The Illinois football program is missing a couple of key pieces from the 2024 squad.
If you remember that team, and I think you do, the Illini finished with 10 wins for the first time since 2001. Two of the biggest pieces of this team were wide receivers Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin.
Bryant is now in the NFL, and Franklin is trying to make the next level. They combined for over 1,636 yards and 14 touchdowns for the program last season. With that production missing, Illinois needed to find targets for Luke Altmyer.