"My challenge to Spoon, my challenge to the defensive side of the ball is. 'Can we do it again?'" Illinois defensive backs coach Aaron Henry said. "It's easy to have
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Although some people may view the Conference USA Roadrunners — who will face a Big Ten team for the first time in program history — as a lesser opponent than the Big Ten West rival Huskers, Bielema isn't having any of that. Every time UTSA's status as a non-Power Five program was brought up this week, he sternly dismissed it.
Perhaps no one the team's roster has more star power than junior Sincere McCormick.
The 5-foot-9, 205-pound running back totaled 249 carries for 1,467 yards (5.9 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns last year, which are both single-season program records. He also had nine 100-yard rushing games in 2020 — highlighted by another single-game program record 251 rushing yards in the team's regular-season finale against North Texas — to become the 10-year-old program's all-time leading rusher with 2,450 yards.
McCormick's stellar campaign led to a second-team All-American nod from both the Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele.
"Very dynamic player. When you pop on the film, he jumps out for a variety of different reasons," Bielema said. "He's got power, he's got balance, he's got strength, he's got a burst (and he) has the ability to take the ball inside or outside."
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here's hoping we have a great game and go to 2-0....................
Go Illini