The Illinois football program is going to face a great deal of uncertainty in 2026, especially after saying goodbye to roughly 25 transfers after last season.
Bret Bielema faced a lot of turnover in the offseason and will be left with a roster that includes a brand-new quarterback, multiple new receivers, and a completely revamped offensive line.
It will be an interesting run for the Illini, as they try to mesh all of these new pieces together into one cohesive unit. Even with all of the moving parts, there is still one returning player who is making waves across the country, and that is junior running back Ca'Lil Valentine.
Valentine, a product of Hayward, California, has been making great strides throughout his tenure in Champaign. In two seasons with the program, he has compiled a total of 826 yards and five touchdowns on 184 carries.
Illinois' lead back last season will look to continue his stellar ways in 2026, especially after tripling his production from year one to year two. Even with all of the changes to the roster, it's hard not to like Valentine for the Doak Walker Award in this offense.
𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 5️⃣
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) August 18, 2026
Ca'Lil Valentine | Doak Walker Watch List pic.twitter.com/neVhwXGMbn
Ca'Lil Valentine is in the perfect position to contend for the Doak Walker Award at Illinois
For years, the Doak Walker Award has been presented to some of the best running backs in the country, with Boise State's Ashton Jeanty and Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love winning in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
This season, there will be a plethora of top-tier ball carriers contending for the prestigious award, with Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy and Missouri's Ahmad Hardy to name a few. Lacy was absolutely stellar for the Rebels in 2025, finishing with 24 touchdowns, while Hardy led the nation with 1,181 yards after contact.
If Valentine wants to really make a push for this award, then he needs to get on his horse early and often. He needs to make a big push in the early part of the year against UAB, Southern Illinois, and Purdue.
It's hard to say that Valentine will indeed be a finalist by season's end, especially with four new offensive linemen starting in front of him, but with defenses needing to respect quarterback Katin Houser's deep-ball ability, Valentine should have a lot of room to run in front of him.
Regardless, fans should expect big things from our third-year back, including the possibility of a 1,000-yard season.
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