Expected defensive improvement sparks excitement at Illinois

The last time Illinois made the postseason was back in 2014 when Tim Beckman led his team to the Heart of Dallas Bowl against Skip Holtz and Louisiana Tech at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The Bulldogs claimed a 35-18 victory in a game that was perhaps most notable for the play of an ex-Illini defender.

End Houston Bates recorded 4.5 sacks in the victory to match the number he had in three seasons at Illinois. Bates graduated from Champaign and transferred to Louisiana Tech to finish his eligibility closer to home, but the Illini could have used his presence throughout their very average 2014 season.

It has been five years since Illinois made a bowl game, and its last winning record occurred in 2011. What used to be a rather lean Big Ten West division is now much improved, so there will be no easy Saturdays on the 2019 schedule.

A lot of attention in Champaign this offseason was centered on the quarterback battle, which was won by former Michigan signal-caller Brandon Peters. The graduate transfer saw action in 10 games (four starts) with the Wolverines, passing for 680 yards and four touchdowns. He beat out freshman Isaiah Williams, sophomore Matt Robinson and redshirt freshman Coran Taylor for the starting job in coordinator Rod Smith’s offense. The former Mr. Football in Indiana has two years of eligibility remaining.

Peters should be able to lean on a strong ground game led by Reggie Corbin, who became the first Illinois running back since Mikel Leshoure in 2010 to hit the 1,000-yard mark last season. He’ll run behind an offensive line led by tackle Alex Palczewski and Alabama transfer Richie Petitbon.

While there are some question marks at receiver outside of Ricky Smalling, who caught 33 passes in 2018, Smith should be able to lean on USC transfers Trevon Sidney and Josh Imatorbhebhe as he looks for more explosive plays in his offense. Sidney is a former four-star recruit who could emerge as a key weapon for Peters, while Imatorbhebhe is a big, strong receiver who could be a top red-zone option.

The fate of the 2019 Illinois squad, though, will likely be determined by the play of its defense, which was woeful last fall. It ranked 122nd against the run and 124th in points allowed. Overall, the Illini ranked No. 128 out of 130 FBS teams in total defense, ahead of just Oregon State and UConn.

Those numbers were putrid, particularly for a head coach who was known for his defensive acumen while roaming NFL sidelines. But Smith retooled his staff, named himself defensive coordinator in the offseason, and has better talent and overall depth this season.

The unit should be much better up front with grad transfer Oluwole Betiku, a former five-star recruit who began his career at USC. The redshirt junior has two years of eligibility remaining and is coming off of a hip injury that cost him the entire 2018 campaign. He played in 14 games with the Trojans and recorded just two tackles, but the hope is that he can blossom in a lower-key environment after having a strong training camp, where he was able to show off his pass-rush acumen.

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Smith has made the transfer portal a priority, and that includes former Washington linebacker Milo Eifler, who will join Jake Hansen as one of the team’s likely top tacklers. The junior Hansen starred last year after suffering an ACL injury in 2017. The improved depth and athleticism at linebacker is notable, and it should be very noticeable on the field. The Illini simply could not sustain the tough times that injuries presented in previous years under Smith. While they need their best players to remain on the field this fall, they should see less drop-off if a player or two is sidelined.

That is not the case, however, in the secondary. Marquez Beason’s season-ending knee injury leaves a big hole. Nate Hobbs and Quan Martin are solid cornerbacks and make the secondary a strength, but depth is an issue in the defensive backfield. However, Sydney Brown and Tony Adams are talented safeties, so this secondary could be very good — if it remains healthy. It is filled with athletes and big hitters who can make plays on the ball.

Even without end Bobby Roundtree, who suffered a severe spinal injury in May, and Beason, the overall talent, athleticism and depth on defense is much improved, so Smith is encouraged.

“I just feel like we have a better understanding of what we’re going to do [on defense],” Smith said at Big Ten Media Days in July. “And the individual improvements that we needed to make, we have made.

“Our depth is better also. A lot of what happened to us is when you lose some of your front-line players, the drop-off is — there’s too much of a drop. We’re in a better position with that.”

Smith has only won a combined nine games in his first three seasons in Champaign, but the future is bright for a program that has not been able to get out of its own way for years.

The university’s new $80 million Smith Football Center just opened to the players, and it features a brand-new weight room, expansive locker room, a players’ lounge and meeting rooms — important selling points in recruiting. The football-only facility is one of the best in the Big Ten, which is a far cry from the program’s facilities that were ranked among the lowest in the conference.

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Despite the low win total, Smith isn’t going anywhere. The school added two years to the end of his original six-year deal following the 2018 season. However, he has turned over much of his original staff, and the West is only getting better. The time to win is now, especially with newer head coaches in the division leading quick rebuilds.

The team’s non-conference schedule is manageable. But can it take care of business on the road against a team like Minnesota or Purdue — two teams rebuilding quicker than Illinois up to this point — in its quest for the postseason?

Entering the fourth year of his tenure, Smith will be able to field a team that should be competitive in most every conference game. Whether that translates into the necessary six wins for bowl eligibility remains to be seen. But Illinois fans should at least be optimistic about the short-term future because this is the most talented and deepest roster that Smith has had since he arrived in Champaign.

Dave Miller

Dave Miller has covered the college football landscape nationally since 2009 with stops at National Football Post and Campus Insiders. In addition to contributing to Saturday Tradition, he can be seen on Stadium Network.