Sorry for the delay in getting these up. I was putting some video together that we can put in stories that you guys will be able to watch and had to eat lunch. Biggest takeaways from the first day of practice are below. Reminder, we only get 20 minutes to watch practice, so it's not the best for taking deep dives into what happened and what didn't.
- Position Changes
- Verdis Brown was with the DL today. That makes sense because they need depth there and Bart Miller indicated that Brown had slipped on the depth chart in the spring.
- Shammond Cooper was practicing with the OLB today. That is interesting because he's coming off a broken ankle and would need to add a good 25-pounds at a very minimum to do that. He does have the frame and athletic traits to play OLB if he is able to put on the necessary weight
- Isaiah Williams
- Was going through WR drills on the second string, and before you freak out that actually makes some sense. The first string WR group included Brian Hightower, Jafar Armstrong (ND transfer) and Donny Navarro in the slot. So just be patient there, both Navarro and Brandon Peters praised him today
- He had a really nice cut on one route but dropped the pass
- Freshman update
- RB Josh McCray went through drills last but he's big and has some broad shoulders and big legs
- QB Samari Collier has a bigger than I expected frame. It was the first time I saw him since he earned his Illini offer at a camp in the summer of 2019. Went through QB drills last, but he's a big kid.
- Injury/DNP Report
- WR Casey Washington didn't participate today, Bielema said he was still working through some things after not participating in spring football or summer workouts with the team. Bielema also said that Washington could be a full go by Thursday or Friday
- S Coran Taylor didn't practice today after showing up late to the training room this morning. Bielema said he was asked to show up for treatment on a lower-body injury at 6:30 and he came closer to 7:00, so the best way to punish him was to take away the thing he loves, "football"
- WR Pat Bryant was the only player to have a cramp today and Bielema coincidentally mentioned that Bryant was the only one not to eat breakfast today, so that math checks out.
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