The Orange and Blue spring game offered fans a glimpse into what to look forward to under new head coach Bret Bielema and his new staff. The Orange team, which consisted of first-team players, dominated the Blue team, which was composed of the backups, 65-15. Jackson Janes, Josh Pietsch and Gabby Hajduk break down the biggest takeaways and talking points following the annual spring scrimmage.

Jackson Janes

This game doesn’t mean much in terms of starters for next year. But after Brandon Peters struggled last year and decided to return to Champaign, it was nice to see him put together a really solid game, going 12-for-18 with 291 yards and a touchdown through the air and on the ground. He looked really confident and comfortable in the spot, and it was nice to see him air out the ball and find his receivers and tight ends.

The use of tight ends was also nice to see after Rod Smith didn’t utilize them much in his offense. Luke Ford had a few nice catches and was a major factor, while Donny Navarro was arguably the most impressive receiver Monday night, making a few nice grabs while showing his speed on big pickups after the catch. 

Running backs Chase Brown, Chase Hayden and Reggie Love III also put together nice nights on the ground, and the Orange offense looked like the real deal. Despite playing against backups, it is encouraging to see the starters — or at least those Bielema views as starters at the moment — dominate in the first game of the season. 

Having fans back in Memorial Stadium was also a nice sight after nearly 17 months of empty stands, and it was a solid and encouraging first game for Bielema and his new staff.

@JacksonJanes3

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Josh Pietsch

Although this game doesn’t mean everything, it was encouraging to see how good the Orange team, aka the first-stringers, looked on both sides of the ball.

Brandon Peters looked like the QB1 that he’s hoping to be, playing in only the first half but throwing 12-18 for 291 yards and a touchdown while also scoring one on the ground. The running back group looks like it can be strong and deep come the Fall, with impressive outings from Chase Brown, Chase Hayden and Reggie Love III. 

Defensively, the Orange team gave the Blue team’s offense absolutely nothing to work with, shutting Blue out. Owen Carney, Isaiah Gay and Seth Coleman each looked good in their new spot at OLB, and the front of the defense as a whole put pressure on the quarterback. The defensive backs probably got the least amount of real action as anyone but still held their own.

Bret Bielema’s starters showed out during the spring game and in front of fans for the first time since 2019. It was against backups, but seeing dominance out of a group that needed to dominate was encouraging.

@Jpietsch14

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Gabby Hajduk

While it’s important not to read much into the score or stats of the spring game, seeing the first-stringers dominate is a good sign for the fall. For the first time since the 2019 season, Brandon Peters looked completely comfortable in a game situation, utilizing nearly ever receiver from Luke Ford to Carlos Sandy to Khmari Thompson. 

The Illini receiving corps is thin, but it looks like they have some solid talent. Ford and Daniel Barker are big targets who will actually be utilized properly and frequently under Tony Petersen’s system. Donny Navarro and Brian Hightower look to be Peters’ number one guys right now. Navarro showcased his insanely quick speed and ability to get open while Hightower showed the physicality Illinois needs. 

I was also impressed with some of the run game’s new faces — transfer Chase Hayden and redshirt freshman Reggie Love. While Chase Brown looked great still, Bielema’s smashmouth run style will require multiple guys to be at Brown’s level. It looks like Hayden and Love each have those capabilities. 

The defense, however, still looks pretty thin and inexperienced as it seemed Ryan Walters was trying out a lot of different schemes. One thing that caught my eye was the outside linebacker position where Isaiah Gay and Owen Carney now reside. Quarterback pressure was a huge issue last fall, but it looks to be moving in the right direction under Walters. 

@gabby_h11

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