Illinois football left off prestigious award watchlist for first time since 2021

The Maxwell Award watchlist was released on Monday, and the Illinois football team is nowhere to be found.

Heading into the 2024 campaign, the Illini are poised to have a bounce-back season. We finished 5-7 in 2023 after having an eight-win campaign the year before. It is time to get back on the bowl bandwagon and at least achieve the six-win mark.

Despite having some good players on the team, Illinois was left off one of the most prestigious watchlists in college football.

On Monday, the Maxwell Award watchlist was released. This is the award given out to the best player in college football. Don’t get it confused with the Heisman Trophy winner, which is given out to the most outstanding player in college football. That makes sense, right?

The watchlist that was released on Monday had one glaring issue. It didn’t include anyone from the Illinois football program.

Not having an Illinois player on the Maxwell Award watchlist to open a season is a rare thing. In fact, Illinois getting skunked in 2024 is the first time we haven’t had a player on the watchlist since the 2021 campaign.

In 2022, Chase Brown donned the list, and then he went on to have a great season that enabled Illinois to get to eight wins and be in the top 25 for the first time in recent memory.

This past season, no it wasn’t Jer’Zhan Newton, the All-American, who donned the Maxwell Award watchlist. It was wide receiver Isaiah Williams. He was the lone Illini on the list heading into the 2023 campaign.

Top Illinois football candidates who should have been on the Maxwell Award watchlist

First off, I would start with our quarterback, Luke Altmyer. He is heading into his second season with the Illini after an injury-filled campaign in 2023. He still managed to throw for 1,883 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in year one.

Altmyer would be a long shot, but he plays a premium position, and he has a lot of weapons around him heading into the 2024 season.

The next option is Zakhari Franklin. He is now in his sixth season of college football but injuries derailed his 2023 campaign. He played four years with UTSA, and in his last two years there, he combined for 2,163 yards and 27 touchdowns. His one season with Ole Miss wasn’t great because of the injuries, but he is back and ready to have a big year with the Illini.

Franklin has big-time playmaking ability. It would not shock me, barring health issues, if he puts up over 1,000 yards in his final season of college football.

I would say Kaden Feagin is probably the other option I think could have been on the Maxwell Award watchlist. He hasn’t proved anything in college, but I think Feagin has the potential to be one of the greatest running backs in program history.

In 2024, look for Feagin to be the featured back. I think he could rack up a ton of touchdowns, as he is going to be a red zone option around the goal line. I think Feagin is in for a big year.