It’s still uncertain whether or not Illinois tight end Luke Ford will be able to play in the 2019 season, but Lovie Smith seems to like the odds.

Ford transferred to Illinois after spending his freshman season at Georgia. With former teammate Justin Fields gaining immediate eligibility at Ohio State, Smith thinks there’s a good chance the tight end can see the field for the Illini this fall.

“The process is ongoing,” Smith told the Illini Inquirer. “We think we have a pretty good shot. There’s a reason we feel that way. There’s a reason Luke came back. Not just to play football here. There are some family things. We’ll present all that, and hopefully, we’ll get good news.”

If granted immediate eligibility from the NCAA, Ford would be expected to be immediately in the mix for the starting tight end job. The former four-star prospect is almost guaranteed to see significant playing time.

Ford played in all 13 games for Georgia last season and made one catch for four yards. He transferred from Athens to Illinois to be closer to family.