CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illini battled not only against each other but also against the elements at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, participating in their sixth practice of the spring despite high winds. Now two weeks into spring ball and less than three weeks away from the Orange and Blue Spring Game on April 20, Illinois continues to make positive strides after finishing 8-5 in 2022.

Despite adding new faces to the roster and coaching staff, the Illini return several starters who are primed to make a big impact once again in 2023. Head coach Bret Bielema heads into his third season with the Orange and Blue with loftier expectations, but he feels good with where the team sits two weeks into spring practices.

Here are a few takeaways from Bielema's week-two media availability.

The quarterback room is "picking things up and understanding how we play"

Following the departure of Tommy DeVito, who started all 13 games in his lone season with the Illini last year, Illinois will turn to a new starter under center for the 2023 campaign. Though the team returns lots of talent, Bielema opted to turn to the transfer portal to bring in reinforcements who will battle for the QB1 gig.

Two such newcomers are Luke Altmyer (Ole Miss) and John Paddock (Ball State), who both bring Division-I experience to the Orange and Blue. The Illini also have several underclassmen candidates vying for the starting spot, including Donovan Leary and Kirland Michaux.

As the quarterbacks grow more comfortable and confident with their teammates, Bielema has been happy with the way the group has looked thus far this spring.

"Our Tuesday practice was probably their best day overall. They had really tough weather conditions today, but they're picking it up," Bielema said. "I think they interact with our other players really well, which for me as a head coach, that's what I'm really looking at. They're picking things up and understanding how we play."

Bielema says Brown's high workload was an outlier, and he's impressed with running back room

Chase Brown's 328 rushing attempts in 2022 broke the single-season program record by 34 carries, though this high workload was impacted by injuries to the Illini's other running backs. With Brown off to compete professionally, Illinois now has to replace the production of its All-Big Ten and All-American running back.

Josh McCray and Reggie Love III will likely take on much larger roles in 2023, but Bielema has been very impressed with redshirt freshmen Jordan Anderson and Aidan Laughery and true freshman Kaden Feagin, who joined the team this spring.

Bielema says Brown's workload was certainly an outlier, and he will look to revert back to a two- or three-man rotation heading into the new season.

"I want to get back to that," Bielema said. "I was excited to watch our young guys run today. Obviously, Jordan Anderson and Aidan Laughery, this is their second spring with us, which is a big difference, and to be quite honest, Kaden has been very impressive. Just the way he's picked things up, and he's obviously a very gifted athlete physically. We want to establish our demeanor in the run game."

Aside from returning starters, there are several players to watch on defense

With the likes of All-Big Ten First-Team and Walter Camp Preseason First-Team All-American Jer'Zhan Newton returning for another season, Illinois is poised to build on one of its best defenses in program history. After finishing atop the national rankings in several categories in 2022, the Illini will take on big expectations under first-year defensive coordinator Aaron Henry.

Newton and Keith Randolph, a partnership and friendship that is now known as 'The Law Firm,' are two names that Bielema mentioned on Saturday, but he also says sophomore Sed McConnell and junior Evan Kirts have stood out this spring.

"A guy that's really stood out is Sed McConnell, who has had probably as good of a fall and spring as we can hope," Bielema said. "I told him, going into that first practice, nobody was more excited than our coaches to watch him play. Kirts had a really good offseason and a good spring for us so far."

Bielema is also very high on his outside linebacker room, which he calls "one of the most talented groups I've ever had at that position." Under new outside linebackers coach and pass rush coordinator Charlie Bullen, the Illini boast 2022 FWAA Freshman All-American Gabe Jacas alongside proven contributors in Ezekiel Holmes, Seth Coleman, and Alec Bryant.

Though the Illini defensive front will look very similar personnel wise compared to one season ago, Bielema expects the group to take another step forward in 2023.

The Illini secondary has benefited from the program's recent NFL Draft picks, a number that will grow later this month

Illinois has had defensive backs selected in the NFL Draft in each of the last two years, Nate Hobbs in 2021 and Kerby Joseph in 2022, and that streak will extend to three seasons with 2022 Big Ten Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year and consensus All-American Devon Witherspoon and All-Big Ten starters Sydney Brown and Jartavius Martin.

While that has been big for the Illini's recruiting pitch, Bielema says it has also paid dividends in the locker room. The secondary unit is now more confident than ever and is reaping the rewards of their hard work after undergoing major changes when the new coaching staff first arrived.

"That group is really close," Bielema said. "I think they went through a lot. When we got in here, we asked them to do some things they weren't comfortable with. They're truly getting rewarded now. I think those three DBs – Syd, Quan, and Spoon – are probably gonna go a lot higher than people ever thought they would. As coaches, the bad thing is they're gone, but the good thing is we can use them as examples, and they're great examples for the people they've already touched."

Illinois now has the tall task of replacing those three starters, but Bielema has several names in mind who have stood out in spring ball thus far, including returning players and transfers.

"Xavier Scott had a really great finish to the year last year, and he's continued to grow and physically change," Bielema said. Prince Green, Tyler Strain, and a couple of those guys in that class have had a really good spring for us. 

"New additions, obviously we brought in Nicario Harper, who's been at a couple different schools. Nicario really jumped out to us athletically. He's learning how we do things here and the way we do things. I think today was another good step for him in the right direction."