Illinois Football: Breakdown of Illini Production Returning for 2017
With the 2016 season now in the books for the Illinois football team, it is time to move onto the 2017 campaign.
The upcoming season is important in many ways for the Illini. They not only have a really good recruiting class coming in, but they also have pressure to start winning ball games as well.
Winning has been something that has eluded the Illinois fan base for quite some time. Sure, we have experienced the occasionally six-win season that gets us to the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl, but I want more.
The 2017 campaign should be better than the sad 3-9 season we had in 2016. The younger players are more experienced now and are ready to go.
These same players made up for a lot of production last season as well. Here is a breakdown of what percentage of production is returning from 2016.
Quarterback
The Illini return two quarterbacks who played last season in Chayce Crouch and Jeff George Jr. These two accounted for 34.4-percent of yards through the air and 38.5-percent of the touchdowns from the quarterback position.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois graduated Wes Lunt who accounted for the rest of the production on both of those fronts. Cam Thomas and Dwayne Lawson could help replace that production.
Running Back
Illinois only has one position that returns all the starters as of right now and that is at running back.
Kendrick Foster returns as the Illini leading running back with 720 yards and 7 touchdowns last season. He will be joined by a nice stable of running backs behind him as well.
This stable includes incoming freshmen, Mike Epstein and Ra’Von Bonner, who both should have a chance to see some snaps in 2017.
Wide Receiver
Wide receiver is a position that is returning more production than they are losing from 2016. Illinois only lost 41.7-percent of the yards and 30.8-perecent of the touchdowns from last season.
Malik Turner is the main returning starter. He helps account for the 58.3-perecent of yards and 69.2-percent of touchdowns that will be on the field this season.
Turner is also getting a slew of wide receivers coming in from the class of 2017 as well. Ricky Smalling, Kendall Smith, and Carmoni Green join the crew in hopes of putting massive amounts of points on the board.
Kicker
This might sound crazy but I am excited to get Chase McLaughlin back for 2017. He accounted for 100-percent of the point production as the kicker.
McLaughlin was 3-of-3 from inside 30-yards, 7-of-8 from inside 40-yards, and 11-of-14 inside 50-yards. He is going to be a huge asset this upcoming season.
Defense
This is where the Illini could struggle in 2017. They are losing 44.1-percent of their tackles from last season. Losing the entire defensive line and middle linebacker really hurt here.
Illinois is also losing 89.3-percent of sacks from last season as well. This is pretty much thanks to all four starting defensive linemen graduating plus the solid backup defensive end in Gimel President.
Interceptions are taking a hit as well. Illinois is losing 85.7-percent of their interception production from 2016. Only one player is returning that had an interception and that is Julian Hylton.
On the offensive side of the ball the Illini are returning a lot of production and should be able to take a step forward in 2017.
Next: Illini Prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft
The defensive side of the ball is what worries me, but Lovie Smith has a nice class coming in and everything should be able to work itself out.