Defensive depth Henry's training camp focus

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CHAMPAIGN — Aaron Henry liked the way his defense competed during spring ball. Liked that there was daily improvement. No real regression to be found in those 15 practices three months ago.

“I felt like every day every install we put in, guys took it in stride, learned from it and started to understand concepts on a much, much higher level,” the Illinois defensive coordinator said Monday. “Especially some of the younger guys.”

Reinforcements arrived during the summer months in the form of multiple defensive transfers for those younger players angling for a bigger role this fall. A boost of experience to a group — particularly the secondary — that needed it after the Illinois defense dropped from among the stingiest in the country in 2022 to one that gave up 40-plus points in a quarter of its games.

Getting back to its 2022 self is a long road for the Illinois defense. Daily progression during fall training camp, which got underway Monday, that matches what was accomplished in the spring would at least push the Illini several steps in the right direction.

“If they get beat today on a certain play or a certain look, I don’t want that same look to beat them three days from now,” Henry said. “Learning from the mistakes you made. ... Just fundamental things I felt like, as practice went on in the spring, we got progressively better at.

“We know they can play good football. They’ve had unbelievable offseasons, and we’re just still trying to (figure out) what’s going to be the 2024 Illinois defense? The start of that is (Monday) evening. To see how we fly around. To see how we have success. To see how we make plays. To see how we take the ball away.”

Monday also marked the first time Henry got to see his newcomers, including true freshman and some transfers, in a true football setting. It’s not a perfect evaluation given Monday’s first training camp practice was helmets only and full pads won’t be donned for several days, but Henry was able to get a sense of how his players moved and how they adjusted to implementing the defense.

But that’s just one training camp priority. At the top of Henry’s to-do list is building depth at each position. That process was helped by adding multiple transfers on the defensive line and in the secondary, as the two position groups with the greatest need. Plugging in linemen like Dennis Briggs Jr. and Gentle Hunt and cornerbacks like Terrance Brooks and Torrie Cox Jr. shortcuts the development system.

Beyond inserting veteran transfers, all with double-digit starts on their college football résumés, into the depth chart, though, exists the need to develop young players already on the roster. Last year’s backups, whether in line for minimal snaps or buried on the depth chart, could be this season’s rotation pieces. Maybe even starters.

“Here’s the reality,” Henry said. “We play in a very physical conference. A guy may be a starter for two, three, four weeks, and by the time we get to Week 8, it’s somebody else. Are they prepared for it? Are they ready for it?

“We have to develop that depth. Maybe they can become starters, but we have to develop depth at each and every position. As you know, as the season goes on, you may lose a guy. A guy could get banged up, and that could alter some of the calls you can make based on that skill set and what that player can do.”