player from his time as a defensive coordinator and head coach at Wisconsin to his Illini defensive assistant coaching staff.
Antonio Fenelus will be getting his first full-time positional coaching job at a Football Bowl Subdivision school as the new defensive backs coach on an Illini coaching staff that also features Bielema’s former players Aaron Henry (defensive coordinator) and defensive line coach Terrance Jamison.
Aaron Henry’s Promotion Provided Comfort & Calmness for Returning Illini Players
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema wanted a big reaction from his team when he announced Aaron Henry’s promotion to defensive coordinator. What he got was calmness in a trying coaching silly season week for the Illini.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
December 30, 2022
TAMPA, Fla. -- Aaron Henry’s promotion didn’t provide for a theatrical YouTube-style reaction by this returning Illinois roster of players.
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