(WR Pat Bryant – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Luke Altmyer, RB Kaden Feagin, WR Pat Bryant, OC Josh Kreutz, OG Zy Crisler, OT Josh Gesky, OT Magnus Moller, LB Alec Bryant, LB Seth Coleman, LB Gabe Jacas, LB Kenenna Odeluga, LB Dylan Rosiek, CB Tyler Strain, NB Xavier Scott, FS Miles Scott, KR Kenari Wilcher, and PT Hugh Robertson.
Key Players Departing:
QB John Paddock, RB Reggie Love III, WR Casey Washington (Falcons R6), WR/PR Isaiah Williams, TE Tip Reiman (Cardinals R3), OG Isaiah Adams (Cardinals R3), OT Julian Pearl, DE Jer’Zhan Newton (Commanders R2), DE Keith Randolph Jr., LB Tarique Barnes, CB Tahveon Nicholson (Louisville transfer), CB Zachary Tobe (Georgia Tech transfer), SS Clayton Bush, SS Nicario Harper, and PK Caleb Griffin.
(CB Terrance Brooks – Getty Images)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OL Andrew Dennis (Mt. Pleasant, Michigan), CB Terrance Brooks (Texas transfer), TE Cole Rusk (Murray State transfer), and OT JC Davis (New Mexico transfer).
3 Star Recruits: OL Kevin Wigenton (Michigan State transfer), ATH Tysean Griffin (Chicago, Illinois), DT Eddie Tuerk (La Grange, Illinois), DE Demetrius John (Dublin, Ohio), EDGE Daniel Brown (Hutchinson, Kansas), and WR Carlos Orr (Gatlinburg, Tennessee).
2023 Results:
G01 TOLEDO W 30-28
G02 @ Kansas L 23-34
G03 #7 PENN STATE L 13-30
G04 FAU W 23-17
G05 @ Purdue L 19-44
G06 NEBRASKA L 7-20
G07 @ Maryland W 27-24
G08 WISCONSIN L 21-25
G09 @ Minnesota W 27-26
G10 INDIANA W (OT) 48-45
G11 @ #16 Iowa L 13-15
G12 NORTHWESTERN L 43-45
Misc. Team Information:
2023 Record: 5-7 (6TH In Big Ten West)
Home: 3-4
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 3-6
Non-B10: 2-1
Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Illinois: 18-19
Career: 115-77
Bowls: 4-6
(LB Seth Coleman – Getty Images)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Luke Altmyer (175-270, 1883 yards, 64.8%, 6.3 avg., 13 TD, 10 INT)
Rushing: Kaden Feagin (95 car., 438 yards, 4.6 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Pat Bryant (43 rec., 560 yards, 13.0 avg., 7 TD)
TDs Scored: Pat Bryant (7)
Sacks: Seth Coleman (6)
Tackles: Dylan Rosiek (82)
Tackles For Loss: Seth Coleman (9)
Interceptions: Miles Scott/Xavier Scott (2)
Pass Deflections: Xavier Scott (11)
Forced Fumbles: Dylan Rosiek (4)
Kick Returns: Kenari Wilcher (11 ret., 258 yards, 23.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Hank Beatty (1 ret., 6 yards, 6.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Hugh Robertson (51 punts, 2176 yards, 42.7 avg., 17 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 9 Luke Altmyer (RS JR/TR)
RB: 3 Kaden Feagin (SO)
WR: 0 Zakhari Franklin (RS SR/TR)
WR: 13 Pat Bryant (SR)
WR: 1 Mario Sanders II (SO/TR)
TE: 14 Cole Rusk (RS JR/TR)
LT: 74 JC Davis (SR/TR)
LG: 78 Kevin Wigenton II (RS JR/TR)
OC: 64 Josh Kreutz (RS JR)
RG: 72 Zy Crisler (SR/TR)
RT: 73 Josh Gesky (RS JR)
KR: 7 Kenari Wilcher (SO)
PK: 24 David Olano (SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 11 Alex Bray (SO)
NT: 23 TeRah Edwards (RS SR/TR)
DE: 6 Dennis Briggs Jr. (RS SR/TR)
LB: 17 Gabe Jacas (JR)
LB: 39 Kenenna Odeluga (RS JR)
LB: 28 Dylan Rusiek (RS JR)
LB: 9 Seth Coleman (RS SR)
CB: 8 Terrance Brooks (JR/TR)
CB: 20 Tyler Strain (RS JR)
FS: 10 Miles Scott (RS JR)
SS: 7 Matthew Bailey (RS SO)
PR: 80 Hank Beatty (JR)
PT: 19 Hugh Robertson (RS JR)
(NB Xavier Scott – USA Today Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/24 EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHERS | Illinois leads the series 2-0. The Fighting Illini won (47-21) the last meeting between schools in 2008.
09/07 KANSAS JAYHAWKS | The series is tied 3-3. Last season’s 23-34 loss was the first meeting between schools since 1968.
09/14 CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS | First meeting between schools.
09/20 @ Nebraska Cornhuskers | Illinois trails the series 6-14-1. The Fighting Illini are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series win (26-9) was in 2022.
09/28 @ Penn State Nittany Lions | Illinois trails the series 6-21. The Fighting Illini are 2-4 since 2014, and their last series win (20-18) was in 2021.
10/12 PURDUE BOILERMAKERS | Illinois trails the series 4548-6. The Fighting Illini are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (24-6) was in 2019.
10/19 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | Illinois trails the series 23-72-2. The Fighting Illini lost (17-19) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/26 @ Oregon Ducks | Illinois trails the series 1-2. The Fighting Illini lost (31-34) the last meeting between schools in 1995.
11/02 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | Illinois trials the series 33-40-3. The Fighting Illini are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series loss (14-41) was in 2020.
11/16 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | Illinois trails the series 19-27-2. The Fighting Illini lost (15-23) the last meeting between school in 2022.
11/23 @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Illinois leads the series 5-3. The Fighting Illini lost (14-20) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
11/30 vs. Northwestern Wildcats | Illinois leads the series 57-55-5. The Fighting Illini are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series win (41-3) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 3-4
Road: 0-4
Neutral: 1-0
B10: 1-8
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 3-9 (17th in Big Ten)
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