Bret Bielema used Tuesday’s media session to clear up a few things about Illinois’ roster with the season opener against UAB on September 3rd getting closer.
The biggest update came on the injury front, and it wasn’t a good one for true freshman Davon Grant. Bielema said the wide receiver will be medically ineligible this season after the program was never able to get him cleared.
“We had some things medically,” Bielema said. “We were never able to clear that hurdle.”
Grant arrived in Champaign in January as a three-star receiver in the class of 2026, but Bielema made it clear he won’t suit up for the Illini.
“He won’t be able to play for us here at Illinois,” Bielema said.
Bielema also said the staff has made sure Grant knows he has support.
“We’ve expressed to him that we’re here for him in any way,” Bielema said.
There was better news on offensive lineman Dezmond Schuster. The sixth-year senior was cleared recently after missing spring work.
“I know Dez Schuster wasn’t with us in the Spring,” Bielema said. “He didn’t get cleared until the summer started.
Schuster also has another year available in Champaign after receiving a waiver for an extension of his time.
“He got a waiver for an extension of his time,” Bielema said.
Bielema then turned to a couple of notable position moves, starting with Jershaun Newton. The younger brother of former Illinois star Johnny Newton came in as a quarterback and spent last season there, but he’ll now work at wide receiver for the 2026 season.
“He’s had the majority of the summer to put himself in that position,” Bielema said. “He can help us win games.”
Bielema added that there were three quarterbacks ahead of Newton, which helped make the move a practical one. Newton, who is six feet even, is expected to run with the twos.
“He’s going to be running with the twos,” Bielema said of Newton.
It’s a move Illinois has made before. Bielema pointed to Isaiah Williams, who was shifted from quarterback to wide receiver several years ago and is now making a name for himself returning punts and kickoffs in the NFL.
Illinois also has a new look on the defensive side. Utah State transfer Will Holmes is moving from linebacker to defensive end.
“We moved him to defensive end,” Bielema said.
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound junior transfer will be used in multiple ways, though Bielema said he’ll spend most of his time with the defensive line.
“He’ll live in the d-line room, but do a variety of different things for us,” Bielema said.
Holmes started seven games at Utah State last season and finished with 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one interception.
In Other News...
Illinois Takes An Unexpected Receiver Hit Before 2026 Even Begins
Illinois got an unwelcome roster note before the calendar even turns to 2026, with Bret Bielema saying wide receiver Davon Grant is dealing with medical issues that have kept him off the field. Grant will stay at Illinois to continue his education, but his football future with the program is now on pause, leaving the situation in limbo as the team moves forward without a clear timeline.
For Illinois, the immediate concern is depth rather than panic. The Illini have other wideout options in place to help absorb the loss, but Grants absence still takes away a player the staff had hoped to have available. For now, it is another reminder that roster planning can change quickly, even before a season has a chance to get started. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Is Using Final Four Pain As Fuel For Something Bigger
The sting from the Final Four is still close enough for Illinois to use it as a lesson, and David Mirkovic was willing to say out loud what made the gap feel so large. In reflecting on the loss to UConn, he pointed to the Huskies advantage in handling those championship moments, the kind of know-how that can tilt a game when the pressure rises and every possession starts to feel heavier.
For Illinois, the takeaway is less about regret than about what comes next. Jake Davis also looked back on the way the game unfolded, and Mirkovic said he believes this group is better than the way it performed in that setting, with the expectation that future big games will be approached differently. The Final Four loss clearly still hurts, but it also has a chance to become part of the programs edge. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Is Taking An Early Gamble To Fix Its Receiver Depth
Illinois summer reshuffle at receiver has already produced one of the more notable position switches of camp, with Bret Bielema saying Jershaun Newton has been working at wide receiver since early June. The move comes as Illinois tries to patch a depth chart hole on the outside, and Newton, a three-star recruit out of Clearwater Catholic High School, gives the staff another option as it sorts through the rotation.
The timing matters because the Illini have been looking for bodies at the position after Davon Grants departure left the room thinner than expected. Newton is expected to be part of the wide receiver mix this season, and while the transition is still early, Illinois is clearly betting it can accelerate the process before the pressure of the fall schedule arrives. [Read more 🡒]