CHAMPAIGN - Will Holmes didn’t exactly jump at the idea when Bret Bielema first moved him from MIKE linebacker to defensive line. The Utah State transfer knew it was another major adjustment in a stretch already packed with them: he had gone from minor league baseball to football, from a first-time player to someone learning the game, and from the Mountain West to the Big Ten.
The hesitation made sense. Holmes admitted the switch meant starting over in a different part of the playbook, with a different set of responsibilities.
"I was a little skeptical and scared because I'd have to learn a whole new side of the playbook and stuff," Holmes said. "The MIKE position has totally different job responsibilities and stuff than the end. So that was the only scary part."
Bielema, who coached defensive line and outside linebackers in the NFL, saw it differently. He told Holmes that the coverage work required at MIKE linebacker didn’t fit his skill set, and that Holmes could help the Illini more by attacking the backfield.
"He said, 'I think you're really a defensive lineman. I don't think the coverage stuff is your game,' and I agree with him," Holmes said.
"I'm much better going forward than going backwards. So it's been a good move so far, and I've been doing really well."
Now, after several months at the position and a training camp that has brought praise from Illinois coaches, the 24-year-old appears comfortable in his new home. Holmes has moved into a prominent spot in a defensive line rotation that enters the season with more uncertainty than answers after an offseason of departures.
On Saturday, he was on the second team for most of the open practice and mixed in with the first unit behind starters Pat Farrell and Joe Barna.
In Other News...
Illinois Recruiting Surge Just Reached A Different Level
Brad Underwood has Illinois back in a familiar place on the recruiting trail, but the group on campus this week signals a different kind of momentum. The Illini are hosting multiple Class of 2027 prospects, including two five-star recruits and one four-star talent, and all three are ranked among the top 30 nationally by 247Sports. For a program already sitting with the No. 5 recruiting class in the country, it is another sign that Illinois is not just chasing elite talent, it is getting them to seriously consider Champaign.
The early class foundation already includes two committed four-star players, and Illinois has kept the broader board active with 26 offers out to other prospects. What makes this stretch so notable is the caliber of the visitors Underwood is bringing in this early, a group that can change the ceiling of a class if the Illini can keep building on it. The attention now turns to whether this visit can help Illinois turn a strong start into something even bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Still Has One Big Mirkovic Question Heading Into The Season
David Mirkovic is still part of the conversation as Illinois gets closer to the season, and the latest update offers at least some relief after a summer foot injury raised real concern inside the program. The key piece for the Illini is that he is currently expected to be available for regular season games, which matters for a team that could use his presence in the backcourt and on the ball.
The lingering issue, though, is whether the injury will hang around enough to affect him once games start counting. Illinois has other options if it does, with Stefan Vaaks and Quentin Coleman among the ball handlers who could see expanded roles, but Mirkovic's status remains one of the bigger preseason variables to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Fans Just Got An Unexpected Knapik Twist Up Front
A promising addition up front has taken an unexpected turn for Illinois, but Ayden Knapik is still very much part of the program. After transferring in, Knapik suffered a knee injury in January and medically retired from playing football, shifting his role from competitor to teacher as he now works as a student offensive line assistant while finishing his degree.
The change keeps him close to the same room where his football future once seemed headed, and it comes with an added layer for Illini fans watching the offensive line this fall. His younger brother, Nathan Knapik, is expected to open the season as Illinois starting right tackle, giving the family a new connection to the position group Ayden can still help guide from the sideline. [Read more 🡒]