Illinois football lost one of its highest-rated recruits of the Bret Bielema era: wide receiver Malik Elzy is no longer with the program.

In this episode: Why Elzy made the decision to redshirt and step away Bret Bielema’s candid response: “If somebody doesn’t want to be a part of that, I can’t keep them.” How Elzy’s numbers never matched the hype (16 catches, 213 yards, 2 TDs in 3 years) Why Hank Beatty, Colin Dixon, and Justin Bowick already make this WR room strong Bigger picture: what Elzy’s exit says about the transfer portal era Plus: Barry Lunney Jr. linked to Arkansas after Sam Pittman’s firing — could he leave Illinois? Illinois will move forward, but this is a reminder of how modern recruiting works: even 4⭐ in-state stars aren’t guaranteed to finish their careers where they start. Drop your reactions in the comments ⬇️: How big of a loss is Malik Elzy for Illinois?

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