Illinois Football: Malik Turner is Fighting Illini’s secret star in 2017

Illinois football heads into the 2017 season looking for players to step up, including senior receiver Malik Turner, the team’s secret star.

Lovie Smith’s first season in Champaign didn’t quite go as planned. The Illinois football coach led the Illini to a 3-9 record and it seemed like nothing went right. The did, however, upset reigning Big Ten champ Michigan State, but the Spartans, too, went 3-9 in 2016.

Surprisingly, that win over the Spartans was the only game that junior wide receiver Malik Turner didn’t appear in. The former overlooked recruit had his best season yet, but no one around the conference was talking about him because he played for a bottom-dweller in Illinois.

Fortunately, the star receiver is back for the 2017 season and is the Fighting Illini’s secret weapon. Flying under the radar as a pass-catcher can be a blessing in disguise because opposing defenses won’t think to plan for him, although the best scouts will notice Turner on film.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior improved in every statistical category as a junior, catching a career-high 48 passes for 712 yards and six touchdowns. He became the team’s go-to target especially with Mikey Dudek out. Now that the sophomore is back from a two-year long injury spell, the Illini will have two elite targets.

Defenses will be keying on Dudek who recorded a 1,000-yard receiving season in 2014 as a true freshman. Everyone will forget about Turner, making him the team’s most under-the-radar weapon.

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Although junior quarterback Chayce Crouch didn’t see the field much in 2016, failing to develop a regular connection with Turner, the two could work well together in 2017. Don’t be shocked to see a 1,000-yard season from Turner.