Bob Asmussen | Zooming into Big Ten West play

Sep. 29—CHAMPAIGN — The Zoom press conference returned Thursday afternoon. Worked just fine, like during COVID-19. Sorry to bring that up.

Normally, two days before an Illinois football game, media members gather around coach Bret Bielema in the Smith Center for what is typically a 10-minute chat.

It is a chance for Bielema to give any injury updates and answer questions that didn't get asked during his Monday media availability.

Why the change this week? Turns out, the coach had a Big Ten meeting Thursday, also by Zoom. He has a game to plan for, so the more compact his schedule, the better.

He went from the Big Ten Zoom to the local media Zoom.

"It used to be early morning, but now because we have some teams out West, we've got to be compatible with our scheduling of conference calls," Bielema said.

Then, he teased the reporters with his next comment.

"I know who we're playing in '25-26," the Illini coach said. "You guys want to know that?"

He was joking. The schedules, which now must include Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington, are coming later.

During 18 minutes of screen time, Bielema touched on a number of subjects, including Purdue quarterback Hudson Card, Illinois injuries and how he feels about an early league game against a division rival.

Illinois has already played its Big Ten opener, losing 30-13 against then-No. 7 Penn State at home on Sept. 16.

Purdue is the first of consecutive games for Illinois against the West. Nebraska visits Memorial Stadium next Friday night for a 7 p.m. kickoff. But first, a chance to win the Cannon after Purdue beat the Illini 31-24 last season in Champaign.

"A rematch game and a trophy game, got a lot of things to play for," Bielema said. "I'm excited for our guys."

Bielema likes the idea of jumping into the division part of the schedule, the first of six games against familiar teams.

"I think divisional play is good when you play approximate opponents," he said. "I've been on a couple of these now. I went to the University of Iowa and we had the Floyd of Rosedale, when we battle for a pig (trophy, against Minnesota). I went to Wisconsin and you battled Minnesota with an Axe game."

During his time at Wisconsin, a trophy game was started against Iowa, the Heartland Trophy.

Illinois has one trophy game outside the West, the Illibuck with Ohio State.

"To be quite honest, I didn't know that existed before I came here," Bielema said. Bielema said he looks forward to the new teams on the schedule in 2024, when four current Pac-12 teams join the Big Ten.

Push for playing timThe coaches continue to look for the right combination on the offensive line.

"I think competition brings out the best in people," Bielema said. "The results of what we see on Saturday are often based off what we see Tuesday through Friday. It also brings awareness not just at the O-line, but at all positions. There are guys who have come on and done good things."

Tight end Griffin Moore made a big play against Florida Atlantic, scoring the first touchdown for Illinois.

"You would like to get him the ball," Bielema said. "Guys are competing, and they want reps. Sometimes, people just focus on who's the starter, but I think it's more who gets the opportunities and who gets the reps to be out there."

Moore plays a position that Bielema has always favored.

"If you follow my coaching career, regardless if it is in the passing game or the running game, I've thought tight ends bring unique matchups," he said. "You might get him in a matchup where you have a tight end going against a safety or a linebacker that you think he has a better skill set.

"You can get a tight end who is getting covered by a corner in a zone scheme or a man scheme that he has a power advantage on."

Bielema remembers a conversation with the late Packers general manager Ted Thompson.

"Green Bay had just won the Super Bowl and they had more players that were from 6-2 to 6-5 and were from 220 to 260 (pounds) than anybody else in the NFL," Bielema said, "It was like their little niche. There's a lot to be said for that, especially in Big Ten play with guys who can do that."

Slow introductionBielema and his staff are purposeful in deciding when to play a freshman.

Running back Aidan Laughery, off to a good start in his redshirt freshman season, was set to play in 2022 before an injury set the former Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley standout back.

"You guys remember, Josh McCray who had a pretty special freshman year (in 2021), he didn't even dress for the home opener because he just wasn't ready," Bielema said. "Gabe Jacas, a freshman All-American, he didn't play a lot in that opener.

"When you have a player beginning his career if you rush it and he has a setback, you can literally scar him for months and possibly even years to come."