Illinois Football Injury Updates After Week 1 Win Over UAB

Even for a college football program facing so much change in 2026 – new players in key roles, new coaches and new schemes – a high-priority goal for Illinois in Week 1 was just coming out of it on the other side (mostly) in one piece.

Mission accomplished.

On Tuesday, Illini coach Bret Bielema provided an injury update following his club's 42-23 win over UAB in last Thursday's season opener – and the result was a relatively clean bill of health.

The one exception: Right guard Brandon Henderson, who suffered an injury to what appeared to be his lower left leg in the Blazers game and is expected to miss 2-6 weeks.

"He won't be available for us this week," Bielema said, confirming that Henderson will miss Saturday's home game against Duke (2:30 p.m., FS1). "I do think he'll be back with us sooner than later, but he won't be with us this week unless there's a miraculous recovery.

"He's done a really good job of getting back in the next 48 hours, but it'll be something kind of a week by week."

Bielema hinted that sixth-year senior Dezmond Schuster, a 6-foot-5, 330-pounder who has played in nine games over the past two seasons for the Illini, would likely get the call to fill in as a starter in Henderson's absence.

Several Illini experienced cramping in the heat of Thursday's early-evening kickoff, but Henderson's was the only significant injury the team was hit with in the opener – basically another win for Bielema and his staff.

Daniel Brown and Jayshon Platt injury updates

Bielema also addressed the availability of linebacker Daniel Brown and receiver Jayshon Platt, arguably the two players among Illinois' Week 1 injured who are expected to contribute most this season.

"I think there might be a chance for Daniel Brown, Jayshon not," Bielema said. "Those are the only two guys we were really missing."

Brown, a fifth-year senior who missed 11 games in 2024 because of injury and played a limited role in nine games last season, was expected to fill a critical role in Illinois' new 3-5-5 scheme as the Jack linebacker. Senior Mason Muragin had three tackles and a quarterback hurry as the Week 1 starter in Brown's stead.

Platt was one of Illinois' stars of the offseason and a primary reason Bielema and his staff were higher on the team's receiver corps than otherwise might have been expected, but his recovery may last another few weeks.

In Platt's expected place in the lineup against UAB, sophomore Brayden Trimble was up and down, but he showed flashes and logged his first career reception – an 11-yarder – and showed some promising moments. Expect Trimble to earn his second career start Saturday against the Blue Devils.

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