Let's continue our Illinois football season previews, position by position. We've wrapped up the

offense and the special teams. Now, Joy Wagner, let us dive into

the defense, which I think has more questions than the offense. I think we feel good about

where the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and offensive line room are. We talked about

the questions at tight end. But defense, after a disappointing dive after last year, we knew they were going to get

worse on defense because you only have one place to go when you're the number one defense in the

country. But they really, really slipped from number one in scoring defense to number 69. One of the

worst scoring defenses in the Big Ten last year. So let's start it up front because we know that is where it all starts up front and

they've been pretty good up front the last couple years and they just lost a program

legend in Johnny Newton.

So this is where it starts and if that secondary is going to improve, the defensive front

has to improve.

So let's break down the defensive line and outside linebackers.

Because there's some intriguing talent here, but a lot of questions.

Yes, funny.

I have more second.

I have questions of production in the secondary, and I have questions of personnel up front

on the Illinois defense.

And they, you've got big shoes to fill, right?

You lose Johnny Newton.

You lose Keith Randolph. Don't sleep on losing Denzel Daxson. He was a really, really good noseguard, a position that they've developed well. Now you've got to find yet another, we think, and Tira Edwards, if we'll get into that, one year kind of stopgap there at that position. There's a lot of new faces.

And those guys are stepping into the conversation.

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