5 questions for Illinois football, including what impact Bobby Hauck and Katin Houser will have on the Illini

Bret Bielema zeroed in on a couple of moments from the last two years when he could feel the change at Gies Memorial Stadium.

The Illinois coach of course felt the energy during the 2024 win against Michigan on a day the Illini celebrated the 100-year anniversary of the stadium. That 21-7 victory broke a 14-game losing streak to the Wolverines, and Bielema believed the crowd had an effect on his players and the game.

The buzz was present last season, too, when Illinois beat USC on a game-ending field goal, causing the students to stream onto the field.

The Illini built fan interest the last two seasons as they racked up 19 wins, a program record for a two-year stretch. That has carried over to this summer, when the athletic department announced it sold out season tickets for the public for the second year in a row and anticipates selling out student season tickets.

Gies Memorial Stadium this fall will be home to the biggest scoreboard in college football — totaling more than 17,300 square feet. And the Illini are making other stadium upgrades, including adding Wi-Fi for fans and upgrading the sound system and lighting, thanks to a $100 million donation from alumnus Larry Gies.

Illinois football, entering Bielema’s sixth season, is in a better place than it has been in decades. But can the Illini sustain the buzz with a partially revamped roster and coaching staff?

That’s one of five major questions for Illinois before the season opens Thursday at home against UAB (8 p.m., BTN).

1. What impact will Bobby Hauck have on the defense?

Illinois turned over a big portion of its roster in the offseason, but the biggest change was at defensive coordinator.

Aaron Henry left to become the defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, and Bielema landed on a coach with a wealth of experience as his replacement. Hauck joined the Illini after 14 seasons as head coach at Montana over two stints. He also was UNLV’s head coach from 2010-14.

Bielema said that experience was big in offseason preparations.

“As a head coach, I’m at my best when I don’t have to worry and micromanage areas I don’t need or want to do,” Bielema said. “I felt I was doing that a little bit (before). I wanted to have a change in venue in that regard.

“Not that we weren’t doing good things, but in today’s world, the value of experience in coaching is really high, and Bobby’s voice comes into that room very calm. He’s got some young coaches around him that have been with him a long time, and they’ve done a really good job.”

Hauck takes over a defense with a lot of newcomers but also an experienced secondary led by captains and former All-Big Ten selections Xavier Scott and Matthew Bailey.

Several Illinois players stuck with a talking point — “football is football” — when discussing the changes they’ve had to make with Hauck’s 3-3-5 defense. Defensive end Joe Barna said it will be fun, fast and aggressive. Bielema said it creates movement and allows players to operate with freedom and creativity.

Hauck, who will call plays from the coaches box, told reporters in mid-August that the defense’s identity is to play hard and tackle well. “You have to get off blocks, you have to pursue the football and you have to tackle,” he said.

Barna called Hauck “blue collar.” Defensive end Pat Farrell said Hauck devotes a portion of each day’s meetings to “effort film,” in which he showcases players running to the ball.

“You want to be on that film every day,” Farrell said. “He’s awesome. He’s very old school. He really preaches effort, finishing to the football, turnovers, just basic football fundamentals. It’s fun to learn from a guy like that.”

2. Will QB Katin Houser carry on the torch from Luke Altmyer?

Illinois’ success over the last two seasons was intertwined with Altmyer’s rise over three seasons as the Illini’s starting quarterback.

Altmyer is now on the Detroit Lions practice squad, and Houser steps in to try to become the latest in a line of QB transfer success stories under Bielema. Houser is in a different spot than Altmyer was when the latter transferred from Mississippi before the 2023 season.

Houser made 26 starts over the last three seasons at Michigan State and East Carolina, throwing for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns with six interceptions for the 8-4 Pirates last season. He had a 146.3 passing efficiency rating for the season.

Houser, who prides himself on his anticipation and getting the ball out efficiently, returns to the Big Ten with the confidence that comes with having played a lot of football. He said this summer that he knows his identity as a player — what he’s good at and what he’s not — and that has helped him as he settles in at Illinois.

“I’ve seen a lot of different defenses,” Houser said. “I’ve seen a lot of different personnel, played in multiple different offenses. So I have a ton of experience to that end, and I know how to prepare for games. I have a routine that I go through, a process, and all that from the past four years and applying to this year now, I feel like I’m in a good spot.”

Houser was intentional about stepping into a leadership role with his new team and was voted one of six captains.

He took a group of wide receivers and center Jake Renfro to California in May to build relationships among teammates. They stayed together at a beach house, training in the mornings and hanging out at the beach — playing spike ball and swimming — in the afternoons. Houser took care of the trainers and food.

Wide receivers Collin Dixon and Jayshon Platt said that trip was part of their efforts to learn what Houser likes on the field and vice versa. Platt said he has learned Houser takes the game very seriously. Dixon called Houser “sharp.” And offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. said Houser has taken “total command” of the offense.

“He’s a really smart football player,” Dixon said. “So that’s really easy because he can communicate what he’s thinking and what he’s seeing to us. It has been really easy to grow together because we know what he expects out of us.”

3. Which skill players will excel alongside Houser?

Platt could be a newcomer to watch for the Illini, but it won’t be in the opener. The slot receiver will sit out against UAB after suffering a soft-tissue injury during training camp.

Platt was one of 44 players named to the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top pass catcher. He had 46 catches for 720 yards and five touchdowns last season, his fourth at Florida Atlantic. A lifelong Florida resident, he said he came to Illinois because of the coaching staff, including Bielema, Lunney and wide receivers coach Justin Stepp. And he received some solid reviews in camp before the injury.

“He’s explosive,” Dixon said. “He can make a big play, which always helps. He’s a guy who plays with a lot of energy and a lot of passion and truly loves football.”

Illinois needs to replace the production of Hank Beatty, an in-state player from Rochester who was one of the feel-good stories of 2025. He broke out at slot receiver with 70 catches for 865 yards and three touchdowns while also recording rushing, passing and punt-return touchdowns in his final college season.

Houser said he has a strong connection with Dixon, a team captain, and Hudson Clement, the top two returning receivers. They combined for 71 catches, 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Lunney called Dixon “the heartbeat of what we do at that position.”

Depth is a question, especially after Florida International transfer Alex Perry needed shoulder surgery for a pinched nerve in August. Clement also was limited in early training camp practices but has since gotten up to speed.

In the running back room, Ca’Lil Valentine returns after breaking out with 614 yards on 131 carries and four touchdowns. Aidan Laughery also is back after rushing for 382 yards on 75 carries.

However, Kaden Feagin, who rushed for 507 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, requested a move to tight end because he believes it’s his best path to playing football long term. Jordan Anderson moved from tight end back to running back to fill the hole.

Valentine said he learned a lot from Feagin while sitting next to him in the running backs room last year, and he hopes applying it this season will help take his game to the next level.

“Just being better off the field, learning my routine, taking care of my body,” Valentine said.

4. How will the Illini fare up front after rebuilding both lines?

Bielema invested in his offensive line through the transfer portal, bringing in seventh-year center Renfro from Wisconsin, senior left tackle Christian Martin from Colorado State and top-ranked junior college interior lineman Maika Matelau.

They join returning guard Brandon Henderson and right tackle Nathan Knapik to form a group that Lunney said has a strong makeup and is working on building chemistry.

Renfro, whose father, Rick, played offensive line for Illinois in the 1980s, already has settled into a leadership role as a captain while replacing Josh Kreutz at center. He has put a lot into forming a relationship with Houser.

“If the center and the quarterback aren’t on the same page, everything kind of falls apart, especially in the protection world,” he said. “He has to know what I’m thinking, and I have to know what he’s thinking. My job is to keep him upright and keep him healthy.”

On the opposite side, the defensive front lost much of its sack production from 2025 and has several new pieces after multiple players departed, including star outside linebacker Gabe Jacas to the NFL.

Bielema said Hauck’s new defense allows the Illini to utilize smaller, faster linemen who were part of his roster-construction strategy financially.

“The reason I had to make change on defense was I couldn’t afford to pay the numbers on offense and defense,” Bielema said. “I had already gone out for an offensive line and had to put money out I needed to get done for that.

“I knew I could patch together a defensive scheme that wouldn’t require as big of players. Some of those big D-linemen, those guys are going for an ungodly amount of money, and you just can’t have them at the number we were at.”

Returnees Barna and Farrell, who combined for 3½ sacks and four pass breakups last season, are expected to play big roles, as is Jacksonville State transfer Darrell Prater at nose tackle. The Illini also have Utah State transfer Will Holmes and Penn transfer Carter Janki.

“That’s a little bit of a no-name group, and I’m hoping that as we get going in the season, they’re very productive,” Hauck told reporters. “That’s the crystal ball stuff. I don’t know, but I’m hopeful.”

5. Will the Illini prove they can win consistently?

As Bielema reflected over the summer on his team’s recent success, he noted that the Illini must remember “the pain of the past.”

Before last season, Illinois hadn’t put together back-to-back seasons of eight wins or more since 1989-90. Bielema wants to make sure his team doesn’t lose sight of what it takes to win consistently.

“None of those 19 wins are going to help us this year,” Bielema said. “If anything, it probably brings more pressure from the outside world.

“There was probably a time when our opponent during the (offseason) really didn’t pay attention to what we’re doing. Maybe there wasn’t a spring preparation plan on Illinois or a fall preparation even though we were going to see them in Game 5. They probably prepare for us a little bit more or a little bit different.”

Illinois had significantly more hype entering last season, when it was ranked No. 12 in the preseason AP poll. Putting together another winning season this year amid so much change would signal that Bielema and the Illini are on a path to sustained success. Their biggest tests could come Sept. 26 at No. 1 Ohio State and Oct. 24 at home against No. 2 Oregon.

For Houser and the other newcomers, it’s about making their mark on the program.

“We can’t take what we did last year to this year. It’s a brand-new team, new quarterback as well,” Houser said. “So it’s a fresh start and we’re going to focus on the guys in this locker room, prepare for this year. If we do what we’re supposed to do and work hard and put one foot in front of the other, the rest will take care of itself.”