Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Football: 3 observations from the Illini’s 2019 season

By Rees Woodcock

EAST LANSING, MI - NOVEMBER 09: Members of Illinois football team pick coach Lovie Smith up on their shoulders following a college football game between the Michigan State Spartans and Illinois Fighting Illini on November 9, 2019 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - NOVEMBER 09: Members of Illinois football team pick coach Lovie Smith up on their shoulders following a college football game between the Michigan State Spartans and Illinois Fighting Illini on November 9, 2019 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
Illinois football
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 30: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks on against the California Golden Bears during the first half of the RedBox Bowl at Levi’s Stadium on December 30, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

I am not sure what the near future holds for Illinois football in 2020, but the 2019 campaign was one that helped bring the program back to national relevance.

Now I am not going to say we are all the way back by any means. But the increasing of wins year after year and now a bowl game appearance, this Illinois football program is definitely heading in the right direction.

Most people wouldn’t have said this six games into the 2019 campaign, though. Illinois was just 2-4 with a quarterback on the mend. Things weren’t looking great for the Illini. But the resurgence all started with the upset win over No. 6 Wisconsin. That interception by Tony Adams followed by the game-winning kick by James McCourt will always be fresh in my mind.

The 2019 campaign went through some lumps too. Injuries killed this program. We fell to Northwestern the final game of the season and then to Cal in the bowl game largely due to injuries. Health will hopefully be on our side moving forward.

With all of that being said, I think 2019 was a big positive step in the right direction. I took another look at the campaign and three things stood out to me.

Here are three observations from the Illini’s 2019 season.

Home/Illinois Football