Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 8 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Anyone wondering why Illinois stum- bled to a five-win season after looking like it was well ahead of schedule in 2022 need only look at the team's defensive showing. The Illini led the FBS in scoring de- fense in coach Bret Bielema's second season in Champaign, allowing only 11.2 points per game, but they gave up 29.4 last fall, ranking 93rd in the FBS. The nadir didn't arrive until the final day of the campaign, when Illinois gave up a season-high 45 points in a loss to North- western that ended its hopes of achiev- ing bowl eligibility. Now the Illini need to patch their holes, and they'll need to do it without one of the best players in the program's recent history, with Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Jer'Zhan Newton off to the NFL as a second-round draft pick. Much will depend on how transfer linemen Dennis Briggs Jr. and Enyce Sledge fare after arriving from Florida State and Auburn, respectively. Briggs made 10 starts in three seasons with the Seminoles, while Sledge, a three-star recruit in the class of 2022 according to On3, played in two games as a redshirt freshman with the Tigers last fall. There's less rebuilding to do at the sec- ond and third levels. Last year's starting linebacker corps returns intact, with ju- niors Gabe Jacas and Dylan Rosiek and senior Seth Coleman giving the Illini plenty of game experience to draw on. Three starters are back in the second- ary, notably junior safety Miles Scott, the team's second-leading tackler with 63 stops in 2023. The Illini are also looking to bounce back on offense after ranking 81st in the FBS in scoring at 24.5 points per game. Junior quarterback Luke Altmyer needs to take the next step in his development after losing the starting job late last sea- son. Altmyer completed 64.8 percent of his attempts for 1,883 yards. He tossed only 13 touchdown passes, and his 10 interceptions — 4 of which came against Penn State — were the second-most in the Big Ten. Altmyer will be without his favorite target, with Isiah Williams gone after catching a league-high 82 passes last year, but the Illini bring back senior Pat Bryant, who had 43 receptions for 560 yards and led the team with 7 touchdown grabs. The interior offensive line positions could be a strength, with returnees at center (junior Josh Kreutz) and both guard spots (junior Josh Gesky, senior Zy Crisler). Also, the Illini landed a promis- ing tackle out of the portal in senior J.C. Davis, a two-year starter at New Mexico. If the line comes together as hoped, the big beneficiaries will be sophomore running back Kaden Feagin, who gained 438 yards as a reserve in 2023, and of course Bielema, who is looking to get the Illini moving forward again after last year's misstep. — Matt Herb S E P T . 2 8 | T I M E T B A | T V T B A | B E A V E R S T A D I U M | S T A T E C O L L E G E , P A . Kaden Feagin was an honorable mention All-Big Ten choice after rushing for 438 yards and 2 touchdowns as a freshman last fall. PHOTO COURTESY ILLINOIS ATHLETICS GAME 4 ILLINOIS BEST-CASE SCENARIO A more poised and experienced Luke Alt- myer under center could help Illinois com- mit fewer turnovers than the 23 it surren- dered last year, transforming a few of those one-score losses (three in 2023) into wins. WORST-CASE SCENARIO Illinois' substantial transfer losses — 21 players entered the portal during the spring window — could outweigh the gains and keep the Illini out of the postseason for the second year in a row. 2024 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2023 Result Aug. 29 Eastern Illinois — Sept. 7 Kansas L, 34-23 Sept. 14 Central Michigan — Sept. 20 at Nebraska L, 20-7 Sept. 28 at Penn State L, 30-13 Oct. 12 Purdue L, 44-19 Oct. 19 Michigan — Oct. 26 at Oregon — Nov. 2 Minnesota W, 27-26 Nov. 16 Michigan State — Nov. 23 at Rutgers — Nov. 30 Northwestern L, 45-43 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Penn State leads 21-6 Last Meeting: Penn State intercepted Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer four times en route to a 30-13 victory in Champaign on Sept. 16, 2023 Head Coach: Bret Bielema (18-19 in three seasons at Illinois; career coaching record: 115-77) 2023 Record: 5-7, 3-6 Big Ten Returning Starters: 11 (5 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist) RETURNING LEADERS Rushing: RB Kaden Feagin (438 yards, 2 TD) Passing: QB Luke Altmyer (1,883 yards, 13 TD) Receiving: WR Pat Bryant (560 yards, 7 TD) Tackles: LB Dylan Rosiek (82) Sacks: LB Seth Coleman (6) Interceptions: S Miles Scott, CB Xavier Scott (2)