CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Two former Illini – Carey Davis and Kevin Mitchell – will serve as the Illinois football team's radio analysts on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network during the 2024 season. The 50+-station statewide Busey Bank Illini Sports Network brings the Illinois football program to fans across the state and Midwest.
Davis and Mitchell will split the games throughout the 2024 regular season. Davis will be on the call for the season opener against Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Aug. 29.
The Illini radio booth will once again feature play-by-play broadcaster Brian Barnhart calling the action of every game. Barnhart enters his 23rd season as the "Voice of the Illini," providing play-by-play coverage of football and men's basketball while also hosting statewide coaches shows.
A three-year starting fullback, Davis was a co-captain for the Fighting Illini in 2003 and a member of Illinois' 2001 Big Ten championship team. He finished his Illinois career with 1,012 rushing yards and 751 receiving yards before an NFL career that included winning Super Bowl XLIII with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Davis graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in recreation, sport, and tourism in 2003. A St. Louis native, Davis is the co-host of The Fast Lane on 101 ESPN St. Louis from 2-6 p.m. CT on weekdays.
A three-year starting safety, Mitchell was a co-captain for Illinois' 2008 Rose Bowl squad. As a senior in 2007, he led the Big Ten in passes defended and was third in the league in interceptions. In his four years, Mitchell logged nearly 250 total tackles. He earned a bachelor's degree in speech communication from Illinois' College of Liberal Arts in December 2007. After previously serving as Illinois' Varsity I Director, Mitchell is now the Director of Development at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
Along with Barnhart and the color analysts, on the broadcast again this fall is sideline reporter and former Illini long snapper Michael Martin and Steve Kelly, a veteran Illini sportscaster who handles pregame, halftime, and postgame host duties. Kelly has covered Illini athletics for over two decades on television and radio. He hosts "Saturday Morning Sportsline" along with Loren Tate Saturday mornings on WDWS-AM1400 in Champaign. A Champaign native, Martin played in 37 games as Illinois' long snapper from 2012-16.
The statewide Busey Bank Fighting Illini Sports Network is managed by Fighting Illini Sports Properties and encompasses all sponsorship and operational elements. Illini Sports Network programming includes hour-long pregame and postgame shows around live football and men's basketball games, plus coverage of women's basketball, volleyball, and baseball.
Davis and Mitchell will split the games throughout the 2024 regular season. Davis will be on the call for the season opener against Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Aug. 29.
The Illini radio booth will once again feature play-by-play broadcaster Brian Barnhart calling the action of every game. Barnhart enters his 23rd season as the "Voice of the Illini," providing play-by-play coverage of football and men's basketball while also hosting statewide coaches shows.
A three-year starting fullback, Davis was a co-captain for the Fighting Illini in 2003 and a member of Illinois' 2001 Big Ten championship team. He finished his Illinois career with 1,012 rushing yards and 751 receiving yards before an NFL career that included winning Super Bowl XLIII with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Davis graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in recreation, sport, and tourism in 2003. A St. Louis native, Davis is the co-host of The Fast Lane on 101 ESPN St. Louis from 2-6 p.m. CT on weekdays.
A three-year starting safety, Mitchell was a co-captain for Illinois' 2008 Rose Bowl squad. As a senior in 2007, he led the Big Ten in passes defended and was third in the league in interceptions. In his four years, Mitchell logged nearly 250 total tackles. He earned a bachelor's degree in speech communication from Illinois' College of Liberal Arts in December 2007. After previously serving as Illinois' Varsity I Director, Mitchell is now the Director of Development at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
Along with Barnhart and the color analysts, on the broadcast again this fall is sideline reporter and former Illini long snapper Michael Martin and Steve Kelly, a veteran Illini sportscaster who handles pregame, halftime, and postgame host duties. Kelly has covered Illini athletics for over two decades on television and radio. He hosts "Saturday Morning Sportsline" along with Loren Tate Saturday mornings on WDWS-AM1400 in Champaign. A Champaign native, Martin played in 37 games as Illinois' long snapper from 2012-16.
The statewide Busey Bank Fighting Illini Sports Network is managed by Fighting Illini Sports Properties and encompasses all sponsorship and operational elements. Illini Sports Network programming includes hour-long pregame and postgame shows around live football and men's basketball games, plus coverage of women's basketball, volleyball, and baseball.
