Illinois Fighting Illini College Football Preview 2023: Top Players, Keys, What Will Happen
Illinois Fighting Illini College Football Preview 2023: What Will Happen
© Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
2023 Illinois Preview: Offense | Defense
- Illinois 2023 Football Schedule
Illinois Fighting Illini Key to the Season
The young secondary had better be great fast. Toledo can throw. So can Jalon Daniels of Kansas. So can Penn State's new star Drew Allar. That’s the first three games for Illinois, and as last year’s early game against Indiana proved, there’s a problem when the defense gives up big passing yards - the Hoosiers came up with the only 300-yard day of the year against the Illini D in the 23-20 win.
Illinois was 8-1 when allowing fewer than 208 passing yards and 0-4 when it gave up more. In Bret Bielema’s first season with the Illini? 5-3 when allowing fewer than 240 passing yards, 0-4 when giving up more.
Illinois Fighting Illini Top Transfer, Biggest Loss
QB Luke Altmyer in from Ole Miss, WR Brian Hightower gone to Cal. The Illini didn’t do a ton through the transfer portal, and didn't lose a ton of players who'll be desperately missed, but they keep going to the portal for their quarterbacks.
Altmyer is just a sophomore with three years of eligibility to go, and he’s ready to grow into a job. The talent is there, and the all-around skill set is solid, but it might take a wee bit before he’s fantastic. It helps to have a great receiving corps to work with, but it’ll be without Hightower.
The Illini receiving corps is fine as is, but Hightower was second on the team with 37 catches and could’ve added a deep burst along with his experience in the mix. Now he’s off to Berkeley where he’ll be one of Cal’s top outside options.
Illinois Fighting Illini Key Player
Reggie Love, RB Jr. Chase Brown ran for 1,643 yards and ten scores in 12 games as a true workhorse. He handled it 41 times in the win over Minnesota, and 20 times or more in every game but two - he ran it 19 times in those. Illinois ran 28 times for 22 yards without him in the bowl loss to Mississippi State.
Under Bret Bielema, Wisconsin went from PJ Hill, to John Clay, to Montee Ball, to James White, to Melvin Gordon - or a combination of them - and the running game was always unstoppable. The running game is going to work, and even though it might be a rotation, Love will be the lead back to try carrying the attack.
Illinois Fighting Illini Key Game
at Purdue, Sept. 30. The Wisconsin game is big, the road dates at Iowa and Minnesota might be bigger, and the Big Ten opener against Penn State is a big deal, but Illinois has a Purdue problem.
Yes, the Boilermakers are in total rebuild mode under former Illini DC Ryan Walters, but Illinois has lost three in a row in the series and six of the last seven. This is one of the Big Ten road games the Illini have to steal.
Illinois Fighting Illini 10 Best Players
1. Jer’Zhan Newton, DE Jr.
2. Keith Randolph, DE Jr.
3. Isaiah Williams, WR Jr.
4. Tarique Barnes, LB Sr.
5. Seth Coleman, LB Jr.
6. Isaiah Adams, OG Sr.
7. Julian Pearl, OT Sr.
8. Luke Altmyer, QB Soph.
9. Gabe Jacas, LB Soph.
10. Tahveon Nicholson, CB Jr.
Illinois Fighting Illini 2022 Fun Stats
- Rushing Yards Per Game: Illinois 166.2 - Opponents 99.8
- 1st Quarter Scoring: Illinois 82 - Opponents 32
- Penalties: 84 for 783 yards - Opponents 64 for 605 yards
Illinois Fighting Illini Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
Set The Win Total At: 7.5
Illinois is missing a slew of big defensive parts, the offense has to prove it can run as effectively as it did last year, and there has to be more explosion to the offense. There wasn’t any margin for error last season, and there can’t be any this year. However …
The schedule isn't that bad.
There’s no Ohio State from the Big Ten East, and no Michigan, no Michigan State, and Penn State is a home game. There’s the bad break of not getting Rutgers, but although last year’s game was a loss, Indiana being on the schedule is a plus. Going to Maryland, though, is going to be more dangerous than it seems.
Going to Iowa and Minnesota will be make-or-break game for the West hopes, but Wisconsin has to travel down to Champaign and Northwestern and Nebraska have to be home victories.
At Kansas, at Purdue, at Maryland, at Minnesota, at Iowa. The Illinois style travels well, and going away from Memorial shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but winning three of the five road games is a bit of a heavy lift. Penn State and Wisconsin are 50/50 games at absolute best, but the other home dates should be wins.
Overall - especially if the Illini get past Kansas - there are enough wins on the slate to get to seven without worrying too much. There can’t be any blown tires, though, like last year’s loss at Indiana if there’s any dream of being in the hunt for the Big Ten West title.
Assume six wins, plan on seven, hope for eight.
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2023 Illinois Preview: Offense | Defense
- Illinois 2023 Football Schedule
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