Illinois has already learned plenty about itself in two weeks, but the biggest lessons still feel unfinished. With Bobby Hauck installed as defensive coordinator, half the roster turned over and Katin Houser now running the offense in place of Luke Altmyer, the Illini opened 2026 with a long list of unknowns.
Some of those questions have started to take shape. Others are only getting louder.
Saturday’s matchup with Southern Illinois is the next chance to get answers.
The most obvious issue is on the ground. Illinois averaged just 3.5 yards per carry against Duke last week, and that number was helped along by Houser’s scrambling and a passing game that hummed for roughly three quarters.
Week 1 didn’t offer much more encouragement. If you remove Ca’Lil Valentine’s 51-yard touchdown run, he finished with 10 carries for 37 yards, including a separate 17-yard burst.
Aidan Laughery averaged only 3.6 yards per carry, and Jordan Anderson managed 1.7.
The offensive line has held up well in pass protection - Houser has not been sacked through two games - but Illinois needs a cleaner push in the run game if it wants this offense to function the way it needs to in Big Ten play.
Southern Illinois could make that test more interesting than it looks. The Salukis have allowed 2.6 and 1.3 yards per carry against their first two opponents of 2026, respectively.
Defensively, the bigger concern is whether Illinois is really tackling better than it looked. Hauck said after the Duke game, “Our tackling was significantly better.
In fact, it was darn good for most of the game.” Bret Bielema also seemed encouraged by what he saw.
That optimism is hard to square with the actual tape, unless the staff is simply trying to keep confidence steady inside the locker room.
If the tackling really was cleaner, then the Salukis probably won’t be able to expose much. If it wasn’t, Illinois could be in for another messy afternoon.
Southern Illinois may be an FCS team, but it’s not going to hand over easy yards if Illini defenders are missing tackles, getting caught out of position, or failing to get off blocks. And if the breakdowns keep coming from anyone not named Matthew Bailey, the consequences could get ugly fast.
That’s especially true with what’s coming next. Illinois is 1-2 after the program’s worst loss since at least the 2023 season finale, a home defeat to Northwestern, and Ohio State waits in Week 4. Another slip against Southern Illinois would push the Illini closer to a full-on unraveling.
There’s also the passing game, where the numbers tell a pretty clear story. Houser has thrown six touchdowns and 453 yards, and Collin Dixon has caught five of those scores and 236 of those yards. That’s a massive share, and it’s not sustainable as the whole passing offense.
Dixon has been terrific, and the connection with Houser is real. But once Duke started shading extra attention his way, the Illinois passing game stalled out.
Hudson Clement was steady with four catches for 45 yards, yet he needs more after dealing with an injury during fall camp. Brayden Trimble, now in the WR3 role with Jayshon Platt out, has to give the offense more as a sophomore.
And at tight end, Kaden Feagin and the rest of that group need to make more of a mark through the air, even if that position is not always a central part of Illinois’ passing attack.
Southern Illinois gives all of them one more chance to settle in and build some momentum before the real grind begins in Columbus.
In Other News...
Illinois Has A Real Shot In One Massive Recruiting Battle
Illinois basketball is getting another major look from one of the countrys most coveted young forwards this weekend, when five-star prospect Bentley Lusakueno comes in for an official visit. The 2028 class standout has quickly built a national profile, ranking as the No. 6 overall player and No. 3 power forward in his class while already drawing interest from 20 Division I programs.
Lusakuenos recruiting trail has picked up even more momentum since he transferred to IMG Academy for his junior year, a move that tends to put prospects under an even brighter spotlight. Illinois will be trying to make a strong impression in a race that has already included trips to Tennessee and Vanderbilt, with Iowa also on the schedule, and the way this visit goes could go a long way in shaping where the battle stands next. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Frontcourt Hype Comes With One Huge Concern
David Mirkovic arrives in Champaign with the kind of resume that naturally gets attention. The freshman averaged 13.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season, and EvanMiya slotted him No. 10 on its top 30 players list, a sign of how much optimism is building around Illinois frontcourt entering the season. Add in the presence of Tomislav Ivisic at No. 15 and Zvonimir Ivisic at No. 19, and it is easy to see why there is buzz about the Illini having a group that can impact both ends of the floor.
The concern, though, is just as obvious: Mirkovics defensive rating was the lowest among the top 10, which makes his development on that side of the ball a key storyline to watch. His increased athleticism and agility could help him close that gap, but a foot injury could also limit what he can do early on, and Illinois needs the whole frontcourt intact for the upside to really show. If the health piece cooperates, the Illini may have the type of depth and versatility in the paint that can change the tone of their season. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Has No Room For Another Flat Performance This Week
Illinois came out of the rankings after a home loss to Duke, an early stumble that shifted the tone around the 2026 season in a hurry. Now the schedule offers one last non-conference tune-up at Gies Memorial Stadium against Southern Illinois, and there is not much room left for a sluggish start or another uneven afternoon.
Collin Dixon and Katin Houser are among the Illinois pieces expected to help steady things on offense, while Southern Illinois brings its own threats in quarterback DJ Williams and receiver Kyle Thomas. It is the kind of matchup that should give Illinois a chance to reset before league play, but only if the Illini bring the urgency that was missing last week. [Read more 🡒]