88 Illini: #32-#29

Here's the weird thing about being on track this year: I can't make my two-deep corrections that I've always made with this list once training camp opens. I just got the email this evening that Bielema's opening press conference is Thursday and then the first practice of the fall is Friday. So we're about to learn a lot about the actual depth chart.

In the past, I'm usually at, say #42 on the list when camp opens (always helplessly behind). I'd catch up by the season opener (well, not last year), but the lag was always helpful for me. I'd go to the initial press conference, I'd learn about things like a player who will miss the first half of camp with a summer injury, I'd attend the open practice periods and see some offensive lineman running with the first string, and then I'd come home and re-do the entire top-40 of my list.

This year, on Friday, I'll write the 88 Illini post for players #28 through #25 before attending the first practice (fingers crossed). Which means that I'll have 24 players remaining (which is basically just the starting lineup). So if I learn something like "Ball State transfer Justin Bowick might be Altmyer's main target for this fall", I'll want to run to the 88 Illini list and move Bowick from #29 (where you'll find him below) to #11. But I won't be able to because I'll have already published him as the #29 player.