Bobby Hauck’s Newest ‘Hybrid’ Pass Rushing Weapon: 25-Year-Old Former LB Will Holmes

Will Holmes, a 25-year-old former professional baseball player with only two years of organized football as his experience, will be a hybrid-type player at Illinois in the 2026 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 5, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — At the conclusion of his first preseason camp practice as the defensive coordinator at Illinois, Bobby Hauck looked down at the first and top note from the two-hour session that he wrote dow and just smiled.

“My note from the practice yesterday is Will Holmes is going to be hard to handle,” said the Illini’s . . .

 

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