Illinois Fighting Illini on OrangeandBlueNews.com

08/12/2024

Illinois coach Brad Underwood "tapped every market" in building the 2024-25 roster, and it may be his most talented team yet.

Now, the challenge is make all of the pieces fit. We break down the roster, skill sets, style of play, and more.

Illinois coach Brad Underwood has assembled a talented roster. Now, the challenge is to make the pieces fit.

08/09/2024

Fighting Illini Football junior quarterback Luke Altmyer:

There’s a “looseness, a confidence in my walk and talk and what I’m doing. I’m confident for a really big year. I really believe that".

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer enters the 2024 season with a new-found level of confidence.

08/06/2024

Illinois has a storied history with Chicago Simeon. The latest Wolverine on the radar is 2026 wing Andre Tyler, who just added an offer from the Illini.

Illinois offered 2026 shooting guard Andre Tyler from Chicago Simeon.

08/06/2024

Fighting Illini Footballtraining camp deal: Subscribe now and get 75% off the first year of your premium membership to OrangeandBlueNews.com.

Enter promo code "Illini100" - this football season marks the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium.

Sign up now: https://illinois.rivals.com/sign_up?promo_code=ILLINI100

08/03/2024

Illinois made the initial cut for four-star tight end Mack Sutter, one of its top in-state targets in the class of 2026.

The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Sutter trimmed his list to 12 schools on Friday, with the home state program cracking the list.

Sutter is just off of an unofficial visit to Illinois, and he will be back for a gameday visit early in the season.

Illinois made the initial cut for four-star tight end Mack Sutter from Dunlap, Illinois.

08/03/2024

Three-star forward Spencer Ahrens from Kansas prep school Sunrise Christian is fast becoming a priority target for the Fighting Illini. He' is just off an official visit to Illinois on Thursday.

Orange and Blue News caught up with Ahrens to recap his trip to Champaign and find out what's next his recruitment.

Three-star power forward Spencer Ahrens from Kansas prep school Sunrise Christian visited Illinois on Thursday.

07/28/2024

Fighting Illini Football TRAINING CAMP CENTRAL

All content from Illinois football training camp will land on this page, including feature stories, position preview, video interviews, photo galleries, and more.

Illinois opens camp on Monday July 29, as coach Bret Bielema enters his fourth season at the helm. The Illini are coming off of a 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten) in 2023.

Landing page for Illinois football training camp.

07/26/2024

Orange and Blue News breaks down five thing we will be paying particular attention to when the Illini open training camp on Monday.

Orange and Blue News breaks down five thing we will be paying particular attention to when the Illini open training camp

07/25/2024

Fighting Illini Football coach Bret Bielema is optimistic as Big Ten Media Days unofficially kicks off the college football season.

Illinois is looking to improve on a 5-7 season in critical year for head coach Bret Bielema.

07/25/2024

Orange and Blue News makes our game-by-game predictions for Illinois football in 2024.

The Illini open the season at home against Eastern Illinois on Thursday, August 29.

Orange and Blue News offers our prediction for all 12 Fighting Illini games in 2024.

07/14/2024

Orange and Blue News caps off our list of the 25 most important Illini for 2024 with an look at the top five, including junior quarterback Luke Altmyer.

Orange and Blue News breaks down the top five most important Illini for 2024.

06/29/2024

In the rapidly changing world of college sports, the football program could determine the future of Illini athletics.

06/29/2024

Orange and Blue News breaks down the junior film on new Illini running back commit Cedric Wyche, a three-star prospect from Florida prep power St. Thomas Aquinas.

Orange and Blue News breaks down the game film on new running back commit Cedric Wyche II.

06/29/2024

Fresh off a recent official visit, three-star running back Cedric Wyche II has committed to the Fighting Illini.

The three-star prospect from Florida prep power St. Thomas Aquinas becomes the first running back to commit to Illinois in the class of 2025.

Illinois picked up a commitment from three-star running back Cedric Wyche II following an official visit.

06/26/2024

Sustained success has been elusive for Illinois football over the years. The stakes have never been higher.

In the rapidly changing environment of college sports, Bret Bielema's program may hold to the keys to the future of Fighting Illini athletics. Story from John Supinie.

In the rapidly changing world of college sports, the football program could determine the future of Illini athletics.

06/23/2024

Brad Underwood stuck big on the recruiting trail with a commitment from five-star small forward Will Riley from Phelps School, a prep school in the Philadelphia area.

Riley committed to Illinois after coming off of three official visits, including a trip to Champaign.

Long rumored to leaning towards the Illini, he announced his commitment during a live event in his native Ontario, Canada which was streamed on his Instagram page.

Illinois landed five-star forward Will Riley from Malvern (PA) Phelps School.

06/23/2024

A whirlwind recruitment ended with a commitment for three-star safety Desmond Straughton from Roseville (Mich.).

Illinois picked up the commitment from Straughton after recently extending a scholarship offer. He becomes the third defensive back to commit to Illinois in the class of 2025.

A whirlwind recruitment ended with a commitment for three-star safety Desmond Straughton from Roseville (Mich.).

06/23/2024

Illinois added a commitment from three-star safety Desmond Straughton from Roseville (Mich.)

Orange and Blue News breaks down his junior game film and what he will bring to the Illini secondary.

Illinois added a commitment from three-star safety Desmond Straughton from

06/20/2024

CHAMPAIGN – Josh Whitman loves hanging banners as Illini athletics director, and he made the decision to put another one over the State Farm Center court.

Whitman announced Thursday he would work the gray area and go ahead and put another one over the Lou Henson Court, when he confirmed the No. 0 of Terrence Shannon Jr. would be placed with the other 35 jerseys of former Illini basketball stars.

Illini AD Josh Whitman announced that Terrence Shannon Jr. will be honored with a jersey in rafters at State Farm Center

06/17/2024

Illinois held its Rising Illini Camp on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, with around 130 high school players from the 2025 through 2028 classes participating.

A handful of prospects walked away from the camp with new offer from the Fighting Illini, including one rising senior who plans a return trip for an official visit.

Orange and Blue News breaks down our most notable performers.

Standouts from the Rising Illini Camp at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, including 2027 quarterback Trae Taylor.

06/17/2024

Illinois has made Michael Clayton II a top priority in the class in of 2026. The four-star quarterback from Sanford (Fla.) Seminole has now been on campus multiple times for unofficial visits.

Clayton recaps his latest trip to Champaign and talks recruiting in this update from Orange and Blue News.

Fours-star quarterback Michael Clayton II made a return trip to Illinois this week for an unofficial visit.

06/17/2024

Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema met with reporters on Monday prior to his annual golf outing at the Atkins Golf Club in Urbana. Bielema discussed the addition of wide receiver transfer Zakhari Frankling, summer recruiting and campus, and more.

Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema met with reporters on Monday prior to his annual golf outing.

06/17/2024

Orlando Antigua was expected to bring some recruiting chops with him on his second go-around at Illinois, and the offer list certainly bears that out.

The latest high level offer went out this week to rising junior center Sam Funches, a four-star prospect from Madison (Miss.) Germantown.

Illinois offered 2026 center Sam Funches from Madison (Miss.) Germantown.

06/15/2024

Illinois added a big piece to its wide receiver corps with a commitment from wide receiver Zakhari Franklin, one of the top remaining players in the transfer portal and a priority target for Illinois.

Franklin checks at No. 131 overall in the Rivals.com transfer rankings and he was the No. 1 uncommitted transfer wide receiver.

https://illinois.rivals.com/news/commit-transfer-wide-receiver-zakhari-franklin-to-illinois

The definitive source for all Rivals news.

06/15/2024

Former Illini forward Coleman Hawkins is headed to Kansas State.

Viewed as the best player remaining in the portal, Coleman Hawkins is heading to Kansas State.

06/15/2024

Hall of Fame Class of 2024: Nick Weatherspoon of Fighting Illini Men's Basketball (1971-73)

🔸 1973 All-American
🔹 2x team MVP
🔸 2x All-Big Ten honoree
🔹 Holds the school records for career averages in scoring (20.9 ppg) and rebounds (11.3 rpg)
🔸 Named to the Illini All-Century Team in 2005

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06/15/2024

Hall of Fame Class of 2024: Frank Williams of Fighting Illini Men's Basketball (2000-02)

🔸 2001 Big Ten Player of the Year
🔹 2001 First Team All-American
🔸 2001 Big Ten Silver Basketball Award winner
🔹 2x First Team All-Big Ten
🔸 2x team MVP
🔹 Named to the Illini All-Century Team in 2005

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06/09/2024

Illinois picked up a commitment on Sunday from three-star wide receiver Davion Chandler, the second wideout to commit to Illinois in the class of 2025.

Orange and Blue News breaks down the junior HUDL film on Chandler, a 6-foot, 175-pound speedster from Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence North.

Orange and Blue News breaks down the game film on new Illinois commit Davion Chandler, 3-star wide receiver.

06/09/2024

Illinois got its first commitment from a big recruiting weekend on Sunday with a pledge from three-star wide receiver Davion Chandler from Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence North.

The 6-foot, 175-pound Chandler is commit No. 7 for Illinois in the class of 2025 and the second wide receiver. He's coming off of strong junior senior and had a long list of Power 4 offers.

Three-star wide receiver Davion Chandler from Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence North committed to Illinois.