Illinicast

About Illinicast

All Episodes of the Armchair Illini Podcast!

Publisher

Austin Burklund

Category

sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Jul 2023

Latest episode

7 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

101 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Nov 2025

   The Illini have how many losses once non-conference play is over?

   Host Austin Burklund and Robby Nardini are joined by special guest Joe Jackson of Feed the Post for a deep dive into the 2025-2026 college basketball season.The Big Ten hasn't won a national championship since 2000. Is this the year the drought finally ends? Joe breaks down the conference's top contenders, including Purdue , his surprise pick Michigan , and of course, the Fighting Illini.In this episode, we cover:Initial impressions of the Illini after Game 1.The stats and metrics Joe uses to predict the Big Ten .All-American potential for Tomislav Ivisic??Big Ten teams Joe is higher on (Wisconsin, Nebraska) and lower on (Ohio State) .Breaking down non-conference foes: Texas Tech , UConn , and Mizzou.Final predictions for the Illini's season.Find Joe Jackson:Twitter: @joejacksonCBB Substack: Feed the Post Find Armchair Illini:Website: ArmchairIllini.com Socials: Follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram Thank you to our sponsors:Hamilton Walker's: The best dining experience in Champaign-Urbana. Follow us and Hamilton Walker's on social media to enter the $100 gift card giveaway.Campus Ink: Use code ARMCHAIRILLINI for 15% off official Illini NIL gear from your favorite athletes.🔑 KeywordsIllinois Basketball, Illini Basketball, Fighting Illini, Armchair Illini, College Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Big 10, Joe Jackson, Feed the Post, Austin Burklund, Robby Nardini, Illinois Podcast, Big Ten Preview, Purdue Basketball, Michigan Basketball, Wisconsin Basketball, Ohio State Basketball, UConn Basketball, Mizzou Basketball, Texas Tech Basketball, JT Toppin, Tomislav Ivisic, National Championship⏰ Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:45 - Sponsor: Hamilton Walker's 01:09 - Guest Intro: Joe Jackson of Feed the Post 01:43 - Joe's Initial Impressions of Illini Basketball 02:41 - What Stats & Metrics Predict a Good Team? 04:53 - Non-Conference Preview: Texas Tech & JT Toppen 06:44 - Is Thomas Loves-V-Sitch an All-American? 08:21 - Underrated Big Ten Players to Watch 09:47 - Who Can Win a National Title (Besides Purdue)? 10:24 - Why Joe Picks Michigan as a Final Four Contender 11:55 - Sponsor: Campus Ink 12:28 - Can the Big Ten End the National Title Drought? 16:26 - Big Ten Teams: Who is Overrated/Underrated? 16:54 - High On: Wisconsin & Nebraska 17:42 - Low On: Ohio State 18:39 - Non-Conference Preview: UConn (MSG Game) 20:08 - Non-Conference Preview: Mizzou 21:23 - Illinois Season Predictions (Non-Con & Big Ten) 23:20 - What Would Keep Illinois From Hitting Its Ceiling? 24:33 - Where to Find Joe Jackson (Feed the Post) 25:00 - What's Next on ArmchairIllini.com? 26:07 - Outro & Final Sponsor Plugs

2. 

   6 Nov 2025

   The Illini’s Size vs. Texas Tech’s Shooters: Who Will Break First?

   Welcome in to the Armchair Illini Podcast! Host Austin Burklund previews the massive upcoming Top 25 matchup between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.To get the inside scoop on the Red Raiders, Austin is joined by RC Maxfield, host of @TheRedAndBlackReport RC breaks down the Final Four expectations for Texas Tech this season , a team led by the dominant duo of Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin and future NBA prospect Christian Anderson. He discusses Coach Grant McCaslin's adaptability , the team's potential weaknesses down low , and which X-factor player could be the difference.Austin and RC also dive into:Why this game is dubbed the "Terrence Shannon Jr. Bowl" How both Illinois and Texas Tech are in a "Golden Era" of college athletics The key matchup: Illinois' size and maturity vs. Texas Tech's athleticism and shooting How Patrick Mahomes has turned Lubbock into a city of Kansas City Chiefs fans Finally, both hosts give their official predictions for the big game .A huge thank you to this episode's sponsors:Hamilton Walker's: The best dining experience in Champaign-Urbana.Campus Ink: The official Illinois NIL store. Use code ARMCHAIRILLINI for 15% off your order! Find RC Maxfield:YouTube: The Red and Black Report X (Twitter): @RCNB323 Find Armchair Illini:Socials: @armchairillini Website: armchairillini.com Timestamps00:00:00 - Intro & Illinois' Win vs. Jackson State 00:00:38 - Previewing Texas Tech & Introducing RC Maxfield 00:00:50 - Sponsor: Hamilton Walker's 00:01:25 - RC Maxfield Joins: Expectations for Texas Tech 00:01:57 - Texas Tech's Game 1 (Missing 3 of Top 5 Players) 00:02:36 - Season Goal: Final Four 00:03:05 - Key Returners: JT Toppin & Christian Anderson 00:03:57 - What makes Coach Grant McCaslin so successful? 00:06:35 - What is Texas Tech's biggest weakness? 00:08:34 - Strengths of JT Toppin (Passing, Crafty) 00:11:11 - Strengths of Christian Anderson (NBA Guard, Pace) 00:12:58 - The Toppin/Anderson Pick & Roll Duo 00:13:42 - Is this the most talented Texas Tech team ever? 00:14:55 - Texas Tech's X-Factor Player (Tyree Bryant) 00:17:04 - Sponsor: Campus Ink (Official NIL Store) 00:17:45 - The "Golden Era" of Texas Tech Athletics 00:20:39 - Illinois' "Golden Era" (Comparing the two programs) 00:23:02 - The Impact of NIL on programs like Illinois & Texas Tech 00:25:37 - Why this Illinois game is a huge test for Texas Tech 00:26:48 - Key Matchup Challenge: Illinois' Size & Maturity 00:30:38 - Illinois' View: A test for defense against elite athletes 00:32:05 - How do Texas Tech fans feel about the new Big 12? 00:35:42 - Are all Texas Tech fans now Kansas City Chiefs fans? (Patrick Mahomes) 00:39:45 - Final Predictions for Illinois vs. Texas Tech 00:41:33 - See you in the Final Four? (Indianapolis Food) 00:43:04 - Where to find RC Maxfield 00:43:16 - Outro KeywordsIllinois Basketball, Texas Tech Basketball, Illini Basketball, Red Raiders Basketball, NCAA Basketball, College Basketball, Illinois vs Texas Tech, Basketball Preview, JT Toppin, Christian Anderson, Grant McCaslin, Brad Underwood, Armchair Illini Podcast, The Red and Black Report, RC Maxfield, Terrence Shannon Jr, Big 12, Big Ten, Final Four, NIL, Patrick Mahomes, College Football, Hamilton Walker's, Campus Ink

3. 

   30 Oct 2025

   Illinois Basketball Season Preview: Roster Breakdowns, Big 10 Tiers, & Predictions W/ Robby Nardini

   Host Austin Burklund welcomes Robby Nardini to the Armchair Illini podcast for a complete 2025-26 Illinois Fighting Illini basketball season preview.Robby and Austin break down the roster, including the mysterious Keaton Wagler , the impact of newly-cleared sophomore Mihailo Petrovic , and expectations for transfer Andres Stojakovic. They also discuss the biggest concerns for the team's defense , what Kylan Boswell needs to do to take the next step , and the potential role of new defensive coordinator Cameron Crocker.Plus, they grade the Brad Underwood era , break down the loaded non-conference schedule , and try to tier the new Big 10 conference. Finally, Robby gives his official season prediction for the Illini.Make sure to like, share, and subscribe to the YouTube channel! Follow us on all social media platforms @ArmchairIllini and visit ArmchairIllini.com for the best written work from Kirkland, Alex, and Robbie Nardini.Sponsors: This episode is brought to you by:Hamilton Walker's Seafood and Spirits: The best dining experience in Champaign-Urbana. Follow us and Hamilton Walker's on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for a chance to win a $100 gift card every home game! Campus Inks: Get officially licensed gear from your favorite Illini stars. Use code ArmchairIllini for 15% off your order.Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:36 - Welcoming Guest Robby nardini 00:41 - Sponsor: Hamilton Walker's 01:22 - Robby's Illini Hoops Newsletter 02:10 - Keaton Wagler: The "Kansas Man of Mystery" 03:16 - Petrovic Cleared: What's his impact? 04:17 - Projecting the Illini Rotation 05:33 - Expectations for Jake Davis & Ben Humrichous 06:30 - How Nervous Should Fans Be About Defense? 07:07 - Kylan Boswell's Next Step 08:22 - Fill in the Blank: Illini Ceiling & Floor 08:53 - Grading Brad Underwood's Recruiting 09:56 - Grading the Brad Underwood Era 10:50 - Non-Conference Schedule Breakdown 12:07 - Big 10 Conference Tiers 12:52 - Sponsor: Campus Inks 13:18 - Big 10 Sleeper Teams 14:06 - What is David Mirkovic's Role? 15:13 - Expectations for Andrej Stojakovic 16:33 - What Will the Illini Offense Look Like? 17:46 - Improving Offensive Rebounding 19:09 - Team X-Factor 19:42 - Impact of New DC Crocker 20:38 - Robby's Final 2025-26 Season Prediction 21:30 - Where to Find Robby's Work 22:24 - Outro & Final Plugs Keywords: Illinois Basketball, Illini Basketball, Fighting Illini, Armchair Illini, Robby Nardini, Brad Underwood, Kylan Boswell, Andrej Stojakovic, Keaton Wagler, Mihailo Petrovic, Big 10 Basketball, Illini Hoops, Season Preview, Cameron Crocker, Illinois Basketball Podcast, David Mirkovic

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.3 / 5

6 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

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Books guests

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