Feagin going all-in at new position

Sep. 2—CHAMPAIGN — When Katin Houser throws Kaden Feagin's way on Thursday night, it won't be his first catch at Illinois. He has 30 in his career, for 341 yards and three touchdowns. But it will be Feagin's first grab as a tight end. And first while wearing No. 83 (a change from No. 3. More on that later). The pride of Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond High School makes his tight end debut against UAB at Gies Memorial Stadium. The player and his coaches can't wait. "He's game-ready," Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. said. "He spent the entire offseason, the spring, the summer and fall camp learning it from a different perspective." How has Feagin's transition gone? "About what I thought it would go like," Lunney said. "I knew he'd know what to do and be willing to do anything that could help us. And he would get better fundamentally each day and each week, and that's exactly what's happened." Because of injuries at receiver, the tight end group becomes more important to Lunney's offense. "Having more depth there, good depth, is a good thing and provides us some flexibility in how we want to approach the game," Lunney said. "This week will be no exception to that." Feagin is fitting in at the new spot. "I feel like I'm learning every day and improving," he said. "It's been really fun picking up the offense and seeing it in a different way," In high school, Feagin was labeled an "athlete." That meant the option to try a different position after shining as a running back and quarterback with the Knights. "I had some injuries," Feagin said, "and running back is a very demanding position on the body." Feagin talked over the position switch with his family. "Once I feel like I'm committed to something," Feagin said, "I'm going to go all-in on it." Had he remained a running back, Feagin would have had a new position coach this season, with Tyrone Wheatley stepping in this season for departed Thad Ward. At tight end, Feagin is playing for first-year Illini assistant coach Jared Elliott. "He's been a great coach," Feagin said. "How detailed he is on everything. He's a very fun coach. Funny dude, too." The former Western Illinois coach has been impressed with Feagin. "There was a lot of natural translation into the tight end position," Elliott said. Illinois coach Bret Bielema had decided on Feagin's switch to tight end before Elliott arrived. "When I was told, I was thrilled because I had already done my homework and knew his body type and his skill set and how much football he played," Elliott said. "Obviously, I was excited to get the chance to work with him." At 6 feet, 3 inches and 260 pounds, Feagin is the right size for the position. "From a physical standpoint, he's got the package," Elliott said. "He's got length, he's got the strength, the power, the explosion that you want to be able to hold up in the run game. He can run. He can catch. Those are the things you are always looking for at that position. Kaden's checked a lot of those boxes." His hands are a plus, too. "He's proven that throughout his career out of the backfield," Elliott said. Feagin's familiarity with the Big Ten and with Lunney's offfense will help. "The learning growth for him really wasn't so much from a schematic standpoint. It was just the fundamentals of the position," Elliott said. "He's just wired the right way. He loves to work. He's urgent. He attacks every day." The biggest adjustment for Feagin: blocking. "That is the area that when we started in the spring was really foreign to him," Elliott said. "The difference of playing in the backfield versus playing on the line of scrimmage, it's just a different world. I don't know if I've seen a young man make the strides he has in a short period of time. It's a credit to Kaden." Elliott has seen Feagin's confidence soar, too. "Dramatically," he said. "What I've noticed is his speed of play. It's been a lot of fun to see how he's starting to cut it loose. He's playing with anticipation." In his first three seasons with the Illini, Feagin wore No. 3. So, why change now? "I was the one that wanted to make the transition," Feagin said. "Moving to a new position, I kind of wanted a new identity, too. I felt like it was the best for me just to have other people look at me as a tight end as well." In recent years, Illinois tight ends have been able to move on to the NFL. Tip Reiman was a third-round draft pick in 2024. Can Feagin be next? "I think so, for sure," Elliott said.