Bret Bielema’s Illinois squad is preparing to make a statement at Memorial Stadium in what will be the nations first glimpse into FBS football in the 2022-2023 football season. The Illini secured its second consecutive “Week Zero” game in Champaign thanks to Athletic Director Josh Whitman, who is entering his 7th year as Athletic Director at the University of Illinois. The Illini are set to face the Wyoming Cowboys at 3pm CT at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. In their last “Week Zero” outing, the Illini defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers in an impressive 22-30 win to kick off the Bret Bielema era at Illinois.
KNOWING THE ENEMY
The Cowboys enter the 2022-2023 season under Head coach Craig Bohl who is 45-50 in his coaching career at Wyoming, dating back to 2014. This record including 3 Bowl wins In 4 appearances, over an 8 year career at Wyoming. In fact, Wyoming enters the 2022 season fresh off a 7-6 year, where they secured a Bowl win over Kent State by the score 52-38. Bohl has also produced some impressive NFL talent as well, including Quarterback Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, and Logan Wilson of the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite last seasons Bowl victory, and winning record, there were still many that believed Wyoming left something more to desire. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they’re also happened to be quite a turnover of roster change as well. Of 131 teams in the FBS, the Cowboys come in at 129th in production returned from last season. Craig Bohls offense lost most of it’s starting production, including the 1 and 2 depth chart Quarterbacks, Sean Chambers and Levi Williams. Starting Running Back Xavian Valladay also departed from the program leaving for Arizona State. Isaiah Neyor, an extremely productive receiver for the Cowboys in the 2021 season, decided he would also leave the program for the University of Texas, which has left a lot to fill for the Offensive side of the Ball for the Brown and Gold. On the other side of the ball, the secondary for Defensive Coordinator Jay Sawvel unfortunately lost six of its top seven production players. Star Linebacker Solomon Byrd added to the defensive attrition by transferring to USC as well, leaving the backfield on the Defensive side of the ball very young and inexperienced for the Cowboys. There are some key players however that could very well step up for this team to try to give favored Illinois a run for its money. Linebacker Easton Gibbs returns as the leader of tackles last season for the Wyoming Defense. He recorded over 90 tackles in the 13 games played last year for the Cowboys. Coordinator Jay Sawvel will rely heavily on Gibbs to be a Leader of this Defense, and do what it takes to keep the Cowboy Defense from regressing in the 2022 season. On the offensive side of the ball, Tight End Treyton Welch returns with 163 receiving yards and two touchdowns from the previous season on 19 catches. RB Titus Swen will look to step up into the void left by Xavian Valladays transfer to Arizona State. He rushed for 785 yards and seven touchdowns last season on 132 carries, leading the team in rushing yards, over his starter Valladay, which will be interesting to watch unfold now that the reigns are cut.
How will the Illini respond? Well the simple answer could be we really don’t know. Through training camp, all media outlets have been unavailable to enter to watch Bret Bielemas squad for full practices. This has led to a lot of question as to “What will they do against Wyoming” which as we know, is a very good thing for Illinois football. What can be concluded is this, Wyoming lost a ton of experience, and is going to have a tough task ahead of them to face an pretty well experienced Big Ten West squad in the Illini. Ryan Walters was a star last season as Illinois defensive coordinator, producing one of the most competent defenses that we have seen in Orange and Blue in a very long time. I would look for this defense to put a lot of pressure on a very young quarterback in Andrew Peasley, who will transfer into the program as a back up from Utah State University. Many would expect Ryan’s Walters to throw lots of switches on fronts, coverages and blitzes at the young Quarterback to try and create havoc and force turnovers. New offensive coordinator Barry Lunney brings a ton of excitement to this Illini squad, and what they will be able to expose versus the Wyoming Defense will be very interesting to see. Of course, Lunney likes to run the ball so you can of course guarantee that your horses Chayse Brown and Josh McCray will be fed. The question is however, can the passing game take a step forward from where it has been the past several years. New quarterback and Syracuse transfer Tommy DiVito will look to erupt as the big man on campus, as he looks to change that persona, and get the ball down the field and create a serviceable passing attack. This will be entirely possible with Star receiver Isaiah Williams, who will certainly be targeted heavily by DiVito. Casey Washington is a very sure-handed wide receiver who will also be a downfield threat on Offense that will be looked to a lot as well during the 2022 season. Lunney and DiVito certainly have a wonderful opportunity to step up against a defense that has lost a major proportion of it’s starting production, including six of its 7 best secondary players.
My prediction is that the Illini will of course have some rust to work out, but shouldn’t have much of a problem putting the Cowboys back in the saddle in Champaign. The Illini know this is a very big “Tone setting” game across the nation, and will look to impress. I would predict a final score of 37-14, with the Illini looking to get leaders such as Luke Ford, Chayse Brown and Isaiah Williams into the End-zone.
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