Illinois surprised a few people last season. Chase Brown’s explosive running on the offensive side of the ball paired with a truly dangerous secondary made life difficult for unsuspecting opponents in 2022.

And though there’s been some turnover in Champaign following departures from brown and CB Devon Witherspoon, former Alabama QB and host of Always College Football Greg McElroy is optimistic that the Illini can be just as much of a handful this season.

He argues that the addition of Luke Altmyer under center, when paired with what is expected to be a strong defense led by DT Jer’Zahn Newton, will make Illinois a team “you don’t want to face.”

Check out his full thoughts below:

The Illini kick off their 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 against Toledo. The game is set to be aired on Big Ten Network and kicks at 7:30 p.m. ET.