VIDEO: Illini LB Khalan Tolson Media Zoom Conference

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois linebacker Khalan Tolson met with local reporters over a Zoom video conference Tuesday afternoon.

The subjects of this 20-minute discussion with the junior linebacker and local reporters included the following...

What he's been doing with Illinois football strength and conditioning coach Lou Hernandez

The basics of what the positional and team meetings on Zoom have involved.

Tolson's 15-hour drive back to the Champaign, Ill., campus from his hometown of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Tolson's music playlist during that drive, his reaction to the 'Black Lives Matter

Tolson's reaction to the possibility of limited fans in the stands at Memorial Stadium this season.

Tolson, a 6-foot and 220-pound who is expected to challenge for the open starting linebacker position on Lovie Smith's defense this season, played in 11 games with four starts at linebacker during the 2019 campaign. Tolson started those four games last season in place of the injured Butkus Award semifinalist Jake Hansen and finished with 38 tackles, 1.5 TFL, two PBUs, one fumble recovery, one quarterback hurry on the season.

Tolson, who was a former three-star prospect out of Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, Fla., was a stalwart on special teams by leading the Illini in kickoff tackles with four and being third on the team in overall special teams tackles with six.

Tolson's breakout performance in 2019 was the 37-34 comeback victory over Michigan State on Nov. 9, 2019. Inside Spartan Stadium, Tolson had nine tackles, 0.5 TFLs, and one fumble recovery in what turned out to be the biggest comeback in Illinois program history