The Illinois football program is poised for a big year, and game one is against the UAB Blazers.
There have been seasons when Illinois heads into the first game banged up. That isn’t the case for the 2026 season. The Illini are relatively healthy as UAB comes to town.
Illinois football injury report week one vs. UAB Blazers
- Jayshon Platt WR – Out Week 1
- Daniel Brown LB – Out Week 1
- Alex Perry WR – Out for Season
- BJ Thurman TE – Out for Season
- Tanner Hollinger TE – Out for Season
- Grant Smith TE – Out for Season
Knowing that Alex Perry is out for the season is disappointing. Bret Bielema pointed out that a handful of players were out for the season, and Perry is one of them. He would have made a nice impact on the Illinois wide receiver corps.
Two players were confirmed out for week one against UAB. Daniel Brown is going to be missing. He would have given Illinois some good snaps at linebacker. The fifth-year player has been in and out of the depth chart for a few years now.
Illinois’ biggest hit is at wide receiver. Jayshon Platt entered the week questionable, but he is now out for week one. This will force other Illinois wide receivers to step up who haven’t been a big part of this team in the past.
Bielema touched on the health of the rest of the team in the week one press conference.
“Robert Edmonson is back. Huddie Hudson (Hudson Clement) got back out there. A couple of guys who have been banged up from soft-tissue stuff all got back out there. So, we should be a full go…”
It is refreshing to hear that Illinois won’t be missing any other players besides the ones out for the season, Platt, and Brown.
There was some concern that Clement, who is one of Illinois’ top two wide receivers, would miss week one. Thankfully, he is back. Edmonson is going to be crucial at linebacker for the Orange and Blue, too. Missing him would have been bad.
This isn’t the worst injury report in the world. Illinois has a nice roster, and most of those pieces should be able to gel in week one against UAB.
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