Football
Jackson Janes
NEWS
Illinois heads east for its first road game of the season as it will take on the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington, Indiana, on Friday night to kick off conference action.
The two teams will square off for the first time since 2017, and the Illini look to snap a three-game skid against the Hoosiers without running back Josh McCray, who will miss the game after suffering an injury in the team’s Week Zero opener.
Indiana struggled last season with injuries, but it made back-to-back bowl appearances in 2019 and 2020 and has lots of talent under head coach Tom Allen.
With kickoff just around the corner, here are a few storylines to keep an eye on.
Who will step up with McCray missing out due to injury?
McCray firmly established himself as the Illini’s secondhand man in the run game, but an injury in the Illini’s season opener has put McCray on the sidelines for at least the next two weeks. One of the team’s most dynamic options on the ground, McCray will leave a fairly sizeable hole that Illinois will need to fill while he recovers.
Along with Chase Brown, who recorded three total touchdowns and over 150 rushing yards on Saturday, three options have emerged for Bielema and the Illini: Reggie Love III, Chase Hayden, and true freshman Aidan Laughery.
Love recorded his first-career touchdown against Wyoming, registering 46 yards on just three carries, while Hayden also looked good after rushing for 30 yards on seven carries.
“Chase Hayden and Reggie probably had the best week of preparation to this point since I’ve been here,” Bielema said. “I think to know that they’re into the rotation, to know that they’re going to be involved in the game plan has really helped their confidence.”
Laughery is slated to make his Illinois debut against Indiana after missing Saturday’s opener, and it’s no secret that Bielema is a big fan of the Gibson City native.
“He’ll be involved in our plans. Another freshman that has been very impressive since he got here. We had him last spring, and we like…
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