Game day preview | Toledo at Illinois; 6:30 p.m., BTN

Sep. 2—Beat writer Scott Richey previews the Illini's season opener before Saturday's 6:30 p.m. kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Champaign:

Three big storylines

Plenty of firsts for newest Illini

Forty-five players on the Illinois roster have never experienced game day at Memorial Stadium. That's slightly more than one-third of the roster — a group comprised of true freshmen, transfer portal acquisitions and junior college pickups. Several of them, true freshmen included, have already carved out on-field roles. They'll be in the mix Saturday night against Toledo. Getting them ready was part of the training camp plan with special emphasis once game week started Monday. Bret Bielema spoke to the team Thursday night — a discussion that ranged from the immediate (facing Toledo) to more big-picture items (the season as a whole). The Illinois coach also tasked his veteran players with guiding their new teammates through the rest of Friday and Saturday's game day preparations.

"We've had two scrimmages that we treated as mock games," Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. "We opened that (garage door tunnel entry) with the smoke and fireworks. We've made it as game-like as we humanly, possibly can. As a head coach, you've got to go through those things, put them in those moments and explain it."

Staying ready to play

Aaron Henry wrote the name of every cornerback on the Illinois roster on a whiteboard heading into the 2022 season. The closer to the top, the more likely Henry thought they'd be able to contribute last fall. Everyone was chasing Devon Witherspoon. Toward the bottom of the list were Tyler Strain and Xavier Scott, who ultimately wound up starting in the ReliaQuest Bowl. It's a story Henry shared this week for a reason. Strain will likely start Saturday's game against Toledo opposite Taz Nicholson. Scott will line up at nickelback. Behind those three is a litany of younger cornerbacks hearing the same message from the first-year Illinois defensive coordinator. Be ready.

"If you are not considered a starter, yeah, be mad," Henry said. "Be upset. That's fine. That's human emotion, and I totally understand that. ... But you better be ready because the way this season rolls out, I have yet, in my Big Ten career as a player or coach or even when I was coaching in the SEC, I have yet to have whoever the starters were finish the whole season without nobody missing a game or nobody getting dinged up. It happens every single year."

Putting in the work

Illinois practiced last Sunday night under the lights to start its full-on preparation for the season opener. The 6:30 p.m. Saturday kickoff — plus three more night games in the first six weeks of the season — meant a shift from the normal training camp schedule last month. Play at night, practice at night.

Of course, Illinois didn't just spend August getting ready for the season. College football is a year-round sport. Making a bowl game meant 15 extra practices in December. Then 15 more in the spring and organized workouts with the strength and conditioning staff in the summer. All for just 12 guaranteed games.

"That's the importance of preparation," Illinois junior wide receiver Pat Bryant said. "You only get 12 games. You get six to seven months just to focus on 12 games. It prepares you pretty well. Preparation is the key to success. We had a good week of practice, and we did all these things through the last seven months. We're used to the offense, so we go out there real comfortable, know what we're doing, and it allows us to go out there and play more free."

Two key matchups

Illinois defense vs. Toledo QB Dequan Finn

Upping the pressure on the quarterback was a point of emphasis this offseason for Illinois. Mostly because there wasn't quite enough of it — at least consistently — throughout the 2022 season. The upshot for the Illini is they boast an experienced front seven anchored by returning starters Johnny Newton — a preseason All-American — Keith Randolph Jr., Gabe Jacas, Seth Coleman and Tarique Barnes. Finn could still give them fits with his ability to turn mistakes and broken plays into positive yardage.

Illinois wide receiver Isaiah Williams vs. Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell

Toledo coach Jason Candle will have to pick his poison when it comes to lining up Mitchell, who had five interceptions and two touchdowns in 2022, on Illinois' wide receivers. Does he put the 6-foot, 196-pound cornerback on the Illini's most productive — that's Williams in a landslide — or does he send him after downfield threat Pat Bryant? Decisions, decisions. The one aspect the Rockets can't do is give Williams room to operate. That's how the Illini's top passing game target wound up with 82 catches for 715 yards and five touchdowns a season ago. Numbers Williams and Illinois expect to improve this fall.

One stat that matters

More a series of statistics. As in, 328 carries for 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns. Plus 27 receptions for 240 yards and three more touchdowns. That's the type of production that turned Chase Brown into a fifth-round NFL draft pick in April. And it's the production that Illinois has to replace without a "bellcow" back like Brown. It's running back-by-committee time in Champaign, and don't be surprised to see Reggie Love III, Josh McCray, Kaden Feagin and Aidan Laughery all play against Toledo. The plan, at least, is for none of them to shoulder the load Brown did last season.

Illinois will win if

...... a retooled defense and restructured offense can provide the level of play that led to eight wins in 2022. Both have questions marks, though, heading into the season opener. Defensively, it's an almost wholly new secondary after losing Witherspoon, Sydney Brown and Quan Martin to the NFL. Offensively, success ultimately hinges on Luke Altmyer and what second-year coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. can draw up to inject just a bit more life into that side of the ball. It wasn't three yards and a spray of rubber pellets last year, but explosive the Illinois offense was not.

Toledo will win if

...... mistakes are limited. Illinois' defense feasted on turnovers last season with 24 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. The personnel might have changed in Champaign, but the mindset hasn't. Feeding into that is where the Rockets could get themselves into trouble. That it wasn't much of a problem in 2022 is to Toledo's advantage.Finn threw just 12 interceptions for the season, and the Rockets ended the season with a small, but still positive turnover differential.