Illini football veterans believe they're building something special in 2025
Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema and starting quarterback Luke Altmeyer serenaded the sellout crowd during the seventh inning stretch on Illini Night at Wrigley Field Tuesday night.
Before heading to Wrigleyville, Illinois offensive linemen Josh Kreutz and Josh Gesky, and all-time Big Ten linebacker Gabe Jacas stopped by CBS Chicago studios.
A possible preseason top 10 ranking is building even more buzz for an Illinois football team coming off a Citrus Bowl victory and a rare 10-win season.
"It is really cool to see where we came from, and I got here in 2021, and now we're going into the 2025 season, and it's pretty special, and I think we can keep building on what we've been doing," said Kreutz. "We love it when the stadium is packed — you hear the I-L-L chants — and that's what we want as players, and we love it when the fans come out and support us."
Gesky was asked how important it is for him to leave that legacy of establishing a consistent winner with Illini football.
"It's very important to establish a winning culture. When you're winning, you keep riding the wave, you keep riding the highs, and it makes it easier to keep winning," he said, "and when people believe in you, it's obviously easier to win as well."
"We talk about guys winning the Big Ten championship, and you know, obviously, the national championship. So we experienced a bowl game win, and we just want to, you know, capitalize off that and continue to keep winning," added Jacas.
Jacas said the Illini feel like they're really building something.
"When we say family, we really mean it. You know, I-L-L, it's in the brain, you know, family," he said. "So we pretty much appreciate every day, you know, as much time as we can hang around each other, you know, it's a true family."
Kreutz, Gesky, and Jacas are three of the 18 starters returning in Champaign.
