Illinois Football: Illini transfer Marquez Beason has earned a lifetime fan

The Illinois football team lost a big member of the family on Thursday night.

On Twitter, it was announced that Illini wide receiver Marquez Beason officially entered the transfer portal. This departure hits deep for many reasons, but the most important thing is for Beason to get healthy and to thrive wherever he ends up playing. I think this kid has all the talent in the world, and I want him to do well on the field.

As an Illini fan, this is sort of the end of an era. Beason was the biggest recruit the Orange and Blue has landed in nearly a decade, and to see him leave signifies a new era is in town.

I will never forget what Beason sacrificed to come play for the Illinois football program.

A top 150 recruit nationally from the state of Texas could have gone anywhere. Beason could have stayed home and played for his pick of any Texas program.

Beason could have picked a team like Notre Dame, Georgia, Ohio State, LSU, or Michigan but he didn’t. The star two-way player threw all of those recent winners aside to gamble his career on the Illini. He picked the Orange and Blue.

It’s not like Illinois was winning either. The Illini had played three seasons under Lovie Smith at the time, and the best record was 4-8. That regime had a combined record of 9-27 when Beason joined the program. He put his future in the hands of the Illinois coaching staff.

Sadly, we never got to see Beason develop as a player. Injuries plagued his time in Champaign, but now he is going to find a new home and a fresh start. Beason has the chance to start over again and prove that he is that top 150 recruit that everyone was fawning over.

With a coaching change, which included the main recruiter for Beason Andrew Hayes-Stoker losing his job, I am not shocked by the transfer. Actually, for a few months now, I have expected it to come. I actually believe it is what is best for Beason. As mentioned above, he gets a fresh start. He gets to essentially pick his coaching staff again. And, bonus, Beason doesn’t have to sit out a season. He can play in 2022.

I still remember where I was the day Beason decided to commit to Illinois, so this transfer makes me extremely sad. With that being said, I completely understand his decision and wish him nothing but the best. No matter where you go, you have gained a lifetime fan in me. Thank you, Quez.