Illinois has plenty of bench options, but one reserve stands out above the rest: Zvonimir Ivisic.
That may sound strange for a player with starter-level tools sitting behind the first five, yet that is exactly what makes him such a weapon for Brad Underwood’s team. Illinois appears loaded again, and the depth chart is packed with players who can matter. Still, Ivisic brings a different kind of value because of what he does at the rim and what he allows the Illini to do everywhere else.
He is already considered one of the top rim protectors in college basketball, and that showed up last season when he led the team with 1.9 blocks per game. At 7-foot-2, he changes the geometry of the floor.
Drivers have to hesitate. Shots get altered.
Offenses have to think twice before attacking the paint.
That kind of presence is usually reserved for a team’s starting center. Illinois gets to keep it in reserve.
The biggest payoff, though, is the stability he gives the Illini in the middle. Strong play at center matters for a team with championship hopes, and Ivisic offers insurance that goes beyond simple depth.
The source notes that other players on the roster could, in theory, be replaced to some extent if injury hits. But if his brother goes down, Zvonimir is really the only option available to fill that spot.
That kind of security opens up more lineup flexibility and gives Illinois more room to mix and match without losing its defensive structure. And with so many top teams carrying deep rotations, every bench player on this roster will need to do more than just hold things together if Illinois wants to chase a national title in Champaign.
In Other News...
Illinois May Have Found A New Way To Use Kaden Feagin
Bret Bielema used Big Ten Media Days to put a little more shape around one of Illinois more intriguing offseason experiments, as Kaden Feagin shifts from running back to tight end. Feagin has been one of the more productive players on the roster over the past three seasons, but the move gives the Illini a different kind of weapon to think about, one that could change how defenses account for him.
Feagin has already signaled hes embracing the change, even trading the No. 3 he wore as a back for No. 83. Bielemas comments suggested this wasnt a casual position tweak, either, and the early indication is that Illinois sees real potential in giving Feagin a new role that could open up even more for an offense that has valued his production. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois-Missouri Rivalry Is Back But One Big Piece Is Still Missing
The old border rivalry is coming back onto the Illinois football calendar, but one important detail still needs to be sorted out. Athletics director Josh Whitman confirmed the 2027 non-conference meeting with Missouri is set in principle, yet the site for that first game has not been determined.
Both schools still plan to reopen the series with a neutral-site matchup in 2027 before shifting to home games, with Illinois set to host in 2028 and Missouri in 2029. The matchup was renewed in 2017, but conference realignment and other administrative changes pushed the timeline around, leaving the return of the rivalry intact even if the opening chapter is not fully written yet. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Enters Camp With One Big Question Over Its New-Look Team
Illinois football is back at Gies Memorial Stadium for 2026 training camp, and the timing could hardly be more important after Big Ten Media Days. This is not the same roster that finished last season, and not the same staff structure, either. The Illini are sorting through a new quarterback, a reworked offensive line and a defense preparing to operate in Bobby Haucks 3-3-5 system, all while trying to turn a roster full of unfamiliar pieces into something cohesive before the real games arrive.
Bret Bielema has framed the early part of camp as a matter of handling the daily grind, leaning into the challenge of learning a new team as much as building one. For Illinois, the big question is not just who fills the obvious vacancies, but how quickly so many moving parts can settle into rhythm. In a league where September can expose hesitation fast, the Illini have to use these practices to find more than answers. They have to find an identity. [Read more 🡒]