Illinois football beat writer Bob Asmussen chatted with former Illini linebacker Matt Sinclair, who is now the linebackers coach at North Central College. On Friday, he was pardoned by Gov. Bruce Rauner for his 2015 conviction on a weapons charge that happened while he was a part of the Illinois football staff in 2013:
1. How did the first year go?
"We went 10-2, we won the conference and finished No. 8 in the country. We probably lost to a team that we shouldn't have in the second round, but we learned a lot about ourselves in that game.