Northern Illinois University football player Kyle Pugh was named a semifinalist for the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America in association with The Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl organization December 14. Pugh, who played in five games season,
By Woodrow Carroll Prior to an examination of the University of Illinois’ hiring of Bret Bielema as head football coach, here is a brief look back at events in the football program the last 40 years. Lovie Smith’s tenure as head football coach at the University of Illinois was terminated
Del Dufrain was the consummate teacher. He was comfortable on the football field and in the classroom. He enjoyed involvement with students and helping them succeed. He retired as head coach of the East Aurora High School football team following the 1978 season and he retired from teaching biology in
By Bobby Narang The more things change, the more they stay the same. That old saying certainly held true, at least in regards to the Illinois High School Association Board meeting Monday. The IHSA did not add much clarity to an already muddled and reduced high school sports scene. The
By Woodrow Carroll Lovie Smith’s five-year run as Illinois’ head football coach came to an end after a particularly ugly 28-10 loss at Northwestern Saturday. To many, the hiring of Smith, who guided the Chicago Bears football fortunes from 2004-2012 and an appearance in Super Bowl XLI, the 2006 season,
Chicago Steel’s Sam Lipkin, left, and Dylan Robbins, right, are in a battle with Youngstown Phantoms’ John Larkins, center, Thursday, Dec. 10, at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva.
Rankings can be counter-productive. The University of Illinois men’s basketball team was anointed with a top six ranking at the beginning of the season. Following a defeat at the hands of possibly the best team in country, Baylor University, 82-69, the Illini fell to host Missouri Saturday in its annual
By Bobby Narang The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors held a virtual meeting December 2 to discuss numerous topics, most notably the timeline of Winter sports. IHSA executive director Craig Anderson said that when a timeline is set for the lifting of the restrictions, then the IHSA
By Woodrow Carroll Northern Illinois, University of Illinois, and Northwestern, each has one regular-season football game remaining which will be played Saturday. Notre Dame, 10-0 overall and ranked No. 2 in the country in both major polls, had its final game of the regular season canceled by the Atlantic Coast
Just in time! The list of recognizable players, coaches, and schools arrived just in time Tuesday morning this week from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) with this year’s Hall of Fame list. Thoughts had focused on the high school, and, even college, holiday tournaments which usually begin to take
“The IHSA Board of Directors met virtually December 2 for an update session, where they discussed several topics, including the timeline of winter sports. Given governor JB Pritzker’s current mitigations, the Board has no expectation of starting low risk winter sports prior to January. The Board and IHSA staff will
By Bobby Narang The Northern Illinois University football team is right on track. Unfortunately, for Huskie Nation, the final destination for the historic 2020 season is the basement of the Mid-American Conference West Division. The Huskies, in the second year under the direction of former star Northern Illinois running Thomas
By Woodrow Carroll It was bound to happen with COVID-19 laying waste to the sports scene. But, it was still painful when it did happen! Early there was a sense of optimism that Illinois, Northwestern, and Northern Illinois would play all of their scheduled top-level Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football
“Elated.” The emotion was a one-word summation by Don Beebe, Aurora University head football coach, earlier this week on his reaction to his son, Chad Beebe’s, touchdown reception for the Minnesota Vikings Sunday with 46 seconds remaining in regulation (see below) that led to a 28-27 victory over the visiting
Oswego High School recently released a list of its newest inductees into the Oswego High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Due to the ongoing pandemic, there are no details of if, or when, a ceremony will take place this school year. If it does not, the 2020 Class will be
By Bobby Narang The on-and-off nature of high school sports took another turn last week. The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met November 19 to provide an update on Winter sports. In the last few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc around the globe and, more
Five Rosary High School athletes in the Class of 2021 have committed to continue their sports at the college level by signing National Letters of Intent at a ceremony this month in the School Library. • Elyssa Brault of Geneva, daughter of Patricia and Mark Brault, will swim for Brown
By Woodrow Carroll All of a sudden The Ohio State-at-University of Illinois Big Ten Conference football game at 11 a.m. Saturday generates a modicum of interest, however, only a couple of weeks back, the game was viewed by most observers a walkover victory for Ohio State. After dropping three straight
Joy is postponed. We are delaying gratification. We are in the midst of one of the best times of the year for football and basketball fans, especially in college competition. The transition from one sport to another brings clarity to football races and expectations to the basketball world. It is
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for a special virtual meeting Thursday, Nov. 19, where the Board provided an update on Winter sports. To maintain compliance with the most recent mitigations issued by governor JB Pritzker that took effect November 20, the IHSA Board issued guidance
