The Fighting Illini may have found a new defensive star.
The Illinois Fighting Illini put on a show the last two seasons with an efficient offense and positionally sound defense under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Aaron Henry, who is now at Notre Dame.
Henry built the defense up and now it's up to current defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck to refine what Illinois has and turn it into a unit worth of a Big Ten title contender in Champaign this season.
Hauck came over to the Fighting Illini from the University of Montana, the school he retired from after a run to the 2025 FCS semi finals last season.
Hauck has an intriguing mix of talent to worth with this season including a transfer from Utah State and former MLB Draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels who is making waves in practice so far with the regular season less than a month away.
Oct 11, 2025; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Utah State Aggies outside linebacker William Holmes(24) can’t pull down Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado (12) during the first half at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images Holmes' Journey From MLB to Big Ten
Defensive end Will Holmes was selected in the fifth round of 2018's MLB Amateur Draft out of Western International High School in Detroit, Michigan.
His athletic journey took him from the Arizona Complex League Angels Minor League Baseball team to the Utah State Aggies football team last season to the transfer portal where he was listed as a three-star prospect.
Holmes played two seasons with the Aggies recording 45 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery last season before heading to the Illini.
Now up roughly 70 pounds from his days as a designated hitter and starting pitcher with the Angeles' organization, Holmes is trending toward being ready for prime time when the Illini open the 2026 season at home against UAB on Sept. 3.
Hauck Excited for Holmes' Debut
Hauck is excited for Holmes' debut with the Fighting Illini based on recent comments he made to WCIA3 reporter Glenn Kinley.
"Yeah, Will's big, fast and physical so that's a good place to start," Hauck said.
"He's an intelligent guy, I think his best football's in front of him, I think he's just scratching the surface," he continued.
"My notes from practice yesterday were that Will Holmes is gonna be hard to handle," Hauck continued.
"I think he's got a lot of great attributes, which I just mentioned."
Judging by Hauck's comments it's easy to discern that Holmes is a player who stands out in everything he does on the practice field and is one to watch this coming fall.
With his size at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds and a diverse history of athletic experiences under his belt, Holmes could flourish from the opening snap in Champaign.
Holmes has already shown that he has the mental and physical edge Illinois coaches covet among outside pass rushers, giving him a chance to follow in the footsteps at a program position of strength over the years.
Don't be surprised if Holmes becomes one of the biggest difference makers for the Illini in year one, outplaying his three-star portal ranking in the process.
