The Illinois football team has a chance to do something special in 2020, and they will need their defense to step up.
There have been so many adjustments made to the Illinois depth chart this offseason. Some huge departures from the team helped form the projected Illini depth chart on offense for 2020. There were some big departures on the defensive side of the ball too.
Additions to the defense made up for the departures and then some. Despite a couple of transfers not panning out and playing for the Illini, the new and healthy players make up for those mishaps. These players should help take this Illinois defense to new heights in 2020.
Honestly, from top to bottom, this might be the best starting defense Illinois has had since the Ron Zook era. I love who we have starting at every defensive position. There isn’t one weak starter on the roster. Now depth is a genuine concern for some positions. But we lack depth because of transfers who didn’t show up.
With that being said, I think we are instore for one of the best years in recent memory. It all starts with stopping the opposing team’s offense. That rests on the shoulders of the Illinois defense.
Here is the projected Illini depth chart on defense for 2020.