Oct 5, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of an Illinois Fighting Illini helmet before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
With Bret Bielema taking over the Illinois football program, there is a renewed optimism on the recruiting front.
Bielema has done a great job starting the class of 2022 and while putting together a solid first class, he is also trying to build the 2023 class for the Illini at the same time. A step in the right direction with recruiting would be adding a player like Carnell Tate to the mix.