
Illinois football: From pretenders to contenders. 5 reasons why the Illini are flying high
To say it’s been a surprise is an understatement. There wasn’t a single publication that had Illinois contending in 2022. However, the Illini have captivated the attention of the entire Big Ten with their 6-1 start. They sit tied atop the B1G West at 3-1 with Purdue.
Each week, they’re gaining confidence and momentum. The bandwagon is starting to fill up.
How are they doing it? It’s certainly not smoke and mirrors. A combination of defense, a strong running game and solid coaching has been the recipe. It’s not rocket science. It’s a basic winning formula. And the Illini are locked in, in all areas.
Here’s a look at 5 reasons Illinois quickly has turned into a contender in the West.
1) Chase Brown’s star power
They say good teams need a stud. A star. Chase Brown is that dude.
Brown carried the load (literally and figuratively) in Illinois’ 26-14 win over Minnesota. The 5-11, 205-pound junior toted the rock 41 times for 180 yards. He’s over 1,000 yards (1,059) just 7 games into the season, and has welcomed the heavy workload offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. has asked of him.
The Big Ten’s (and nation’s) leading rusher is averaging 151.3 yards per game and is over 100 total rushing yards ahead of 2nd place Blake Corum of Michigan. He has gone over 100 yards in all 7 Illini games and has shown his versatility with 15 catches out of the backfield.
Brown’s torrid start to the season has elicited Heisman talk from folks across the country. Quarterback Tommy DeVito beat the drum of his running back following the Minnesota win. Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde mentioned Brown’s growing candidacy last Saturday as well.
“It’s what people are talking about right now. It’s kind of a buzz,” Brown told reporters following the Minnesota game. “But in my mind, I want to get my body back and be the best I can be for Nebraska.”
With his production off the charts through 7 games, it’s hard to think he’ll continue at that pace. But if Brown can keep grinding out 100-yard performances and stay healthy all in one, the Illini could be headed to Indianapolis.
2) Bret Bielema’s magic touch
In just his 2nd season on the Illinois sidelines, Bielema has shown he’s one of the best coaches in the land. From player development, to recruiting, to scheming before and during games, Bielema’s pushed all the right buttons.
Midseason watch lists such as The Dodd Trophy and Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award recently added Bielema to their lists.
He knows the lay of the land in this league. Bielema posted a 68-24 record in 7 seasons at Wisconsin. While he didn’t have that same success at Arkansas, he’s been the perfect fit in Champaign.
Bielema led the Badgers to 3 conference championship games and 3 Rose Bowls. He’s been there, done that. And he’s bringing the same can-do mentality to Illinois. Players are feeding off his leadership and they’re winning the X’s and O’s battle each week. If not for a narrow 23-20 loss to Indiana in Week 1, Bielema would have his team unbeaten and in the AP’s top 10.
3) A menacing defensive line
Stopping the run is imperative to success in this league. Bielema’s built a defensive front that’s up to the task.
The Illini have been impressive at all 3 levels on defense. They rank No. 1 in the nation in limiting yards per game (221.1) and points per game (8.8). But the work of the defensive front has really stood out.
Jer’Zhan Newton has been a force in the trenches. The No. 10 ranked player in this week’s Saturday Tradition player rankings, Newton tallied a sack, 2 QB hurries and 4 total tackles against the Gophers. He’s helped the Illini not only slow down opponents’ run games but also make life miserable for QBs.
Gabe Jacas has the most sacks in the country by a true freshman with 5. Newton, Jacas and Keith Randolph Jr. have combined for 20 TFL. The havoc they’re creating has led to 12 interceptions, led by Kendall Smith’s 4.
Most sacks by a true freshman this season:
🔸 Gabe Jacas, Illinois – 5.0 pic.twitter.com/uWoWsX2fyB
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 21, 2022
As impressive as all those stats and numbers are, there’s one even more attention-grabbing. The Illini have not given up a TD in 4 of their 7 games. Just amazing in this day and age of college football.
4) Tommy DeVito’s leadership at QB
Illinois hit the jackpot in landing DeVito in the offseason. The Syracuse transfer has been a perfect fit in the offense and has shown tremendous leadership.
DeVito’s numbers aren’t too shabby either — throwing for 1,415 yards and 10 TDs with only 2 INTs. He’s completing 70.4% of his passes and can run it as well. His 3 rushing scores in a 34-10 rout of Wisconsin are evidence of that.
DeVito’s still trying to get fully healed from an ankle injury suffered in a 9-6 win over Iowa Oct. 8. The bye week is coming at a good time, even though he gutted it out and played against Minnesota.
Bielema loves his QB and had this to say to reporters a few weeks ago: “The more I’m around him, I’m just very impressed with who he is, what he represents.”
And why wouldn’t he? DeVito’s delivering the goods and Illinois’ offense is prospering because of his presence.
5) Team chemistry
You can see it by the week. These guys love playing for each other. Five players have been named to midseason All-America teams or season watchlists. Along with Brown, Newton and Jacas, DBs Jartavius Martin and Devon Witherspoon are getting midseason ink. It’s been a collective effort, and guys are feeding off one another.
The enthusiasm’s contagious. After getting a sack or TFL, everyone on the defense celebrates. It’s a party, and all are invited.
Winning will do that. But Bielema has lauded the way his players are accepting coaching from position coaches. Eye contact and nodding when receiving instruction. Bielema sees way more of it this year.
DeVito was demonstrative when talking about Brown to reporters following the win over the Gophers. “Heisman him. Give it to him!” They are proving a tough 1-2 combo for opposing defenses.
It’s been a magical run thus far. The Illini haven’t been bowling since 2019. It’s been 2008 since they made the Rose Bowl. Can the they keep it up? Who knows? But at this point the story’s way too intriguing to ignore.