(Photo Credit: Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Brandon Peters, RB Chase Brown, TE Daniel Barker, OC Doug Kramer, OT Vederian Lowe, OT Alex Palczewski, NT Roderick Perry, LB Tarique Barnes, LB Owen Carney, LB Isaiah Gay, LB Jake Hansen, LB Khalan Tolson, CB Tony Adams, CB Devon Witherspoon, FS Jartavius Martin, SS Sydney Brown, KR Khmari Thompson, PK James McCourt, and PT Blake Hayes.
Key Players Departing:
WR Josh Imatorbhebhe, OG Kendrick Green, CB/PR Nate Hobbs, and LB Milo Eifler.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: LB Alec Bryant (Virginia Tech transfer).
3 Star Recruits: QB Artur Sitkowski (Rutgers transfer), OG Brody Wisecarver (St. Louis, Missouri), QB Samari Collier (DeSota, Texas), CB Daniel Edwards (Winter Park, Florida), OG Josh Kreutz (Wilmette, Illinois), WR Patrick Bryant (Jacksonville, Florida), DL Sedarius McConnell (Atlanta, Georgia), S Joriell Washington (Ft. Myers, Florida), and CB Prince Green (Griffin, Georgia).
2020 Results:
G01 at #14 Wisconsin L 7-45
G02 PURDUE L 24-31
G03 MINNESOTA L 14-41
G04 at Rutgers W 23-20
G05 at Nebraska W 41-23
G06 IOWA L 21-35
G07 at #14 Northwestern L 10-28
G08 at Penn State L 21-56
Misc. Team Information:
2020 Record: 2-6 (7th in Big Ten West)
Home: 0-3
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 2-6
Non-B10: 0-0
Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Rutgers: 0-0
Career: 97-58
Bowls: 4-5
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Brandon Peters (39-80, 429 yards, 48.8%, 5.4 avg., 3 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Chase Brown (104 car., 540 yards, 5.2 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Daniel Barker (19 rec., 268 yards, 14.1 avg., 2 TD)
TDs Scored: Mike Epstein (4)Sacks: Owen Carney (5.0)
Tackles: Jake Hansen (68)Tackles For Loss: Jake Hansen (10)
Interceptions: Jake Hansen/Devon Witherspoon (2)
Pass Deflections: 4 Tied (2)
Forced Fumbles: Jake Hansen (2)
Kick Returns: Khmari Thompson (12 ret., 234 yards, 19.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Donny Navarro (1 ret., 16 yards, 16.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: James McCourt (6-10 fg/fga., 60%, 15-15 xp/xpa., 33 pts.)
Punting: Blake Hayes (42 punts, 1838 yards, 43.8 avg., 16 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 18 Brandon Peters (GR/TR)
RB: 2 Chase Brown (RS SO/TR)
WR: 14 Brian Hightower (JR/TR)
WR: 81 Marquez Beason (RS FR)
WR: 1 Isaiah Williams (RS FR)
TE: 87 Daniel Barker (JR)
LT: 79 Vederian Lowe (SR)
LG: 72 Jack Badovinac (GR/TR)
OC: 65 Doug Kramer (RS SR)
RG: 55 Blake Jeresaty (GR/TR)
RT: 63 Alex Palczewski (SR)
KR: 4 Khmari Thompson (RS SO/TR)
PK: 17 James McCourt (RS SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 91 Jamal Woods (SR)
DT: 96 Roderick Perry (GR/TR)
DE: 94 Jer’Zhan Newton (RS FR)
LB: 99 Owen Carney (SR)
LB: 5 Calvin Hart (RS SO/TR)
LB: 35 Jake Hansen (RS SR)
LB: 92 Isaiah Gay (SR)
CB: 6 Tony Adams (SR)
CB: 31 Devon Witherspoon (SO)
FS: 24 Prather Hudson (GR/TR)
SS: 30 Sydney Brown (JR)
PR: 86 Donny Navarro (RS JR/TR)
PT: 14 Blake Hayes (SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/28 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS | Illinois trails the series 4-13-1. The Fighting Illini are 2-6 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series loss (38-42) was in 2019.
09/04 UTSA ROADRUNNERS | First meeting between schools.
09/11 at Virginia Cavaliers | Illinois leads the series 2-0. The Fighting Illini won (63-21) the last meeting between schools in 1999.
09/17 MARYLAND TERRAPINS | Illinois lost (33-63) the only prior meeting between schools in 2018.
09/25 at Purdue Boilermakers | The series is tied 45-45-6. The Fighting Illini trails the series 3-7, and their last series win (24-6) was in 2019.
10/02 CHARLOTTE 49ERS | First meeting between schools.
10/09 WISCONSIN BADGERS | Illinois trails the series 37-43-7. The Fighting Illini are 1-9 since 2011, and their last series win (24-23) was in 2019.
10/23 at Penn State Nittany Lions | Illinois trails the series 5-20. The Fighting Illini are 1-6 since 2011, and their last series win (16-14) was in 2014.
10/30 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS | Illinois leads the series 5-2. The Fighting Illini 4-1 since renewing the series in 2016, and their last series loss (24-35) was in 2017.
11/06 at Minnesota Golden Gophers | Illinois trails the series 30-40-3. The Fighting Illini are 2-7 since 2011, and their last series win (55-31) was in 2018.
11/20 at Iowa Hawkeyes | Illinois leads the series 38-36-2. The Fighting Illini are 0-7 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series win (27-24) was in 2008.
11/27 NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS | Illinois leads the series 55-54-5. The Fighting Illini are 2-8 since 2011, and their last series win (47-33) was in 2014.
Predictions:
Home: 4-3
Road: 1-4
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 2-7
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 5-7 (6th in Big Ten West)
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