Bret Bielema’s Illinois team will be without a pair of defensive backs for the remainder of the 2023 campaign.

In his Monday press conference, Bielema told reporters that Demetrius Hill and Matthew Bailey are both out for the rest of the season. Hill tore his ACL in last week’s game. Bailey was injured on his first play. Tests revealed structural damage to Bailey’s shoulder, Bielema told reporters.

Hill joined Illinois after 2 seasons at Florida International in his hometown of Miami. He was named a Freshman All-American by the FWAA for his strong showing in 2022.

Bailey is unfortunately familiar with the injury bug. He missed Illinois’ spring practice due to foot surgery and had a setback in the summer that forced him to miss the Illini’s first 2 games. The shoulder injury occurred on his first play of the 2023 season.

Last season, Bailey played in all 13 games for the Illini. He will be able to use a redshirt for 2023, giving him 3 seasons of eligibility for 2024 and beyond.

Illinois is taking a break from B1G play in Week 4. The Illini will host Florida Atlantic on Saturday. The game is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.