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Illinois Linebacker Malachi Hood Transfers to West Virginia – What It Means

Hood, who announced last week he would be entering the transfer portal, on Wednesday committed to West Virginia
Jared Shlensky|
Oct 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back CJ Donaldson Jr. (12) is tackled by Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Malachi Hood (45) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back CJ Donaldson Jr. (12) is tackled by Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Malachi Hood (45) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois football has had players enter the portal since it opened on Jan. 2, but fortunately for Bret Bielema and his staff, most of the departures were backups. But this week the Illini lost a starter – and a good one – who also happened to have two years of eligibility remaining.

After announcing on his X social media account on New Year's Day that he would be entering the portal, Malachi Hood on Wednesday chose his new school: West Virginia.

The Mountaineers were a seemingly odd choice for Hood. Yes, the Big 12 is better than it gets credit for: BYU and Texas Tech were legit this year, and Utah is always competitive. Arizona State made the College Football Playoff two years ago, and Colorado is relevant as long as Deion Sanders is in Boulder.

Still, West Virginia hasn't been a player on the national stage for a while. The Mountaineers have finished below .500 in four of the past five years. But who knows? Maybe Rich Rodriguez is turning things around in Year 2 of his second stint with the team (and maybe WVU made Hood an NIL offer he couldn't refuse.) Just a surprise that Hood ended up in Morgantown rather than on an SEC campus – or at least a school with a better recent track record of winning.

How will Illinois replace Malachi Hood?

Hood was a good starter for the Illini at weakside linebacker, and he had the statistics to back it up: He finished 2025 with 44 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

That said, Hood isn't irreplaceable. Illinois is almost certainly looking in the portal for players who could contribute at weakside linebacker as soon as next season, but Illini could also stay in house to fill the hole Hood leaves behind – and my money is on senior-to-be James Kreutz to win the job.

Kreutz has plenty of starting experience and the versatility to play inside or outside (on the weak side) in Illinois' scheme. He may be a little light to play on the edge, but if he bulks up in the offseason, look out. He has solid football instincts and good speed. Ismael Kante is also in the mix, but for now, Kreutz seems to have a clear path to the job.

What Malachi Hood's transfer means in the bigger picture

Hood was a productive player for the Illini but not a game-changing force. Kreutz could give the team roughly what Hood offered, but Illinois' linebacker depth – already depleted by graduations and transfers – has undeniably taken a hit. Keep an eye on the portal to see who else may enter the conversation at the position.

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Jared Shlensky
JARED SHLENSKY

Jared Shlensky is a contributing writer for On SI and a freelance play-by-play broadcaster. Jared was previously a sports betting writer for Yardbarker, an On-Air YouTube Personality for the Sports Geek and a minor league play-by-play broadcaster.

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