Tag: Illinois Football

College football fans torched Illinois for its icky 1920s throwback uniforms

Okay, these Illinois throwback uniforms are … a choice.

This story has been updated. 

No. 22 Illinois rolled out new throwback uniforms at home on Saturday as the team topped No. 24 Michigan.

The throwback uniforms paid tribute to legendary Illinois halfback Red Grange, who ran for six touchdowns against the Wolverines in 1924.

The uniforms went very, very, very far to illustrate how football fits looked back in the 1920s. The results were, shall we say, interesting.

While uniforms are certainly in the eye of the beholder, these felt designed to invite strong reactions in both directions.

Some college football found them to be, well, quite hideous. We’ll let you be the judge. See the uniforms and the reactions below.

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Expert score prediction: Nebraska vs. Illinois

Big Ten Conference play arrives for No. 22 Nebraska on Friday night when No. 24 Illinois comes to Lincoln.

Big Ten Conference play arrives for No. 22 Nebraska on Friday night when No. 24 Illinois comes to Lincoln. With both teams looking to remain undefeated and ranked, the game is looking to be quite the battle. 

The Huskers and the Fighting Illini mirror each other strongly in this matchup. During the non-conference portion of their schedules, they each faced a non-Power 4 team, an FCS team, and a Big 12 team.

True freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola is 59-of-80 passing for 670 yards and five touchdowns for Nebraska. Fourth-year quarterback Luke Altmyer is 54-of-78 this season for 647 yards and six touchdowns. 

The Huskers’ run game has racked up 514 total yards and seven touchdowns off 104 carries through the first three games. Illinois, meanwhile, has 460 yards off 105 carries for four touchdowns.

Nebraska’s defense has held opponents to 20 points, 555 passing yards, and 211 rushing yards through three games. They have also recorded four interceptions, including one for a touchdown, and delivered nine sacks. 

Meanwhile, the Fighting Illini’s defense held opponents to 26 points through three games, 455 passing yards, 377 rushing yards allowed, and two touchdowns. They also have six interceptions, including one for a touchdown and five sacks. 

Illinois’ last two weeks showed signs of first-half struggles. In the last two games, the Fighting Illini only scored 13 points in the first half, while Nebraska scored 79.

Illinois’ win over then-No. 19 Kansas also lost some credibility following the Jayhawks’ 23-20 loss to UNLV. Kansas slipped up several times during the Illinois game, including a screen pass that resulted in a pick-six, allowing the Fighting Illini to win. 

Illinois also struggled early against Central Michigan, a team that was blown out 52-16 by FIU last week. But after entering halftime up 13-6, the Fighting Illini pulled away in the second half to win 30-9. 

Nebraska controls the outcome of this game. They don’t need to wear down their opponents to deliver big strikes in their wins, something Illinois needs to remember. If the Huskers don’t make big mistakes like Kansas and control the line of scrimmage, they’ll walk away with the win. 

Score Prediction: Nebraska 27, Illinois 13

Commanders Johnny Newton says Jonathan Allen is ‘like a big brother’ to him

Jonathan Allen has been helping Johnny Newton.

Johnny Newton is back on the field.

The rookie defensive tackle drafted 36th overall by the Commanders met with the media Tuesday, expressing he is happy to be active again, following his foot surgery this Spring.

“They’ve been giving me great support—everybody in the locker room, everybody in the building, really. So, just to get out there and compete, it felt really good to get off.”

Choosing to have the surgery right away, Newton said he really didn’t have a long-term goal. Rather, he just tried to do the right recovery things day by day.

Newton was surprised when the X-rays revealed the problem, seeing he insists he never had discomfort in that foot. Having been through this already with one foot, he felt like he knew what to expect in the rehab, so he just got to it.

“Great training staff in there, great coaching staff. Everybody always came to check on me, definitely right after I had surgery. So it was comfortable for me and I knew what my goal was and what I had to do to get back, so I just did exactly that.”

Being drafted to a team that starts Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne at your position might bother many rookies, but not Newton.

“I’ve been watching them for years now. Back when they were in college at Alabama I used to watch them, but actually getting to know them, great people outside of the football field. They’re honestly like big brothers. Whenever I mess up with something, they’ll tell me. Just the smallest things on the field, they always help me out, always encouraging me.”

When asked how long it would take the former Illinois tackle to regain his quickness, Newton responded, “Rome wasn’t built overnight, so I’m not expecting to get back to 100 percent on the first day of practice. I’m just getting my feet. Honestly, this is my first NFL practice, getting up to speed, and hopefully, eventually, for sure soon, I’ll be back to 100 percent and back to my old self.”

Newton didn’t like missing minicamp but is thankful for the support he received. He expressed it was hard on him to miss, but “everybody in the building was always encouraging me.

“Jon’s my locker mate, so always talking to Jon, he’s like, ‘Bro, you’re going to be alright.’ He is like, ‘I can’t wait for you to get on the field.’ And just hearing that from Jon was great encouragement to me because I look up to Jon. He is like a big brother to me.. and, DQ (Dan Quinn), AP (Adam Peters) always came to check up on me, and that meant the most to me. So, I knew what I had to do, and that always gave me an extra boost.”

Bret Bielema explains significance behind Iowa tattoo at Big Ten Media Days

At Big Ten Media Days Illinois coach Bret Bielema discussed the significance of his Iowa tattoo.

One of the biggest warnings they always give you about tattoos is that they are permanent. They don’t fade or wash away, that design is on you forever. Situations in life may change, but that ink on your body does not update along with it.

Now some out there take that warning to heart, others not quite as literally. I do have a tattoo of a heart that says mom, but it is flipped upside-down so it says wow just like in that one Spongebob episode. You can tell which camp I belong to. It turns out Bret Bielema is also from that camp!

Bret Bielema has a tattoo in honor of his alma mater Iowa. It’s an honorable tattoo, but there’s a slight problem. He is no longer with Iowa. He is the head coach of their Big Ten competitor Illinois.

It is really funny the idea that Illinois’ current coach, who was also the head coach at Wisconsin earlier in his career, has the image of a tigerhawk above his left ankle.

Bielema, though, is not ashamed of what the tattoo represents.

“I never met a successful person who wasn’t proud of where they come from,” Bielema stated about the tattoo at Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday.

While it may just be a silly image that he decided to get at 19 on a rainy Iowa night, it does still carry heavy meaning for the coach. Bret Bielema walked onto the University of Iowa’s football team under coach Hayden Fry. He proceeded to earn a scholarship, letter four years, and served as a captain in his senior season. He then got his start as a coach at Iowa, working under Fry and then eventually Kirk Ferentz.

With everything he gained from his time in Iowa City, Bielema has become a Big Ten Coach of the Year, a three-time Big Ten Champion, and he even won a Super Bowl ring with New England.

Sometimes even the silly decisions we make as bored 19-year-olds can help remind us where we come from even as we progress forward.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.

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Big Ten primer — Illinois’ greatest football moment

Illinois in 1923 and 1924 was a true college football colossus.

Illinois played USC in the 2008 Rose Bowl, but that selection was controversial, given that the Illini had lost multiple games that season and were not Big Ten champions. The Illini have not been consistently successful over the past 60 years of college football. In the early and middle periods of the 20th century, the Fighting Illini were much more prosperous, winning a few Rose Bowls in the 20 years after World War II and creating great programs under legendary coach Robert Zuppke in the first third of the 20th century.

In terms of an individual feat, the greatest moment belonging to Illinois football is Red Grange’s epic performance against Michigan in 1924. However, in terms of a team achievement which belongs more to the program than to one man, the greatest Illinois football moment was the completion of a perfect 1923 season with Grange leading the way. Illinois went 8-0, the Illini’s most recent perfect season. Illinois also went unbeaten and untied in 1914 and 1910, but 1923 was the most impressive perfecto of the three. The last time Illinois went unbeaten was in 1951, going 9-0-1, but one tie prevented the Illini from beig perfect.

It was a long time ago, but Illinois was a legitimate college football powerhouse in the first third of the 20th century. The 1923 and 1924 Illinois teams brought the Illini their greatest fame and their most pervasive level of national college football relevance.

Big Ten media days are July 23-25 in Indianapolis.

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WATCH: Former Wisconsin football coach sings ‘Take Me Out To The Ball Game’ at Cubs game

Your thoughts on former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema?

Former Wisconsin Badgers and current Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema entertained the Chicago Cubs faithful on Tuesday night with a rendition of ‘Take Me Out To The Ball Game.’

He led the seventh-inning-stretch tradition during the Cubs’ eventual 6-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Related: Three Wisconsin football assistants among Big Ten’s top recruiters for class of 2025

Bielema was the head coach for the Badgers for seven highly successful years from 2006-2012. He finished with a 68-24 overall record (0.739 win percentage), including three Rose Bowl trips in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The controversial figure took the head coach job at Arkansas toward the end of the 2012 season, which did not sit well with much of the Badger faithful.

So not only do many remember Bielema’s headline-grabbing exit, but he is also currently the head coach at Illinois — one of Wisconsin’s regional rivals. He is only 18-19 overall in his first three seasons at the helm. One of those wins, however, effectively ended the Paul Chryst era in 2022.

Somehow, the Bielema vs. Wisconsin story seems to never reach its end. The Badgers and Fighting Illini are not scheduled to play in 2024. It will not be until 2025 when Wisconsin gets another shot at a win over its former coach.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Texas transfer cornerback Terrance Brooks commits to Illinois

Terrance Brooks appears to be heading to the Big Ten.

Terrance Brooks is on his way to the Big Ten conference. The former five-star cornerback has committed to the Illinois Fighting Illini in a significant addition for Illinois.

We’re still trying to understand exactly what went down between Brooks and Texas, but the talented cornerback was expected by some to start for the team again this season. In 2023 he put up three interceptions and six passes defended along with 20 tackles, but still wasn’t immune to allowing the big play.

The Illinois decision isn’t too difficult to understand when looking at their recent draft success. A season ago, the team saw three defensive backs drafted in the first three rounds. The first Illinois secondary player drafted was Devon Witherspoon with the No. 5 overall pick followed by Jartavius Martin at No. 47 and Sydney Brown at No. 66.

Brooks’ decision seems to revolve around NFL draft development and playing time rather than competing for a playoff spot.

Since 2012, the Illini have had just one winning season and went 5-7 in 2023. They face a relatively easy schedule, but one that might be more difficult than past seasons in the lesser division of the Big Ten.

Illinois plays host to Kansas, Michigan, Purdue, Minnesota and Michigan State with road games against Oregon, Penn State, Nebraska, Rutgers and Northwestern in the upcoming season. Presumably, Oregon, Michigan and Penn State eliminate the Illini from any playoff contention. Rutgers, Nebraska and Kansas could be difficult tests.

Texas will look to replace Brooks with its current roster ahead of its first season in the SEC.

Former MSU football commit, AJ Dennis, in transfer portal, Spartans to be involved

Former Michigan State football commit Andrew Dennis is in transfer portal and the Spartans are expected to be involved.

Andrew ‘A.J.’ Dennis was a top-175 offensive line recruit in the 2024 recruiting class and was committed to Michigan State for a good portion of the cycle. After a coaching change in East Lansing, the Mount Pleasant native backed off of his Spartans commitment and chose to go to Illinois.

Now, after spending the spring with Illinois, Dennis has entered the transfer portal, citing a desire to “be closer to home.” This opens the door for the Spartans to get firmly involved to regain the talents of Dennis.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

Illinois transfer offensive lineman spotted at Wisconsin football spring practice

Illinois transfer OL spotted at Wisconsin football spring practice

The Wisconsin Badgers football team had their 10th practice of the spring Saturday and Illinois transfer offensive lineman Joey Okla was reportedly in attendance.

Okla is from Hartland, Wisconsin, and he joined the Fighting Illini as a three-star recruit in the 2022 cycle. The interior offensive lineman appeared in one game with Illinois in 2023 after redshirting his first season.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker

Wisconsin’s former coaching staff did not offer Okla during his high school career at at Arrowhead, but Luke Fickell and the current staff appear interested in reeling him in from the transfer portal.

If Okla chooses to join the Badgers, he’d provide the team with a strong reserve option behind Joe Brunner, Jake Renfro and Joe Huber on the interior of the offensive line.

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Longtime Bears, 49ers kicker Robbie Gould takes Illinois high school coaching job

Robbie Gould, the former Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers kicker, was reportedly hired as head coach of Rolling Meadows High School in Illinois.

Robbie Gould is returning to the sidelines just months after announcing his retirement from the NFL.

The former kicker who spent 18 years between three professional teams was named head coach of the Rolling Meadows High School (Ill.) football team, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Gould met with the team on Friday, the outlet reported.

Gould returns to the Chicago-area football scene, where he spent more than half of his illustrious career in the NFL. Over 11 seasons with the Chicago Bears, he scored 1,207 points, the most of any player in franchise history. He was cut from the team on the final day of preseason in 2016, and after spending the first six weeks of the season without a team, signed with the New York Giants for the remainder of the year. That offseason, Gould signed with the San Francisco 49ers, where he would play for the next six years.

Gould officially announced his retirement from the NFL in December after not signing with a team in the 2023 season.

Rolling Meadows went 2-7 last year, missing the playoffs for the second season in a row. The Mustangs in 2019 went 12-1 and reached the state semifinals but have struggled since, posting a record of 13-21 over the last four seasons.