CHAMPAIGN – There’s the second-year starting quarterback, something rare for Illini football these days. Brandon Peters played his best ball down the stretch last season, his first year in the program after a late-summer transfer from Michigan,
Then there’s Josh Imatorbhebhe, the massive wide receiver who hooked up with Peters on a fourth and 17 on a pass play that eventually led to the game-winning touchdown at Michigan State and the program’s first bowl berth in five seasons.
Luke Ford can’t wait to line up at tight end for Illinois. Whether showing his value as a target downfield or helping the run game as the best blocking tight end on the Illini roster, Ford doesn’t have to wait much longer to play for the Illini after his transfer from Georgia last season.
A running game that’s been one of the best in the Big Ten West over the last few years, despite last year’s drop off, heads into the season with an untested lineup but plenty of potential, behind Mike Epstein, Chase Brown and newcomer Reggie Love, the St. Louis freshman who might be the future star at the position. Even without Reggie Corbin and Dre Brown, the playcallers like the talent in the running backs room and the potential for big plays.
The offensive line might start five players from the state of Illinois, an unusual stat, after surgery left Wofford transfer Blake Jeresaty out of action this fall.
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With depth at most positions and newcomers who could be difference-makers, Illinois offensive coordinator Rod Smith no longer shuffles his depth chart looking for capable playmakers, like he did when first arriving three years ago.
With coach Lovie Smith predicting this is the best product he’s put on the field in his fifth years on the job, this is also could be the best Illini offense in Lovie’s tenure.
“We’re definitely starting to fill in the pieces through our recruiting,’’ Rod Smith said. “A part of our recruiting is hitting the transfer market. That’s part of our philosophy. We have definitely added pieces to, I think, make us more well-rounded. From a talent standpoint, we’re excited about that.
“It’s new faces and new places for some people. At the same time, it’s our job to get everyone jelling and playing as one.’’
With Peters’ return, the Illini have a quarterback getting more comfortable with the system and a coordinator more excited about the possibilities. While he missed a spring season to get more acquainted to Smith’s system, Peters took advantage of extra time over the past six months to learn though meetings with Smith.
“He’s bigger, stronger, faster,’’ Smith said. “He came in ready to go. He was playing his best ball toward the end of last season. He was getting more comfortable. Right now, he’s in complete command of what we’re trying to do.’’
Behind Peters, Matt Robinson and Isaiah Williams are the leading candidates as the backup. But Smith wasn’t prepared to say who’s leading that race. It could still change a few times before the season opener.
With Corbin and Brown gone from last year’s team, there are some questions to answer from those guys in the running backs room.
“Those two guys carried a lot of the load last year,’’ Smith said. “You have to replace that productivity. Ra’Von Bonner elected to opt out. Those guys had the majority of the reps.’’
Mike Epstein has been unable to complete a season without injury, and Chase Brown is a transfer from Western Michigan who was among the players to watch after a handful of practices. Jakari Norwood and Nick Fedanzo also compete for carries, but the guy in the spotlight is Love, the St. Louis Trinity product who wouldn’t be a surprise if he takes over the job.
Smith wasn’t ready to go there and place big expectations on the young man. That’s OK. The analysts on the sidelines and the folks in the stands will handle that chore.
“He’s still learning,’’ Smith said. “There is going to be a maturation process that happens. There is some development that needs to happen mentally and physically for any true freshman to play. Whether Reggie is the guy or not, what he does bolsters the room with the talent we have already in there.’’
With Jeresaty sidelined, it’s time for Verdis Brown or Jordan Slaughter to take over the right guard position, Smith said.
Meanwhile, Ford is making the hype sound so real.
“He’s big, strong, physical young man who really catches the ball well, possesses the ball very well,’’ Smith said. “He has tremendous ball skills with his catching ability. He has soft hands and a knack to get open. He’ll probably be our best run blocker we have at tight end. He can help the running game and get vertical in the passing game.’’
Incoming transfers will likely serve as guys to watch once again. Receivers Brian Hightower and Desmond Dan caught Smith’s attention. Hightower, a transfer from Miami, and Dan, a transfer from New Mexico State., provide depth behind Imatorbhebhe and sophomore Casey Washington on the outside.
With the depth at tight end and running back, Smith now has more pieces and more players to push the development forward.
“You can throw more than one unit of skill players out there,’’ Smith said.
That’s different from those days three years ago when he first took a look at the Illini roster, when the glass was more half empty than half full.
