- Gorgeous day at Memorial Stadium in shorts and helmets. My forehead is sunburned and it feels good. Great vibes afterwards as well as the Illini hoisted Kentrail Moran on their shoulders after he committed,
- The offense was not sharp at all today, but a big reason for that is the o-line is so thin right now. Karras, O'Connor and Heath are all out with injuries. The first group was (from left to right): Schmidt, Flavin, Spencer, Allegrett and DiLauro. I'm a fan of the offensive tackles, maybe the best pair since Beckman got here. They need two of the interior guys to step up. The hope is that Heath can return after spring break and push Spencer. Allegretti's time is now but he has to prove it. He didn't have a great day, but inconsistency is expected of a redshirt freshman.
- Gabe Megginson watched practice today. If he were in shorts and a helmet, he'd probably be in the first group. It wouldn't surprise me to see him play guard halfway through the season once he gets comfortable in the scheme and such.
- Connor Brennan has a chance to compete for a job as well, but Jordan Fagan likely needs a redshirt season to add strength. Same with Peter Cvijanovic.
- Andrew Davis sticks out on the field. He looks like a basketball player. He's up to 235 pounds and plays physical but he could get knocked around sometimes. But he's a smooth athlete and a great redzone target. The Illini staff thinks he can be special.
- Wes Lunt looks stronger. He's really focused on staying healthy (possibly the key to the season) and says he's doing everything possible to stay healthy (strength, diet, calcium pills, etc.) to do so. He hasn't been healthy for a full season since his junior year of HS and it really frustrates him. But same old with him. If he's healthy, he can be elite. Just a great arm. But he needs that Oline to step up.
- Second day in a row I had an Illini staffer call Chayce Crouch "special." I saw Reilly O'Toole and asked him about Chayce and he said Crouch has a stronger arm and is "more athletic than me as much as it pains me to say that." Really smart kid too and competitive. He has a hamstring pull but it didn't stop him from scrambling on a few breakdowns, which Beckman didn't like. Chayce told him, "It's just instinct." I'll have a more in-depth story on him in a few days.
- Mikey Dudek and Malik Turner both look stronger. Mikey is special. Malik could be. Tyrin Stone-Davis now has Aaron Bailey's No. 15. Seems like the year away from football hurt him. He struggles to get open.
- Henry Enyenihi is by far the strongest back. Thick legs and chest. Dre Brown is a smooth athlete. Interested to see those guys in pads.
- Defensive starters today with Teko Powell and Carroll Phillips out: DL: Jihad Ward, Joe Fotu, Rob Bain; LEO: Dawaune Smoot; LB: Mason Monheim and T.J. Neal; STAR: Eric Finney; CB: V'Angelo Bentley and Eaton Spence; S: Taylor Barton and Clayton Fejedelem. Lot of familiar names. Time for the upperclassmen to step up.
- Mike Phair is really energetic. I think that will play well with this group. A guy I've liked for a while is Rob Bain. Strong as an ox. But he looks like a Big Ten starter now. Just big, strong, mean. Not overly athletic but he can be an upgrade over Teitsma due to his taller frame.
- STAR is an interesting position for me. Earnest Thomas was good there last year (should've always played there). Finney and Crawford worked there a lot today. But something I asked Doug: "Could Caleb Day play there?" Day is playing safety but he's long and big enough to play the STAR and would give Illinois a great athlete on the field. The question for him is can he be relied on every play or will he miss too many assignments.
- The offense was not sharp at all today, but a big reason for that is the o-line is so thin right now. Karras, O'Connor and Heath are all out with injuries. The first group was (from left to right): Schmidt, Flavin, Spencer, Allegrett and DiLauro. I'm a fan of the offensive tackles, maybe the best pair since Beckman got here. They need two of the interior guys to step up. The hope is that Heath can return after spring break and push Spencer. Allegretti's time is now but he has to prove it. He didn't have a great day, but inconsistency is expected of a redshirt freshman.
- Gabe Megginson watched practice today. If he were in shorts and a helmet, he'd probably be in the first group. It wouldn't surprise me to see him play guard halfway through the season once he gets comfortable in the scheme and such.
- Connor Brennan has a chance to compete for a job as well, but Jordan Fagan likely needs a redshirt season to add strength. Same with Peter Cvijanovic.
- Andrew Davis sticks out on the field. He looks like a basketball player. He's up to 235 pounds and plays physical but he could get knocked around sometimes. But he's a smooth athlete and a great redzone target. The Illini staff thinks he can be special.
- Wes Lunt looks stronger. He's really focused on staying healthy (possibly the key to the season) and says he's doing everything possible to stay healthy (strength, diet, calcium pills, etc.) to do so. He hasn't been healthy for a full season since his junior year of HS and it really frustrates him. But same old with him. If he's healthy, he can be elite. Just a great arm. But he needs that Oline to step up.
- Second day in a row I had an Illini staffer call Chayce Crouch "special." I saw Reilly O'Toole and asked him about Chayce and he said Crouch has a stronger arm and is "more athletic than me as much as it pains me to say that." Really smart kid too and competitive. He has a hamstring pull but it didn't stop him from scrambling on a few breakdowns, which Beckman didn't like. Chayce told him, "It's just instinct." I'll have a more in-depth story on him in a few days.
- Mikey Dudek and Malik Turner both look stronger. Mikey is special. Malik could be. Tyrin Stone-Davis now has Aaron Bailey's No. 15. Seems like the year away from football hurt him. He struggles to get open.
- Henry Enyenihi is by far the strongest back. Thick legs and chest. Dre Brown is a smooth athlete. Interested to see those guys in pads.
- Defensive starters today with Teko Powell and Carroll Phillips out: DL: Jihad Ward, Joe Fotu, Rob Bain; LEO: Dawaune Smoot; LB: Mason Monheim and T.J. Neal; STAR: Eric Finney; CB: V'Angelo Bentley and Eaton Spence; S: Taylor Barton and Clayton Fejedelem. Lot of familiar names. Time for the upperclassmen to step up.
- Mike Phair is really energetic. I think that will play well with this group. A guy I've liked for a while is Rob Bain. Strong as an ox. But he looks like a Big Ten starter now. Just big, strong, mean. Not overly athletic but he can be an upgrade over Teitsma due to his taller frame.
- STAR is an interesting position for me. Earnest Thomas was good there last year (should've always played there). Finney and Crawford worked there a lot today. But something I asked Doug: "Could Caleb Day play there?" Day is playing safety but he's long and big enough to play the STAR and would give Illinois a great athlete on the field. The question for him is can he be relied on every play or will he miss too many assignments.
