As Illinois heads into its final week of August camp, head coach Bret Bielema is rounding out the roster and making sure he’s doing his due diligence in creating the most competitive Illini squad he can.
“I still have a couple roster spots available to me if something would present itself,” Bielema said. “But right now it’s just kind of a wait and see.”
One of the main opportunities being talked about is the potential for two former Illini to make their returns. Bielema says that he is monitoring the situations of Hank Beatty and Melvin Priestly.
Beatty, who signed with the Tennessee Titans, and Priestly, who signed with the Detroit Lions are both currently fighting for a roster spot on their respective teams. It is still unknown if either have interest in returning to Illinois if the opportunity were to present itself.
With the recent NCAA court ruling that will put a pause to the fifth year of eligibility starting next year, their return seems unlikely. Either way, Bielema understands the uncertainty of the transfer portal, and will continue to monitor the situation as there are still active cases revolving around the topic.
Injuries:
- DB Xavier Scott is healthy and in “good form” according to Bielema. Scott played just three games last season due to a severe right foot injury. He’ll look to energize the new new-look defense alongside Matthew Bailey, who is also recovering from a shoulder injury of his own.
- Projected starting linebacker Daniel Brown underwent a prp procedure which will sideline him for week one. Bielema says senior Mason Muragin will start in his place. He played in just two games last season, but Bielema says “he’s playing at an extremely high level” in camp.
- WR Hudson Clement has not been cleared for contact, but has been running scrimmage plays. The senior racked up 454 yards and three touchdowns last season, and will look to be a steady option for QB Katin Houser this upcoming season.
- TE BJ Thurman suffered a season-ending Jones fracture in his foot. To replace him, Illinois brought in Payton Smith from the University of San Diego. Bielema believes his experience and maturity could add something positive to the tight end room.
We are just over a week away from Illinois football. With the season opener on September 3 versus UAB approaching and camp winding down, we’ll have to wait to see what the opening-day roster will look like.
