Bret Bielema updates injuries to Illini RBs, expects one player cleared for Week 9
Bret Bielema currently has the Fighting Illini off to an impressive 6-1 start, including five straight wins. The head coach is hoping for some good news before Illinois faces Nebraska in two weeks for win No. 7.
#illini Bret Bielema: Reggie Love re-aggravated an injury. Didn't practice today.
Josh McCray looked "really good today." Should be cleared for Nebraska.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) October 19, 2022
That’s probably a 50/50 on the positivity for Illini fans.
Reggie Love III has rushed for 150 yards on 31 attempts with 1 touchdown behind primary back Chase Brown. Josh McCray has rushed for 31 yards on 8 carries.
McCray hasn’t played since Week 0 against Wyoming due to a hyperextended knee injury. His return should help bolster Illinois’ backfield depth if he were able to play.
Chase Brown has carried the brunt of the workload with 192 carries for 1,059 yards and 4 touchdowns. Moreover, he has three games with more than 30 attempts, including 41 carries last week against Minnesota. Brown rushed for 180 yards against the Gophers while also catching 3 passes for 53 yards and 1 touchdown.
A return by McCray (and possibly Love) could give Brown a rest here or there. His longevity will likely be key to the rest of the Illinois season.