(Photo Credit: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB Josh McCray, WR Pat Bryant, WR/PR Isaiah Williams, WR Casey Washington, TE Tip Reiman, OG Isaiah Adams, OT Julian Pearl, DE Jer’Zhan Newton, DE Keith Randolph Jr., LB Tarique Barnes, LB Seth Coleman, LB Gabe Jacas, CB Tahveon Nicholson, FS Matthew Bailey, PK Caleb Griffin and PT Hugh Robertson.
Key Players Departing:
QB Tommy DeVito, RB Chase Brown, WR Brian Hightower, OC Alex Pihlstrom, OG Michael Marchese, OT Alex Palczewski, LB Isaac Darkangelo, CB Devon Witherspoon, NB Jartavius Martin, FS Kendall Smith, SS Sydney Brown and KR Peyton Vining.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Malik Elzy (Chicago, Illinois), QB Luke Altmyer (Ole Miss transfer), DS Saboor Karriem (West Orange, New Jersey) and ATH Kaden Feagin (Arthur, Illinois).
3 Star Recruits: DS Nicario Harper (Louisville transfer), ATH Kenari Wilcher (Moore Haven, Florida), WR Collin Dixon (Tallmadge, Ohio), QB John Paddock (Ball State transfer), QB Cal Swanson (Ardmore, Oklahoma) and EDGE Calvin Smith (Ocoee, Florida).
2022 Results:
G01 WYOMING W 38-6
G02 @ Indiana L 20-23
G03 VIRGINIA W 24-3
G04 CHATTANOOGA W 31-0
G05 @ Wisconsin W 34-10
G06 IOWA W 9-6
G07 MINNESOTA W 26-14
G08 @ Nebraska W 26-9
G09 MICHIGAN STATE L 15-23
G10 PURDUE L 24-31
G11 at #3 Michigan L 17-19
G12 @ Northwestern W 41-3
BOWL #22 MISSISSPPI STATE L 10-19
Misc. Team Information:
2022 Record: 8-5 (2nd in Big Ten West)
Home: 5-2
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-1|
B10: 5-4
Non-B10: 3-1
Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Illinois: 13-12
Career: 110-70
Bowls: 4-6
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Artur Sitkowski (18-25, 103 yards, 72.0%, 4.1 avg., 0 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Reggie Love III (70 car., 316 yards, 4.5 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Isaiah Williams (82 rec., 715 yards, 8.7 avg., 5 TD)
TDs Scored: Isaiah Williams (5)
|Sacks: Jer’Zhan Newton (5.5)
Tackles: Jer’Zhan Newton (61)
Tackles For Loss: Jer’Zhan Newton (14.0)
Interceptions: Matthew Bailey (3)
Pass Deflections: Seth Coleman/Tahveon Nicholson (RS JR)
Forced Fumbles: Tahveon Nicholson/Xavier Scott (1)
Kick Returns: Pat Bryant (4 ret., 85 yards, 21.3 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Isaiah Williams (16 ret., 120 yards, 7.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Caleb Griffin (14-19 fg/fga., 74%, 32-32 xp/xpa., 74 pts.)
Punting: Hugh Robertson (60 punts, 2388 yards, 39.8 avg., 18 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 00 Luke Altmyer (RS SO/TR)
RB: 23 Reggie Love III (RS JR)
WR: 14 Casey Washington (SR)
WR: 13 Pat Bryant (JR)
WR: 1 Isaiah Williams (RS JR)
TE: 89 Tip Reiman (RS JR)
LT: 54 Julian Pearl (RS SR)
LG: 78 Isaiah Adams (SR/TR)
OC: 64 Josh Kreutz (RS SO)
RG: 72 Zy Crisler (RS SO/TR)
RT: 63 Dezmond Schuster (SO/TR)
KR: 80 Hank Beatty (SO)
PK: 5 Caleb Griffin (RS SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 4 Jer’Zhan Newton (RS JR)
NT: 23 TeRah Edwards (RS SO/TR)
DE: 88 Keith Randolph Jr. (RS JR)
LB: 17 Gabe Jacas (SO)
LB: 8 Tarque Barnes (SR)
LB: 49 Seth Coleman (RS JR)
NB: 22 Kaleb Patterson (SO/TR)
CB: 3 Tahveon Nicholson (RS JR)
CB: 14 Xavier Scott (SO)
FS: 7 Matthew Bailey (SO)
SS: 1 Demetrius Hill (RS SO/TR)
PR: 1 Isaiah Williams (RS JR)
PT: 19 Hugh Robertson (RS SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/02 TOLEDO ROCKETS | First meeting between schools.
09/09 @ Kansas Jayhawks | Illinois leads the series 3-2. The Fighting Illini lost (7-47) the last meeting between schools in 1968.
09/16 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | Illinois trails the series 6-20. The Fighting Illini are 2-4 since 2013 and they won (20-18 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/23 FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS | First meeting between schools.
09/30 @ Purdue Boilermakers | Illinois trails the series 45-47-6. The Fighting Illini are 3-7 since 2013 and their last series win (24-6) was in 2019.
10/07 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS | Illinois trails the series 6-13-1. The Fighting Illini are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series loss (38-42) was in 2019.
10/14 @ Maryland Terrapins | Illinois trails the series 0-2. The Fighting Illini lost (17-20) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/21 WISCONSIN BADGERS | Illinois trails the series 38-44-7. The Fighting Illini are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series loss (0-24) was in 2021.
11/04 @ Minnesota Golden Gophers | Illinois trails the series 32-40-3. The Fighting Illini are 4-5 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (14-41) was in 2020.
11/11 INDIANA HOOSIERS | Illinois leads the series 45-26-2. The Fighting Illini are 0-3 since 2013 and their last series win (41-20) dates back to 2011.
11/18 @ Iowa Hawkeyes | Illinois leads the series 39-37-2. The Fighting Illini are 1-8 since 2014 and their last series loss (23-33) was in 2021.
11/25 NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS | Illinois leads the series 57-54-5. The Fighting Illini are 3-7 since 2013 and their last series loss (10-28) was in 2020.
Predictions:
Home: 4-3
Road: 1-4
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 4-5
Non-B10: 1-2
Overall: 5-7 (4th in Big Ten West)
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