The Kansas of the B1G, the Illinois Fighting Illini haven’t found much success for the better part of a decade. Entering year four of the Lovie Smith Experiment, which hasn’t yielded many positive results, there’s hope, but little supporting evidence that they’ll make a leap to the next level in 2019.
And after receiving a 63-0 shellacking at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes and immediately extending Smith’s contract within weeks, the criticism hardly stops at the head coaching position. However, optimism in the incoming recruiting classes builds up hype around the struggling program.
Prestige Ranking: 3*
Not bad enough to be a 2*, however, the Illinois Fighting Illini can hold on to the Red Grange glory days for only so long. Improve the quality of the program or risk irrelevancy.
Last Year’s Record: 4-8 (2-7 B1G)
Illinois took down Rutgers, but then again, who DIDN’T beat Rutgers? They hung around with South Florida and beat down Minnesota. Yet, their most upsetting performance of the season came when they LED Penn State 24-21 with ten minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The Nittany Lions scored six unanswered touchdowns and left Champaign victors by a score of 63-24.
Projected Returning Starters:
Offense: 6
- RB Reggie Corbin
- RB Mike Epstein*
- WR Ricky Smalling
- WR Trenard Davis*
- TE Daniel Barker*
- LT Vederian Lowe
- LG Kendrick Green
- C Doug Kramer
- RT Alex Palczewski
*rotation
Reggie Corbin is a lot of fun to watch. Hopefully a healthy Mike Epstein relieves a bit of the pressure off of Corbin’s load. A double-edged sword, nearly the entire offensive line returns, which wasn’t great in 2018, but has had plenty of time to gel together.
Defense: 8
- DE Isaiah Gay
- DE Owen Carney Jr.
- DT Jamal Milan
- DT Tymir Oliver
- LB Jake Hansen
- CB Nate Hobbs
- SS Tony Adams
- FS Sydney Brown
Losing Bobby Roundtree creates a seismic shift in the defensive line, but Carney Jr. and Gay aren’t bums off the street, either. Hopefully an improved secondary and a steady line limits the blow of losing a stud like #97.
Key Losses:
There was optimism MJ Rivers could grow with OC Rod Smith, however, the young quarterback transferred before we could see him blossom. On the defensive side of the ball, Bobby Roundtree suffered a severe spinal injury this offseason in a freak swimming accident. His return to football seems unlikely, but if there’s one guy that plays for the Illinois Fighting Illini with the heart to play football again, it’s Bobby Roundtree. His career likely over, there’s hope he’ll attend classes on campus this year, as he’s currently recovering in a Chicago rehab facility.
Key Newcomer: Isaiah Williams, QB
The hype is real. Juice 2.0. Lovie Smith and Rod Smith are pumped about Williams’ arrival to the program, and while he’s not guaranteed the top spot on the depth chart heading into fall camp, he’s a tremendous dual-threat capable prospect, something the Illini haven’t LEGITIMATELY had in a long time.
Wins the B1G IF:
Too bad we’ll all be dead from the universe exploding if the Illini win the B1G Championship this year. Losing 63-0 to Kirk Ferentz doesn’t exactly instill confidence going forward. Plenty of reasons to watch, no reason to believe they’ll be big bowl bound.
Circle This Game: vs. Rutgers – 11/2
A B1G win? At home? Reggie Corbin may explode once more against the Scarlet Knights. Should be a fun one and repeat from 2018.
2019 Outlook:
We’re getting fairly restless in the stands of Memorial Stadium, and for good reason, too. We want good football. It’s been a while since the Illini enjoyed postseason action. Six wins is all it takes. Akron, Connecticut and Eastern Michigan should give the Illini a 3-0 start. It BETTER give them a 3-0 start. Beat Minnesota on the road and clobber Rutgers at home and that leaves one upset to make a bowl game. Maybe they’ll seal the deal against Penn State, maybe they can defeat Paul Chryst. Good luck in Iowa City, that’s a long shot. Play spoiler to Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines when they visit Champaign. Make us proud, go 6-6 and we’ll see you around Christmas time!
I-L-L