Iowa Football 2023 Schedule Breakdown: Illinois
Illinois was one of the big surprises of last season. A team many thought to be a pest to play, but not necessarily a contender, Illinois was one of the big players in the Big Ten West.
Backed by a fantastic defense and rushing attack spearheaded by Chase Brown, the Illini quickly established themselves as a force in the West. Illinois won seven of their first eight contests. Had it not been for a bad call, they should have beat Indiana as well.
Unfortunately, the end of the season was a disaster for Bret Bielema’s squad. They dropped four of their last five, including a monumental game against eventual division winners Purdue. They had their spot in the Big Ten Championship game in clear view and just fumbled it away.
Despite the failure in the end, it still was a largely successful season for Illinois. Their 8-5 finish was definitely better than their 5-8 record in Bielema’s first season. They certainly looked better than they ever did under Lovie Smith.
Roots football under Bielema brought the Illini back to relevance, and it should keep them from derailing after losing a lot this offseason. Much of what made them successful last year is gone, from their fantastic secondary to Brown all going to the NFL. Whoever the key players are to emerge for Illinois, you can be sure they will give the Hawkeyes a hell of a fight.
Here is a preview of Illinois.
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A familiar foe
Bret Bielema has a long history with the University of Iowa. Bielema was a former walk-on for the football program, eventually earning a full scholarship. He served as team captain his senior season, and helped lead Iowa to a share of the Big Ten title in 1990.
As a coach, Bielema was the longtime head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. Before that though, he was an assistant coach for the Hawkeyes. From 1996 to 2001, he served as the team’s linebackers coach. He was one of only two assistants from coach Hayden Fry’s regime to be retained by new head coach Kirk Ferentz.
A new-look offense…
The offense will have a new look at the University of Illinois. They will replace both starting running back Chase Brown, as well as quarterback Tommy DeVito. DeVito brought some much-needed stability to the position after his transfer from Syracuse.
And defense…
There are some serious names that will need to be replaced on the Illinois defense. Their secondary was arguably the best in the country, evidenced by the recent 2023 NFL draft.
The Illini were the only team in the nation to have three defensive backs drafted within the first three rounds.
Cornerback Devon Witherspoon became the highest-drafted defensive back in school history, selected fifth overall. Jartavius Martin and Sidney Brown were both day two picks.
Changes to coaching staff
Not only did Illinois lose many of their key playmakers in the secondary, they lost their defensive coordinator as well. After a fantastic tenure under Bielema at Illinois, Ryan Walters became the newest head coach of Purdue.
Key Player: Luke Altmyer, Quarterback
Quarterback has been a revolving door for the Illini over the past few years. While he wasn’t great, Tommy DeVito was at least serviceable for the Illini last year. He provided some muchpneeded stability.
DeVito has now graduated, and stepping up to the plate is Luke Altmyer. The sophomore did not play much in two years at Mississippi. He has generated a good amount of excitement with his deep passing ability.
Key Player: Josh McCray / Reggie Love, Running Back
Running back Chase Brown, in a lot of ways, was the Illini offense last season. Bielema definitely plays an old-style of football, and that featured Brown a lot last year. He racked up 355 total touches. That’s a lot of work to replace.
Illinois will look more to a committee approach next year, led by Reggie Love and Josh McCray. Love was reliable as a backup last year, with 4.5 yards per carry on 70 touches.
Key Player: Jer’Zhan Newton, Defensive Tackle
While the secondary experienced a ton of turnover, Illinois does bring back a talented defensive front. Jer’Zhan Newton returned for another season after flirting with the NFL draft. Newton led the team with 14 tackles for loss.
Key Player: Keith Randolph Jr., Defensive Tackle
The Illini also return his defensive line running mate in Keith Randolph Jr. Randolph Jr. was an All-Big Ten third team member last year. He finished the year with 13 tackles for loss.
Key Player: Isaiah Williams, Wide Receiver
If Luke Altmyer can be the answer for Illinois, watch out for Isaiah Williams. The former quarterback has been a revelation for the Illini, leading the team in every receiving category last year. Despite being in a run-first offense, he still managed to rack in 83 receptions for 715 yards. An athletic slot weapon, watch out for Williams to expand his game even more in 2023.
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