We are less than three weeks away from opening kickoff, and things are starting to get real in Champaign.
The feeling going into September is night and day compared to last season. To open up 2025, you had a proven quarterback in Luke Altmyer, as well as Aaron Henry running the defense. Now, those pieces are both gone, but their replacements could be that much better.
Henry’s old counterpart, current offensive coordinator Barry Lunney, addressed the media Monday as his new quarterback, Katin Houser, is gearing up for the season.
“He’s in total command of what we’re doing,” Lunney said.
It feels like we’ve only heard positives about Houser since he first set foot on campus back in January. Now, after months of preparation, he will get the chance to fill some big shoes left by Altmyer.
Lunney praised Houser’s ability to pick up the offense, saying it has been “really impressive how he’s embraced that.” He also emphasized the importance of understanding the system before taking the field, saying, “Total command and total perfection are not the same thing.”
Houser isn’t the only major change on the offensive side of the ball. Illinois is replacing four starters on the offensive line, mixing a new group, with only a short time to build chemistry.
Lunney said he has been pleased with their progress and believes the unit is “starting to work really well together.”
That theme of change extends throughout the roster. New players are stepping into larger roles.
For Lunney, that process is about more than simply replacing last year’s players. He described the offense as “a living, breathing organism,” adding, “If it’s not growing, it’s going to die.”
That mindset may define Illinois this season. With a reshaped roster, new coaches, and a new quarterback, it’s going to be completely different to anything we’ve seen in the Bielema era – but that might not be a bad thing.
What worked last year doesn’t work this year,” Lunney said.
For the Illini, a fresh start may be exactly what the doctor ordered.