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Illinois Football: 5 observations from the Illini win over Nebraska

By Rees Woodcock

LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 29: Quarterback Tommy DeVito #3 of the Illinois Fighting Illini passes against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 29: Quarterback Tommy DeVito #3 of the Illinois Fighting Illini passes against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 17: Josh McCray #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs past Branden Jennings #44 of the Maryland Terrapins during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium on September 17, 2021 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 17: Josh McCray #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs past Branden Jennings #44 of the Maryland Terrapins during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium on September 17, 2021 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

3. Welcome back Josh McCray

Illinois football is 7-1 for the first time since 2001. We have been dominant on the defensive side of the ball. Our offense has looked great as well.

Chase Brown has run all over the competition. He is on pace to break the Illinois single-season rushing record, and he could end up being invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. On top of all of that, Illinois has scored at least 20 points in all but one game this season.

All of this success has come without one of our best offensive players on the field. In week zero against Wyoming, Illinois won the game 38-6, but we took a huge loss with our backup running back Josh McCray going down with an injury.

Illinois has played without McCray since that first game, but on Saturday afternoon, the big man returned to the backfield. McCray received a carry and took it for four yards. Yes, he only had one carry on the day, but the fact he is back and ready to start bashing heads should scare the rest of the Big Ten.

As a true freshman in 2021, McCray was the thunder to Brown’s lightning. He was sensational for the Illini, rushing for 549 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 4.9 yards per carry at a size of 6-foot-1, 235-pounds.

McCray is a monster, and Illinois hasn’t been able to use him this season. We are 7-1 and will probably be ranked in the first College Football Playoff rankings, and we haven’t even had one of our best offensive players in McCray. The Illini are about to get even better.

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