Quick hits | Spring football underway
Mar. 20—Spring football practices start Tuesday for Illinois. Beat writer Scott Richey delivers items of note from Bret Bieleam's pre-spring press conference:
Injury, roster update
Illinois won't be at full strength when practices start Tuesday at Irwin Indoor Practice Facility. Sophomore safety Matthew Bailey, junior offensive lineman Zy Crisler and senior defensive lineman Bryce Barnes will all miss spring ball after suffering undisclosed offseason injuries. The Illini will also be without linebacker Shammond Cooper, who will transfer, and walk-on tight end Lucas Althaus, who is medically retiring.
"Shammond Cooper grabbed me about two weeks ago," Bielema said. "He's going to put himself in a position to transfer out of here and didn't want to go through spring ball. He's kind of got an idea on some teams. Anytime these situations pop up I just express to those kids, especially with Shammond's situation, anything I can do to help facilitate where you want to go and how you want to do it please let me know."
First look
Illinois' first spring practice will be held indoors Tuesday morning based on the forecast. It will be the first time on the field for several players that have made position changes. That group includes Miles Scott flipping from wide receiver to defensive back, Nick Fedanzo leaving a crowded running back room to become a safety, Dylan Davis going from offensive line to defensive line and Champaign Central grad Ben Schultz moving from outside linebacker to tight end. The first practice will look a little different on the field, too.
"The NCAA changed the rule and allowed us to go out in helmets and spiders, which is kind of a padded shoulder pad, but not quite shoulder pads," Bielema said. "I think it makes a lot of sense, so excited to do that and get that work in Tuesday and Thursday. ... We'll be in the indoor Tuesday, and hopefully we'll get (outside) on Thursday and Saturday."
Run game needs a running back
One challenge facing the Illinois offense ahead of the 2023 season is finding a replacement for Chase Brown. It might not have been Bielema and offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.'s intent to lean so heavily on Brown, who rushed 328 times for 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns, but an injury that cost Josh McCray most of the season pushed Brown into a near-solo role. McCray could step into a bigger role a year later.
"He's changed his body, his demeanor and just his overall maturity in everything that he's done," Bielema said of McCray. "He and (new running backs coach Thad Ward) have built a good relationship already. I think him and (Reggie Lovie III) and Jordan Anderson and Aidan Laughery are back, and as far as just watching these true freshmen hit campus, Kaden Feagin is a very impressive young man. Those five guys, competition brings the best out of people."
