2 months ago
MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) -- The chance to become Monticello's starting quarterback has been years in the making for Colton Shubert
"All of my four years in this program, I've been a quarterback, and I've sat behind learning the playbooks and just stuff like that, and really developed," Shubert said.
The senior signal caller hoping to be a leader for a connected group of veterans.
"Just be a good role model, set good examples, and we've got a lot of good athletes," Shubert said. "We've been playing together this senior class for a long time in multiple sports, so I think our chemistry is really good, and I think we're going to go pretty far this season"
Similar to previous Sages QB's like Ike Young and Nolan Buehnerkemper, Shubert doesn't shy away from contact.
#good
"All of my four years in this program, I've been a quarterback, and I've sat behind learning the playbooks and just stuff like that, and really developed," Shubert said.
The senior signal caller hoping to be a leader for a connected group of veterans.
"Just be a good role model, set good examples, and we've got a lot of good athletes," Shubert said. "We've been playing together this senior class for a long time in multiple sports, so I think our chemistry is really good, and I think we're going to go pretty far this season"
Similar to previous Sages QB's like Ike Young and Nolan Buehnerkemper, Shubert doesn't shy away from contact.
#good
2 months ago
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) - Millikin football took a step in the right direction during its first year with Billy Riebock as head coach.
Riebock, a Decatur native and St. Teresa High School graduate, helped the Big Blue to three wins in 2025, after the program went winless in both 2023 and 2024.
Now, he hopes his team can continue to grow in 2026.
We got to come together," he said. "It's less about the X's and O's, and just about constant development, execution on and off the field and playing for each other. So far, I like where we're trending."
He feels a sense of responsibility to deliver on his promise to Millikin fan to bring winning football.
#Football #teresa #high
Riebock, a Decatur native and St. Teresa High School graduate, helped the Big Blue to three wins in 2025, after the program went winless in both 2023 and 2024.
Now, he hopes his team can continue to grow in 2026.
We got to come together," he said. "It's less about the X's and O's, and just about constant development, execution on and off the field and playing for each other. So far, I like where we're trending."
He feels a sense of responsibility to deliver on his promise to Millikin fan to bring winning football.
#Football #teresa #high
2 months ago
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) -- Illinois volleyball unofficially kicked off the season with an exhibition match against Bradley, falling 3-1.
The teams agreed to play four sets, regardless of the result after three. Bradley won the first three sets, with Illinois taking the final 25-15.
"We've had a couple internal scrimmages, but we played against ourselves for a long time," head coach Chris Tamas said before the game. "At the end of the day, we're about execution, and you got to go out there and do it when you know, the lights are bright and you got fans in the stands and everything else. So to have the opportunity to have the exhibition becomes a big deal."
Illinois opens the regular season on August 28 against Cincinnati.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
#bradley #three #wcia #chris
The teams agreed to play four sets, regardless of the result after three. Bradley won the first three sets, with Illinois taking the final 25-15.
"We've had a couple internal scrimmages, but we played against ourselves for a long time," head coach Chris Tamas said before the game. "At the end of the day, we're about execution, and you got to go out there and do it when you know, the lights are bright and you got fans in the stands and everything else. So to have the opportunity to have the exhibition becomes a big deal."
Illinois opens the regular season on August 28 against Cincinnati.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
#bradley #three #wcia #chris
3 months ago
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) - Rick Renfro couldn't hold in the tears when his son, Jake, committed to Illinois in January of 2026.
Rick Renfro played for the Illini in the 1980s, winning a Big Ten ******* le in '83, and playing in the '84 Rose Bowl.
Now, Jake Renfro joins U of I football for his seventh and final year of college football, transferring in from Wisconsin. Like his father, Jake plays offensive line. He is projected to start at center for Illinois.
"I sat and cried," Rick said regarding his reaction when he found out Jake would play for Illinois.
Rick says then-Illini head coach Lovie Smith recruited Jake, out of Mokena, Ill., a little bit in high school. Then, when Jake entered the transfer portal to depart from Cincinnati, following the 2022 season, Bret Bielema reached out. However, Jake opted to follow head coach Luke Fickell as he made the move from Cincinnati to Madison.
#rick #renfro #coach #champaign
Rick Renfro played for the Illini in the 1980s, winning a Big Ten ******* le in '83, and playing in the '84 Rose Bowl.
Now, Jake Renfro joins U of I football for his seventh and final year of college football, transferring in from Wisconsin. Like his father, Jake plays offensive line. He is projected to start at center for Illinois.
"I sat and cried," Rick said regarding his reaction when he found out Jake would play for Illinois.
Rick says then-Illini head coach Lovie Smith recruited Jake, out of Mokena, Ill., a little bit in high school. Then, when Jake entered the transfer portal to depart from Cincinnati, following the 2022 season, Bret Bielema reached out. However, Jake opted to follow head coach Luke Fickell as he made the move from Cincinnati to Madison.
#rick #renfro #coach #champaign
3 months ago
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) -- As the second week of fall camp gets started, Corey Parker is as excited about his room as ever.
Parker returns strong athletes like Matthew Bailey and Jaheim Clarke, who are poised to teach newbies like Jakwon Morris and Nick Hankins the ropes, something Parker says his returners can do well with their different backgrounds and leadership styles.
"They understand that every day is a new day," Parker said. "I can't get too high, can't get too low, and with great leadership in a room like Jaheim Clarke, you have that. And so you see younger guys coming along really, really good, because he doesn't let one rep go by that he's not talking to them when they're coming off the field."
Clarke returned to illinois this season after starting in eight games with 21 solo tackles..
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
#parker #jaheim #room #leadership
Parker returns strong athletes like Matthew Bailey and Jaheim Clarke, who are poised to teach newbies like Jakwon Morris and Nick Hankins the ropes, something Parker says his returners can do well with their different backgrounds and leadership styles.
"They understand that every day is a new day," Parker said. "I can't get too high, can't get too low, and with great leadership in a room like Jaheim Clarke, you have that. And so you see younger guys coming along really, really good, because he doesn't let one rep go by that he's not talking to them when they're coming off the field."
Clarke returned to illinois this season after starting in eight games with 21 solo tackles..
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
#parker #jaheim #room #leadership
3 months ago
CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) -- Charleston High School graduate Aidan Archibald is entering his redshirt sophomore season for his hometown team.
Archibald started his Eastern Illinois career as a walk-on, but earned a scholarship last season after playing in all 12 games and racking up eight tackles.
"Aidan is a special young man," head coach Chris Wilkerson said. "He's a guy that has a hard hat and lunch pail mentality. He's going to play hard, and we're lucky that he stayed here and we are just excited to have him every single day."
The son of former Panther head softball coach Tara Archibald, Aidan came to Charleston his freshman year.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
#charleston #aidan
Archibald started his Eastern Illinois career as a walk-on, but earned a scholarship last season after playing in all 12 games and racking up eight tackles.
"Aidan is a special young man," head coach Chris Wilkerson said. "He's a guy that has a hard hat and lunch pail mentality. He's going to play hard, and we're lucky that he stayed here and we are just excited to have him every single day."
The son of former Panther head softball coach Tara Archibald, Aidan came to Charleston his freshman year.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
#charleston #aidan
3 months ago
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) - Illinois football will need guys to step up on the defensive line in 2026.
The Illini saw a flood of departures after the 2025 season, via both graduation and the transfer portal. Gabe Jacas, arguably Illinois' best player on defense in 2025, graduated, and was drafted by the New England Patriots. James Thompson and Leon Lowery, both tied for second on the team in sacks on the year, graduated as well. Tomiwa Durojaiye also contributed up front for Illinois, and he transferred to South Carolina.
Illinois lost young talent to the portal in Angelo McCullum and Eli Coenen, too.
Who could make noise in opposing backfields in 2026?
Illini head coach Bret Bielema offered up three potential starters when talking with reporters at Big Ten Football Media Days in late July. He says Joe Barna, Pat Farrell and Darrell Prater are likely to see lots of snaps in 2026.
#Football #england
The Illini saw a flood of departures after the 2025 season, via both graduation and the transfer portal. Gabe Jacas, arguably Illinois' best player on defense in 2025, graduated, and was drafted by the New England Patriots. James Thompson and Leon Lowery, both tied for second on the team in sacks on the year, graduated as well. Tomiwa Durojaiye also contributed up front for Illinois, and he transferred to South Carolina.
Illinois lost young talent to the portal in Angelo McCullum and Eli Coenen, too.
Who could make noise in opposing backfields in 2026?
Illini head coach Bret Bielema offered up three potential starters when talking with reporters at Big Ten Football Media Days in late July. He says Joe Barna, Pat Farrell and Darrell Prater are likely to see lots of snaps in 2026.
#Football #england
