Jeremy Werner

Illini Inquirer AM: Tuesday, Oct. 27 — ☕️ Your morning jolt of #illini news explained 🤔 Bret Bielema's long-term coordinator questions 🤕 Grant Beerman, Kai Pritchard out for season 🏆 Michael Clayton II earns B1G award

WATCH: #Illini interim DC Roger Cooper discusses the big upset win over Oregon and looks ahead to Saturday's road game at Maryland

WATCH: #Illini OC Barry Lunney Jr. discusses the big upset win over Oregon and looks ahead to Saturday's road game at Maryland

#illini Bret Bielema on future of DC role: Obviously, have to have financial conversations with Whitman and have to build rosters around the coordinator. Told Cooper he'd give him an opportunity to show him what he's got.

#illini Bret Bielema on defense: By no means have we arrived, but we're seeing growth.

#illini Bret Bielema: Roger Cooper has a calmness to him. It's just who he is. Our kids really respond to that. The communication and engagement with the plays has really enhanced. Knew something was there with his impact on the linebackers.

#illini Bret Bielema: When i called my mom and dad that I was coming to the University of Illinois, it was really, really cool. ...It was a very fulfilling thing. Last four years, he was in Illinois gear from head to toe.

#illini Bret Bielema: His father, Arnold, came here to play baseball but was here for only two weeks. He really missed his girlfriend at the time, my mom. "I'm glad he did. That's how I was created."

#illini Bret Bielema: Maryland has a very talented QB. Offense could change a bit without Locksley but expects it to be similar. "I'm sure we're going to get the most aggressive game plan ... they've had all here."

#illini Bret Bielema: Barry's going to get a shot as a head coach. Don't know when or what that will be. Josh Whitman has allowed us to keep him here. Mentions non-P4 head jobs aren't as good as they used to be.

Asked about OC Barry Lunney Jr. as a future head coach, #illini Bret Bielema bring up his former DC Dave Doeren, who was just fired at NC State, who he treated more like a friend at the time and didn't train him for that. Trains his coordinators for that now.

#illini Bret Bielema: "The more you throw at" Tanner Heckel "the more he loves it." Jakwon Morris and Tywan Cox had not been healthy, but both returned to give Heckel the chance to play safety. "I just want to get our best 11 on the field."

#illini Bret Bielema said former DC Bobby Hauck "shot me a text when he found out about my pops."

#illini Bret Bielema on Aida Laughery and Jordan Anderson: "Both of those players had their ideal runs at ideal times, and it won the game for us."

#illini Bret Bielema: Aidan's run set the tone. There were nine players with plus blocks. To see four Oregon Ducks chasing him in the end zone was a symbol of who we are.

#illini Bret Bielema: LB Grant Beerman is out for the season with a broken foot. OL Kai Pritchard had surgery today on a labral tear in his shoulder and is out for the season.

#illini Bret Bielema: WR Jayshon Platt had a setback last Wednesday at practice. Not sure if it's this week or next week.

#illini Bret Bielema: My dad was really good at getting me to do things I didn't know or understand. The most influential man in my life was my father. He influenced him to pursue his biggest college football opportunity. Convinced me to walk on at the University of Iowa.

#illini Bret Bielema: Had a huge mentor of mine pass. Been really struggling with it for the past month. Took family to see him last week. I appreciate all the people reaching out. He's in a much better spot. He saw the last game.

#illini Bret Bielema: Super impressed with Carson Boyd.

#illini Bret Bielema on playing two QBs: "We have to do what we have to do to win."

#illini Bret Bielema shouts out punter Lars Rau early in his press conference. "He executed huge."

#illini DC Roger Cooper: Maryland QB Malik Washington is a superior athlete with a quick release. WR Chris Durr Jr. is both twitchy and fast. Suggests Maryland's offense is better than the team's record.

#illini DC Roger Cooper: DL Pat Farrell can do everything we ask. Big enough to play inside but quick enough to provide pressure off the edge. "He's one of the unicorns."

#illini Roger Cooper said defensive staff has brought together three different defenses and picked their favorite things for a "menu."

#illini Roger Cooper: Deuce Fillmore "is a scrappy little guy. I like him a lot."

#illini Roger Cooper: Tanner Heckel is a phenomenal athlete. Ran with Gatlin Bair, who runs a 10.3. He was "dialed." Heckel at safety gives us another cover guy on the field who can run with the best receiver or tight end. "It gives us a lot more ammo."

#illini Roger Cooper: Key was to get them to third down. That was a huge focus of getting off the field on thrid down. Tried to create a muddy picture in pressure packages and coverages.

#illini Roger Cooper: There was a lot of positives for our keys to the game vs. Oregon. We wanted to look like we wanted the game more. We wanted to play more physical and play harder. It was a bright spot to see that turn on.

#illini OC Barry Lunney Jr.: Don't know what to expect with Maryland staff turnover. Sometimes you can chase ghosts, but sometimes those ghosts show up. Inevitably, there will be some form of change schmatically when we show up on Saturday.

#illini OC Barry Lunney Jr.: Bielema with the team passed on lessons his father passed on to him. "It was one of the more touching and moving experience I've had with him."

#illini OC Barry Lunney Jr.: Christian Abney made a phenomenal catch and to get into the end zone with ball security.

#illini OC Barry Lunney Jr.: Michael and Carson did "an admirable job" at QB. Clayton communicated well to the team. His ball handling and handoffs and timing of snap, no delay of games. Then he made some really nice throws. Michael competed. Great learning experience for him.

#illini OC Barry Lunney Jr.: Felt comfortable that we controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the game. As a play-caller in those moments, especially with a young QB, that's very advantageous for me. knew we would surge and get positive yards in run game.

#illini OC Barry Lunney Jr.: our themeagainst Oregon was just to battle. We knew it was going to be grimey. That Oregon defense is talented and physical. Saw our guys come off with sruge and pad level and finish on first play. I was like, "All right, here we go."

#illini OC Barry Lunney Jr. said that having the open date to prepare Clayton and Carson was significant and Neu and Sitkowski did a great job of preparing both of them. "It did bolster us to use both of those guys."

#illini OC Barry Lunney Jr. on two QBs: We just felt it would be a good thing to play both of them and help bolster our offense. We did it on feel and flow of the game. It was fun. Brought back memories of high school coaching when I did it.

Weekly Monday pressers with #illini OC Barry Lunney Jr., interim DC Roger Cooper and head coach Bret Bielema about to begin. Content coming to @IlliniOn247.

#Illini football recruiting notebook 🔸 4-star OL @JohnPaulCarrico visits again 🔸 4-star DB @Justink_johnson 'locked in' with Illini 🔸 @LKamtio meets a role model 🔸 @JacksonLew49038 & @Jakijones99 earns offers 🔸 @Tyler_Houlf a 2028 in-stater to watch

Illini Inquirer AM: Monday, Oct. 26 — ☕️ Your morning jolt of #illini news explained 🐢 Illini open as road favorites at Maryland ⏪ Big Ten rewind: Indiana survives, NW dominates 🎠 Coaching carousel revving up 🔸 VB takes two on East Coast

The #illini staff called on the OL to clear the path to victory — and the front five answered the bell, clearing the way for 225 rushing yards vs. Oregon. "We got a little bit more power behind us now." How the Illini found their physicality again ⬇️

Three-star WR Avery Thompson (@Avery_Thomp2) wants to narrow down his choices soon. So it seems significant that he returned to #illini for a second visit this month. "The culture is unlike no other," he said. Thompson on Illini & his recruitment ⬇️

The #illini defense was a disaster for the first month. Roger Cooper and his staff rebuilt trust and confidence in a once-beleaguered unit through "little conversations," leading to Saturday's breakthrough vs. Oregon. Here's how it happened ⬇️

🎙️ #Illini Inquirer Ep. 1249 | Hits & misses from Illini's 21-10 win over Oregon Joey Wagner and I on a win over a marquee opponent, a coaching advantage, individual standouts and what's next ⬇️

WATCH: #illini defensive back Matthew Bailey discusses a 21-10 win over Oregon

LIVE POD: Joey Wagner and I react to #illini's upset win over Oregon, the standouts and what it means for the rest of the season Join us and weigh in ⬇️

WATCH: #illini head coach Bret Bielema discusses a 21-10 win over Oregon

WATCH: #illini offensive lineman Jake Renfro discusses a 21-10 win over Oregon

#illini Bret Bielema: Jake Renfro is the glue to the OL. He's phenomenal.

#illini Bret Bielema: WR Collin Dixon is set to be the first Illinois athletics player to get a contract from Nike.