

Picture this: Illinois is coming after two consecutive losses against Oregon and Minnesota, and after beating Michigan State at home, it faces Rutgers on the road. It was the game standing between Illinois’ incredible run throughout the season and notching up 10 wins. Now, it was never going to be easy, and Rutgers started matching the rhythm toe to toe, as they stood on a one-point lead (31-30) with just 12 seconds left on the clock. Guess what Illinois did?
It was 4th and 17, and almost 48 yards to the touchdown line. Luke Altmyer takes the snap as the receiver runs a dig route, and Altmyer throws the ball seconds before getting sacked. What happened? The ball is caught near the 20-yard line as the receiver outruns hordes of swarming defenders to the end zone. The crowd erupts as Illinois wins incredibly and seals its prospect of 10 wins. But one must ask, who was that ‘incredible’ receiver?
It was none other than Pat Bryant, the architect of Illinois’ win against Rutgers and also their journey to achieve 10 wins. In total, receiving 984 yards wasn’t easy, and then averaging 18.2 yards per reception was truly momentous. But Bryant wasn’t alone; he had the help of his fellow WR Zakhari Franklin, who received another 652 yards. However, this year, Bryant has gone to the Broncos after getting selected in the third round, while Franklin has lost eligibility. What should Bret Bielema do then?
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It’s a question that is also being asked by ESPN’s Greg McElroy as he touts a change of offensive philosophy for Bielema in the absence of the duo. “The biggest question offensively is how do you replace the outstanding wide receiver duo of Pat Bryant, who was an all-American, had 18 yards a catch, and Zakhari Franklin, who had 109 catches? That guy was really, really good. So, they might move into a little bit of a run-happy type of team. Kind of like a group that’s going to lean on the running game,” said McElroy in his recent ESPN podcast.

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The receiver room without the duo at Illinois is surely lacking in experience. Apart from Hudson Clement, who comes after accumulating 1,200+ yards over two seasons at West Virginia, no one else looks battle-ready. Sure, Collin Dixon was deployed on occasions last year and accumulated 264 yards. But can he provide the production of Bryant or Zakhari Franklin? Probably not!! Apart from him, Justin Bowick, coming from Ball State after receiving 383 yards, also doesn’t look that prolific. That said, Luke Altmyer has a plan.
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Luke Altmyer endorses an inexperienced junior for playmaking production at Illinois
Last year, Luke Altmyer’s combination with both Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin was a treat to watch. It was a job well done throughout the season after accumulating 2,717 passing yards and rushing for another 217 yards. Now, since the QB is coming back for the 2025 season, he needs weapons to throw to. So, while at first glance it seems the quality is lacking in the Illinois WR room. However, for Altmyer, he has a trusted guy in the room.
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On a July 23rd episode of Illini Inquirer, Altmyer answered the question head-on and gave his response to the WR room question. “Just with the returners, Malik, who has incredible talent, who’s got a chance to be great for this university. “Just need him to take that step to be that out, you know, and he can do it. He can do it. Malik has great abilities, man, like just, and he will do some really good things for us,” declared Altmyer and endorsed junior Malik Elzy.
What’s your perspective on:
Can Malik Elzy fill the massive shoes left by Pat Bryant and lead Illinois to victory?
Have an interesting take?
Elzy didn’t see much action last year and ended up with just 4 catches for 77 yards. But for anyone looking to tap into some returning talent, he seems like an underrated guy. Back in his senior year of high school, he piled up 1,025 yards. And let’s not forget that amazing 34-yard touchdown he scored last year—it really showed off his explosiveness and athleticism. While it might be tough to match Pat Bryant’s numbers, if he builds up some chemistry with Altmyer and works hard, it’s definitely within reach.
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Can Malik Elzy fill the massive shoes left by Pat Bryant and lead Illinois to victory?