2024 Illinois Fall Training Camp | Portal Pickups, 100 Years of Fighting Illini Football & More

Illinois' Off. Coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. Talks Goals for the 2024 Season thrilled to be joined by the offensive coordinator of the fighting Ali I Barry Loney Jr coach kind of a mixed bag offensively last year so as you looked back and got ready for the off season which obviously includes dipping into the portal includes trying to figure out maybe some schematic changes what were the things that you wanted to address to get it to where you want it to be well I think every year is a is a new year you know and you learn from the previous experiences and uh one of the things I think most offensive coordinators and teams do is you know they evaluate everything at the end of the year and see what you did well what you need to do better you learn from people you go to clinics you try to keep up with what's going on and so you know the 2024 offense at Illinois is going to look different than 23 based on the strength of who we have and who we have returned who we've added to the picture to your point uh I feel good about where we're at but certainly uh you know you want to learn from all your experiences the good ones and the bad ones uh and we've really gone overboard to make sure we um we emphasize those learning opportunities that we had last year well I know one of the guys that Ali fans are really excited about is aari Franklin a transfer wide receiver you had him at Texas San Antonio he put up remarkable numbers tell us a little bit about what makes him special and how he's fit in here in Champagne well he's fit in nicely and uh you know he he came in a lot late in the summer and uh but has uh has acclimated well and uh the the football part of it uh has been uh somewhat smooth for him you know we've made made some changes over the years since I was last you know running an offense that he was a part of but for the most part you know a lot of it's a carryover and and most of football's just a translation from most everybody's running the same kind of concept so anyway that part of it is has been pretty seamless for him and uh one of the things that you know just his experience he's played in a lot of games you know he's like a lot of the guys there's a lot of guys across college football that are in their fifth or six year of playing he's one of those he's played a lot of football games he's caught a lot of passes so I think he brings experience even though it was a it was at the group of five level um you know I think there's a translation that's good football at all levels I mean 130 something teams are playing division one football and there's really good football at every level and so I think the experience the success he's had um is is certainly a great trait and he's just kind of a natural football player he's helped our room excited about the wide receiver room I think they've responded to him well and I think he's elevated the room um and and I think that's a positive thing let's talk about the depth that you now have on the offensive line you've got seems like you can roll maybe what eight nine 10 guys in that positions we'd hope to be to get that you know to to have a good solid to deep I do think there's no doubt that's a kind of a strange statement I do think there's no doubt I there is no doubt that we're healthier we've got better depth we've got experience the portal pieces that we added this offseason have been key and have been um really good additions the some of the young guys have developed nicely Bart does a nice job with our room there so you know we're going to go that room is going to steer us you know and uh we we've got to do a better job of running the football starting with me and the the schematic element and we have to run the ball and stay healthy and uh but it does start up front and they take a great deal of pride in that and I like where that group's at right now yeah I think you'd agree that college football Now is really run and dictated by the type of quarterback you have under Center how have you seen your quarterback grow from last year to to this point not only on the field but also as a leader in the locker room well it's just like anything in life you know the more you do it the more comfortable you become and uh I can see a great deal of comfort um and uh familiarity that that Luke has now with our system with the surroundings with our coaching staff the training whatever it is I mean it's just like it's a second time to go for fall camp and uh in this system and so I see that you know it comes through really easily uh and then obviously to have started and played you know really a full I guess nine or 10 I can't remember the number but nine games or so that matters and so I think I think you looking back on things looking back on things as the coordinator quarterback coach I see last year I see the the markings of a guy that's in his first year you know he was super the talent hasn't changed he's a talented player smart player but just you know sometimes you don't recognize those things until you look back and looking back I can see now how much more comfortable he is now than he was last year and I think that's a good thing for our team offensive coordinator Barry Loney Jr thanks a lot coach appreciate it I appreciate you all Pat Bryant & Luke Altmyer Discuss How They Prepared for Training Camp well guys thanks for a lot taking the time let's talk a little bit about the the offseason not necessarily training camp that you're in right now but some of the things you were doing to get prepared well I say we just did we had a long 8 weeks of Summer workouts just focusing on getting bigger faster stronger just keeping the standard to standard and also just working on growing as a team not only on the field and in the weight room but also off the field you know just um having events as a team also as a offense and a defense and just focus on creating a big family here what are kind some of the events you guys were doing uh we went tubing we went bowling I know the defense had like a movie night so you know just do fun things around you know not really much to do in Champagne but just any anything just to be around my brothers you know champagne is a great place yeah yeah it's all right it's a nice college town though it's a nice col how have you grown yeah mean from last year to this year yeah um you know coming off last season you know not having a season that we particularly wanted to have you know having a lot of talent in this room coming off a season two years ago with Pat and some of those guys who won a lot of games did a lot of great things here and you know coming off last year not having the season we wanted to have man um you know just trying to to get back to that I mean simply you know not making things complicated you know kind of relying you know on on the foundations of what this on what this program is built on you know being tough smart Dependable uh whether that's physically or mentally and you know Pat touched on it a little bit man but you know for me growing my mental you know my mental capacity my mental side of my life uh and of this game has been crucial for me and I can see it uh in the first few days of Camp am I hearing from you that you you gained that voice you're starting to feel that leadership voice and being confident about what you want to do yeah I mean you know I talked to some people yesterday man I feel really in control out there I really do man I feel my most confident self and you know I think that's a product of the help that I've uh you know kind of obtained throughout the offseason with whether it's you know guys who have helped me grow my faith uh you know guys who you know the sports psychologist here at you know the University of Illinois who have given me tools to to to Really flourish and I can see that coming to fruition uh you know like I said you know through these first few days of camp and you know looking forward to you know using those tools throughout the whole season talk to me a little bit about the guys up front and also the running backs as well so sprinkle the running backs into that as well yeah they're big time uh you know we added you know a new left tackle addition from you know the New Mexico area JC Davis who had crazy production where he was at uh you know is an awesome player awesome leader for us too and just fits right into our culture and what we're trying to do and have a lot of returners too like Josh crud Zach Chrystler Josh G gesy Hunter white and that and just a lot of depth there uh even added Melbourne Priestly uh you know from down south who brings an edge to our offense that you know is very very unique and uh you know you know trusting those guys is key for me and you know they their Brotherhood their bond is unlike any anything I've ever you know been a part of or seen and uh you know getting into the backs too you know a room that has a lot of experience as well uh you know super super deep you know starting off with Josh McCrae who's you know been a part of this program for a while and you know Aiden lawrey who brings such a burst and such a such an explosiveness you know to our offense and is super unique and dynamic and then you have Kaden F Fagan who is you know the biggest dude on our team and he's a running back but um yeah I mean he's he's a freak as you know his dad was in my running back room many years ago right Ain no secret to it he's he's special how about you tell me about your group I mean great great group you know we added addition on zakari Franklin um great guy came from um Old Miss played in this system so we kind of understand how things work on this offense we got a of young guys you know looking forward to them stepping up Malik Elie Ashton canar all those guys we got a lot of great talent a lot of good weapons and I'm excited to see so Houston Griffith isn't holding you back at all this oh no Houston you know coming from the defensive side he got a lot of tools a lot of things to teach us you know he's still learning too but he's a great guy great great grad assistant you know he does what coach says I mean he brings us in we watch film together so he teaches us a lot just coming from that defensive all right I'll give you a couple dollars later for that one what are some of the things you guys both of you can take this question it's going to be key for this offense to get back on track where you want it to be uh basic just just just keeping things simple you know not doing anything crazy just sticking to the basis sticking to what works for us as an offense yeah I mean I talked about it a little bit earlier but you know not making things complicated you know footballs I don't think it's a complicated game you know it's about the players uh you know around me and around Pat and uh the coach is putting us in great positions to be successful and that's what they're doing and uh you know like I said with guys like this beside me Pat Bryant and you know all the skill players around me up front behind me uh you know relying on our foundations our principles will will get us as far as we need to go as far as we want to go wherever wherever it takes us well guys thanks a lot for the time appreciate it stay healthy appreciate appreciate thank you and joined now by Illinois HC Bret Bielema Talks Goals for Training Camp and 100 Years of Fighting Illini Football the head coach of the fighting Ali Brett belma coach we catch you really early in Camp here so for people who haven't been through a preseason training camp give us a sense of what you're working on now and how that may differ from what you're working on say two weeks from now yeah today is practice number four in the first week um every team in college football gets 25 days plain and simple you get 25 days before your opener how those lay out kind of depends some schools start a little early some schools start a little late we actually play on a Thursday night so we started two days before pretty much everybody else uh I know there was uh some people that had come through that had been in SMU I think they're week zero so schools in week zero started already but really the first three days we concentrated on red area install a lot of Basics fundamentals you're just kind of getting newcomers we have 45 new guys in the fall camp camp that have never been through fall camp out of 120 so it's really laying the basics but today we'll go out on the field and we'll we'll do a lot of work out in the field it'll be early down which is first and second down kind of a coaching emphasis there's always going to be a focus among the fan base on the quarterback spot Luke almeer had an interesting year I thought last year he had a three touchdown game he had a four interception game he had a lot that was somewhere in the middle you were really singing his Praises when we were talking earlier in what ways have you seen seen him evolved to be more consistently the three touchdown guy you know hopefully the more time you spend with us and and the more opportunities you get you get better and I I really you know the reason we recruited Luke he's extremely talented he's got a very accurate arm you know we've been very fortunate and then going back to my last stop before that the last six quarterbacks that have started for us as seniors have all signed NFL contracts and I think Luke is progressing down that line he throws the balls anybody I've ever had he he's really he's kind of deceptive Runner like I don't think you look at him to see boy this guy's going to tear it up on the ground but he can really run and he can scoot and he's just a really uh what I believe a methodical guy in the way he thinks he doesn't make things up he sees what he sees he'll be the first to tell you coach I didn't see that or coach I saw this right and sometimes guys will tell you what you want to hear not what you need to hear and and uh I just really like the growth he's made from last year he ended this season a little prematurely got injured in that Minnesota game and that's when Paddock come in and and finish it out but I really like the growth he's made already when I think about your great great teams Through The Years whether Wisconsin or subsequent to that good teams in Arkansas your your best team here you did two things really well you ran the football really well and you play great defense right so last year there was drop off in both of those let's talk about each unit let's talk about the Run game first so the running back room offensive line where do you feel you are there as opposed to where you were a year ago you know three principles in our program our guys will recite this like good football teams do three things they run the ball defend the Run and uh a cover kick so offensively starting off running the ball you got to have the right guy with the ball right and I I really get excited Josh McCrae kayen Fagen Aiden laughrey uh Jordan Anderson is another guy at newcomer khil Valentine there's a lot of guys in that room who haven't really done it on paper yet but have really looked good at practice so I'm excited there and then I think universally one of the things we recommitted to back here last year in January is from tackle to tackle we need to get better up front right not just by the people that are there but also the depth that is there and I feel better about that right now than I've ever felt uh probably during my entire time here at Illinois just really like some un unknown guys right but JC Davis who I think might be our best uh tackle Prospect and might be one of the best since I've been here has been in New Mexico the first three years right he's a allconference player we got him through the portal beat out a lot of people uh because we thought he was the best out there and we're really excited Melvin Priestley comes in from Grambling and and really excited about what he's done and brought Josh crout's a man in the middle obviously is in his blood right we all know the crew's name and what it is but he has made a big jump from where he was a year ago and just being able to handle everything from A to Z what about defense and you and I were talking a little bit earlier it's a challenging spot for Aaron Henry he takes over for what was statistically one of the best defenses not just in Illinois history but but really in quite some time in the Big 10 led the nation in scoring D it was a challenging spot to be in you you ended up not having as good a year defensively you lost the Big 10 defensive player of the year in Jon Newton yet I know you think this can be a really good defense so where have you seen the jumps How does it go from where it was a year ago to where you think it can be really I think to to go through those things last year I think tough people are made of tough times and last year they definitely went through that we went through that defensively uh not only players but coaches and you know one of the things that excites me about Aaron and our defensive staff is this an extremely close staff that takes a lot of pride in how they do their daily business and and uh really have seen them grow during the out of season uh but also just player acquisition right like we everybody wants to talk about uh We've developed the players that we have right so mil Scott Xavier Scott uh um you know Matt Bailey who missed all of last year is back those three guys in the back end uh now you you bring in a guy Terence Brooks Tory Cox uh some other DBS that have just grown kadla Patterson really excited to see where he's at um and then up front you know he lose two really good players and Johnny and and Keith and also a couple interior players but now um you know I would say Dennis brgs a Florida State grad transfer has been very impressive our nose our starting nose right now is TR Edwards who we got from Northwestern 3 years ago who has really just put in his time his diligence uh and done a lot of things to get us excited about what's going up front edge players I'm excited about guys in the middle a lot of experience so I'm I'm looking forward to seeing where this group is at one last thing I want to ask you about really exciting home game against Michigan in October it's exciting on a couple levels obviously anytime you welcome in the defending national champs I think that's a big deal but it's also the rededication of Memorial Stadium commemorating really one of the greatest individual performances in the history of college football for people who may not know kind of the backstory of this game and what you guys are going to do give us a little insight yeah you know literally our athletic director Josh Whitman as you know played here he's been talking about this game since the first phone call I had with him you know the 100y year anniversary of Red Grange and all the things that go into um his history against Michigan over 100 years ago uh the the performance he made not only resonates in Illinois uh fan base but college football and and now to have a game dedicated literally almost to 100 years to the day is pretty cool we'll have some uh throwback uniforms a lot of Celebration leading up to it but I would say you know obviously it appeals to the fan base and the history but this is a new time in college football right and to throw some retro uniforms in there and then for us personally you know we we had a chance to play Michigan two years ago they were a really good football team two years ago uh we got beat on a fourth down play at the end of the game was a nip and Tuck game right and you know obviously they've gone through some things some some great success but also a lot of things around that so to to get them to come to our place and to play in the stadium is awesome next year it's first time in my career I've been able to say this we're going to play a game at Penn State right uh and Ruckers out there um two Marquee games on the East Coast we're going to hop on a plane and fly at a game and play at Oregon one of the best stadiums and venues in college football one of the best teams are out there and we're going to play a 100-year anniversary game at home in Memorial against Michigan that that that's a that's an exciting football schedule I don't care who you are where you're at that should jump out to you and I think our guys are excited well looking forward to seeing how the Aline navigate that schedule always appreciate your time BR belman thanks so Illinois' Seth Coleman Talks Defense Goals for the Upcoming Season much Z thanks for taking the time to join me talk to me a little bit about uh how things are progressing to this point uh I think they've been well um what our first day of a highback pass yesterday so uh there was a lot of hitting lot it was Scrappy yesterday a little gritty you was starting most of it when yeah yeah you see look starting it all what are some of the things that you guys have worked on this offseason to to get back to where you want to be as a defense uh definitely looking at the details um be more consistent CU just building building every day being greater every day that's something we work on personally as a group outside linebackers we work on just being better every day what are some of the things that you you may work on being is it attent attention to detail that really is it's about yeah definitely definit paying attention details like looking at what the O gives you and tendencies and stuff like that being able to read those types of players that that's that really helps us out you told me you guys got together a bit as as a group defense you guys had some outings tell me a little bit about the outings and why you wanted to have those outings uh so we started off with like a like a picnic Vibe thing and uh picnic Vibe like a picnic Vibe we went to the park you know we cooked some burgers hot dogs all that you know you guys are making too much money to be cooking hot dogs and hamburgers but go on yeah it it was just uh a really good time just to uh grow closer as a team know we have the trans support allows us a lot of transfers coming in so it was great to get to know those guys on a more personal level is it hard to to get to know the new guys that come in or is it you know how how does that really work for a team standpoint uh from well my perspective like we're a family so like it was pretty easy to grab those guys and bring them in and just build that brotherly Bond so it it was it was pretty easy when you go on the field what are some of the things personally you've done to take your game to the next level uh just basically the little things like where my stands like uh my mental like my pad level stuff like that like my coach we have things uh we work on each day our coach puts it on our desk like take to our desk things we working on during this Camp so those are things I've been how often does that change some of those notes that are on the desk oh they're they're there the whole time like that's what he looked at uh we had meetings in the spring and that's what he saw on tape that we need to work on so that's okay so that's just a reminder for you yeah exactly and what happens if you're not doing it paying attention to those reminders he going to tell you he definitely going to tell you what's what are some of the things that really takes this team to the next level we talked a little bit about it attention attention to detail focusing on the small things but physically what do you guys want to be able to go out and what type of message do you want to send to offenses that are out there that you go against just have that chip on our shoulder like did you go out there play our hardest you know we we we have the We Got Talent other teams might have other talent but we just have to have that trip on our shoulder just to be better to be that more physical you know tough smart Dependable team you guys will be ready and you'll know you're ready if you're able to accomplish what when you leave Camp just be I guess just be the best team that we can be just be a consistent team like just Elevate each each day in Camp how's the offense been looking to you so far they've been looking great been getting the best of you nah we got the best of them yesterday I'm not going to lie to you I don't know that's not what I heard that's not what you heard that's not what I heard hey everyone's opinions different you so tell me a little bit about your group and also talk about the defensive line that really allow you guys to be able to run free some uh yeah we got T we got bigs we got uh Briggs like we got we got pieces like I I love those guys like those guys are getting up the field you know making it hard for the quarterback you know putting their hands up stuff like that like making it hard and uh my group especially like uh we got AB we got Gabe especially uh DB we got a lot we got a lot of good people in our here lot of pieces huh yeah all right looking forward to seeing those pieces this Year stay safe and have a great year yes sir appreciate you Illinois' Defensive Coordinator Aaron Henry Reflects on One Year coordinator Aaron Henry joining us now Aon your two for you as DC one of the biggest things you learned in that first year well you know I think personally I think when you go through uh a year one like that naturally when you're taking on a new responsibility there are some things trial and error wise that you that you just got to go through in year one you know um obviously I became a father as well so in year two there are things that you you you probably wish you wouldn't have did in year one that you're that you're doing now but just from a coordinator standpoint you know like as much as you know I think that I wanted to make it about scheme it's truly about your players um and and no matter what you did prior to or or or the year before um your scheme can change within the framework of a season based on the guys you have on your roster so that was probably one of the biggest takeaways you know that that I probably um towards the latter part of season that I start to understand like no matter what your identity was going into that season um it has the possibility to change based on your personnel you know and so um I think sometimes you got to hit your head a couple times to kind of realize that you know and um there um there there was some frustration in that but um looking back at it I think that I needed that you know because um you know sometimes in order to truly get what um where you want to go you got to go through some struggles sometimes and I I just sit back and think about like had I had a lot of success you know year one you can kind of get um I guess arrogant and cocky a little bit and um you know it it was definitely a learning experience and I'm really looking forward to your too well let's talk a little bit about the Personnel that you you have for year two I think if you look at who you lost from last year the obvious thing that stands out is he had the big 10 defensive player of the year and Johnny Newton uh you really lost two all big 10 caliber guys up front so give us a sense of how you feel that defensive line has come together yeah well Johnny and Keef um they were called a law for firm for a reason both very very special players you know um Johnny is Johnny's Johnny I mean I think Johnny's one of those players that at most places you're probably not to get him I mean he's probably like every 10 15 year guy you know and him and Keith complimented each other so well you know that it made it easy for the guys on the second level in terms of fitting runs and I mean Johnny could literally take over a game right and and when Johnny was banged up there I mean there was Keith and so maybe we don't have those same caliber players um and and two of them together but I think collectively with the depth that we ended up bringing in um we Tru got some guys that can go you know um I think with what coach Jameson has did up front you know he kind of quiet guy hides behind the scenes a little bit but what he did up front and what he did this off season and going out and getting some guys that truly truly add to our pool of D linan um it's truly special you know what we've been able to do the last couple of days you know obviously via VIA our install and some things that we've been doing up front um I think we're going to be able to maybe not make up for per player in in production but I think the overall result is going to be just as good one of the things that happens when you have those type of players up front you talk about Newton is that there's so much emphasis on trying to make sure he gets his stuff done and he creates do you become a stronger defense when you don't have them obviously you love to have those type of players but can you be a stronger defense without those High Lev players I truly think you can and and and often times you see that a lot you know um I just think about the 2022 season right nobody I mean people knew about Illinois but it wasn't until we kind of got into the landscape or the season that you realize well dang well Sydney Brown's pretty good right oh oh oh Devon Witherspoon um he wasn't really heard of like okay this guy's pretty good you know and so it's not until you kind of get into the flow of things that you understand how talented these players are we as coaches we kind of see it early on you know we kind of see it throughout fall camp and Spring ball um but having a player like Johnny right going from a Johnny caliber player um from a coordinator standpoint like when you make play calls yeah you try to get him in isolations you know that that that he can take advantage of people but I think at the end of the day when you lose a cat like that you can kind of set up your system and your scheme to still utilize those players and get them in one-on-one matchups it's just that now um opponents that we Face they have no idea what we have up front and it won't be until week five or six or seven that people truly understand that okay well that Gabe Aon is pretty good well that that that Seth Coleman pretty talented right that Alec Bry the the the the Dennis Briggs the Daniel Brown we got a bunch of we got a bunch of different cats up front that can really really get out the get out the quarterback and so it's going to be really exciting moving forward helmet communication this year yes sir how is that going to change the way you do things and also the way the players really respond to you and try to to to talk to you about what's going on on the field well personally I love it you know know I mean you're talking about literally being able to communicate with a player on the field as the as the game is in motion based on when an offense decides to snap the ball you know teams want to go Tempo and hurry up great right I got answers for that teams want to want to get in a huddle and and wait until the last minute snap the ball great we got answers for that and so um for us right it's truly I mean from from from from our standpoint defensively I think it's it's somewhat of an advantage you know um just being able to communicate with your guys pre and post Snap you know what I'm saying obviously not during the play but once the play is over you know what I'm saying I I guess I should say pre- snap you know that you can get them some information based on things that you've seen throughout the week and I mean will it probably slow offenses offenses down maybe or more offenses huddle maybe but I truly believe it's to the defenses defense's Advantage last question for you you mentioned being a new father a year ago I'm 18 years ahead of you on twin girls what kept you up more during this off season late night feedings or thinking about prepping for Oregon's offense you know coach um Coach B always talks about right going one and0 right and obviously I I mean what Dan Landon has done there has been awesome right Oregon's got a really really Talent offense they got good players to speak as well but um you know just truly truly trying to focus on week one opponent and what we got ahead but them babies kept up some time I was going say when you going to get to the room baby the babies kep me up quite some time yeah yeah you worry about organ off when the time comes you got to get those kids back to sleep Aon Henry really appreciate it thanks a lot thank you guys