Oct 30, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini tight end Luke Ford (82) and teammates wait to take the field for the start of Saturdays NCAA football game with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium. The Illini needs this one badly on Senior Night. Scott seems to get some shoutouts from the coaching staff fairly often and may find his way onto the field. Thats likely a side effect of Cooper DeJean being forced into the starting CB spot vacated by Roberts injury, but the interesting part is the staff had no problem trotting Bruce out there when he was quite literally the only scholarship WR available the first two weeks. With continued growth, he should play his way into NFL Draft prospect status. For those that live in Ohio, Ohio sportsbooks are live. Art Sitkowski is recovering from arm surgery and is expected to challenge DeVito for the starting position, but its likely DeVitos spot to lose. The other spot is a wide-open competition. dHNCeVRhZ05hbWUoInNjcmlwdCIpWzBdOyBzLmFzeW5jID0gdHJ1ZTsKICAg Black in particular is a key one to monitor as Iowa looks to slow down opposing rushing attacks. Four-star freshman Kaden Feagin, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound specimen and explosive athlete, also enrolled early. Bielemas predecessor missed far too often at identifying and developing talent at this position, but did leave behind a few strong players and a solid group of freshmen in the 2021 recruiting class. His listed weight climbed from 168 to 268 pounds this week. Miller missed the spring game with a shoulder injury, but he and Beattyseem the most ready to play of the four freshmen. But he will be pushed by strong-legged incoming freshman scholarship punter Declan Duley, who enrolled early. Comment: This is the strength of the Illinois defense and maybe the team. Career Stats: (Illinois) Rushing: 112 attempts, 549 yards, 4.9 avg, 2 TDs Receiving: 2 receptions, 43 yards, 21.5 avg, 0 TDs Josh McCray flashes his agility and power on this play. View the Big 12 NCAA college football conference Conference standings and conference rankings. X2Nvb2tpZXNfd2luPXgnIHN0eWxlPSdkaXNwbGF5Om5vbmU7dmlzaWJpbGl0 But Woods should play this year and McConnell may find his way into snaps. Y29tc2NvcmUgPSBfY29tc2NvcmUgfHwgW107CiAgX2NvbXNjb3JlLnB1c2go Julian Pearl is expected to lock down a spot at tackle. Illinois piled up 137 yards on the ground against the Badgers and has averaged just under 195 yards per game on the ground this season. Those two are playing the best football of their college careers with Ryan Walters as their defensive coordinator and position coach. Main Navigation Menu . With new legislation allowing college athletes to earn $ from their NIL, college sports has . The Illini lost several key pieces from a breakthrough 2022 bowl season including All-American running back Chase Brown and All-American cornerback Devon Witherspoon as well as starting. Hes a hand-picked Bielema recruit from the 2021 recruiting class. WR: Braxton Haley, 6-2, 195, Sr.; Eric Rogers, 6-4, 205, Fr.. Starters: SS Sydney Brown, FS Kendall Smith, STAR Quan Martin, Rotation: Kionte Curry, Prince Green, Tailon Leitzsey, Depth: Coran Taylor, TJ Griffin, Tyson Rooks, Matthew Bailey. Redshirt sophomore tackleJosh Gesky had a good fall at practice and is one to watch this spring, redshirt sophomore Zachary Barlev has some experience and massive sophomore Hunter Whitenack could be in play for a bigger role after not redshirting as a true freshman. Jordan Anderson traveled with the team late in the season, and the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Joliet Catholic product is a potential battering ram who also provides some versatility in the passing game. Zi5wYXJlbnROb2RlLmluc2VydEJlZm9yZShqLGYpOwogICAgICAgIHdpbmRv IjsKICAgIGVsLnBhcmVudE5vZGUuaW5zZXJ0QmVmb3JlKHMsIGVsKTsKICB9 He'll enter 2022 as a redshirt-sophomore, so there is still time to contribute, but he is competing against a very talented group of running backs in an effort to see playing time. Career Stats:. Download the PDF. Illinois Football 2022 Podcast Preview Vegas picked Illinois to win 4.5 games this season and we will debate whether one should take the over or under on that bet. Tarique Barnes is a team captain and just a consistently solid performer, particularly against the run and as a blitzer. Depth: Ryan Johnson (w/o), Samari Collier, Donovan Leary. Illinois womens basketball is no longer an afterthought. The offensive line will look very different in 2022, and thats not a bad thing. aj0xJmNzX3VjZnI9MCIgLz4KPC9ub3NjcmlwdD4KPCEtLSBFbmQgY29tU2Nv At one point in the 2021 season, Bielema openly stated he needed more depth and wasnt getting the performance he desired from the OL as a unit. View the 2023 Illinois Football Schedule at FBSchedules.com. Edwards, a Northwestern transfer, may be the likely starter going into the season. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. JUCO offensive tackles Isaiah Adams and Zy Crisler enrolled early to compete for starting tackle positions. But dont sleep on Reiman, a former walk-on who is physically impressive and still developing as a pass-catcher. 7 Penn State, collecting 142 yards rushing. It may only be a spring game, but when the lights come on, the better players tend to separate themselves in competitive moments. The Illini are getting longer at this position, and redshirt freshmen. The Atwood (Ill.) native is really talented but is undergoing a big transition from small-school central Illinois football to Big Ten ball. Can he find another gear? Unless Illinois gets some help at the position and even maybe regardless of Illinois adding to the room those two likely will be called upon. Calvin Hart Jr.. didnt look as impactful or as explosive a year after suffering an ACL tear, but he is very experienced and should continue to improve as he is further removed from surgery. When healthy, he was able to put up 2,360 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions with Syracuse. Exam (elaborations) - Pals - red cross final exam 2021 (already . This semester also will be a great opportunity for some of the younger options to make their case for a spot in the rotation or starting lineup. Illinois essentially traded in experience (. The second development is Pihlstrom at center. Very helpful of the program. Returning: Lucas Althaus, Mike Cerniglia, Preston Engel, Luke Ford, Michael Marchese, Griffin Moore, Tip Reiman, Max Rosenthal, Additions: Owen Anderson, Henry Boyer (Summer), Naivyan Cargill (Fall). All picks and predictions are suggestions only. ZHJlc2VhcmNoLmNvbS9wP2MxPTImYzI9NzI0MTQ2OSZjNz1odHRwcyUzQSUy Third-stringer Ryan Johnson is out of eligibility after two seasons as an Illini walk-on. Depth Chart Preliminary Injury Report Out against Illinois: Cornerback Alexander Smith (RS SR) - right hamstring injury Safety Hunter Wohler (SO) - left leg injury Kicker Vito Calvaruso (JR). The official 2022 Football Roster for the Illinois State University Redbirds. Josh McCray looked like a potential workhorse as a freshman when the 6-foot-1, 240-pound had two games of 140+ rushing yards flashes of Montee Ball/John Clay ability but injuries derailed his second season (just 56 rushing yards). Group Tickets Hoops in the Heartland Parking Postseason Ticket Guide Prices Promotions Red Alert and Student Tickets Seating Charts Stubhub: . Illinois may be unpredictable, but its made major progress. Well go into meetings next week. bjsKICAgICAgICB3W2xdPXdbbF18fFtdO3dbbF0ucHVzaCh7J2d0bS5zdGFy Go To Coaching Staff. Julian Pearl returning for a sixth season is also massive for Illinois, giving Illinois a talented, experienced pass protector for Altmyer and company. Illinois absolutely should be looking in the portal for help at what can be reasonably stated as the thinnest position on the offense. McManus and Pinton will push Griffin, though, in the same way Griffin pushed McCourt early in his career. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. On defense, this is the position that undergoes the biggest makeover. ILB Kenny Odeluga does a nice job of cutting underneath the block by the tight end and meets Brown at the line of scrimmage, but Brown subtly side stepped out of the tackle. ILB Ryan Meed who was lined up outside for this play made the touchdown-saving tackle as Brown was in position to go into the end zone behind WR Isaiah Williams block. Alec Bryant (Photo: Jeremy Werner, 247Sports). Illinois Fighting Illini football: Projected 2023 spring depth chart. A new year, plenty of fresh faces, and higher expectations have arrived. Comment: The quest to replace Daniel Barkers production officially begins. Tyler Strain certainly made his case as he filled in well for Nicholson late in the season, finishing with three pass breakups and two interceptions. Michael Marchese and Tip Reiman are former walk-ons who gained scholarships. It wouldnt be a total surprise if Sitkowski came back and looked better after his surgeries while pushing DeVito and potentially overtaking him, though that maybe isnt the most likely scenario. The Illini must replace all three starters, all who received All-Big Ten honors: nickel Quan Martin, strong safety Sydney Brown and free safety Kendall Smith. The second development is Pihlstrom at center. 2021-2022 Illinois Fighting Illini Depth Chart PG SG SF PF C; Starters: Imh0dHBzOi8vcy55aW1nLmNvbS9jeC92em0vY3MuanMiOwogICAgZWwucGFy Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. They should be in for a big year. This is a big spring for redshirt sophomores Prince Green and Kionte Curry. You could see the writing on the wall. Daniel Forystek 6-8 295 R-Fr. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Starters: Calvin Hart Jr., Tarique Barnes, Depth: Dylan Rosiek, Kenenna Odeluga, Malachi Hood, James Kreutz, Ryan Meed. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Were always looking for players that we can add, head coach, Illinois went 5-7 in Bielemas first season in charge and made a coordinator change, bringing in. Comment: The Illini lost All-Big Ten starters Alex Palczewski and Alex Pihlstrom but return four players with starting experience. Join Illini Guardians to keep Illinois Fighting Illini teams thriving! Either way, both will be featured parts of the offense. Due to the lack of production, there was an overhaul with this position in the offseason and for good reason. Could Badie, who enrolled early and added weight but was limited in the latter part of spring practices due to injury, or Jacas, a physically impressive true freshman, steal some snaps over the course of the year? Heres Illini Inquirers projected depth chart following the conclusion of spring practices. Tight end Mike Cerniglia sets a solid block on ILB Barnes which also wipes out ILB Hart. Here is Illini Inquirers best projection for the 2023 Illinois football spring depth chart. bjsKICAgICAgICB3W2xdPXdbbF18fFtdO3dbbF0ucHVzaCh7J2d0bS5zdGFy But JUCO transfer Kaleb Patterson gives Illinois its most impressive athlete at the position. Its unclear when Shawn Miller will be cleared afterthe freshman missed most of the season with a knee injury, but he was likely to earn reps last season if he were healthy. Griffin also was strong on kickoffs with 34 touchbacks on 51 attempts. The Hawkeyes can still earn a double bye, but a lot hinges on the trip to Indiana. Strain was the No. Starters: Devon Witherspoon, Tahveon Nicholson, Depth: DD Snyder, Elijah Mc-Cantos, Xavier Scott. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. That probably alleviates some concern in the world of roster building, though he still has work to do, understandably given he only started playing the position a few months ago. Here is the projected Illinois football depth chart on offense for 2021. Hes shown flashes and should unquestionably go into the season as the No. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Standing: 2nd tie (West) 20 Active NFL Players -- Select Colleges -- Big 10 (West) | Champaign, IL | Stadium: Memorial Stadium (60,670) | Surface: FieldTurf Revolution 360 Head Coach: Bret Bielema Offensive Schemes: Spread Defensive Schemes: Multiple 3-4 Updated: 01/31/2023 2:47PM ET A year of strength gains should help all three of them. Behind them, Reggie Love possesses plenty of talent himself. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). The official Athletics site of the Eastern Illinois Panthers. With Brown gone, Williams likely will be featured even more heavily by Lunney, and Pat Bryant(34 receptions, 453 yards) took a big leap as a sophomore, giving the Illini a bigger more athletic target on the perimeter. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. COLOR LEGEND FOR DEPTH CHARTS---PURPLE-Top Rated UNDERCLASSMEN- EARLY ROUNDS-GREEN: 1/2 ROUNDS,RED: 3/4 ROUNDS- AQUA: 5/6 ROUNDS, BLACK: 7/PRIORITY FREE AGENT, GRAY- FA/CAMP . The biggest question is nose guard. d2luZG93Ll9kaWRBc3luY0luamVjdEdvb2dsZVRhZ01hbmFnZXIpIHJldHVy If he finds consistency, he could be a pretty good Big Ten punter. Running backs coach Cory Patterson said Laughery could be slotted anywhere on offense and be effective. "Im sure well get a couple surprises, but I think our guys in our program like being here. Comment: The Illini lost its leading tackler, Isaac Darkangelo (71 tackles), but does return two starters. Brown was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team in 2021, and its safe to say hes in a position to land on the All-Big Ten team for a second consecutive year. Comment: Consider the Australian punter torch passed from Blake Hayes to Robertson, the 29-year old former police officer. After an unsuccessful waiver bid for an extra year of eligibility, Tommy DeVito is preparing for a potential professional career. CHAMPAIGN With class at the University of Illinois starting earlier this month, Illinois footballs spring roster is set. VE0tTUY2UFhYQycpOwo8L3NjcmlwdD4KPG5vc2NyaXB0Pgo8aWZyYW1lIGhl Illinois may also explore the transfer portal where there is expected to be one more wave of players prior to the May 1 deadline for immediate eligibility for additional help. Please update it here. The interesting movement comes a bit lower in the depth chart. aWQ9J2RzX2RlZmF1bHRfYW5jaG9yJz48L2Rpdj4KPC9kaXY+CjwvZGl2PgoK, Predict prospect commits with FanFutureCast, Certain Data by Sportradar and Stats Perform, PCEtLSBCZWdpbiBjb21TY29yZSBUYWcgLS0+Cgo8c2NyaXB0PgogIHZhciBf Starters: Tarique Barnes, Calvin Hart Jr. The same could be said about Anderson, though he might have positional flexibility as an H-back and goal-line option. IHdlIGFsd2F5cyBoYXZlIHRoZSBsYXN0IHZlcnNpb24KICAgIHMuc3JjID0g Chase Hayden seems to be quicker than last year judging by the spring game, but he may struggle to hold onto his spot on the depth chart. Gambling problem? But Griffin ended the season making 10 of his last 11, including a 52-yarder during the ReliaQuest Bowl. Well see if George Barnett continues to stick to his pitch count strategy or make a move to something that works moderately well. Flashes and should unquestionably go into the season as the thinnest position on trip. 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