A Fighting Illini community since 2012
This football season, the Illini will have a new face under the center in Katin Houser. The Anaheim, California native comes to Illinois by way of East Carolina via Michigan State. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he has good size for a Big Ten quarterback. He is good in the pocket with a real ability […]
On this episode of ‘Oskee Talk’ I spotlight the Fighting Illini’s trio of NFL Draft picks — Gabe Jacas (2:49), J.C. Davis (10:05) and Miles Scott (14:47). I also revisit the numbers & break down the pro prospects of some of Illinois’ top undrafted free agents, Luke Altmyer (20:15) and Hank Beatty (32:04). Click HERE […]
Illinois’ old X-Factor is heading to Nashville. Wide receiver and return specialist Hank Beatty is going to get his shot in the NFL, as he signs an undrafted free agent deal with the Tennessee Titans. Beatty played four seasons at Illinois, ending his career as one of the best return men in program history. During […]
Less than two weeks after releasing a video proclaiming “I’m back,” Illinois’ Andrej Stojakovic is testing the NBA Draft waters. ESPN reported Sunday that the rising senior declared for the NBA Draft, but is maintaining his collegiate eligibility. Stojakovic joined a long list of Illini announcing their plans to return for the 2026-27 season, including […]
It’s nothing we didn’t already know, but Illinois legend Ayo Dosunmu is a STAR. Dosunmu authored one of the great postseason performances in recent NBA history on Saturday night as his Timberwolves took a 3-1 lead over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. We’ve posted a ton of clips on our social media pages, so make […]
PITTSBURGH — Another offensive lineman is making the jump from Illinois to the NFL. Offensive lineman Josh Gesky is moving on to the next level, getting signed as an Undrafted Free Agent by the Green Bay Packers. Gesky joins fellow OL J.C. Davis en route to the NFL, marking the first time two Illini offensive […]
PITTSBURGH — Another Illini quarterback is moving on to the NFL. Luke Altmyer has officially been signed by the Detroit Lions, looking to compete for a spot on the roster. The Starkville, Mississippi-native will be joining a QB room comprised of Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater, and will likely look to make a name for […]
PITTSBURGH — From community college to the NFL. Left tackle J.C. Davis has been drafted at pick No. 192 by the New York Giants, making him the second former Illini off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft. The lineman will go from protecting quarterback Luke Altmyer during his time at Illinois to protecting Jaxson […]
PITTSBURGH — The first Illini is off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft. Former Illini edge rusher Gabe Jacas is officially on the move, getting drafted by the New England Patriots with pick No. 55 in the second round of the NFL Draft. After hearing his name called on Friday, Jacas is now headed […]
Brad Underwood is hitting the road this week with two of his staffers. But it’s not a recruiting trip. Illinois’ head coach visited Minnesota on Thursday ahead of Game 3 of the NBA playoffs between the Timberwolves and Nuggets. Underwood posted a photo of him with former Illini star Ayo Dosunmu and two Illini staffers […]
Nominal positions are worthless in the era of positionless basketball. The Brad Underwood era has aligned perfectly with the rise of social media sports discourse. In other words, the Brad Underwood era has aligned with the volume elevation of the dumbest corners of sports fandom. It’s unfortunate because the Underwood era has been largely a […]
The transfer portal officially closed last night, and the Illini’s roster for the 2026-27 season is mostly set. In what has been a noisy and uncertain month across college basketball, Illinois had one of the quietest Aprils of any program in the sport. The Illini had just four players enter the transfer portal and will […]
When Ty Rodgers entered the transfer portal, it marked the end of a significant era in Champaign. Rodgers and senior AJ Redd were the ultimate guardians of Illinois culture. They were (along with Jake Davis and Jason Jakstys) the last holdovers of the Chester Frazier/Tim Anderson time at Brad Underwood’s side. That was the rugged […]
Illinois’ Brandon Lee is entering the transfer portal and is now searching for a new home for his sophomore campaign, according to On3. Lee, a former four-star recruit, played in 17 games this past season and averaged 4.2 minutes per game as a Freshman. While he didn’t see much action, his departure more than likely […]
It’s been quite a week for Illinois Basketball. Five key contributors announcing they will return for the 2026-27 year. And it was capped off on Sunday with a report from On3 that Illinois is out of the John Blackwell sweepstakes. The high-level scorer from the Badgers is one of the gems of the transfer portal, […]
Zavier Zens, a three-star high school prospect from Wisconsin, has committed to Illinois, per his X account. Zens is ranked as the 237th-best player in the class of 2026 according to 247Sports Composite rankings. Despite being named Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin, Zens is rated as just the third-best player in the state. […]
**EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED PRIOR TO THE RETURN OF ANDREJ STOJAKOVIC AND COMMITMENT OF ZAVIER ZENS** On this episode of ‘Oskee Talk’ I discuss Keaton Wagler declaring for the NBA Draft (3:10), and why retaining David Mirkovic was the Illini’s top offseason accomplishment (12:09). I also break down the returns of the Ivisic […]
Illinois has made quite the comeback during its home stand. After three straight wins, the Fighting Illini snapped their streak in a 8-7 loss to New Orleans on Sunday. Bouncing back from their loss, the Illini dominated 16-4 against the SIUE Cougars Tuesday night. Illinois, now 19-16, started the game with a bang, plating 14 […]
After a week of anticipation, 48-plus hours of palpably anxiety-inducing speculation since a significant chunk of the Final Four team announced their returns to Illinois for the 2026-2027 campaign, Andrej Stojakovic has announced his decision to do the same. Stojakovic, who will enter his Senior season and second season at Illinois, is among the biggest […]
On the same day that Illinois fan favorite David Mirkovic announced his return to the Illinois program for his sophomore campaign, the ‘Original Balkan’, his brother and the ‘Honorary Balkan’ did the same. Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis announced their return to the Fighting Illini with their agent, Misko Raznatovic, telling Draft Express […]
#TheRetention has officially kicked off. Wednesday morning, the freshman forward went live on Twitch to deliver the news the Illini faithful had been nervously waiting for: that he’s gonna be back for at least one more year in Orange and Blue. For Illinois fans, Mirkovic’s return immediately provides a sense of optimism surrounding next season. […]
The Illinois staff flew out to Los Angeles earlier this week to meet with top transfer target John Blackwell. Blackwell has been working out in Los Angeles all week and took an official visit to UCLA on Tuesday. The Illini are doing everything they can to bring Blackwell to Champaign next season. Blackwell’s father Glynn […]
This was one of the most memorable Illinois seasons in recent memory. But with the offseason already in full swing, what’s next? Scholarship-wise, each team is allowed up to 15 scholarships. Three scholarships will become available following the departure of graduating seniors Kylan Boswell, Ben Humrichous, and AJ Redd. Keaton Wagler’s exit to the NBA […]
Let this be your place to go for updates in the portal this offseason as Illinois looks to reload after a run to the Final Four. April 15: Illinois staff travels to meet priority transfer John Blackwell April 12: Illinois adds transfer Stefan Vaaks from Providence April 11: Keaton Wagler declares for NBA Draft April […]
And we’re off. Illinois’ offseason in the transfer portal started with a bang on Sunday afternoon when the Illini got a commitment from Providence guard Stefan Vaaks, according to multiple outlets. According to 247Sports, Vaaks is the 13th-best player in the portal. A native of Estonia, Vaaks is 6-foot-7 and 205 pounds. He earned All-Freshman […]