Notes: Brayden Trimble impressing early in traning camp

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Aug. 11—CHAMPAIGN — Brayden Trimble got popped on a crossing route during last Friday's practice at Gies Memorial Stadium.

Hard.

But it didn't keep the Illinois wide receiver off the field long.

Trimble was back in the mix for the Illini's Saturday afternoon practice to close out a strong opening week. The former Mount Zion star was named training camp MVP last week for his efforts both at wide receiver and on special teams.

"I think any time you have crossover like that, you've got a player," Illinois coach Bret Bielema said.

Trimble's strong start to training camp follows his late-spring return after a foot injury cost him the end of the 2025 season, including the Music City Bowl, and limited him during winter workouts and the early stages of spring practices. August momentum that could lead him into a bigger role in the offense after playing in just three games as a freshman.

"I saw it in the spring," Illinois wide receivers coach Justin Stepp said. "I saw it in the summer. Just the way he walks through the building you can tell he's got a confidence about himself. If I had his ability, I'd walk around here like I was the baddest dude in the building."

★ ★ ★

While Hudson Clement and Collin Dixon return after trailing only Hank Beatty last season in receptions and receiving yards, it will be a new-look group at wide receiver for Illinois this fall.

Beatty is trying to earn a roster spot with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent. Justin Bowick (Oklahoma State), Malik Elzy (LSU) and Ashton Hollins (Georgia Southern) all transferred.

While Illinois hit the portal to bring on multiple transfers this offseason, Stepp is leaning on Clement and Dixon to lead the room. Clement has been decked out in the green injury jersey so far in training camp, but the way he ended the 2025 season gives Stepp reason to expect out of the 6-foot-1, 215-pound fifth-year receiver.

"We had a moment last year, me and him, where I just showed him a bunch of plays," Stepp said. "I said, 'Hey, man, I know it's in there.' It just clicked, and he finally got it. Everything you do affects how you play on the football field. I'm a firm believer in that. He started handling his business off the field. He started handling his business in the classroom. It took off on the football field.

"I think he's got a lot of confidence. He's comfortable in the offense, which helps tremendously. Hudson's over there coaching the receivers if I can't get them. He's comfortable, he's not thinking as much and he's just going and playing."

★ ★ ★

Pat Farrell is doing his own version of going and playing on the Illinois defensive line. The 6-5, 285-pound junior has taken what he learned from former defensive line coach Terrance Jamison (now with the Buffalo Bills) and stacked what he's gleaned from new defensive line coach Jordan Thomas.

"They're pretty similar," Farrell said about his previous and current position coaches. "It's really all about eyes, hands, feet and finish. At the end of the day, that's what D-line is and that's what they preach."

Farrell, who projects to start on the Illinois defensive line alongside Darrell Prater and Joe Barna feels like he's well suited for new coordinator Bobby Hauck's 3-3-5 defense.

"It's fun," Farrell said. "It's fun to get vertical and be physical. That's kind of how I played in high school and different than last year. It's going to be fun to watch."

★ ★ ★

Illinois has almost always had a veteran backup quarterback during Bielema's tenure in Champaign.

The Illini added Art Sitkowski ahead of the 2021 season to compete with Brandon Peters, and he wound up splitting time with Peters before backing up Tommy DeVito in 2022. Then John Paddock was added in the same transfer class as Luke Altmyer ahead of the 2023 season as quarterback insurance. Ethan Hampton filled a similar role last fall, albeit playing far, far less than Paddock did in his lone season in Champaign.

The 2024 season stood alone as a season without a veteran backup until Illinois decided it was good with sophomore Carson Boyd and freshman Michael Clayton II competing to back up East Carolina transfer Katin Houser.

The Illini didn't need much of Donovan Leary in 2024. How much Boyd or Clayton might play this fall is entirely situational.

"Talent is not the question," said Sitkowski, who is now Illinois' quarterbacks coach. "It's just the ability to play winning football consistently, each and every day in how Coach Bielema sets the vision, how (offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.) sets the vision and how (pass game coordinator Mike Neu) sets the vision. It's our job to bring that to life each and every single day.

"Playing quarterback is more than just throwing an Okie route or a comeback. It's playing winning football on a consistent, every single day basis. It's your footwork. It's your progressions. It's your confidence. It's your conviction. Also, it's having an understanding of situational football and situational awareness."

Boyd is the only quarterback on the Illinois roster that was also on the roster last season. The former Cardinal Ritter (Mo.) star did not play in any games in 2025.

"When you ask Carson a question, he immediately fires it back at you," Sitkowski said. "Experience is the greatest teacher. As you play quarterback, you build more and more reps and more and more times you see things. It's great Carson is kind of using his experience in year one in the system in year two."

★ ★ ★

Tywan Cox was on the verge of a training camp breakout about this time last year. The then-freshman cornerback had positioned himself for a spot on the two-deep, competing with veteran corners Juice Clarke, Kaleb Patterson and Torrie Cox Jr. (his older brother) for snaps.

Then an old high school shoulder injury resurfaced the same day Cox started getting reps among the No. 2 cornerbacks. The 5-10, 190-pound Florida native was ultimately ruled out of the season before it even started.

A year later, Cox is producing the same kind of training camp buzz. Clarke and Jakwon Morris might have the inside track as Illinois' starting cornerbacks, but Cox is pushing for a real role in year two with little evidence he missed the entire 2025 season with an injury.

"The dude is consistent to see that he's been managing the physicality of his game. A dude comes back from a shoulder (injury), sometimes they may be hesitant on what it is they're doing. Not that dude. He's physically attacking guys in press. He's physically attacking guys in blocking structure. His disregard for his body is similar to Torie — just bigger."

★ ★ ★

Bielema's role on the FBS Oversight Committee gets him in the room when decisions are made that affect college football. It also provides him an avenue to push for changes he thinks would be positive.

That's where Bielema broached the idea of expanding the travel roster in the Big Ten with fellow committee member and Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft. Bielema also discussed the idea at the conference level with Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and Big Ten vice president for football operations A.J. Edds.

Approval for Bielema's proposed change came right before Illinois opened training camp, with Big Ten travel rosters expanded from 74 to 80 players.

"We had to wait until all the ADs were together, and fortunately/unfortunately they had been concentrating a lot on the government things they've had to deal with lately. It kept getting pushed back and pushed back, and then we got cleared. I'm super psyched. I put it in the Big Ten chat group and got good responses."

★ ★ ★

Jacob Eberhart was recruited by Illinois as a potential heir apparent to Matthew Bailey. The 2026 season is Bailey's last in Champaign. The veteran defensive back's role in the Illini defense — now the hybrid safety/linebacker "Chief" position in Hauck's defensive system — is a vital one.

Eberhart taking over for Bailey in 2027 was seen as a real possibility.

It still might be even with the 6-4, 220-pound freshman moving to wide receiver this season.

"Nothing permanent," Bielema said. "I told our offense he's on a six-month lease with a 12-month option. We'll see how that one goes."

The impetus to moving Ebehart to wide receiver was rooted in the fact he wasn't fully healthy this summer. While he returned as a partial participant in practice Saturday — while getting reps at his new position — Bielema said he wouldn't likely receive full clearance until the first week of September.

"Sometimes, it's a little easier, offensively, to learn things quicker," Bielema added. "We're going to see what that looks like."

Eberhart might have been recruited as a defensive player — and was one of Illinois' highest profile recruits in the Class of 2026 after beating out Alabama, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma — but he has experience on offense. In three seasons on varsity for Kirkwood (Mo.), Eberhart totaled 102 catches for 1,899 yards and 25 touchdowns. He caught 51 passes for 912 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior for the Pioneers.

"It's something I had been kind of thinking about," Bielema said about moving Eberhart last week. "I know my offensive coaches have definitely been in my ear about it. I went in and had a conversation with my defensive coaches, and they definitely didn't want to go down that road. But on the flip side, Matt's a very accomplished player and we probably have 2-3 guys that can back him up and play very good football."

Bielema said he told Eberhart about the change on Friday.

"One of my missions as a head coach was always to, if a player could help us win games, why is he standing on the sidelines?" Bielema said. "That's what I told Jacob (on Friday night). He was smiling ear to ear. I think he'd love to have the ball in his hands. He loves playing defense — I think he'll return — but if he goes over there and has great success, it's definitely a conversation we'll have."

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