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Illinois Football: The offensive line has a mix of experience and size

By Rees Woodcock

DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 26: Members of the llinois Fighting Illini band in the rain before the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl at Cotton Bowl on December 26, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 26: Members of the llinois Fighting Illini band in the rain before the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl at Cotton Bowl on December 26, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Nothing will run well without the Illinois football offensive line playing their best.

This squad is like oil for a car, ketchup for a hot dog or toilet paper for a bathroom. Without them, nothing goes right and it is hard to function. Over the past few years, Illinois has dealt with some hard times and a part of the reason why the struggling occurred is because of the inconsistent play on the offensive line.

Illinois will have a better situation this season, though. The players returning have experience not only on the football field but also together as a collective unit.

Tackle Christian DiLauro leads the way for the Illini. This is his final season in the Orange and Blue and his great play over the last three seasons has truly been a joy to watch. He enters the 2017 campaign having started every game the last two seasons and seven games during his redshirt freshman year.

DiLauro’s running mate, Nick Allegretti, has been a main staple in this Illinois offensive line as well. He is coming off a sophomore season where he started every game for the Illini. He also played in 11 games during his freshman campaign as well. This familiarity between DiLauro and Allegretti will help tremendously in building an offensive line that will be one of the best in the Big Ten in 2017.

Another member of the offensive line who is back for another season is Gabe Megginson. He started in seven games last season as a redshirt freshman and played in three others. While there were times he struggled on the offensive line, Megginson should feel more comfortable this season. He started alongside DiLauro and Allegretti last season and that cohesiveness should prove to be helpful in his game.

The other two offensive line positions, I believe, are up for grabs. There are a handful of potential starters on the roster right now. I would watch out for Jordan Fagan to fill in one of the two remaining spots. Also, don’t forget about the young guys coming in from the class of 2017.

There is a real possibility that Larry Boyd sees starting time this season. He is a 6-foot-6, 360-pound big man who could claim the other tackle position opposite of DiLauro.

Next: Reaction to new Scout.com 2018 player rankings

Lovie and Garrick McGee will figure out what combination of offensive linemen is right for their system. This process will be fascinating to watch and, finally, the Illini have enough depth to have flexibility up front.

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