Illinois football: 10 takeaways from the 2022 regular season

There were a lot of eye-opening moments during the 2022 season for Illinois and its fans.

A team that was picked to finish either 5th or 6th in the B1G West overachieved, snagging 8 wins, the most since the 2001 team that played in the Rose Bowl.

Head coach Bret Bielema did a masterful job of leading his squad. There were late-season disappointments and some personal heartache for Bielema and his family. But the overall job done by him and his staff was remarkable.

College football teams go through the rollercoaster events of a season on an annual basis. The Illini (8-4, 5-4) had more than their share of drama, close calls and highs and lows.

Let’s take a look at 10 takeaways from Illinois’ eventful 2022 campaign.

1) Chase Brown’s climb to 1 of the best RBs in the land

Brown put together an All-America season at running back. The junior from London, Ontario, was a 1-man wrecking crew for the Illinois offense.

Brown tallied 1,699 yards on 328 carries. He led the nation in rushing, while carrying a heavy workload for OC Barry Lunney Jr’s offense. He eclipsed 100 yards in 10 of 12 games.

Brown is a Doak Walker Award finalist and consistently demonstrated his versatility to run between the tackles or stretch the field on the edge.

2) One of Bielema’s best-ever coaching jobs

The veteran head coach is 1 of the best minds in the country. He’s proven time and again he knows the B1G and how to win in it. His 68-24 record at Wisconsin proves that. But the job he did in 2022 in Champaign will go down as one of his best-ever coaching jobs.

Bielema assembled a solid staff and allowed them all to coach and push the right buttons. The job DC Ryan Walters did can’t be understated. The Illini defense was outstanding all year and almost single-handily won a few games (Iowa, Minnesota).

Bielema’s team was just a few breaks away from winning the West and heading to Indy. Impressive feat for a team picked by most to finish at or near the bottom of the division.

3) Ryan Walters will be a head coach very soon

Walters, the leader of the Illini defense, will land a head coaching job soon. Very soon.

He’s already on the short list at his alma mater, Colorado. If he doesn’t end up in Boulder, it’s just a matter of time before a program snags the up-and-coming defensive guru.

Walters, a semifinalist for the Frank Broyles Award, has turned his unit around in under 2 years. The Illini surrendered just 13 points per game and were 2nd in the league in total defense. Guys like Sydney Brown, Devon Witherspoon, Jer’Zhan Newton and others were names recognized not just within the league, but throughout the entire country.

4) Witherspoon was a lockdown corner

Witherspoon will be a guy who plays at the next level. He locked down one side of the field on a weekly basis. Witherspoon wasn’t afraid to cover the opponents’ best receiver man-to-man, and he was a physical presence on the outside.

There were several categories Witherspoon excelled in. The junior led the team in PBUs and graded out as the top corner by PFF several weeks during the season. He solidified his season with a pick against Northwestern in the season finale.

His ability to play tight, aggressive man coverage allowed Walters to mix up his pressure looks. It paid dividends all year.

5) Tommy DeVito’s ball security was a big asset

The senior transfer from Syracuse took the reins at QB and led the way. DeVito did a tremendous job of protecting the ball, throwing just 3 INTs on the year. That ball security put the Illinois defense in favorable situations and allowed it to excel.

DeVito’s efficiency was also on display. He completed north of 70% of his throws and showed to be a fantastic fit in Lunney’s offensive system.

6) Playmakers need more touches to get Illini over hump

Followers of the Illini will likely admit the offense lacked a bit of punch at times. The inability to stretch the field deep put more pressure on Brown and the rest of the offense to sustain longer drives. Not always a recipe for success.

Isaiah Williams and Brian Hightower needed more touches and opportunities to get open deep. The speedy duo combined for over 100 catches on the year, but Williams averaged barely 8 yards per catch. A few more deep shots and deeper routes should be in order for the sophomore in 2023.

7) The Michigan State, Purdue losses at home will haunt Illinois

The division title was there for the taking. Illinois had a 2-game lead with back-to-back home games against MSU and Purdue on the schedule. Fans were booking rooms in Indy before disaster hit.

Sparty pulled the 23-15 upset in cold, gale-force conditions. The following week, Jeff Brohm’s Boilermakers left Champaign with a 31-24 win. Officiating miscues took center stage in both games, and left Bielema and Illini fans up in arms.

Both games were played in the cold. Both were windy. The weather played equalizer. But in the end, they were games Illinois held early leads in, yet didn’t finish. In a year the West was there for the taking, these losses will leave a mark.

8) Jer’Zhan Newton is a top-10 player in the B1G

Newton was a constant disrupter on the defensive front. He was a problem each week for opposing offensive lines.

He finished with over 13 TFLs and led the team in sacks and QB hurries. The sophomore from St Petersburg, Florida, recorded a sack in at least 6 games.

Each B1G team would love to have a pillar on the defensive front like Newton. Illinois hopes to have him for 2 more seasons.

9) Weather, officiating, intangibles didn’t do Illini any favors

There are so many x-factors in a college football season. Injuries, weather and getting breaks come with the territory. Illinois didn’t fare well in these areas.

We already mentioned the crummy weather in the home losses to MSU and Purdue. It basically rendered the deep passing game nonexistent going into the wind. Getting behind in those games put Illinois behind the 8-ball.

Officiating mishaps and questionable calls littered the Purdue game. A Witherspoon pick was overturned by a shady PI call. Charlie Jones caught a TD pass on the next play for the Boilers.

A week later a missed offensive PI (pick play) on 4th down helped Michigan convert a 4th-and-2 on the Wolverines’ game-winning drive. Witherspoon was flagged for interference on the following play. The calls just seemed to go against Illinois. And in a division separated by razor-thin margins, it was enough to cost the Illini a trip to Indy.

10) Blueprint is in place, now it must be fine-tuned with players

Bielema knows the lay of the land in this league. He has the blueprint for success. A solid running game paired with a menacing defense. Now Illinois must hit the recruiting trail and portal to upgrade talent.

DeVito did a nice job at QB, but if the Illini want to contend, they need a difference-maker at QB. Someone who can stretch the field with deep, accurate throws. A guy who can bust a long run or engineer a quick-scoring drive.

If Walters bolts for a HC job, whomever fills that opening will be tested. The defense carried the team in 2022. Filling holes of players leaving the program will be key.

Does Chase Brown return for his senior year? If he does, it makes a huge difference. Reggie Love III and Josh McCray are solid backups. But neither is Brown. And having a veteran do-it-all back returning would solidify the offense entering 2023.

Shawn Ekwall

Shawn Ekwall has been a contributing writer for Huskers Illustrated and covers the Huskers and other B1G teams for Saturday Tradition. Follow him on twitter @shawn_ekwall