Illinois looks to regroup amid injuries, defensive changes ahead of Michigan State
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Champaign, Ill — Five games into the season, Illinois football finds itself in territory not seen since the pre-Bielema era.
After a more-than-disappointing 2-3 start, the Fighting Illini are searching for answers as they prepare to try to mount a better second half of the season.
Despite all of the recent disappointment and turnover, Head Coach Bret Bielema remains confident in his approach.
During his weekly press conference, Bielema addressed the team’s disappointing record, a major backfield injury and the progress made under Illinois’ revamped defensive coaching staff.
No doubt in Bielema
Although Illinois has struggled to find consistency through five games, Bielema made it clear he has no plans to abandon the principles that have guided his coaching career.
“There isn’t going to be anything that I’m going to change or do differently going into week six that I’ve done in the first five weeks or in the last 17 years,” Bielema said.
If Bielema says he won’t do anything he hasn’t done in the first five weeks, then that doesn’t make me feel confident heading into Michigan State.
Considering that Illinois’ Defensive Coordinator Bobby Hauck exited after just four games in Champaign, I’d say there have been a lot of changes in the first five weeks.
Sure, Bielema might have just been pointing to his day-to-day philosophy on coaching, but to insinuate that there haven’t been and won’t be any major changes doesn’t really match how this season has gone.
Despite the 2-3 record, the Illini could very well be 4-1, with the Duke and Purdue games not going Illinois’ direction.
“We’re a two-and-three football program that has lost two … one-score games that could have easily gone the other direction if we just executed a little bit better in all three phases,” Bielema said.
However, losing to a Purdue program that hadn’t won a Big Ten game since 2023 seems like a bigger problem than just executing a little better in certain places.
The post-Hauck defense
After Hauck’s departure, Roger Cooper has taken on an expanded role in the defense, focusing on communication and limiting mistakes.
Bielema pointed to a significant reduction in what the coaching staff calls “DBOs,” or “don’t beat ourselves” plays, as evidence of progress.
“One of the biggest ones was just plays we call DBOs, which are don’t beat ourselves, and he [Cooper] basically cut that number in half last week with our defense,” Bielema said.
The stat feels like a grasp at some type of moral win for an Illinois defense that doesn’t have much to show for this season.
Under Hauck, the Illini defense’s communication was clearly lacking. So, after the former Montana head coach left, Illinois combined position groups in meeting rooms to help players better understand assignments and defensive calls.
Although the defense still struggled with execution in critical moments against Purdue, Bielema believes the changes could produce further improvement.
“I think the encouraging signs of last week showed up on Saturday, but I think there’s more to come and that’s what I’m banking on,” Bielema said.
Valentine’s season-ending injury creates opportunities
Illinois will be without running back Ca’lil Valentine for the remainder of the season after Bielema confirmed he would undergo season-ending surgery.
The injury hurts even more considering the flashes of talent Valentine has shown, and that it was his first season getting consistent carries as an Illini.
Bielema said Valentine faces a lengthy recovery process but expressed optimism that he could return by the summer.
His absence will create additional opportunities in the backfield, particularly for Aiden Laughery and Jordan Anderson, while younger players could also see expanded roles.
Bielema specifically mentioned true freshman Javari Barnett as a player who could become more involved moving forward.
“I expect him to be more involved this week,” Bielema said.
The Illini have already begun incorporating younger players into the rotation, including on special teams, as the coaching staff searches for additional contributors.
As bad as it is with Valentine sidelined for the season, the injury gives Aiden Laughery a big opportunity to become Illinois’ true number one back.
The orange and blue will be asking a lot of Laughery as they look to revive their rushing attack.
Looking ahead
Illinois will now turn its attention to Michigan State. The Illini will travel to East Lansing on Saturday for their second road trip of the season.
Now that the Illini have had more time to process the departure of Bobby Hauck, logic would suggest Saturday could be better than Purdue.
However, only time will tell.
Illinois will travel to Michigan State for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff Saturday, with the game airing on FS1.
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