Wisconsin Badgers post-spring review: A look at Illinois

As players, coaches, fans and, yes, even the media await the start of fall camp to arrive for the Wisconsin Badgers in less than two months, BadgerBlitz.com takes a look at UW's 2019 opponents.

Four of Wisconsin's last six conference games come on the road. On Oct. 19, the Badgers hope a weekend trip to Champaign leads to a divisional win against Illinois. Head coach Lovie Smith returns for his fourth season leading the program.

We caught up with Doug Bucshon of OrangeAndBlueNews.com to answer some questions we had about Illinois before they head into fall camp.

Illinois finished last year with a 4-8 record and 2-7 within the conference. Heading into fall camp and the upcoming season, what should be the expectations for head coach Lovie Smith and Co.?

Doug Bucshon: On paper, this looks like a 4- to 5-win team for Lovie Smith entering his fourth season, but fans should have higher expectations. Lovie’s first recruiting class are upperclassmen now. It’s time to start putting some Ws on the board. Athletic director Josh Whitman has an abundance of confidence in Lovie, but the expectations should be a bowl appearance at the end of the 2019 season. Anything less and it’s another disappointing season.

Running back Reggie Corbin and wide receiver Ricky Smalling both return on offense for Illinois, but who are the other key contributors that will be depended upon on both sides of the ball?

Doug Bucshon: The Illini running game broke out last season, but Corbin can’t do it by himself. Junior running back Mike Epstein, a prized 2017 recruit out of Florida power St. Thomas Aquinas, has missed 12 games in his first two seasons due to injury. When healthy, Epstein is explosive (6.8 yards per carry) and can also be a receiving threat out of the backfield. The Illini need him to play an entire season.

The secondary could emerge as a team strength. They were better when Tony Adams moved from corner to safety mid-season, and he’s back this fall. Junior cornerback Nate Hobbs is a future NFL Draft pick, and the Illini add highly regarded freshman DB Marquez Beason, who could play both sides of the football.

Sophomore defensive tackle Calvin Avery, a former Rivals250 recruit, is a force in short spurts. He’s a wrecking ball in the middle of the defensive line at times, but his conditioning wasn’t great last season. If he has put in the necessary work in the off season, look for Avery to have a breakout season in 2019. He’s immensely talented.

Where are the key areas of concern this season, and who will need to step up to address them?

Doug Bucshon: Illinois didn’t do much well on defense a year ago, ranking No. 126 in total defense nationally. It begins with stopping the run (Illinois allowed 5.96 yards per rush last year). There’s some talent in the back seven that could turn things around. Senior middle linebacker Dele’ Harding had a good spring and the Illini need it to carry over to the season. Strong safety Stanley Green lacks foot speed and is vulnerable to the deep ball, but he’s a punishing tackler. Up front, senior defensive tackles Jamal Milan and Tymir Oliver must get a bigger push up front and close some of the running lanes.

The Illini had just 21 sacks last season. There’s some depth along the defensive line, but an off-season swimming accident resulted in a devastating spinal injury to rising star defensive end Bobby Roundtree. Football is the last consideration at this point – Illini nation is praying for a full recovery for Roundtree. But on the field, Illinois will have to find someone who can rush the passer. Some candidates include Lere’ Oladipo, Owen Carney, and USC transfer Oluwole Betiku.

While the Illinois running game should again be solid, the offense must find some balance. The quarterback position has been mediocre, and the wide receiver corps was unimpressive this spring. In the off-season, the Illini brought in Michigan transfer quarterback Brandon Peters. How Peters fits in the Illini’s run-oriented, spread option offense is something to watch in camp. He’s known as a pocket passer. If Peters stumbles, former Rivals100 freshman Isaiah Williams is waiting in the wings. The Illini hope a pair of transfers from USC, Trevon Sidney and Josh Imatorbehbeh, add some athleticism to an otherwise sketchy group of receivers.

Four talented starters return along the offensive line in tackles Alex Palczewski and Vederian Lowe, guard Kendrick Green, and center Doug Kramer. If they all stay healthy, the offense should thrive. Still, the lone loss from last season was NFL Draft pick Nick Allegretti at right guard, who never missed a start for the Illini over four years. Alabama transfer Richie Petitbon inherits the position, and he has to be solid. The Illini also need to find some depth among the underclassmen.

Who could be some surprise contributors that may earn fall camp reps or find time on the field this season?

Doug Bucshon: Sophomore tight end Daniel Baker appears poised for a breakout season. While not a focal point of the offense last season, Barker has changed his body and showed off nimble feet and polished route running this spring. His emergence could take the sting out of the NCAA denying a waiver for Georgia transfer tight end Luke Ford to play immediately.

Sydney Brown and Delano Ware are two sophomore defenders who have had a good off-season in the weight room. Brown started games at safety as a true freshman, while Ware has bounced between safety and outside linebacker. They are the type of athletic and versatile athletes that Lovie Smith likes in his Cover-2 defense. Sophomore linebacker Khalon Tolson is another defender who had a big spring.

Look for diminutive but speedy freshman Kyron Cumby to make an immediate impact on special teams. The three-star recruit out of Texas has some jets and a knack for making defenders miss. He could also see significant playing time as a slot receiver.

Illinois faces not just a crowded Big Ten West with what could be many contenders, but also Michigan, Michigan State and Rutgers in cross-divisional games. Along with a non-conference schedule of Akron, UConn and Eastern Michigan, what is your way-too-early season prediction for Illinois?

Doug Bucshon: My over under is 5.5, but that might be a bit optimistic considering the lack of depth on this team. The Illini should enter the Big Ten slate at 3-0, needing just three conference wins to obtain bowl eligibility. I’ll go with an unconfident prediction of 5-7, and, of course, every pre-season prognostication will get an overhaul once we see the team in training camp.