What are your questions on the upcoming season, recruiting, or anything else that's on your mind?

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois football program will host the 40-year reunion for the Fighting Illini's 1983 Big Ten championship and 1984 Rose Bowl team during the season opener on Saturday, Sept. 2. The title team will be honored during the game against Toledo and members of the team will sign autographs in Grange Grove pregame.

The 1983 Illinois Fighting Illini will also be in Champaign the Friday night before the game for a facility tour and event at the Smith Football Center. A celebration brunch is planned for the morning of game day on Sept. 2.

Illinois went 10-2 in 1983, including a perfect 9-0 record in the Big Ten. The 1983 Illini were the only team in Big Ten history to beat all other conference schools in the same season.

Led by fourth-year head coach Mike White, Illinois' season was highlighted by wins over #6 Ohio State (17-13) and #8 Michigan (16-6) at Memorial Stadium. The Illini finished 10th in the final AP Top 25 Poll following a trip to the Rose Bowl against UCLA.

Quarterback Jack Trudeau led Illinois with 2,446 passing yards and 18 touchdowns during the regular season in his first of three years as the Illini's starter. The Illinois Athletics Hall of Famer finished his career as the school's all-time leader in passing yards (8,725), pass completions (797), completion percentage (64.02%) and touchdowns passes (55), where he is still tied for third.

Trudeau's favorite target was College Football Hall of Famer David Williams, who totaled 59 receptions for 870 receiving yards and six touchdowns during his first season with the Illini. He later left Champaign, following the 1985 season, as the program's all-time leader in career receptions (262), career receiving yards (3,392), and career touchdown receptions (24).

The 1983 offense also featured tight end Tim Brewster, who tied Williams with 59 receptions during the regular season, and wide receiver Mitchell Brookins, who had five TD receptions. The running game featured Thomas Rooks, who ran 156 times for 842 yards and eight touchdowns, and Dwight Beverly, who carried the ball 157 times for 684 yards and eight touchdowns.

Defensively, Illinois was led by Big Ten MVP and All-American defensive lineman Don Thorp, who recorded team-bests in tackles (77), tackles for loss (17.0), and sacks (7.0). Thorp's fellow defensive lineman Mark Butkus gave the Illini one of the top d-lines in all of college football, as Butkus ranked second on the team in tackles (59) and tackles for loss (6.0), and also totaled 5.0 sacks.

Defensive backs Dave Edwards, Mike Heaven, Craig Swoope, and Keith Taylor led the secondary. Edwards had five interceptions and tied the school record with two interception returns for touchdowns, Heaven added five interceptions, Swoope had eight pass breakups and two interceptions, and Taylor picked off three passes. As team, the Illini totaled 21 interceptions, the sixth-most in program history.

Former Illini who are expected to be in attendance at the Sept. 2 game against Toledo will be announced in the coming weeks. The Illini and Rockets kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.

Members of the team that wish to attend the events or have questions, please contact Kevin Mitchell at varsityi@illinois.edu.

I miss the parade in C-U and the fireworks viewed from the stadium. The ground displays were awesome to a kid. Salute to Chanute and several with Indian heads repping the Illini.

The men out front of the entrance doors shaking cans of change. That helped to pay for the displays that were otherwise a free event. Back when a quarter actually paid for something.

The C-U parade was great because high school bands from all over the state of Illinois would play in it. Here in central California parades consist of people on the back of a truck, vintage cars or kids riding their bicycles. That’s about it.

A look right here:

Looks like Ohio State. Miami would be a mild surprise.

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Committing on July 7 according to the Wisconsin 247 site.

Minnesota. He took an official visit to Illinois June 9-11.

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As expected.

Illinois will probably take Deylen Platt now, though I don’t think it’s 100%

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – With the NCAA's coaching limit increase going into effect on July 1, Emily Durr and Jenna Giacone (juh-cone-ee) have been elevated to assistant coaches on Shauna Green's Illinois women's basketball staff.

"I am very excited to utilize the new NCAA rule where we can have six on-court coaches with promoting Jenna and Emily," shared Green. "They are both very deserving to be in this role and I can't wait to see the impact they make on our team with this new opportunity. They both have so much knowledge and energy to pour into our student-athletes."

Passed in January 2023, the Division I Council moved forward to modernize rules for coaching limits across several sports. In men's and women's basketball, the Council supported an increase of two coaches. Per the NCAA, these additional coaches may engage in coaching activities but may not recruit off campus. The rule change codified a blanket waiver that allowed up to two non-coaching staff members to engage in instructional duties if one or more of the head and/or assistant coaches were not in attendance.

Durr will add on-court coaching duties in addition to her director of recruiting operations responsibilities while Giacone will add on-court coaching duties on top of her director of scouting and player development role in year two on Green's Illini staff.

"I am truly honored and thankful Coach Green has chosen me to fulfill this expanded role under the new NCAA guidelines," stated Durr. "She is the epitome of a great leader, and I can't wait to work with our amazing staff and student-athletes day in and day out. Now let's get to work, I-L-L!"

"I am beyond excited to step into the new role the NCAA has created, allowing two additional on-court coaches," Giacone said. "Coaching is something I have always wanted to do, and I am ready and eager to be more hands on with our players. I want to thank Coach Green for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to fulfill this new role and I am ready to get to work!"

Both Durr and Giacone followed Green from her previous stop at Dayton. Durr served one season as an administrative associate with the Flyers while Giacone played six seasons under Green at UD.

If any of you know a young student who would be interested, let me know.

Our previous intern Jack decided not to pursue a career in sports journalism.

We'd ideally like to hire someone before the opening of training camp, and definitely before the season kicks off.

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Visiting Illinois Tues-Thurs.

First reported by 247.

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2021-24 recruiting classes:

LT: Brandon Henderson / Brandon Hansen / Magnus Moeller
LG: Caleb Pyfrom / Joey Okla / Clayton Leonard
C: TJ McMillen / Josh Kruetz / Will Leys
RG: Eddie Tuerk / Zafir Stewart/ Zach Barlev
RT: Josh Gesky / Hunter Whitenack / Zachary Aamland

* Assuming Tuerk plays OL and adds bulk.

* Pyfrom and Stewart could play G or RT

* Still need another legit left tackle.

Tied for third place currently with a -1 in the first round.

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