Football

You want to complain and belittle Bret Bielema’s style of play by calling it ugly? Go ahead. The Illini first-year head coach considers it a compliment. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 7, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS -- For all the folks (some of which are paid contributors to this site) who are lamenting the fact that Bret Bielema just picked up an ugly win at Minnesota, here’s what you’re missing: Bret Bielema agrees with you.

Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy November 7, 2021 Today's game was […]

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is now 20-5 in Big Ten games in the month of November - a month he circles before the season ever starts. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 6, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS -- Personally, there’s a lot of months for Bret Bielema to enjoy but professionally there’s only one he shines the most in. 

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The Illini are going to Minnesota to face the […]

Kirkland Chappell, IlliniGuys Writer

October 4, 2021

Illinois extended an preferred walk-on offer 2022 New Jersey kicker Will McManus. 

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Finding the comparisons between Bret Bielema and P.J. Fleck can be very difficult.
While on the sideline during games, Fleck wears a vest and a tie after wearing a suit during all media availabilities. Bielema is comfortable doing both in a sweatsuit. Fleck, a former wide receiver, has patented his personal “Row The Boat” slogan into a new seven-year contract extension with Minnesota. Bielema, a former defensive lineman, is just getting his Illinois program off the ground in his first year without the help or use of a signature catchphrase.
Maybe the one thing the pair of program builders agree on is the philosophical features of how to win in the Western Division of the Big Ten Conference: run the football and stop the run.
On its way to the top of the division this season, Minnesota (6-2, 4-1) has dominated those two statistical categories with its powerful and veteran offensive line and its attacking style of defense.
Despite losing two of its top running backs to season-ending injuries, Minnesota is second in the Big Ten in rushing offense at averaging 222 yards per game.
“I think offensively they monopolize the clock. They run the ball effectively,” Bielema said of his Saturday afternoon opponent. “They’re one of the few teams in the country, one team in the power five, in the top 15 of rush offense and rush defense and that doesn’t happen by accident. I think that’s a very significant factor in the menu that they win games with.”
With Mohamed Ibrahim and Trey Potts out for the season with injuries, Minnesota has turned to redshirt junior Bryce Williams (6’0, 215 pounds) who got the start against Nebraska on Oct. 16. It was the third start of his career and his first since Oct. 26, 2018. Williams finished with 127 rushing yards on 17 carries, highlighted by a career-long touchdown run of 56 yards that gave
Minnesota a 30-16 lead with just over two minutes to play.
The 56-yard run tied Ibrahim for the longest rush by a Minnesota player this year. Ky Thomas and Mar'Keise Irving provided 139 and 105 yards, respectively, and each scored a touchdown in last week's win against Maryland.Irving, who made his backfield debut against Colorado on Sept. 18 with 15 rushes for 89 yards, has tallied 245 yards and a touchdown on 47 carries this year, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. Irving was a four-star recruit from 247Sports and was the No. 10 running back,according to Rivals, after earning 3,264 rushing yards and 587 receiving yards at Hillcrest High School in Chicago.
“I think especially when you're in a Big Ten, I think you win games up front. I think that has stayed tried and true throughout the years. Even back when I was a kid. You always knew you had to be able to run the ball and you had to have big offensive linemen that could move and were athletic. I think that was the biggest difference from when I played in the MAC and looked at Big 10 lines. They are always bigger and stronger,” Fleck said Monday. “And we're a big offensive line, but just because you're big, doesn't make you good. We don't just sit there and put the square peg into the round hole. We have a system and they've done a great job of developing within the system. Not only that, we've developed our system to our strength, which is our offensive line and I think some people when you talk about who your best players are, you start rattling off the skilled positions. Offensively, defensively, quarterback and things like that. But I've told our football team, our best players are our offensive line, and you've got to build around your best players and we've done everything we possibly can to do that.”

Illinois (3-6, 2-4) is one of seven teams in the Big Ten that is averaging four years per carry with the thunder and lightning running combination of Chase Brown and Josh McCray. During the month of October, Illinois has implemented more power packages to emphasize the style of play that Bielema wants to see now and in future Illini seasons he intends to compete for Western Division championship contending teams.
“Even going back to last spring, someone had forwarded me an article I think when P.J. (Fleck) had taken over Minnesota that first spring, they basically did endless periods of skelly (drills) because they didn’t have any linemen,” Bielema said. “I think he put an emphasis on offensive line play at that time. I know the way that we recruit, we butt up against them quite a bit. They’ve had three productive running backs who have kind of been injured throughout. Never want to see that but the results of the way they’ve been able to run the football have stayed pretty consistent, especially the last three games. I give a lot of credit to the offensive mentality. It doesn’t matter who is back there. Their offensive line are big, physical guys who cover you up and move the football. They use their tight ends. They have a 12-jumbo package which is really just one person away from a barge type of concept. Again, a key ingredient when you look at why do teams win and one of the key things that jumps out to me is they’re the only power five team to be in the top 15 of rush offense and rush defense. That says something to me. That’s not a very common trait. That’s something that jumps out pretty good.”

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

Nov. 3, 2021

To say the Illinois football team needs playmakers would be an understatement.

Kirkland Chappell, IlliniGuys Football Writer

November 3, 2021

On Tuesday, November 2, Illini Tight Ends Coach Ben Miller reached out and extended an offer to class of 2023 Offensive Tackle Austin Siereveld.

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Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy October 31, 2021 Heat Checks Coach […]

Illinois was physically dominated by Rutgers team that came […]

IlliniGuys.com Staff October 30, 2021 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -  A […]

In 2019, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano was the boss of Illinois head coach Bret Bielema for just a little more than two months with the NFL’s New England Patriots. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 30, 2021

Game Preview: Rutgers at Illinois

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021: 11 a.m. CST, Memorial Stadium

Surface: Field Turf

Capacity: 60,670 

Records: Illinois 3-5, 2-3 in Big Ten in 2021; 2-6 in 2020; Rutgers 3-4, 0-4 in Big Ten in 2021; 3-6 in 2020.

Betting Line: Rutgers by 1.5

Series notes: Illinois leads the all-time series 5-2, including 4-1 since Rutgers joined the Big Ten. The Illini have beaten Rutgers three straight times and are 2-1 against Rutgers in Champaign.

TV: BTN;  Jeff Levering (play-by-play), Anthony Herron (analyst), and Elise Menaker (reporter). 

Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (PBP), Martin O'Donnell (analysis) & Steve Kelly (Pre/HT/Post) » The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, Sirius/ XM satellite radio & SiriusXM Internet and at FightingIllini.com.