Having a full roster might not seem all that critical for No. 9 Illinois (2-0) heading into Saturday’s home game against Western Illinois, an 0-2 MAC opponent, at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. The Illini just handled a strong Duke squad in Week 3, while the Broncos dropped an overtime contest to North Texas—showing the clear gap between the programs.
Still, Illinois has reason for concern with some key injuries and possible absences looming, especially with a pivotal Big Ten opener at Indiana just over a week away. Depth, rhythm, and the continuity that come from a stable lineup could all take a hit. As of Thursday night, here’s the latest on Illinois’ injury situation:
Aidan Laughery
Aidan Laughery has taken over as the lead back in a balanced running back group, but he exited the Duke game early due to an unspecified lower-body injury. While he participated in Thursday’s practice and, according to Bret Bielema, showed “jumps in the right direction” during the week, Laughery remains a game-time decision for Western Michigan. If he can’t go or is limited, Kaden Feagin would likely start, and Ca’Lil Valentine would almost certainly see increased playing time.
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