Illinois (2-1) was victorious once again after beating SIU (2-2) on Saturday. Six touchdowns and 2 field goals later, the Illini had 48 points on the board and kept the Salukis quiet, only allowing them to score 10 points. While each quarter had its mediocre moments, here are the standout positive ones.
Quarter 1: Laughery’s rush to end zone
While fifth-year running back Aidan Laughery didn’t have the Illini’s first touchdown of the game, his 77-yard rush to the end zone is what made the first quarter memorable. Laughery’s career-high 77-yard run was also the longest Illini rush since Chase Brown’s 80-yard one in 2021.
While that was a high moment for Illinois on the field, Laughery also shared how during the lulls of Saturday’s game, he was there to pick up his team. During the third quarter, when the Illini’s offense seemed to come to a halt, Laughery shared how he was there to spark motivation in his teammates.
“I think trying to just pump everybody up, keep energy levels up and continue on to do what we do, do our job,” Laughery said.
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On top of his career-high day, his performance Saturday blew the last two games out of the water. Prior to th...