The Illini linebackers had a very solid season in 2018. There were some issues in coverage, but on the whole the Illinois linebackers did their jobs and were a steady presence that made tackles.
The Illinois defense still ranked near the bottom of every defensive category in college football. I think this goes to show the declining importance of linebackers to modern college defenses. They are important, but linebacker used to be a position a team could build a defense around. Now defense is mainly about two things, do you have a good defensive line and do you have a good secondary?