The Drive with Lon Tay & Derek Piper

BREAKING: Illinois Football has named longtime Montana head coach Bobby Hauck as its new defensive coordinator, replacing Aaron Henry and bringing decades of experience to Champaign. Hauck, one of the winningest coaches in Big Sky history, recently stepped down at Montana before making the move to the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Tristan Thomas joins the conversation to break down the latest with Illini basketball as the team continues its push through conference play. He also discusses standout performances and storylines from the local high school basketball scene.

Brad Sturdy of Illini Guys breaks down Illinois' tough overtime loss to Michigan State, a game that left the locker room frustrated after a close battle. He also previews the Illini's upcoming matchup with Wisconsin as the team looks to bounce back quickly in Big Ten play. Meanwhile, former Illini standout Devon Witherspoon delivered a huge performance in the Super Bowl, helping lead Seattle's dominant defense to a 29–13 win. Witherspoon's big plays — including a sack and a game-changing strip — helped seal a championship night for the Seahawks.

Carson Gourdie from Fox Illinois and WICS-TV joins us this hour to talk Illinois vs Michigan State. We also hear from Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press. Get both perspectives ahead of the Illini vs Sparty. And it's Super Bowl Weekend! Kurtis tests your knowledge with Super Bowl trivia, Evan's "Etched in Stone" features Super Bowl prop bets, and we give our score predictions. Plus our Friday Toasts! Cheers!

Doug Bucshon is the publisher of Orange and Blue News, a part of the On3 family, and has covered Illinois athletics for years. He joins us this hour to discuss Illinois vs Michigan State, Jeremy Fears' issues, Underwood vs Izzo, Keaton Wagler, and much more!  We also talk with Doug about some of the changes to Bret Bielema's coaching staff, including the addition of TE Coach Jared Elliot and the loss of D-Line coach Terrance Jamison. Plus, Brad Underwood's presser and more!

The Chicago Bulls traded former-Illini star Ayo Dosumnu to the Timberwolves, which also happens to be the home of Terrence Shannon Jr. We discuss the trade with NBA Insider Dr. Daniel Thompson. Dr. Thompson also does an incredible job covering the Illini women's basketball team for Basketball Society. He helps us break down Illinois' tough loss last night at Oregon. Is Leslie Frazier a candidate for the Illinois defensive coordinator position? What about Kevin Richardson? Both have connections to the Illini and/or Bret Bielema. 

The Illini put together their most dominant performance of the year with an 84-44 victory over Northwestern at State Farm Center. Five Illinois players were in double figures and Andrej Stojakovic led the way with 17 points. We break down the game and look ahead to Saturday at Michigan State. Speaking of Michigan State, is Tom Izzo overrated? Evan Stone thinks that's the case and the text lines lit UP.  Plus, who will be the next Illinois Football defensive coordinator?

The one and only Lon Tay is back on the Drive for a full hour! Uncle Lon updates us on life, his thoughts on Illinois football, Cardinals baseball, and the incredible run of Illinois basketball! This is a must-listen!

Chris Kwiecinski of FOX32 Chicago joins us to break down the Illini matchup against the Northwestern Wildcats. We discuss key storylines, expectations, and what to watch in the rivalry game. Plus, a look at Keaton Wagler's recent award wins and what they mean moving forward.

Brian Teague is back on the show to wrap up his coverage of the Senior Bowl and talk NFL Draft. Plus, who does Brian think will replace Aaron Henry as the new Defensive Coordinator for Illinois football? And who should the BEARS draft at the number 25 spot? Tuesday equals Draft Day! Today's draft is The Best Super Bowl Halftime Shows ever. Who wins? Who did we miss? Vote on Twitter, Instagram, and our Facebook page. We have a surprise guest for tomorrow's show. Who is it? Find out this hour.

Dave Wischnowsky has covered Illini athletics for years. So when he says this year's men's team is as good as the 04-05 squad, you should listen. Check out this great conversation! Plus, the Cardinals moved Brendan Donovan. We look at their current draft stock and farm system.

Our guy the All-American J Leman joins us this hour to discuss Aaron Henry's departure from Illinois football. Henry is headed to Notre Dame to be the new Co-Defensive Coordinator. Who will replace him? J discusses possible replacements and how much it might cost Illinois to pay a new coordinator. Plus, Illinois Athletics had an incredible weekend with ranked wins in basketball, track & field, tennis, and wrestling. This led to an all-timer moment from Evan Stone. Plus, Evan is on a roll with Etched in Stone. Will that continue tonight?

The Illinois Men's basketball team got their 2nd road win against a Top 5 opponent in as many weeks, 77-69 over Nebraska. Now the Illini are ranked Number 5 in the country and Keaton Wagler earned his fifth Freshman of the Week award. It's a lot of numbers and our guy "The Great" Kyle Tausk from Illini Inquirer joins us this hour to break it all down!

We break down predictions for Illini vs. Cornhuskers and what to expect in the matchup. Who will handle Pryce Sandifort defensively and will the Keaton Wagler train keep rolling? Plus, news broke this afternoon that the Seattle Seahawks could actually be up for sale with the Super Bowl approaching. Is this a distraction or a nothing before the game? Former UCLA guard Amari Bailey says he wants out of the NBA after 10 games to return to college basketball. He's hired a lawyer and an agent to make it happen. What will this mean for the game? And Etched in Stone & Friday Toasts!

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins us once again from the Senior Bowl in Mobile. Gabe Jacas continues to be the best defensive player on the field.  Plus, Luke Altmyer and JC Davis had their best practices of the week!  Illini basketball got a solid win last night at home against Washington. Now they head to Nebraska for a showdown that could decide the Big Ten Championship. Ravi Lulla from HurrDat Sports joins us to break down the game.

We've had great guests on this week ahead of the Illinois vs Washington game, with a few people calling it a definite trap game. So how confident are YOU about tonight's game? We answer your texts at 217-359-2255. Have you seen ONE person agree with the decision to keep Bill Belichick out of the Hall of Fame? Neither have we. Evan got things back on track with Etched in Stone last night. He's got 3 new bets for tonight. Lets go!

Brian Teague checks in again from Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl. Is Gabe Jacas still the best player on the field? How did Luke Altmyer's running ability impress coaches? And why did JC Davis have a rough day?  Carson Gourdie from WICS-TV joins us to talk about tonight's Illinois vs Washington game at State Farm Center. Carson tells us why he thinks tonight IS a trap game, but the Illini will ultimately win.

Brad Underwood's squad is coming off their biggest win of the season and an all-time performance from Keaton Wagler at Purdue. Will that success carry over to tomorrow night at State Farm Center against Washington? We talk with Roman Tomashoff from Huskie Wire if this is a Trap Game for Illinois. We take another look at the Illinois 2026 football schedule, who has the easiest and the toughest schedules in the Big Ten. Evan's heater came to a screeching halt last night with Etched in Stone. Let's see if he cooks tonight. And who won the Tuesday Draft for our Super Bowl Spreads?!  

We're traveling the globe this hour and we start at The Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports is live on location with updates on Luke Altmyer, Gabe Jacas, and JC Davis. Which of the 3 did Brian say was "the best player on the field?"  Sarah Warren is representing the United States in speedskating at the Winter Olympics. She's also a U of I grad and called us from Germany! Sarah tells us how she overcame TEN knee surgeries to make the Olympic team. This is an incredible conversation! Illinois football released their schedule yesterday and dive in a little bit more. 

The Fighting Illini football schedule is out for 2026 and we have it for you this hour! Plus, Tuesday is Draft Day! We're drafting our Super Bowl Spreads. Who won? Vote on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. 

Our guy The Great Kyle Tausk is back with us! Kyle breaks down Keaton Wagler's historic performance against Purdue and the Illini win. Plus Illini Headlines, Curveballs, and plenty more!

The Super Bowl is now set! The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks are headed to Santa Clara. Who ya got?! We discuss. Plus, Evan is on a HEATER with Etched in Stone! It's a 20-4 run last week. Will he cash in again?

The Illini men's basketball team got their biggest win of the year with an 88-82 upset over Purdue on Saturday. Keaton Wagler turned in an all-time performance with 46 points, a record for a Freshman and the most ever scored by an opposing player in Mackey. Evan and Cooper are holding it down on Hour 1!

Nick Rodecap covers Indiana athletics for WIUX-FM, The Hoosier Network, and Inside The Hall. Nick was in Miami for their National Championship win and gives us his view of the game. Plus, where does Cignetti & CO go from here? A great listen! Evan was out of the studio, but still called in for "Etched in Stone." He's on a 8-2 heater over the last two days. Will that continue tonight? Plus we preview Championship Weekend in the NFL. Who's going to The Super Bowl? And Friday Toasts! Cheers!

Illinois basketball has its biggest test of the season tomorrow at Purdue! We preview the game with Jimmy Sobeski from the "Flag on the Play" Podcast. Jimmy's been covering Purdue athletics for years and stopped by the studio before heading to Mackey for the game. Brad Underwood met with the media today ahead of the game. We bring you his press conference and get his thoughts on how Illinois will defend Braden Smith. Plus, how much revenue does the Super Bowl actually bring to a city? A new study out today with the answer might surprise you on how the actual dollar amount.

Illini wrestling legend Zane Richards joins us to talk the free RTC clinic after Illinois vs. Rutgers. Evan checks in with his latest Etched in Stone picks after going 4–1, and we debate what the Bears should do with their first-round pick. Like ESPN 93.5 on Facebook and follow us on Twitter & Instagram.

Things went pretty well for Brad Underwood's squad in their first game without Kylan Boswell. The Illini beat Maryland 89-70 and now turn their attention to Purdue. The Great Kyle Tausk from Illini Inquirer joins to break down the win and preview Saturday's game.

Our guy Ravi Lulla from Hurrdat Sports joins us this hour to discuss the National Championship Game. Where does Indiana football go from here? How will Miami reload their roster? We also chat about Big Ten basketball and the NFL Playoffs. Who won our Tuesday Draft and why did they do a victory lap around the radio station? Evan has FIVE bets for Etched in Stone. And we give our score predictions for Illinois vs Maryland.

Tonight is Illinois' first game without guard Kylan Boswell. We preview the Illini vs Maryland and answer your texts. Chris Kwiecinski from Fox32 Chicago is back on the show with us. Chris was at Halas Hall for the Bears year-end presser. Where does Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles see the Bears going from their playoff run? And why did Ben Johnson say they "can't build off of 2025?"  Also, why did Evan draft Ty Cobb in our Tuesday Draft? The text line was on fire for this one!

Cooper O'Kelly writes for The Champaign Room and is also our new intern at The Drive. He was at Soldier Field for the 2 coldest games of the year, including Bears vs Rams in the Divisional Playoffs. Cooper gives us his first-hand experience of the highs and lows of the game. Tuesday is Draft Day! And today's category is "The Greatest Athletes to Never Win a Championship." Who immediately comes to mind? Who won and who had the worst pick? Who did we miss? Vote on Twitter, Instagram, and our Facebook page.

Illini guard Kylan Boswell is OUT with a broken hand for a month. We react to the news and talk with Carson Gourdie from WICS-TV about the latest on the Illini roster.  Indiana Football are the National Champions and a member of the show says they are the greatest college team of all time. Is that true? 

The Chicago Bears magical season came to an end last night with a 20-17 overtime loss against the Rams. Where do they go from here? We recap the game and look at the free agent list. Plus, Eric Bienemy is leaving the Bears and returning to the Chiefs for their Offensive Coordinator position.  The Bills have fired Sean McDermott. Is he immediately the most sought-after free agent coach? We dig into the latest coaching carousel. Evan has a College Football National Championship "Etched in Stone" bet that might shock you. And we announce the next category in our Tuesday Drafts.

The All-American J Leman joins us on the Dick Van Dyke Appliance phone line to preview the National Championship Game between Indiana vs Miami. Plus, J gives his thoughts on Illinois football recruitment and much more. Speaking of recruitment, Illinois Head Coach Bret Bielema joined ESPN 93.5 today to discuss his recruitment class and all things college football. Coach Bielema let listeners know that he's nowhere near done building the 2026 roster. And we recap the Illini men's basketball team's home win over Minnesota. Big Z was the hero this time.

Our guy Carson Gourdie from WICS-TV and Fox Illinois joins us to preview Illinois vs Minnesota. Carson has great insight and statistical breakdowns as always. Plus we talk about the Illinois football transfer portal and some of the odd pictures on Carson's Facebook page. Evan went 2-2 last night in Etched in Stone and is over .500 for 2026. Find out which basketball games he likes for tonight. We make our predictions for the NFL Divisional round and are completely split. Who did we pick and who do you agree with? Plus, our big Friday Toasts!

The St. Louis Cardinals rolled into Champaign today for our annual Cardinals Caravan! This hour you'll hear from several of the stars for this year's team. Players included Michael McGreevy, Thomas Saggese, Yohel Pozo, Andre Pallante, and alumni favorite Bengie Molina! Zack Pearson covers the Chicago Bears for BearWire on 247Sports. He's back on the show and this time we're talking Bears vs Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs. How does Zack think the Bears can win this game? The Illini Men's Basketball team takes on Minnesota tomorrow and head coach Brad Underwood met with the media earlier today. Underwood addresses the health of David Mirkovic, Keaton Wagler, and the infamous hook & hold call from the Northwestern game.

Can you guess how many Super Bowls the Top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL have won? The number might surprise you. Evan has done the research and explains why overpaying a QB won't win a championship. Sean Payton did not like a reporter's question about Dre Greenlaw's return and made that very clear. Was he out of line? Have a listen and judge for yourself. We take a look at the Bears vs Rams injury report, and if the weather makes a difference this Sunday night. Plus FOUR bets from Evan in "Etched in Stone."

The #13 Illini men's team landed another win last night, this time in Evanston against Northwestern, 79-68. Keaton Wagler led the Illini once again with 22 points, and Tomislav Ivisic also added 21 points and 7 rebounds. Kyle Tausk from Illini Inquirer joins us to talk about the win, preview the upcoming game with Minnesota, thoughts on Keaton Wagler's back spasms, and more.

Dante Moore will NOT be the #1 pick in this year's NFL Draft. The Oregon Ducks starting quarterback announced today he's returning for another year. How does his decision stack up with Top Pick athletes that have made similar decisions? Kurtis crunched some numbers and it sparked a great conversation. How does Moore's decision affect the NFL Draft for this year?  Gies Memorial Stadium is about to have the biggest scoreboard in all of College Football. What are some other renovations that could be made? What are improvements that YOU want to see? And give our score predictions for tonight's Illinois vs Northwestern game.

The in-state rivalry continues tonight in Evanston between the Illinois men's basketball team and Northwestern. We preview the game before tipoff. Illini gymnastics has a huge meet this Friday night at Huff Hall against Penn State. We chat with head coach Josh Nilson about the meet, and the importance of the community's support. Cardinals fans can join us this Friday at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center for the "Cardinals Caravan." The event features Chip Caray, players Michael McGreevy, Thomas Saggese, Yohel Pozo, and Andre Pallante. Plus alumni favorites Brad Thompson and Bengie Molina. Diane Ducey joins us to talk about the event and how you can be a part of it.

Our guy Tristan Thomas from WCIA-3 joins us for almost a full hour and we cover a lot! First, Illinois football unveiled a new state-of-the-art scoreboard that will be the BIGGEST in College Football. We discuss the new renovations to Gies Memorial Stadium. Also, Illini basketball is cruising through the new year. Tristan discusses Brad Underwood's presser before tomorrow night's game against Northwestern. Plus, is there another player besides Keaton Wagler that could be a one-and-done from this year's roster? And its Tuesday Draft Day! Today's top: Our Celebrity Crushes. The rules also require one Man-Crush. Who wins? Vote on the socials @thedrive935 on Twitter, Instagram, and on the ESPN 93.5 Facebook page.

Breaking news: The Steelers and Mike Tomlin have parted ways after 19 years. Where will he go next and who will be the Steelers 4th Head Coach in franchise history? How about Curt Cignetti? Another Cardinals star is on the move. St. Louis traded Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right handed pitcher Jack Martinez. Jeremiah Cox covers the Redbirds and joins us to discuss the move. Plus, Etched in Stone is on fire! Get tonight's bet from Evan.

The National Championship game is set and we know Indiana will take on Miami. Our friend Ravi Lulla from Hurrdat Sports joins us to discuss the latest. We recap an insane NFL Wildcard Weekend and preview the Steelers vs Texans. It's Kurtis' week to pick a Tuesday Draft category and he says Evan will have to "bare his soul" this week. What did he choose?

The Illini men's and women's basketball teams scored big wins on Sunday. The men held off an Iowa comeback yesterday at Carver Arena for a 75-69 and are now the 13th ranked team in the country. Keaton Wagler led all scorers with 19 points, while Kylan Boswell and Adrej Stojakovic each added 17.  For the 4th straight season under Shauna Green, the Illini women's team is nationally ranked. The Illini are now number 25 in the country after a 92-76 on the road over Penn State. Berry Wallace dropped 28 and Maddie Webber added 26 points, including 5 three-pointers, to lead the way. We break down both games. The Bears finally slayed The Packers! Chis Kwiecinzki of Fox32 in Chicago chats with us about the Bears biggest comeback of the year!

Chris Kwiecinski from Fox32 Chicago joins the show to preview Bears vs Packers III in this weekend's Wildcard matchup. Has the Bears magic run out or is this where they turn the tide in the NFL's oldes rivalry? Plus NFL Wildcard Weekend predictions - Kurtis and Evan are completely split in one division. Etched in Stone hit again! Did you cash in? Evan has 2 more bets tonight. And we give our Friday Toasts! Cheers!

The Illini men's basketball team had no problem with Rutgers last night at State Farm Center, winning 81-55. Find out why Brad Underwood said this team is "A Coach's Dream." Ravi Lulla from Hurrdat Sports joins us to break down the College Football Playoffs. Did Miami win on a Pass Interference? Where does Jordan Chambliss go from here? And can Oregon upset Indiana? And are there Illini fans rooting for Indiana?!

Wild Card Weekend is almost here. Who should be on Upset Alert? We go through the point spreads and make our picks. Who do you think could pull off a stunner? Speaking of stunners, you will be stunned by the first ever Rap Battle in the history of The Drive. Is it so bad that it's good? You be the judge. Plus our Score Predictions ahead of Illinois vs Rutgers tonight!

"The Portal giveth and the Portal taketh away."  Evan Stone does a deep dive into the latest on Illinois football's Transfer Portal news, including details on Angelo McCollum leaving town.  The Great Kyle Tausk from Illini Inquirer joins us ahead of tonight's Illini men's basketball game against Rutgers. We discuss Tomislav Ivisic's struggles and Zvonimir Ivisic's recent success. Plus, what's Mihalo Petrovic's role going forward and is Keaton Wagler officially a one & done in Champaign? A'Ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo were in the house last night at State Farm Center for the Illini women's game. We recap the game and discuss A'Ja's message to the team.

Brad Underwood met with the media ahead of the Illinois vs Rutgers game at State Farm Center. Hear the latest from the Illini head coach. Evan's "Etched in Stone" bet looks at Duquesne vs St. Joseph's. And who won our Best QB Of All Time draft?!

Bret Bielema has addressed a lot of needs for the 2026 Illini Football team, but what's the most pressing issue? We talk with Fox Illinois & WICS' Carson Gourdie about the latest Transfer Portal news. Plus, Carson gives his insight on what Illini basketball needs to improve on going into this stretch of the season, in particular Ivisic Brothers. The Cubs traded their top prospect for Edward Cabrera. Was it the right move? Should the Cardinals trade Brendan Donovan?  Kurtis throws his CURVEBALLS!

The hour starts with a conversation about the best job openings in the NFL and takes an immediate turn with the breaking news of John Harbaugh's firing from the Baltimore Ravens! Plus a recap of Illinois State's historic postseason run that ended last night in the FCS National Championship game against Montana State. This week's Tuesday Draft is "Best NFL Quarterbacks of All Time" and features a special guest. Who wins this week? Vote on Instagram & Twitter @thedrive935 and on the ESPN 93.5 Facebook page!

Stephen Igoe covers East Carolina athletics for "Hoist the Colours" on 247Sports and 94.3 The Game. He's covered new Illini quarterback Katin Houser for the last 2 years and gives us insight into the newest member of the Bret Bielema's roster.  Richie O'Leary is back on the show and this time we're talking Illini vs Rutgers ahead of Thursday night's men's basketball game at State Farm Center. It's been a rough season so far for the Knights and Richie doesn't mince words about it. And Evan announces the topic for today's Draft -  Best NFL Quarterbacks!

We found out very quickly who will be protecting Katin Houser next year for the Illini. Bret Bielema's staff land Wisconsin starting Center Jake Renfro through the transfer portal. Renfro has 1 year of eligibility and will anchor the O-Line in 2026. Illini basketball got a win in Philadelphia on Saturday night against Penn State. We recap the game and look ahead to Rutgers on Thursday. The Bears lost the season finale against the Lions after mounting an improbable comeback. They now turn their attention to the Packers on Saturday night for the 3rd time in six weeks. How concerned are you? Evan's been "riding a cash wave" for a couple of weeks and shares a special bet in today's "Etched in Stone!"