Notes: Miles Scott helps Illinois turn opener into takeaway-fest

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CHAMPAIGN — Miles Scott expected the “Mayhem King” belt to be in his locker at some point this weekend.

Four different Illinois defensive players might have come up with a takeaway in Thursday’s 45-0 season-opening win against Eastern Illinois, but Scott was the only one to be involved in two of them. The redshirt junior safety, who started his Illini career as a walk-on wide receiver and was named a team captain earlier this month, forced a first-quarter fumble and also had an interception in the second.

Not a bad résumé to wind up Illinois’ “Mayhem King” and get possession of the belt again. A training camp creation, an actual belt was passed around the defense this month to the players that caused the most havoc.

Torrie Cox Jr. also picked off EIU quarterback Pierce Holley and both Seth Coleman and Kaleb Patterson recovered fumbles — the former off Scott’s efforts and the latter on a great pursuit play and punch out by Dylan Rosiek.

But Scott had real “Mayhem King” momentum.

“The turnovers carried over from practice,” Scott said. “The competition that we introduced in fall camp, it showed up (Thursday). We just need that to show up every game. We always need to take the ball away. That’s our main goal. How can we give the offensive more opportunities?

“It’s great. It shows that when we harp on something — when we make sure we’re making it a point of emphasis — it showed up in the game. Imagine what else we could do. We just have to keep doing that.”

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Scott’s third career interception — and the first he didn’t return for a touchdown — came after he read Holley’s eyes and darted over toward the middle of the field out of Illinois’ Cover 2 defense to snatch the ball out of midair.

Cox’s interception came after he sniffed out a screen pass and had to shift gears from what he initially intended to do on the play.

“I’m coming in trying to make a big hit, actually, and look and see the ball,” Cox said. “You’ve got to catch the ones they throw you. … We left a lot of opportunities out on the field during camp. We knew when the game comes we can’t do that. We made sure we took advantage.”

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Cox, Patterson and Miles Scott started in the Illinois secondary alongside Matthew Bailey and Xavier Scott. Notably absent from that group — and until the backups took over in the fourth quarter — was Texas transfer Terrance Brooks. The former Longhorns starter was Illinois’ top-ranked transfer addition this offseason, but he played a limited role in the opener.

“You kind of want to take advantage of playing as many reps as you can in these games because it’s the way you play yourself into shape,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. “I didn’t really want to have our starters — our first group — come out until the fourth quarter. Not only Terrance, but nobody else you really saw either. Terrance is very talented. The more he does things in our program the right way and with consistency, his role will continue to grow.”

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Luke Altmyer showed up to Illinois’ postgame media availability wearing a Zy Crisler T-shirt. The Illinois quarterback wore it before the game during the Illini Walk and wanted to represent his fellow Mississippian again after the Illini’s blowout win against EIU.

“I want to do something that really highlights those guys up front,” Altmyer said. “Each week you’ll see somebody new. I went with Zy first — Mississippi guy. We’re super close, so tight. I love that dude to death. So glad to be out there playing with him. I know he’s excited to just go play. This is his last ride, I think. I had a lot of fun with him out there.”

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Altmyer spent most of the fourth quarter on the sideline after completing 19 of 24 passes for 213 yards and touchdowns to Tanner Arkin, Pat Bryant (twice) and Malik Elzy. Illinois’ rather substantial lead at that point of the game allowed redshirt sophomore Donovan Leary to get the first game action of his career.

Leary arrived at Illinois in 2022 but was behind fellow New Jersey natives Tommy DeVito and Art Sitkowski in the Illini’s quarterback room. He was the third-string quarterback again in 2023 behind Altmyer and John Paddock.

But now Leary is Illinois’ No. 2. Getting him some snaps Thursday against EIU was the ideal outcome.

“It was so cool to see him out there,” Altmyer said. “I was so excited. I remember my first snap ever in college football and my first completion. That’s something you never forget. I know he’ll cherish those moments forever.”

Leary spent most of his time on the field handing off to Ca’Lil Valentine and Jordan Anderson, but the Sicklerville, N.J., native did complete 2 of 5 passes for 29 yards.

“I know if something were to happen and he were to go in, he would take this offense and run with it,” Altmyer said. “He’s prepared throughout the last three years. We have a really tight relationship. Love that dude to death. So excited for him.”

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Valentine and Anderson were two of five running backs Illinois used in Thursday’s season opener. Redshirt sophomore Aidan Laughery got the start and rushed for a career-high 79 yards on just 10 carries. Sophomore Kaden Feagin also set a new high-water mark for his career with 16 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown, and Josh McCray added five carries for 13 yards and a touchdown of his own.

“I’ve been very blessed in my career to have some combo running backs — running backs that complement each other in a way that’s very different,” Bielema said in reference to Feagin and Laughery. "That can lead to some good things. … Ca’Lil, I’m telling you, he’s quick as a hiccup. A really fun, dynamic player. Very intelligent, a great demeanor.”

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Bryant might have led Illinois in touchdown catches Thursday against EIU, but it was Elzy who pulled off the most energetic celebration after he hauled in a 34-yard pass from Altmyer to score his first touchdown of the season.

Bryant is well on his way to surpassing his previous career high of seven touchdowns from a year ago after leading Illinois with five catches for 63 yards and the two scores against EIU. But the senior out of Jacksonville, Fla, is apparently going to leave the more involved post-touchdown efforts to his younger teammate.

“I’ve been here going on four years now,” Bryant said. “I feel like I’ve used all my cellies. Having the captain on my chest, I feel like I’ve got to set the example. … I know being young you want to do all the little TikTok dances and all that. I’m kind of an old head. I’m just going to hype up the crowd, give the ref the ball and celebrate with my teammates.”

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Cameron Wagner has a busy schedule the next month. A busy schedule this week even. The St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore was at Memorial Stadium on Thursday for an unofficial visit, plays Friday in the Spartans’ season opener at Monticello and will then head to Lincoln, Neb., for another unofficial visit as Nebraska faces UTEP in its season opener.

Then there’s a trip to Madison, Wis., on Sept. 7 for Wisconsin-South Dakota. Another the next week to Norman, Okla., to see Oklahoma play Tulane and a third Sept. 21 to Louisville, Ky., as Louisville faces Georgia Tech.

But first was the quick trip Thursday to Champaign to watch Illinois beat Eastern Illinois.

“This is an amazing environment,” Wagner said while checking out pregame warmups on Zuppke Field. “I’ve gone to games here for a long time. We went out on a golf cart around the tailgates. St. Joe only has about 3,000 people in it, and we probably saw half of St. Joe out there. It was awesome.”

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Wagner has a scholarship offer from Illinois. Louisville and Miami (Ohio) have also offered the Class of 2027 offensive lineman. More offers are sure to come after 247Sports recently ranked Wagner as a four-star recruit, the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 67 overall prospect in his class.

To say that was a surprise would an understatement.

“Honestly, I said I was going to be happy with a two- or a three-star,” Wagner said. “I got out of school and my mom called me and was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m so proud of you.’ … I was just amazed. It gives me chills. It gives me chills just talking about it.”

But what did the SJ-O sophomore think caught 247Sports’ eye?

“I think the best part about my game would be how quick my feet are for how big I am because I’m a pretty big 15-year-old,” Wagner said. “Being 6-6, 300 pounds, how quick my feet are and how athletic I am. I’m very flexible. I can dunk a basketball. I can do a back flip on the trampoline.”