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Football
Media Coverage
Illinois enjoys extensive coverage by the media, both print and electronic. The Big Ten Conference boasts one of the best television packages in college football, especially with the creation of the Big Ten Network. Every conference game, and the vast majority of non-conference games, that each Big Ten team plays is broadcast nationally through such partners as ABC, ESPN, espn2 and the Big Ten Network. Click here to check out the Big Ten football television schedule. Each season the Illinois Athletic Public Relations office issues credentials to more than 250 media to each home contest. Among Illinois' regular media are the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, Arlington Heights Daily Herald and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, with the Chicago area representing the third-largest media market in the United States, behind only New York and Los Angeles. Coach Ron Zook's hiring press conference was carried live by ESPN News and three local TV stations. Illinois is covered on a daily basis by 14 regional and three national newspapers.
The 2009-2010 Illini Sports Radio Network
The 46-station Illini Sports Network brings Illinois football to fans across the state and Midwest with Brian Barnhart, Kurt Kittner and Steve Kelly calling the action. Barnhart begins his eighth season as the "Voice of the Illini" after a long stint in professional baseball, including two years as the play-by-play voice of the Anaheim Angels. Barnhart serves as the voice of the Illini Sports Network, providing play-by-play coverage of football and men's basketball and as the host of the statewide "Ron Zook Show" call-in program every Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. A native of nearby Tolono, Barnhart graduated from Unity High School and Liberty University before beginning a 15-year career in professional baseball in 1986. He served as the play-by-play voice of the Lynchburg Mets and Salem Buccaneers before moving up to the Oklahoma City 89ers, the Class AAA affiliate of the Texas Rangers, from 1988-94. Barnhart did high school football and other sport play-by-play for 11 years and was also the voice for Oklahoma Baptist basketball from 1992-94 and Oklahoma City Blazers minor league hockey in 1993. From 1996-98, he handled news, sports and play-by-play at WWLS in Oklahoma City. In 1998, Barnhart was named the play-by-play announcer for the Angels and spent two full seasons with the American League club before returning to the Champaign-Urbana area in 2000. He currently is a news and sports announcer at WDWS-AM 1400 in Champaign. During the 2007 season, Barnhart was honored by the Illinois Broadcasters Association with the "Silver Dome Award for Best Sports Play-by-Play" for his call of Illinois' football upset of No. 1 Ohio State. Former Illini quarterback All-American Kurt Kittner is in his third season as expert analyst. Kittner lettered at Illinois from 1998-2001, leading the Illini to a the Big Ten title, a 10-win season and a trip to the BCS in 2001. The three-time team MVP was the signal caller for the most proficient offenses in school history. During his time under center, Illinois posted the two highest scoring seasons with 32.5 ppg in 2001 and 32.3 in 1999. Kittner still holds school records for career total offense (8,880), single-season (27) and career (70) touchdown passes thrown. Kittner was the starting quarterback as a sophomore for the Illini in 1999 when the Illini mounted two upset road victories at ninth-ranked Michigan and at Ohio State. That season, Illinois went on to romp Virginia 63-21 in the Micronpc.com Bowl, where the squad broke 22 records. Kittner was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, won 24 games in an Illinois jersey, finished 12th in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2001 and was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas National Quarterback Award. The Schaumburg, Ill. native was a fifth-round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons and started four games during the 2003 season. Along with Barnhart and Kittner on the broadcast again this fall is Kelly, a veteran Illini sportscaster who handles pre-game, halftime and post-game host duties. Kelly has covered Illini athletics for two decades on television and radio. He hosts the popular "Sports Talk" show on WDWS-AM 1400 in Champaign and also hosts "Gameday" extended coverage of Illini athletics on WDWS and Lite Rock 97.5. The statewide Illini Sports Network is managed by the UI Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, including distribution, sales operations, affiliate relations and programming. ISN programming includes Illinois football, men's and women's basketball, volleyball and baseball, along with the "Illini Today" series. The "Ron Zook Show" can be heard statewide on the Illini Sports Network every Thursday beginning Sept. 3 at 7:05 p.m.
Ron Zook Radio ShowThe "Ron Zook Show" airs Thursday evenings from 7:05-8 on the Illini Sports Network. The live call-in show originates from both the WDWS Radio (Champaign) studio and, during away-game weeks, at the Colonnades Club in Memorial Stadium, when the Quarterback Club hosts the program. The show, emceed by Brian Barnhart, the play-by-play voice of Fighting Illini football, is also available through Illini All-Access on the official UI Athletics website, www.fightingillini.com.
Ron Zook Television ShowThis weekly half-hour television program, produced by the UI Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, features highlights of the previous week's game with analysis by Coach Ron Zook, as well as features about the Illinois football progam. Brian Barnhart, Illini Sports Network play-by-play commentator, hosts the show with Coach Zook.
(updated 8/09) |
