Football

The defensive scheme change may transform the diverse athlete pool the Illinois defensive coaches and personnel staffers could identify in the future.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — Don’t be surprised if Bret Bielema, Illinois defensive assistant coaches or defensive player personnel staffers are at a high school recruiting the quarterback, running back or wide receiver.

The vibe and recurrent attitude inside the Smith Center following the transition to the 3-3-5 defensive scheme is the recruiting search has shifted a bit more toward finding the best athletes and transforming them once they get on campus toward a position group at the collegiate level.

Yes, Illinois is still likely to offer and pay attention to the highest ranked players in a specific position group within a high school recruiting class. However, as Bielema begins his sixth season as the Illini head coach, the consistent mentality of “under-recruited, undersized and overdevelop” takes even more meaning in Champaign-Urbana with a defensive scheme based on trying to get 11 athletes on the field with lesser regard to body type and measurables at the high school level.

As Illinois took on defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Duke at Gies Memorial Stadium Saturday, the trio of starting linebackers were: Mason Muragin (6-foot-4, 250 pounds), James Kreutz (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) and Ismael Kante (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) with Colorado State transfer Robert Edmondson (6-foot-2, 240 pounds), second-year player Grant Beerman (6-foot-5, 240 pounds) and freshman Jack Paris (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) getting defensive snaps off the bench. While all of these players have similar playing weights, they have vastly different speeds, arm length/wingspan and displacement of how that weight is distributed.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

September 15, 2026

Welcome to the second trench report of the year. I know Illini nation is feeling a bit down right now after the 31-27 loss to Duke on Saturday. Illinois was a 6-point favorite and was ready for a statement win in front of a full house. However, after a second watch, I came away with the impression that the Illini coaching staff dropped the ball on Saturday. I wouldn't call it a coaching fail because Barry Lunney created several open throws early in the game and Bobby Hauck's defense really shut down star running back Nate Sheppard in the second half, but at the same time the loss on Saturday falls on the X's and O's rather than the players.

I'm going to start with the first complete pass to a tight end this season! Look how easy that can be! Illinois lines up two tight ends on the left side, and when the Duke safety flinches a bit toward Feagin while watching Houser's eyes, that leaves Stoffel wide open. A tip of the hat to the offensive line here as well. Passing gets a lot easier when you have time to look all the way from the right to the left and then back to the center without so much as a hand in your face, and the truth is Houser could have waited even longer if he wanted.

I saw some comments criticizing Houser's passing accuracy early in this game, so I thought it was important to break out this play to show the readers how this is a perfect throw that is exactly where Houser intended it to be.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — For some potential football recruits who made the trip to Champaign, Saturday was an opportunity to see future teammates. For others, it was a chance to soak in the game day environment for the first time.

For Braden Gibson, however, the visit was all business.

Gibson arrived in Champaign with a purpose. He took the visit seriously, knowing every opportunity to get in front of the Illinois coaching staff matters at this stage of his recruitment. While enjoying the game day atmosphere was part of the experience, Gibson also hoped the trip could help move his recruitment forward and potentially lead to something more with the Illini.

Gibson knows he possesses the type of athletic ability Illinois is looking for. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound safety from El Paso, Illinois, is hoping to become a significant late addition to the Illini’s 2027 recruiting class.

Speed is one attribute that immediately stands out with Gibson.

IlliniGuys.com provides an in-depth film review following each Illinois football game. This analysis showcases the Illini’s 31-27 home loss to Duke.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 14, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — The motto of an operation being led by Bret Bielema from game-to-game has been defined by eventually letting the opponent beat themselves with turnovers, mental errors and penalties. The idea has revolved around potential points by the opposition being squandered and/or Illinois getting further opportunities to put points on the scoreboard in the phrase that the Illini head coach loves to use of “more games at this level are lost than won”. This plan had led Illinois to being 8-1 in one-score games over the last three seasons and winners of five straight one-score games dating back to the 2024 win at Rutgers.

On Saturday, all of those things bit Illinois hard in its 31-27 home loss to Duke in what was a performance that looked anything like what the Illini had done to rank fourth in the Big Ten Conference, behind only Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon, in four major categories over the last two seasons: winning percentage (.741), ranked wins (six), home wins (13), and power conference wins (15).

“You have to teach this to them,” Bielems said after the loss on Saturday. “If they had never heard before then it doesn’t do it any good, right? It’s like speaking French to them. They’re going to be like ‘Okay, Coach Bielema says that but what does it mean?’”

We’ll try to quickly look at some of these elements that led to the first loss of the 2026 campaign for Bielema’s squad in this edition of the IlliniGuys.com film review.

— No Margin For Error on Defense For Scott & Bailey —

When Xavier Scott and Matthew Bailey both announced this winter they would be returning to Illinois for another season of college football, the narrative surrounding this defensive unit was the scheme would revolve around the strength of this squad in the secondary. What almost immediately followed was the hiring of former Montana head coach Bobby Hauck and the transition to the 3-3-5 philosophy where smaller third-level defenders would be on the field for Illinois. It’s also safe to say the price tag for retaining Scott and Bailey was high comparable to the pay-for-play budget at Illinois and, of course, the expectations of the future co-captains went up as well.

Therefore, while a great deal of discussion has centered around the below average play and production of the first two levels (defensive line and linebackers) of the Illini defensive unit, the leaders in the back of this group have also not excelled throughout the first two games of the 2026 season. Both Scott and Bailey, who Bielema was angry earlier last month about not being on the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in college football, were very disappointing Saturday afternoon in the home loss to Duke starting with the Blue Devils first offensive series that didn’t set any tone for resistance at all.

Without being able to tackle in practice, the solution to solving Illinois’ issues with missed tackles in games isn’t clear.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 14, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — Every Illinois football coach based on the defensive side inside the Smith Center is embarked on a question one so based in the socratic method that the answer may not be easily found.

The query comes after the Illini have been recorded by Pro Football Focus data to have 29 total missed tackles over the first two games of this 2026 season and one must understand that analytical stat only qualifies if the defender makes contact with the ball carrier on a play (and is not on a blown assignment or if the defender is simply run past without contact).

According to PFF data through the first two weeks of play, Illinois has been graded the worst tackling team among all 138 Football Bowl Subdivision programs. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said following the 31-27 home loss to Duke that “tackling would be priority one” when asked to quickly assess the problems with a defense that is currently 107th in yards allowed per game and tied for 100th in points per game.

“No excuses for us. We got to wrap up,” Bielema said Saturday. “I thought there were several times where we had them stopped and then they’d fall forward for five, six, seven yards. Or they ran through us.”

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema suggested Monday a trio of former four-star signees (Eddie Tuerk, Kai Pritchard and Champ Smith) could replace McMillen at guard.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 14, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — TJ McMillen’s 2026 season is over after suffering a foot injury late in the loss to Duke last weekend.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirmed the news, which is the first season-ending injury following the start of this regular season, that the fourth-year offensive lineman will need a surgical procedure to fix the fracture in his foot.

“We’re going to lose him for the rest of the year,” Bielema said Monday in his weekly media conference inside Gies Memorial Stadium. “Couldn’t be prouder of that kid. He’s a tough kid that has been impressive as soon as he popped into the Purdue game as a first-time starter last season.”

McMillen played 62 snaps until he suffered an injury with 10 minutes and 20 seconds left in what would eventually turn into a 31-27 loss to Duke last weekend. After McMillen hobbled into the injury tent and had his helmet taken away from him by the Illinois training staff, 23-year-old Dezmond Schuster subbed into the game for the final 11 snaps of action.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer There’s an […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 14, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Saturday’s home football game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and Duke Blue Devils provided several recruits an opportunity to experience game day in Champaign. For some, it was their first look at Illinois on a game day, while others returned after making previous visits.

For Zimbalist Griffin Jr., it was his first opportunity to take in the atmosphere at Illinois.

Griffin, a 5-foot-10 running back from Dyett High School in the Chicago area, made the trip to Champaign to experience his first Illinois game day. The 2028 prospect has already begun making college visits and attending camps as his recruitment develops.

IlliniGuys.com beat writer Matthew Stevens assesses the categories and overall aspect of the Illini’s home loss to Duke.

September 13, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — Long before he reached the podium inside Gies Memorial Stadium on Saturday evening, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema knew what kind of opportunity had been missed following a 31-27 loss to Duke that included everything he’s built this Illini program to not be about: penalties, turnovers and mental errors.

“There’s some things that could have easily been avoided,” Bielema said. “It’s just a shame. I apologize. To get a sellout here and have the kind of crowd that we did, winning is addictive. From players, coaches and fans, you get used to having success in those moments and when it doesn’t happen, you’re upset, you’re pissed, you’re mad, you’re angry and I definitely fall into that category myself.”

Run Offense
One of the few positive signs throughout this loss for Illinois is the idea that for the most part of the first three quarters, it would’ve likely not been noticeable that Illinois began this game down both of its starting guards from the opening week lineup.

The 31-27 loss to Duke on Saturday was a failure in the first chance for evidence that Illinois can win with this 3-3-5 scheme against power conference opponents.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 12, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — It’s three little words and one phrase that mean so much to the present and future of a new endeavor: Proof. Of. Concept.

Following the 31-27 loss to a Duke team without a game-changing quarterback, elite athletes at wide receiver and an offensive line that is still yet to allow a tackle for loss through two games of this 2026 season, Saturday was a jarring sign this product may not work in the real world.

Yes, of course, Illinois is just two games into this analytical change on the defensive side of the ball. Yes, everybody connected to the 3-3-5 would gladly say this type of transformation takes time (and lots of it) before success is consistently revealed.

The problem is this Illinois program doesn’t have the kind of time to go through a major rebuilding phase against the Duke’s, Michigan State’s, Purdue’s, Maryland’s, UCLA’s, Nebraska’s and Northwestern’s of this college football world.

By IlliniGuys Staff September 12, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Zeno Jo - IllliniGuys Staff Writer

September 12, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Zeno Jo/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN – Bret Bielema and co. seem to have their eyes trained on their quarterback of the future. A few months ago, the future of the position after current starter Katin Houser appeared to be in the hands of one Kamden Lopati, who has since decommitted and committed to Michigan.

Under the assumption that Houser is in Champaign for this year and this year alone, an in- house quarterback battle is expected to take place between underclassmen Carson Boyd and Michael Clayton. A gap remains in the class of 2028, with sights set on Greenwood, Indiana’s Oscar Sloan, who spoke with IlliniGuys’ Zeno Jo.

“It’s been pretty good,” Sloan said of the visit thus far. “Got to talk to Coach B, talked to Coach Art [Sitkowski], just excited to see their offense in action.”

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 12, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It’s GameDay in Champaign, and the Illini welcome the ACC’s Duke Blue Devils to Champaign with an important opportunity to host a group of potential recruits from several classes.

Last week’s game against UAB was played on a Thursday, making it difficult for many prospective recruits to make the trip to Champaign. With the Illini back home on a Saturday, the Illinois coaching staff has an opportunity to get several young prospects on campus and give them an up-close look at the program and the GameDay atmosphere at Gies Memorial Stadium.

At 25 years old, William Holmes has found a new perspective in his second sports endeavor after mentally and emotionally dealing with a minor league baseball career.

DUKE at ILLINOIS

Records: Duke 1-0; Illinois 1-0

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2025: 2:30 p.m. CST, Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Ill.

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 60,670

ODDS: Illinois by 5.5

Series notes: Illinois leads the all-time series 2-1 after the 45-19 victory in Durham last season where the Illini turned three second-half turnovers into 21 points for the blowout win. The last time the two schools played before last season was 1965 when the Illini won 28-14 seven years after Duke won 15-13 in the first-ever matchup in Durham. The Illini and Blue Devils are two of the most successful programs in power conference operations over the last two seasons, with Illinois registering 20 wins since 2024 and Duke having won 19 games in the same time period. Illinois is coming off back-to-back seasons of nine wins or more for the first time in program history. Duke won nine games in both 2024 and 2025, marking just the second time in program history Duke posted consecutive nine-win campaigns.

TV: FS1; Jack Kizer (play-by-play), Mark Helfrich (analyst)

Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (color analyst), Kevin Mitchell (sideline reporter), and Steve Kelly (pre/half/post). The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, SiriusXM 113/232, the SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com/live.
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By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — If there is anything his five-year minor league baseball career taught him, Will Holmes now knows the importance of internally celebrating the successes of a good rep, practice or game on the football field.

The journey for Holmes, a 25-year-old pass rusher for the Illini, has been a journey of learning how to accept past defeat, failure and physical injury in order to be the best athlete you can be for your present and, hopefully, future self.

One of the newest additions to the Illini football roster is an officially retired professional baseball player after being a fifth round selection in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft out of Western International High School in Detroit by the Los Angeles Angels. Five years of riding buses in Arizona, Utah, Montana, Idaho and California in front of crowds of barely 1,000 on some days/nights from ages 17-20 led Holmes, a promising dual-threat pitching and hitter prospect, to doing one thing he couldn’t handle - failure. In a sport where Hall of Fame players fail around seven times for every 10 at-bats and starting pitchers throw only about 55 percent strikes, Holmes can admit now he was not properly emotionally set up to fail as much as it is required for the start of a professional baseball career.

“It broke me. Professional baseball broke me and I had to find something to put myself back together mentally and physically,” Holmes said. “It was a low point in my life because I’d always been good at this thing and I never moved past why this was a struggle.”

September 11, 2026 The Illini face a big game […]