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Illinois Recruits React to Energy, Environment in Win Over Western Michigan

The Illini got the seal of approval from a number of commits and prospects during Saturday's game-day visit to Champaign
Pranav Hegde|
Sep 13, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; The Illinois Fighting Illini take the field before the start of a game with the Western Michigan Broncos at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Sep 13, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; The Illinois Fighting Illini take the field before the start of a game with the Western Michigan Broncos at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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While Illinois football is locked in on maximizing its 2025 campaign and chasing program-defining milestones, the staff hasn’t lost sight of the bigger picture. Over the weekend, the Illini rolled out the red carpet for a host of top football and basketball prospects. Saturday’s 38-0 blowout win over Western Michigan offered the perfect backdrop, as recruits witnessed a top-10 program do its thing in front of a sold-out Memorial Stadium crowd.

The performance carries weight beyond the scoreboard. For visiting recruits, seeing the Illini handle adversity, adjust and ultimately overwhelm an opponent reinforced the culture of toughness and resilience that coach Bret Bielema has built. It also gave them a taste of the energy that has returned to Champaign – a place where fans show up to fill the stadium and now expect excellence every Saturday.

Illinois is working hard to turn its on-field success into long-term recruiting momentum. Basketball has already shown how quickly elite talent can transform a program, and football is now capitalizing in similar fashion. By hosting prospects during a dominant win, the Illini sent a clear message: This isn't just a fleeting moment of success but the foundation of something bigger. Visiting recruits seemed to take notice, as many of them shared their experiences on social media:

Kyron Hart: 2027 wide receiver target

Jackson Mangham: 2026 tight end target

Nick Vecrumba: 2027 offensive line target

Jonah Were: 2026 defensive line target

Dozens of high-profile football recruits were on hand in Champaign on Saturday – including 2026 offensive lineman commit Casey Thomann (Richland County, Olney, Illinois), 2027 wide receiver recruit Dylan Anderson (Pekin, Illinois) and 2028 offensive lineman recruit Jordan Henry (Martin Luther King, Detroit) – but the Illini basketball program also took advantage of the moment to do some showcasing of its own.

Keller Daugherty: 2027 forward target

Noah VanTholen: 2028 forward target

A pair of promising Brad Underwood targets got a chance to tour the campus and facilities while also soaking in the energy around Illinois athletics. Keller Daugherty, a versatile 6-foot-9 forward from the class of 2027, brings the rare combination of size and skill that allows him to play multiple positions and fit seamlessly into different lineups. Joining him was Noah VanTholen, a rising 2028 combo guard who has already generated buzz as one of the high school ranks’ players to watch.

The USC game on Sept. 27 will be Illinois' next opportunity to host commits and prospects around a home football weekend.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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