CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Brad Underwood’s latest media availability touched on everything from injuries to shaping the roster to NIL and revenue-sharing chaos. Here’s what we learned.
Injuries Cloud the Start
The Illini aren’t 100% yet: Ty Rodgers is still without a timetable for return after a knee surgery in July. Underwood kept it vague on whether Rodgers could play this season:
“I’m not completely saying he’ll play and I’m not completely saying he won’t,” Underwood said. “That’s up to the doctors, the trainers and how his body
responds.”
Freshman Andrej Stojakovic also remains out, not yet participating with the team after a few weeks of limitation. Underwood said they’re staying cautious of re-injury, but noted that he’s doing great work on the side.
Early Looks at the Roster
Overall, despite a few missing pieces, Underwood likes what he has so far. He pointed to the size and versatility of the Illini, particularly in the frontcourt with returners Ben Humrichous, Jake Davis, Tomislav Ivisic and more.
Humrichous’ name came up several times.
“Ben’s made as big a change as anybody,” Underwood said. “He’s 25 pounds heavier, stronger and our best-conditioned guy. I don’t think he’s just glad to be here now. He’s ready to be really productive.”
Newcomer Mihailo Petrovic is a work in progress. Overseas, he was a ball-dominant guard, but Underwood said he’s still learning spacing and speed in the Big Ten. Underwood described him as a cerebral guard, praising his efforts in defense and conditioning.
Defensive Identity and Leadership
Defense continues to be a focal point as new assistant Camryn Crocker plans to bring new schemes to leverage length, heavily relying on Kylan Boswell.
“He’s going to be one of the best defenders in the game,” Underwood said. “His strength and quickness are unmatched.”
Vets are helping to set the tone. Last year’s retention has been good for practice with returners handling the ropes, building off of the culture they bought into and holding new teammates accountable for meeting the standard.
“It’s a simple transition,” he said. “We don’t have to hold their hand anymore. That matters.”
Big Ten, Big Picture
Now that the Big Ten slate is official, Underwood gets a clear look at what the Illini are up against this season. He highlighted the opener at Ohio State in December, the early home date with Nebraska and the chance to face Penn State in January at The Palestra.
“It’s a great schedule,” Underwood said. “We’ll find out very early who and what we are.”
Additionally, Underwood didn’t hold back about NCAA guidelines, sharing his concerns about revenue sharing and the possibility of a five-to-play-five model.
“I’m absolutely sick and tired of not having any rules or guidelines,” he said. “Recruiting is a comedy without guardrails.”
