Reviewing the 2017 Illinois Fighting Illini

It’s a youth movement in Champaign as ten true freshmen are in the Illini starting lineup.

Illinois is still smarting from a 47-23 loss to South Florida two weeks ago; in that game, starting quarterback Chayce Crouch was benched after only completing eight of 18 passes for 76 yards and an interception. Jeff George Jr. wasn’t much better, completing 12 of 22 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown. Crouch has been named the starting quarterback for this week, though George was labeled as the “relief hitter” to come in should Crouch stumble yet again. For the season, Crouch is completing 51.6% of his passes for 328 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions. (For those of you wondering, Tanner Lee’s passing efficiency of 107.2 is better than Crouch’s 91.7) Crouch has also rushed 28 times for 56 yards and a touchdown. (For those of you wondering, junior college transfer Dwayne Lawson never qualified.)

Freshman running back Mike Epstein has become the bright spot in the Illini offense, rushing for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Add in four catches for 59 yards and another score, and Epstein has scored four of Illinois’ seven offensive touchdowns this season. Epstein’s emergence has limited Kendrick Foster, last year’s leading rusher, to just three carries in the last two games. Foster’s playing time might get cut even further now that elusive sophomore Reggie Corbin is back from an injury that held him out for most of the last couple of months.

Junior Mike Dudek is finally back on the field after missing the last two seasons with multiple ACL injuries; Dudek is leading the Illini with 14 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown. Senior Malik Turner, an honorable mention all Big Ten receiver last year, has 11 catches for 97 yards while true freshman Ricky Smalling caught three passes for 99 yards against South Florida.