Illinois Football: 3 Illini players who didn’t need spring practice

2. Josh Imatorbhebhe

There have been some fun wide receivers come through Champaign over the past decade or so. I loved what Arrelious Benn could do on the field. AJ Jenkins was another fun player to watch. But easily one of the most entertaining pass-catchers has to be Josh Imatorbhebhe.

Imatorbhebhe is entering his second full season with the Illinois football team. He transferred in as a graduate transfer after an unsuccessful run with USC. With two years of eligibility remaining, Imatorbhebhe wanted to prove to the world that he is an NFL caliber wide receiver.

There are multiple reasons I believe Imatorbhebhe didn’t need spring practice in 2020. The first reason is talent. This kid could run any route and still catch the ball. All a quarterback needs to do is throw the ball in his general vicinity, and he will go up and get it.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe Imatorbhebhe has the ability to run solid routes. But there were times during the 2019 campaign where I was shocked the kid came down with the ball. He would come up huge on miracle plays. The main play that comes to mind was against Michigan State when the Illini had 4th and 17. Imatorbhebhe caught a 37-yard miracle pass from Brandon Peters. This play will go down as one of the biggest in program history.

Another reason Imatorbhebhe didn’t need spring practice is the fact he dealt with injuries in 2019, much like Jake Hansen. Illinois was without their top wide receiver for the final game of the regular season and the bowl game. That is probably why we lost both contests by double-digit points.

Spring practice is good for a lot of players, but Imatorbhebhe needs to be in a bubble. We need this kid to suit up in 2020. He is a major piece of the offense.