Illinois' Xavier Scott to Undergo Surgery: What Does It Mean for the Illini?

The impact of Illinois defensive back Xavier Scott was never felt more than in his absence last Saturday against Indiana. Although the Illini secondary was decimated throughout the game due to injury (and a Miles Scott targeting-induced ejection), it had been getting carved up long before any active players began exiting the contest.

In the end, Illinois’ secondary gave up 267 yards and five touchdowns through the air, while forcing quarterback Fernando Mendoza into just two incompletions. In total, the Illini defense yielded 63 points to the Hoosiers offense, along with 579 total yards.

By the second half, Illinois’ defensive backs weren’t just struggling to defend the pass but also the run. Indiana rushed for 312 yards (nearly all of which came in the second half), which was certainly aided by the missed tackles from the Illini secondary.

Illinois defensive back Xavier Scot — Sep 14, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Xavier Scott (14) during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Xavier Scott injury update

Scott, a two-time All-Big Ten honoree and All-American candidate heading into this season, is indisputably the most dangerous weapon in Illinois’ defensive backfield. Unfortunately, as head coach Bret Bielema revealed at Monday’s press conference, Scott's injury will require surgery that will keep him out most, if not all, of the remainder of the 2025 season.

“He’ll have a procedure done this week on Wednesday, will be out for the majority of the rest of the year, but there is a chance he’ll come back at the end,” Bielema said of Scott. "So we’ll kind of address that after he gets in and gets surgery."

How did Xavier Scott get injured?

Back in Week 3 against Western Michigan, with Illinois nursing a healthy lead in the fourth quarter, Scott remained in the game and ultimately sustained what appeared to be an ankle injury when leaping to break up a pass.

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— Tajh (@JimmyTheGreek01) September 18, 2025

How will Illinois manage without Scott?

In Scott, the Illini didn’t just lose their top lockdown DB but also one of the most versatile defensive players in college football. Scott, who has moonlit at nearly every defensive position on the field (aside from defensive lineman), allowed defensive coordinator Aaron Henry to roll out a diverse array of schemes.

Scott led all Big Ten cornerbacks in snaps played in 2024 and was a consistent, accountable presence no matter where he lined up. Before the injury, his 2025 season appeared to be on pace to match (if not surpass) his campaign from a year ago.

Now Illinois will be forced to dip deeper into the depth chart, with Tanner Heckel poised to see a hefty uptick in snaps, while fellow defensive back Jaheim Clarke – who has yet to suit up in 2025 due to his own injury – will need to hit the ground running once healthy.

Other Illini injury updates

In more encouraging news, safety Matthew Bailey (in concussion protocol) is likely to return later this week, per Bielema. Safety Ben Clawson is also set to return to action this week; cornerback Kaleb Patterson’s X-rays were negative; Torrie Cox’s MRIs were negative; and running back Aidan Laughery, according to Bielema, is “feeling really good, should be with us full-go this week."