The Drive with Lon Tay & Derek Piper

9/21/23 Hour 1: How high could Johnny Newton go in the draft?; Breaking down a loaded college football slate

Derek and Kyle discuss how high Johnny Newton could end up going in the NFL Draft if he continues his dominant play. Later, the guys break down a loaded slate of college football over the weekend.

9/20/23 Hour 2: Big picture NFL thoughts after 2 weeks; Zachary Weinberger (Palm Beach Post) talks FAU

Lon, Derek, and Kyle share some NFL thoughts after the first two weeks of action including which teams have stood out. Later, Zachary Weinberger from the Palm Beach Post joins the show to share some insight into Florida Atlantic.

9/20/23 Hour 1: Lon’s thoughts on Wainwright reaching 200; Justin Fields comments on coaching go viral

Lon and Derek discuss Adam Wainwright's long and successful career as a Cardinal and Lon shares his thoughts on watching him reach 200 wins. Later, the guys react to some comments made by Justin Fields about coaching.

9/19/23 Hour 2: How important is a convincing win for Illinois this week?; Aaron Leming (BearReport) talks Bears mess and Justin Fields’s future

Derek and Kyle discuss how badly Illinois needs a convincing win over Florida Atlantic this week and what they want to see from Illinois on both sides of the ball. Later, Aaron Leming from BearReport joins the show to share his thoughts and what has gone horribly wrong for the Chicago Bears and whether or not he still views Justin Fields as a franchise quarterback.

9/19/23 Hour 1: Adam Wainwright picks up his 200th win; Illinois basketball releases full 2023-24 schedule

Derek and Kyle discuss Adam Wainwright winning his 200th career game over the Brewers and what it means to end his historic career with that milestone. Later, the guys run through the 2023-24 Illinois basketball conference schedule that has been released and share some takeaways.

9/18/23 Hour 2: Luke Altmyer discusses putting tough day behind him & learning from experience; Bielema on team’s start to the season

Illinois QB Luke Altmyer joins the show to discuss his tough game against Penn State and how he's been able to learn from his mistakes early in his college career. Later, hear Bret Bielema share some thoughts on what he's seen from his team so far.

9/18/23 Hour 1: J LEMAN HOUR: Altmyer shows his youth against Penn State, defense leaves room for optimism

Lon, Derek and J Leman break down the Illini's 30-13 loss to Penn State including Luke Altmyer's 4-interception day, a strong effort from the defense and the opportunities ahead on the schedule.

09/15/23 Hour 2: Oli Marmol to return as Cardinals manager; Lance Ringler (Golfweek) talks big Illini golf win; Illinois-Penn State predictions

Lon and Derek react to the news that Oli Marmol will return as Cardinals manager in 2024. Later, Lance Ringler from Golfweek joins the show to discuss Illinois men's golf's big win over the weekend and event at Olympia Fields. The guys give their predictions for Illinois-Penn State.

09/15/23 Hour 1: Breaking down the matchup with Penn State; How much does Illinois need to stay competitive to inspire confidence for rest of the season?

Lon and Derek discuss how much Illinois needs to be competitive against Penn State in order to increase their confidence level in the team going forward. Later, the guys discuss how Illinois can try to challenge Penn State QB Drew Allar on Saturday.

9/14/23 Hour 2: Recalibrating the Illini football schedule after 2 weeks of action - should expectations change?

Derek and Kyle discuss whether or not Illinois fans should recalibrate their expectations about the Illini football season after 2 weeks and run through the rest of the schedule to see if their opinions have changed on the rest of the Big Ten.

9/14/23 Hour 1: Daniel Gallen (Lions247) previews Penn State; Can Illini correct issues against this caliber of opponent?; Bielema audio

Daniel Gallen from Lions247 joins the show to break down Penn State's roster and the challenges Illinois is going to face on Saturday. Derek and Kyle discuss how realistic it is for Illinois to correct its issues against such a talented opponent. Later, hear from Bret Bielema as he shares some final thoughts ahead of the game.

9/13/23 Hour 2: Illinois faces tough task against Penn State; What needs to change to give themselves a chance?

Derek and Kyle discuss the Illini's matchup against 7th ranked Penn State and what changes they would like to see to give Illinois a chance at the upset. Hear clips from coordinators Aaron Henry and Barry Lunney on how their units need to improve.

9/13/23 Hour 1: Closer look at the MLB playoff race - where do the Cubs stack up and what teams look most dangerous?

Derek and Kyle take a deeper dive into the MLB playoff race with a few weeks left to play and size up the Cubs' chances along with some of the other contenders.

9/12/23 Hour 1: Rodgers out for season after Achilles injury; NFL Week 1 winners and losers

Derek and Kyle react to Aaron Rodgers rupturing his Achilles and what it means for the Jets' hopes going forward. Later, the guys share their biggest winners and losers from NFL Week 1.

9/11/23 Hour 2: Luke Altmyer talks offensive struggles, bouncing back; Rapid Bears-Packers reaction

Illinois QB Luke Altmyer joins the show to discuss his team's disappointing showing against Kansas and what they're looking to improve upon against Penn State. Later, Derek and Kyle share their rapid reactions to the Packers' domination of the Bears.

9/11/23 Hour 1: J LEMAN HOUR: Breaking down the the major letdown vs Kansas & what needs to change defensively

Derek, Kyle, and J Leman discuss what went wrong for Illinois in its beatdown against Kansas including defensive struggles, starting slow offensively, and whether or not wholesale changes need to be made ahead of the game against Penn State.

9/8/23 Hour 2: Pressure’s on Illini defense against Kansas; Illinois-Kansas predictions

Lon and Kyle discuss their confidence level about the Illini defense bouncing back against Kansas and how worrisome the defensive front's performance was against Toledo. The guys give their final predictions for the Illinois-Kansas matchup.

9/8/23 Hour 1: NFL season-opener reaction; Derek Piper talks Illini and Bears-Packers

Lon and Kyle react to the Lions' opening night victory over the Chiefs and share some more Illinois-Kansas thoughts. Later, Derek Piper joins the show to preview the big Bears-Packers showdown and his feelings about Illini football.

9/7/23 Hour 2: Confidence in Illini defense rebounding against Kansas; What could a 2-0 start mean for the rest of the season?

Lon, Kyle, and guest Jason Thompson discuss how they're feeling heading into Illinois football's game against Kansas and how confident they are that the Illini defense will rebound from Week 1. The guys share their thoughts on what a 2-0 start could mean for the rest of the Illini season.

9/7/23 Hour 1: Is it finally the Bears’ time to take over the Packers?; NFL Week 1 whip around

Lon and Kyle whip around the Week 1 slate of games in the NFL, including whether or not they think the Bears can finally overcome the Packers.