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In a 38-6 season-opening win, Illinois held an opposing team to 20 points or less for the fifth time in its last six games, dating back to Oct. 23, 2021 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 29, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The season-opening performance for the Illinois defense where the opponent didn’t find the end zone, managed just five completions for 30 yards and didn’t convert a third down situation until was treated as a "been here, already done that" scenario. 

Illinois completed a 32-point dominating victory over Wyoming Saturday thanks to a defensive effort involving just one player making his first career start (linebacker Ezekiel Holmes) from coordinator Ryan Walters’ turnaround campaign of last season. After 60 minutes of play in the 2022 season, Walters’ group showcased the several months of work this unit executed almost immediately after the 47-14 blowout of Northwestern last Nov. 27.

“Today was like a build-on that type of thing,” Illinois linebacker Tarique Barnes said. “It’s a confidence thing to be able to get out of this one and say that now, we know it, we saw it and we did it. The next thing is keep doing it and do it again.”  

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Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.’s offensive philosophy was on full display Saturday in a 38-6 win over Wyoming. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 28, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The first touchdown of the 2022 season for Illinois highlighted exactly what Barry Lunney Jr. wants this offense to be defined by - setting up easy one-on-one matchups that his star athletes can win. 

Illinois sold Tommy DeVito on a run game and offensive protection and kept its promise Saturday in a 38-6 season-opening win. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 28, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Tommy DeVito is living in a brand new world. 

The new Illinois starting quarterback was sold on the program by head coach Bret Bielema this past winter mostly on the ability to have two things to help him succeed: a running game and a huge offensive line capable of protecting him. 

Bielema and the Illini coaching staff certainly lived up to their word after a 38-6 victory over an overmatched Wyoming squad in the 2022 season opener. 

In 2020, Syracuse’s offense boasted the worst rushing attack in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the sixth-worst rushing average among 127 Football Bowl Subdivision programs across the nation. The Orange only supplemented their four-star savior quarterback prospect with 92 yards per game on the ground and five rushing touchdowns in 11 games.

y Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 27. 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ron Johnson/USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- With any other player, it would’ve seemed like Bret Bielema took an enormous gamble with a preseason strategy. 

Bielema elected to not have his returning leading rusher, Chase Brown, receive any physical contact through the month-long process that is training camp. No tackling, no thudding and the Illini’s second-year head coach didn’t want any defensive players breathing too heavily on his 205-pound, All-Big Ten selection tailback. 

“I’ve had a lot of good running backs in my career, right? I’ve been very blessed but I told (Brown) last spring that the last hit you took in that Northwestern game would be the last time you were going to get tackled until the opener so you’ll need to prepare that way,” Bielema said after the Illini head coach won his second consecutive season opener at Memorial Stadium. “He had a great spring. He had a great fall (camp) and we didn’t let anybody tackle him. I was a little nervous in seeing how explosive he’d be but he’s got a really great understanding of how to play behind his pads.” 

Following a season opener performance where the senior tailback recorded 151 yards and found the end zone three times in a dominating 38-6 victory, Bielema’s August plan for his star was proven to be a no-brainer. 

IlliniGuys.com Staff August 27, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy Ron […]

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Every player in the wide receiver room at Illinois saw the hiring of offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. as a new beginning of options. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- At random times during the day or night,

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 26, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- If there’s one promise Bret Bielema and offensive line coach Bart Miller can continue to make to Illinois fans it’s