Senior offensive lineman Melvin Priestly transferred to Illinois in 2024 after starting his collegiate career at Grambling State. Since then, he has started in every game the Fighting Illini have played with him on the roster.
Following the Illini's win over then-No. 21 USC, Priestly missed a mid-week practice, but head coach Bret Bielema assured everyone that he would be on the field the following Saturday, along with sharing a few special words about the veteran lineman.
"He's been through it, man," Bielema said, sharing that Priestly had missed the practice because of the funeral of a loved one. "He's given me 100 percent since the day he got on campus."
Bielema grew emotional while talking about Priestly, also sharing that he is someone who exudes leadership, frequently repeating even the smallest things that the Illinois coaching staff tells its players.
Priestly lost his loved one following Illinois's dominant win over the Duke Blue Devils. He didn't miss a practice or a game until this week, when he attended the funeral, and immediately returned to Champaign to get back to work.
Before missing practice this week, Priestly spoke to the media about how important trust and reliability are on a football team, in both directions between coaches and players.
"I had a long talk with coach [Bielema] about what we can do in the building to get better," Preistly said. "They've gotta be able to trust us like we've gotta be able to trust them... It's really important."
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This week, the Fighting Illini take on the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 11 a.m. CT. The conference matchup will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.