The 2025 season has hit a roadblock of sorts, as the Illinois football team is trying to find answers.
After a 63-10 defeat at the hands of Indiana, the Illini will need to regather quickly, as a top-25 USC program is coming to town on Saturday. A 53-point loss will be hard to shake, and it will be even harder considering the terrible news that dropped on Monday.
In Bret Bielema’s weekly press conference, he started things out with his injury updates. The first player to come up with star defensive back Xavier Scott.
“Xavier (Scott) didn’t make the trip with us; he was still getting some evaluations. I had a conversation with him last night, and he will have a procedure done this week on Wednesday.”
A procedure is never a good word in the middle of a season, and the biggest fear about the length Scott will be out has come true.
“He will be out for the majority of the rest of the year, but there is a chance he will come back at the end.”
That is a big blow to the Illinois defensive backfield. Scott was coming off a season where he was All-Big Ten first team, and he was also an honorable mention All-American.
Through three games in 2025, Scott was having an okay season, too. He had six tackles and two pass deflections.
There is only one reason Illinois football should bring Xavier Scott back at the end of the season
I know that Bielema said there is a chance that Scott comes back at the end of the season, but honestly, there is only one reason he should even think about coming back in 2025.
If Illinois somehow makes a magical run and gets to 10-2 or 11-1 and clinches a spot in the College Football Playoff, that is when Scott should even think about playing again this season. He would have a chance to affect the Illini and help us get deep into the College Football Playoff.
On the other hand, if the Illini have three or more losses in 2025, there is no reason Scott should even entertain the possibility. Get fully healthy and return next season. Scott hasn’t blown his redshirt year, so he will likely take a redshirt this season.