The first game is already in the books, and the Illinois football team has started the 2024 season off on the right foot.
It was a little touch-and-go in the first moments of the game against Eastern Illinois, but the Illini settled in after a big forced fumble in our territory.
From that point on, Illinois dominated the game. The Illini offense looked crisp and efficient. The fact Illinois’ defense pitched a shutout is also impressive. We were clicking on all cylinders.
Here are five huge observations from the Illinois football win over Eastern Illinois
1. Illinois has some grown men at wide receiver
Entering the 2024 campaign, I knew the Illinois offense was going to have some weapons. I thought there was a chance that the Illini would be an offensive team this season.
Well, while the defense showed its teeth, the Illinois offense also held its own. A big reason the offense looked so good was that the wide receivers had a good game. Moreover, there were multiple times on Thursday night that I said to myself, “We have some dudes out there.”
Pat Bryant showed his ability and size. He couldn’t be stopped to the tune of five receptions for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Beyond Bryant, the depth is impressive, which is something I am not used to in the Illinois offense.
Two receptions for 28 yards for Zakhari Franklin doesn’t seem impressive, but if you watched the game, you could see how dangerous he is going to be in this offense. He had a great sideline grab in the red zone, and he was inches away from snagging a touchdown. Franklin will be up there with Bryant for targets.
Malik Elzy showed why he was a four-star coming out of high school. He had a good catch toward the sidelines and then gained quite a few extra yards with his footwork and strength. He then burnt by a defensive back and caught a beautiful pass for a touchdown. His two receptions for 51 yards and a score will be there week in and week out.
I could go on and on about the Illinois wide receiver corps. We have some grown men out there catching the ball. This might be the best group of wide receivers Illinois has had since the days of Brandon Lloyd, Walter Young, and Aaron Moorehead.