Bret Bielema gave Illinois a far more revealing injury update than he usually does Monday, and the timing could matter with Purdue coming to town this week.
After keeping things close to the vest before the Ohio State game, Bielema laid out a clearer picture five days ahead of the Illini’s 3:15 p.m. CT matchup with the Boilermakers on BTN. The biggest immediate concern is Champ Smith, the freshman lineman who earned a starting role against Ohio State and played well before getting hurt.
“We lost Champ in that game,” Bielema said of Champ Smith, a freshman lineman whose praises the Illini coaching staff have been singing and who stepped into a starting role on Saturday against the Buckeyes. Smith played well before exiting because of an injury.
“He got rolled up on in the bottom of a pile,” Bielema said. “Got twisted actually.
He probably won’t be with us this week. But otherwise everyone else coming back from that.
Got Daniel Brown out there this week.
“We should get Maika [Matelau] and Brandon Henderson. They’ve both been cleared for Tuesday’s practice.
Obviously, they’re going to have to practice and do well. And then I think Jasyhon [Platt] should get involved with us on Tuesday or Wednesday as well.
Get a couple guys back with us.”
That update points to a line that may finally be getting healthier. Smith is likely out for the Purdue game, and reserve TJ McMillen is done for the season, but Illinois’ opening starting five could be back together against the Boilermakers.
That would be a welcome development against a Purdue front that has produced only six sacks and allowed 5.5 rushing yards per carry through four games. If Matelau and Henderson are ready in Week 5, Illinois should have a strong shot at its best offensive line performance of the season.
Brown is another name worth watching. The linebacker returned Saturday after a long absence, though his workload against Ohio State was limited. Even so, Illinois appears to be easing him back in, and a fuller version of Brown would give the second level of the defense a needed boost.
Platt could also become an important piece. The Florida Atlantic transfer was a preseason selection for both the Biletnikoff Award watch list and the Jet Award watch list, but he has not yet played in an Illinois uniform. Bielema’s update suggests that could change soon, adding more experience and potential production to the Illini.
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Illinois Is Already Building Momentum With An In-State 2028 Safety
Illinois has already started making an early impression on one of the states emerging defensive backs. Zen Cambric, a Class of 2028 safety, was on campus during a recent game and got a closer look at the program while also spending time in conversation with Illinois coaches. For a recruit still so early in the process, those kinds of visits can matter, especially when they come with direct feedback on his playing style and physique.
Cambric already has two Division I offers, and the Illini are part of a recruiting path that is only beginning to take shape. He plans to see several other schools as he works through his options, so there is a long way to go before anything is decided. Still, Illinois getting involved this early, and doing so with an in-state defender, is exactly the kind of groundwork the staff wants to lay as it keeps building around the next few classes. [Read more 🡒]