The Athletic's Scott Dochterman joins Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner to discuss the state of college football and tectonic shifts in the sport. Dochterman discusses the push to expand the College Football Playoff to 24 teams and the rising cost of rosters, and then he gives his thoughts on Illinois football under Bret Bielema and the top stories for the 2026 Big Ten football season.

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CBS Sports college basketball writer Isaac Trotter joins Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner to discuss Andrej Stojakovic withdrawing from the NBA Draft and officially returning to Illinois for the 2026-27 season. Trotter breaks down why Stojakovic made the decision, what it means for Illinois and how Stojakovic can get better in Year Two with the Illini. Trotter then breaks down the Big Ten landscape following the stay-or-go NBA Draft decisions.

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City/Suburban Hoops Report's Joe Henricksen joins Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner to discuss the state of in-state basketball recruiting, its importance for the Illini in today's age of college basketball, Illini Class of 2027 commits Quinton Kitt and Mason Martin and 2028 targets Brady Pettigrew and Cole Kelly.

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Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Kyle Tausk react to Illinois basketball's 87-73 win over UTRGV. The guys discuss defensive and effort issues, another big game from Andrej Stojakovic, Mihailo Petrovic's role and Friday's game vs. No. 5 UConn at Madison Square Garden.

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Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with David Ware of App State Mania to learn more about new Illinois offensive coordinator Tony Petersen and what he'll bring to Bret Bielema's staff.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with ESPN analyst and former Illini guard Sean Harrington about the first one-third of the Illinois basketball season and his first impressions of Big Ten basketball. The guys talk about the depth of the Big Ten, whether Northwestern is good and who currently is the best team in the league. Then Sean breaks down the Illini, including how he'd attack Illinois, Ayo Dosunmu's heroics, Andre Curbelo's fast start and the team's depth. The guys finish up by talking about the monster Mark Few has built at Gonzaga.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper discuss Illinois basketball's 69-60 win over Indiana, including Ayo Dosunmu's heroics, Kofi Cockburn's head-to-head battle against Trayce Jackson-Davis and Giorgi Bezhanishvili getting over his sophomore slump. Then the guys discuss the debate about whether Illinois should start Andre Curbelo over Adam Miller. The guys end the podcast discussing if Northwestern is for real and who the best team in the Big Ten is right now.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper react to Illinois basketball's 98-81 win at Penn State. The guys chat about the Illini's slow start and defensive issues but also chat about the Illini's elite offense, led by the Big Three of Ayo Dosunmu, Kofi Cockburn and Andre Curbelo. The guys also talk about strong off-the-bench performances from Giorgi Bezhanishvili and Jacob Grandison. The guys then preview Saturday's home game against Indiana, which lost to Northwestern on Wednesday, and a favorable conference stretch ahead.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner catches up with The 200 Level's Michael Carpenter to chat about a busy last two weeks in Illini athletics. The guys first discuss the hiring of Bret Bielema, what he brings to the program and how Josh Whitman decided to hire him. The guys also try to put the Lovie Smith era into historical context. Then the guys chat about Illinois basketball's 5-3 start to the season, what they need to stack wins and if they change expectations at all.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper react to Illinois basketball's 91-88 loss at No. 19 Rutgers. The guys discuss fouling issues, some freshmen moments and whether we should adjust expectations after Illinois fell to 2-3 against high-major opponents.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner dives into Illinois football's recent in-state recruiting issues and how Bret Bielema will attack recruiting the state's top prospects. IHSFCA president Mark Grounds discusses his chat with Bielema hours after Bielema was named the new Illini head coach and how his approach already differs from Lovie Smith. Then EdgyTim.com's Tim O'Halloran discusses Bielema's history in recruiting the state and realistic expectations for the Illini recruiting the state.

Illini Inquirer publisher Jeremy Werner explores what went well and what went wrong at new Illinois coach Bret Bielema's two previous head coaching stints. Benjamin Worgull of BadgerBlitz.com breaks down why Bielema had such success following in Barry Alvarez's footsteps at Wisconsin, how he lifted the Badgers to three straight B1G titles and why he abruptly left in 2012. Then Trey Biddy of HawgSports.com about what Bielema brought to Arkansas, how he lifted the program to three straight bowls but didn't quite live up to expectations resulting in his dismissal after five seasons.

Extra reading

• Werner: Whitman goes big again with Bielema
• Reaction to Illinois hiring Bret Bielema
• Breaking: Illini hire Bret Bielema
• Expert take: HawgsSports.com's Trey Biddy breaks down Bielema

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner, Ryan Easterling and Isaac Trotter react to Illinois hiring former Wisconsin, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema. The guys break down what this move says about what Josh Whitman wants and the guys break down how Bielema fits at Illinois from a personality, recruiting, on-field identity and staff-building standpoint at Illinois.

Extra reading

• Werner: Whitman goes big again with Bielema
• Reaction to Illinois hiring Bret Bielema
• Breaking: Illini hire Bret Bielema
• Expert take: HawgsSports.com's Trey Biddy breaks down Bielema

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper discuss No. 13 Illinois basketball 92-65 win over Minnesota in the Big Ten opener. The guys react to Kofi Cockburn's career night (33 points, 13 rebounds) and what it means for the sophomore big man. The guys also discuss the Illini's shutdown defense and the performances of freshmen Andre Curbelo and Adam Miller before looking ahead to Sunday's game at No. 19 Rutgers.

All-American linebacker and Illini Inquirer football analyst J Leman joins Jeremy Werner to react to Illinois football's 27-10 loss at Wisconsin. Leman breaks down why the game might force Bret Bielema to make a change to his defensive staff and what went so wrong for the Illini offense. Leman then looks ahead to Saturday's regular-season finale against Northwestern and discusses a pivotal offseason ahead for Bret Bielema.

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Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Ryan Easterling break down and discuss more Illinois football coaching candidate possibilities. The guys discuss taking a shot at Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell and the merits of coordinator candidates Jim Leonhard (Wisconsin) and Marcus Freeman (Cincinnati). Then the guys talk about potential retread power-five coaches like Bret Bielema, Jim McElwain and Kevin Sumlin before chatting about potential power-five coaches Whitman could steal, including Dave Clawson (Wake Forest), Justin Wilcox (Cal) and Dave Doeren (NC State) before ending with some fan fantasy possibilities.

Extra reading

• Hot board v2.0: Illinois football coaching candidates
• 2021 Early Signing Period Preview: Illinois Fighting Illini
• Former Illini players weigh in on what Illinois needs in a new coach

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with Ryan Easterling and Isaac Trotter about Illinois firing football coach Lovie Smith after five seasons. The guys talk about AD Josh Whitman's decision, what went wrong with the Lovie Smith experiment and the coaching market available to the Illini. Then the guys break down their most intriguing candidates for the position.

Extra reading

• Hot board v1.0: Illinois football coaching candidates
• Werner: Divorce from Lovie Smith is good
• Official: Illini fire Lovie Smith

Illini Inquirer publisher Jeremy Werner chats about Illinois athletics' terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. He chats with former Illinois guard Mike LaTulip about Illini basketball's 81-78 loss at Missouri. Then Jeremy gives his thoughts on the Illini football program and Lovie Smith's status following a 28-10 loss to rival Northwestern.

Extra reading

• Werner: Waiting on Whitman's path forward
• Quick hits: Foul feeling for Illini, Tigers keep Braggin' Rights

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with PowerMizzou.com's Mitchell Forde to preview Saturday's Braggin' Rights basketball game. Forde breaks down the biggest improvements for 4-0 Mizzou, how much this game means to the team and individual performances of Mark Smith, Jeremiah Tilmon, Javon Pickett and Xavier Pinson. Then Jeremy chats with Illinois men's basketball PA announcer and Champaign resident Tim Sinclair about landing the Chicago Bulls PA gig.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with former Illinois guard Trent Meacham about what impressed him most from No. 6 Illinois basketball's 83-68 win at No. 10 Duke, Ayo Dosunmu's improvement, Giorgi Bezhanishvili stepping up yet again and impressive performances by freshmen Andre Curbelo and Adam Miller. Then the guys chat about the rivalry with Missouri and preview Saturday's Braggin' Rights game against 4-0 Mizzou.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper react to Illinois basketball's convincing 83-68 win at No. 10 Duke, during which the Illini never trailed and led by double digits most of the way. The guys talk about why Illinois was able to dominate a Duke team full of five-star underclassmen, what they learned from Baylor and what stood out most from big-time performances from Ayo Dosunmu, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Kofi Cockburn, Andre Curbelo, Adam Miller, Da'Monte Williams and Trent Frazier. The guys also discuss some concerns and look ahead to Saturday's matchup against Missouri before chatting about the Big Ten's dominant Tuesday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with The 200 Level Podcast's Mike Carpenter about Illinois football's loss to Iowa and a big week ahead for Illini basketball. The guys chat about how 35 unanswered points by Iowa affects the view of the football program going into a showdown against No. 15 Northwestern with a 2-4 record. Then the guys discuss Illinois basketball's loss to Baylor and how they feel going into two big road games at No. 10 Duke (2-1) and Missouri (3-0).

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Mariah Guzman discuss Illinois football's 35-21 loss to Iowa and what it means for the program. They discuss how the Illini's early 14-0 lead turned so quickly and decisively. Then they discuss if Lovie Smith can take the program to the next level.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chat with HawkeyeInsider.com's David Eickholt to preview Saturday's matchup between Illinois and No. 19 Iowa. The guys break down both teams' slow starts and current win streaks, discuss who has the QB advantage, the teams' somewhat similarities and where the Hawkeyes have had the edge this season. The guys also discuss what this game means for each program.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner talks with former Illinois guard Mike LaTulip about the No. 5 Illini basketball team's 82-69 loss to No. 2 Baylor. The guys break down struggles for Ayo Dosunmu, Kofi Cockburn, Adam Miller and Trent Frazier but also some bright spots in Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Andre Curbelo and Coleman Hawkins. Mike also discusses why he might be more optimistic about what he saw from Illinois on Wednesday night than many fans.

Live from Madison, Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Joey Wagner react to No. 21 Illinois football's 27-10 loss at Wisconsin. The guys discuss what went so wrong in all three phases, what it means for the season and what Bret Bielema must do to correct the issues.

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Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with Illinois great Deon Thomas about No. 5 Illinois basketball's 3-0 start and Wednesday's matchup vs. No. 2 Baylor. The guys break down what they've seen thus far from the Illini, including Ayo Dosunmu's stardom, early returns from the freshmen guards, Da'Monte Williams stepping up and Kofi Cockburn's sophomore start. Then the guys discuss the matchup with No. 2 Baylor

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with BearsIllustrated.com's Tim Watkins to preview Wednesday's matchup between No. 5 Illinois basketball and No. 2 Baylor. Watkins breaks down the history of the prgoram under Scott Drew; the Bears' deep, talented, experienced backcourt led by Jared Butler; who the Bears are counting on in the post; and what this game and week means for Baylor.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with The 200 Level's Mike Carpenter on a newsy Monday. The guys chat about the hapless Chicago Bears and where the franchise goes from here. The the guys chat about top Illinois basketball recruiting target Mac Etienne committing to UCLA and what it means for the Illini's big-man pursuits. Then the guys discuss the crazy Ohio State cancellation conspiracy theories before chatting about their initial impressions about the 3-0 No. 5-ranked Illinois basketball team and look ahead to a top-5 showdown against Baylor.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper react to Illinois basketball's closer-than-expected 77-75 win over Ohio and what it means for the Illini heading into next week's matchup vs. No. 2 Baylor. The guys chat about Ayo Dosunmu's heroics and Da'Monte Williams' growing his game but also chat about some struggles from Kofi Cockburn and the rest of the Illini supporting cast.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper react to Illinois basketball's dominant 122-60 win over North Carolina A&T in the 2020-21 season opener. The guys discuss Adam Miller's freshman debut-record performance (28 points on 6-for-8 from three) and why he and Ayo Dosunmu (28 points, 10 rebounds) are such good match. The guys break down the performanes of all the other Illini, including newcomers Jacob Grandison, Andre Curbelo and Coleman Hawkins. Then the guys discuss what the huge margin of victory actually means and what they want to see during the next few games of this multi-team event.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with The 200 Level's Mike Carpenter about Illinois football's win at Nebraska and how a two-game win streak has created conflict for Carp, a diehard Illini fan. The guys dive into Brandon Peters' performance and what his return means for the rest of the season, as well as what the team can expect with three tough games remaining on the schedule. Carp finishes the podcast with what he wants to see from Illinois basketball with three games in three days this week.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper give an in-depth season preview of the 2020-21 Illinois basketball season. The guys discuss all the reasons Illinois should be the Big Ten favorite and a national title contender. But the guys also discuss question marks about Illinois that could prevent them from reaching such heights.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Gavin Good react from Lincoln (Neb.) to Illinois football's 41-23 win over Nebraska. The guys break down Brandon Peters' big day leading the offense, the defense going full Lovie Ball and some big special-teams plays, including Blake Hayes' fake-punt run. Then the guys chat about what back-to-back wins mean for the program and hot-seat talk in the Big Ten.

Extra reading

• Quick hits: Peters, takeaways lift Illini to dominant win at Nebraska
• Hayes details epic fake punt: 'I might be in trouble on that'

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner previews Saturday's matchup at Nebraska with Husker247 writer Mike Schaefer. The guys discuss third-year coach Scott Frost, Nebraska's quarterback change, defensive improvements and the keys to Saturday's 11 a.m. kickoff.

Extra reading

• Preview & Picks: Illinois at Nebraska
• Werner: Choose your own Illini QB adventure at Nebraska

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with former Illinois QB Reilly O'Toole about the dynamics of a Big Ten quarterback room and the Illini's current dilemma of whether the Illini roll with senior starter Brandon Peters or talented freshman Isaiah Williams heading into the Nebraska game. The guys also talk about the challenges of rotating quarterbacks or making a starter change.

Jeremy Werner previews Saturday's 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff between Illinois (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) and Wisconsin (3-7, 1-6 Big Ten) with Badger247's Payne Blazevich and Illini Inquirer's Joey Wagner. Blazevich breaks down what's gone so wrong for Wisconsin this season, the vibes in Madison and the keys to Wisconsin upsetting the Illini at home. Wagner and Werner then answer a six-pack of questions on the Illini, including Bret Bielema's comments on the offseason, Luke Fickell hanging on at Wisconsin and keys to beating the Badgers. The guys then give their picks to click and bold predictions for the game.

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Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with The 200 Level's Michael Carpenter about the latest in Illini athletics. The guys chat about their concern levels in the Illinois basketball Class of 2021 after missing out on TyTy Washington, who committed to Creighton. The guys then react to Illinois football's win over Rutgers win, what it means for the rest of the season and whether Illinois should start Brandon Peters or Isaiah Williams at Nebraska.

Extra reading

• Film review: Illini defense fills up on tacklin' fuel at Rutgers
• Film review: Evaluating Isaiah Williams' first start
• Key quotes: Lovie Smith says Illini have 'good options' at QB

Coming off yet another disappointing recruiting loss, Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper discuss why Illinois basketball has struggled to land priority targets in the Class of 2021. The guys discuss whether the pandemic negatively impacted the Illini's ability to capitalize on a breakthrough 2019-20 season, whether its improved roster has actually hurt them and if Brad Underwood and his staff need to change their approach.

Extra reading

• Where does Illinois now turn on the recruiting trail?
• 'Very active' Illini aim for another late boost in recruiting

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with IlliniBoard.com's Robert Rosenthal from New Jersey to react to Illinois football's 23-20 win at Rutgers. The guys discuss what the first win of the season means for the short- and long-term of the program, what Isaiah Williams brought to the offense and whether he should start next week, and how the defense stepped up late with takeaways. The guys then discuss what they need to see during the back half of the season.

Extra reading

• Quick hits: 'One' leads Illini to victory No. 1 of 2020 season

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with Illini great and BTN analyst J Leman about Illinois football's 0-3 start. The guys break down why Lovie Smith's defense has struggled so much during his tenure, why Rod Smith's offense has struggled this season and the overall state of the program.

Extra reading

• Werner: Unprepared, undisciplined and uncompetitive in Year Five
• Lovie Smith key quotes: 'You can't continue on that same path'
• Illini 'have to make changes': Five personnel moves that make sense

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with The 200 Level's Mike Carpenter about Illinois football's uncompetitive 41-14 loss to Minnesota and what an 0-3 start to the season means for Lovie Smith's tenure. The guys talk about what could turn the tide in the final six months to change the minds of the fan base before chatting about the latest preseason buzz for Illinois basketball. Jeremy ends the podcast with some comments from Lovie Smith's Monday press conference.

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Mariah Guzman react to Illinois football's 41-14 loss to Minnesota. They discuss what the uncompetitive loss and 0-3 start means for this season and Lovie Smith's tenure and where the staff and players go from here.

Extra reading

• Quick hits: Illinois uncompetitive in 41-14 loss to Minnesota

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with lead basketball reporter Derek Piper about the impact freshman guards Adam Miller and Andre Curbelo on the Illinois basketball program. The guys break down their roles and their importance on an Illinois team that is a preseason top-10 team and what they mean for the program's long-term future.

Extra reading

• Curbelo & Miller finding their niche in loaded Illini backcourt
• Curbelo & Miller 'extremely competitive' in workout battles
• Know Ayo from Adam: Miller to pen similar-but-separate UI story

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with Gopher Illustrated's Ryan Burns to preview Saturday's matchup between Illinois (0-2) and Minnesota (0-2). Burns breaks down the Gophers' Big Ten-worst defense and their biggest issues, and he also breaks down some concerns about Minnesota's talented offense behind Tanner Morgan, Rashod Bateman and Mohamed Ibrahim.

Extra reading

• Know the Foe: Minnesota Golden Gophers
• Walk-on OL Alex Pihlstrom's path to a starting spot: 'He answered the bell'
• Film review: Evaluating the mistakes, promise of QB Coran Taylor

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner chats with The 200 Level's Mike Carpenter about evaluating the Illini's 0-2 start to the 2020 season. The guys talk about the impact of COVID protocols knocking out more than a dozen players, Coran Taylor's performance and issues with Lovie Smith's defense. The guys look at the path forward for this season and the future.

Extra reading

• Film review: Diagnosing the Illini pass defense's ailments
• Illini defense PFF grades and snap counts from Purdue game
• Illini offense PFF grades and snap counts from Purdue game
• 'An ignition switch': Coran Taylor sparks Illini like he did at Peoria

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner reacts to Illinois football's 31-24 loss to Purdue. He discusses the absences of several key Illini players due to COVID-19 tests and contact tracing and what he made of fourth-stringer Coran Taylor's performance. He also discusses the Illini defense's struggles against the pass and what it means moving forward.

Illini Inquirer basketball analyst Mike LaTulip breaks down Illinois basketball's 90-86 loss to No. 11 Alabama at United Center. LaTulip discusses big games from Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic, a hot-and-cold offense, defensive breakdowns late, struggles from the frontcourt and freshmen and what he wants to see against LIU and UTRGV.

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Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner and Derek Piper discuss Illinois basketball's Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup with Duke and what it means for the program. The guys then discuss top-75 guard TyTy Washington's unofficial visit to the Illinois campus, his skill set, where Illinois stands with him and what he means for the Class of 2021.

Extra reading

• Official: Illini to play at Duke in Big Ten/ACC Challenge
• Ask EBoss: Time for TyTy?
• Coach Speak: Washington 'just a tough kid all the way around'
• Snow: What Washington's visit means for Illini

Illini Inquirer's Jeremy Werner previews Illinois football's Saturday showdown against Purdue with GoldandBlack.com's Tom Dienhart. The guys discuss Purdue's Week One win over Iowa, the availability of Rondale Moore and Jeff Brohm, QB Aidan O'Connell, RB Zack Horvath, WR David Bell, DL George Karlaftis, new DC Bob Diaco's impact on the defense and the keys to Saturday's game.

Extra reading

• Werner: Time for Illini to fully embrace its dual-threat QB?
• Quarantine breakthrough leads to Verdis Brown earning starting spot
• Know the Foe: Purdue Boilermakers
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