CHAMPAIGN — No team played more true freshmen in 2017 than Illinois. Lovie Smith sent 22 of them on the field at some point in the season, with 16 of them breaking in as starters last fall.
This week marked the start of the first round of spring practices for those freshmen turned rising sophomores. It’s a crucial time for their development.
“A lot of those guys were thrown into the fire last year as true freshmen,” former Illini All-American offensive lineman turned Illinois radio analyst Martin O’Donnell said. “It’s all of their first spring ball practices.