2022 First Glance Preview: Illinois Fighting Illini
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Tommy Devito Image: Illinois Athletics
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
Week One : Illinois Fighting Illini
Date & Time: Friday, September 2 at 8pm
Venue: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
TV: FS1
Illini at a Glance
Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Entering his second season as Illinois head coach
Record at Illinois: 5-7 (4-5 in Big Ten Conference)
Overall Record: 102-65
Last Season: 5-7 (4-5 in B1G)
Illini Returning Leaders
Passing: Artur Sitkowski – 74-of-148 (50%), 704 yards 6 touchdowns 2 interceptions
Rushing: Chase Brown –1,005 yards on 170 carries 5 touchdowns
Receiving: Isaiah Williams – 47 catches for 525 yards 4 touchdowns
Tackles:– Sydney Brown (DB) 81 tackles (50 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss
Illini Preseason Predictions
Athlon: 6-6 (3-6) 6th in the Big Ten West (No Bowl)
Lindy’s: 7th in the Big Ten West
Pick Six Previews: Not Published
Phil Steele: Not Published
SP+: 83rd Nationally
Impact Newcomers for the Illini
Quarterback transfer (Syracuse) Tommy Devito
Biggest Questions Facing Illini
1. Can Tommy Devito return to his 2019 form?
2. Will Special Teams fall off?
3. Can the Illini fill big holes on the offensive line?
4. Was 2021 a product of a very veteran team?
Program Preview
The Illini had a solid year in Bret Bielema’s first season in Champaign as they went 5-7 (4-5) including two top-25 road wins over Penn State and Minnesota. They were close to getting to a bowl but narrow losses, including a home loss to UT-San Antonio, haunted them at the end of the year.
Bielema made a change at offensive coordinator as they Illini bring in former UTSA OC Barry Lunney Jr. to run, what they call, the “tempro” offense. We’ll touch more on that later. Last season, the Illini ranked 55th nationally in yards per game on the ground and 122nd nationally passing. Both running backs return, including Chase Brown who ran for 1,005 yards in 2021. Illinois is hoping that Syracuse transfer Tommy Devito can recapture his 2019 magice and take the orange and blue offense to the next level.
The Illini relied on their defense that was ranked 29th nationally and gave up just 21.9 points per game last season. It is a young defense, with just three seniors in the projected starting lineup, that could be primed to take it to the next level with another year under their belt. They should get Calvin Hart Jr. back from an ACL injury suffered in Illinois’ Week 0 win over Nebraska last season.
The Illinois special teams unit will be going under a full makeover as they lose their starting punter, field goal kicker and long snapper.
The hopes are high in Champaign that Bielema can at least get them back to a bowl game, if not more. They have a tough draw out of the east with a home date with Michigan State and road trips to IU and Michigan. While Illinois will be the Hoosiers opening game, the Illini play another Week 0 game in 2022 against Wyoming which could give them a leg up.
Offensive Preview
The Illini will run the “tempro” offense, which means they will be running pro-style concepts at tempo pace.
"We do a little bit of everything, we really do," Bielema said. "We've huddled, we've done no-huddle, sugar huddles. I think Barry is very, very clear about the tempo that we want to play at. I think the tempro that we said in his opening presser is a true. It's a pro-style offense played the tempo. And sometimes it's very fast, sometimes it'll be huddle slow. So, I think whatever gives us the best chance to win we can play."
The strength of the Illini offense will still be with running backs Chase Brown and Josh McCray who combined for 1,554 yards and seven touchdowns Brown is a patient, explosive back who hits the hole hard and can make defenders miss. McCray, a bigger back at 240lbs., is just a sophomore and looking to build on a big freshman year.
The Illini will have to replace three offensive linemen, including two that moved on to the NFL. That will be no easy task, but the Illini return senior right guard Alex Palczewski, a third-team preseason All-Big Ten selection, and junior right tackle Julian Pearl. There is a lot of youth and depth could be an issue if injuries occur. Illinois is projected to start senior Alex Pihstrom at center and juniors Isaiah Adams and Jordyn Slaughter will be at the left tackle and guard positions respectively.
Luke Ford returns at tight end after making 15 catches for 114 yards. He was a four-star recruit, so more is expected from him.
The Illini were abysmal through the air in 2021, but they believe transfer quarterback Tommy Devito will give it a lift. Devito is a mobile pocket passer. He can run, but he is more apt to buy time to throw the ball down field. He played in 24 games with 15 starts at Syracuse and he threw for 3,478 yard and 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. If he can get back to his 2019 form, Illinois could be a sleeper in the West.
"Tommy DeVito just continues to make strides. Very, very gifted player, good passer, does some good things with his arm, just got to learn to play in our type of offense, our style. And Barry's working really good with him.” Bielema said after the Illini’s second spring scrimmage.
The wide receiving corps is largely unproven, but is led by former quarterback Isaiah Williams. The 5’10” wide out is a great athlete and the Illini will try to get the ball in his hands as much as possible. He caught 47 passes for 525 yards and two scores last season. Alongside Williams will be Casey Washington, a bigger receiver a six-foot-two (21 rec. 294 yards) and Pat Bryant, another big receiver at six-foot-three, (6 rec. 98 yards). They will have a lot to prove.
Defensive Preview
The strength of the Illini defense will be the linebackers as Calvin Hart Jr. and Johnny Newton. Hart transferred from NC State prior to the 2021 season and was on his way to a big season, but it was derailed due to a season-ending ACL injury. Tarique Brown returns to play alongside Hart after making 80 tackles including six tackles for loss. The outside linebacker positions in Illinois’ 3-4 defense will be manned by Seth Coleman (22 tackles) and Ezekiel Holmes (five tackles).
“Overall, our returning players especially on the back end like Jartavius Martin and Sydney Brown are playing at a high level. Inside with (Calvin) Hart, Isaac Darkangelo, and Tarique Barnes give us some really good value. Obviously, we lost some edge players but I thought Ezekiel Homles and Seth Coleman had a good spring” Bielema said after the spring game.
As mentioned by Bielema above, the safeties are a strength of the Illini. Brown led the team in tackles with 81 and Martin who had 55 tackle and 3.5 tackles for loss. The Illini do lose first-team All-Big Ten selection Kerby Joseph who led the conference with five interceptions. Devon Witherspoon returns to anchor one of the corner positions.
The defensive line will be spearheaded by a pair of sophomore defensive ends in Keith Randolph (5.5 TFLs, four sacks) and Jer’Zahn (Johnny) Newton (four TFLs, three sacks). Newton and Randolph are pre-season All-Big Ten selections by Athlon Sports. Calvin Avery will plug up the middle at the defensive tackle position and try and give the players around him space to make plays. Avery made 1.5 tackles for loss in 2021.
The defense, once again, looks to be the strength of the Illini.
Special Teams Preview
This unit will have to replace All-Big Ten selections punter Blake Hayes and kicker James McCourt as well as their starting long snapper. Hayes and McCourt were one of the best kicking/punting duos in the conference, if not the country for Illinois.
Caleb Griffin will take over the place kicking duties. The graduate senior made eight extra points in the spring game and hit three-out-of-four field goals during the Illini’s spring game kicking competition. His long that night was about 46 yards.
Hugh Robertson, another punter from ProKick Australia, averaged 40.5 yards per punt as he punted for both teams in the spring game.
“The kicking game has been a little inconsistent throughout the spring, but a lot of good work to get done there. We stayed healthy, and I don't think there is anything that won't require just a short recovery time." Bielema said in his post spring game press conference.
In an effort to get Isaiah Williams the ball more, he was used as the first-team punt returner in the spring, while starting running back Chase Brown will handle the kick return duties.