Illinois football suffers big transfer portal hit to key special teamer

I was fully expecting the Illinois football team to take a few big hits in the transfer portal.

It is just the age in college we live in right now. The Illini have good talent, and there are programs that have more money than us. That I just the reality.

That reality struck on Thursday. Illinois starting kicker David Olano announced on social media that he has decided to enter the transfer portal. Hear that noise? That is the sound of the Brinks truck backing up.

Olano has been pretty special for Illinois since coming to Champaign. He didn’t play in 2023. In 2024, he hit 17-of-20 from field goal range. And this past season, he knocked in 20-of-23.

For his career thus far, Olano has only missed two field goals inside 40 yards, which is an incredible number.

This is a big loss in the transfer portal for the Illinois football team, and it will be interesting to see how Bret Bielema pivots

Olano is someone Illinois should have held on to. He had one more season left, and to me, it is clear that some massive program got in his ear with a deal.

Immediately, I go to Ohio State and Michigan. The Wolverines’ kicker Dominic Zvada was only 17-of-25, 68%, from field goal range, and he is departing the program. The Buckeyes had Jayden Fielding, who was 16-of-20, 80%, from field goal range, and he is also gone. But those are only two teams that can throw around a ton of money. We will eventually know the answer to the Olano cash-in.

Who does Illinois turn to next? The only potential kicker on the roster is North Carolina transfer from last season, Lucas Osada. He hasn’t even attempted a field goal in college.

I think there is a solid chance Illinois is going into the transfer portal for a kicker. Losing Olano is a blow to the special teams, but Bret Bielema has done a good job building in the transfer portal. I trust that we can get a solid kicker for the 2026 campaign.