Illinois State is coming off a memorable season, making a run to the 2025 FCS national championship game as an unseeded team. The Redbirds finished 12-5 and were the first team in subdivision history to win four straight road playoff games.
As the page turns to the 2026 season, here’s a look at the Illinois State squad. Brock Spack enters his 18th season as head coach.
Returning 2025 FCS All-Conference Players (4)
1st Team
LB Tye Niekamp
2nd Team
OL Landon Woodard
DB La’Shavion Brown
WR Ethan Loss (transfer from Butler)
D1 Transfer Portal Movement
Transfers Coming In From The FCS (3)
Ethan Loss (WR), Butler
Alex Herrera (TE), Eastern Illinois
Jaden Wedderburn (OL), Princeton
Transfers Coming In From The FBS (4)
Key Crowell (DB), ECU
Aden Cannon (DE), Indiana
Gage Roy (QB), USC
Duncan MacDonald (OL), Vanderbilt
Transfers Lost To The FCS (2)
Jamarcus Smith (LB) to UT Martin
Matt Lawson (RB) to North Dakota
Transfers Lost To The FBS (7)
Patrick Bauer (LB) to Cincinnati
CJ Richard Jr. (DB) to Florida State
Eddie Kasper (WR) to Illinois
Mason King (RB) to Kent State
Christian Lorenzo (DL) to North Texas
Brandon Smith (OL) to Western Michigan
Jake Anderson (DT) to Wisconsin
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Offensive Outlook
After averaging 30.8 points per game, Illinois State’s offense loses its starting quarterback and top wide receiver. The Redbirds return their 1,300-yard rusher, No. 2 and 3 wide receivers, and three of their top 5 offensive linemen in snaps.
Multi-year starting QB Tommy Rittenhouse has graduated after an incredible senior season, throwing for 3,568 yards and 40 touchdowns. All-American Daniel Sobkowicz has also exhausted his eligibility after tallying 1,141 receiving yards and 19 TDs last fall.
But the cupboard is far from bare in offensive experience.
Four offensive linemen return with starting experience, including three who played more than 700 snaps in 2025 — Second Team All-MVFC Landon Woodard (6’5″ 330 lbs), Logan Brasfield (6’3″ 315 lbs), and Brayden Jellison (6’4″ 310 lbs). Plus, Ben Wallace (6’5″ 325 lbs) added nearly 400 snaps and five starts.
Standout running back Victor Dawson is also back after rushing for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns. Dawson transferred to ISU from Cincinnati last offseason. He played his best ball in the five playoff games, rushing for 72, 137, 148, 155, and 126 yards.
While replacing Sobkowicz’s production will be tough, the Redbirds have two good options who shined last year as redshirt freshman wide receivers. Luke Mailander was named the MVFC Freshman of the Year, totaling 44 catches for 671 yards and four touchdowns. Dylan Lord was even more productive, catching 74 passes for 734 yards and five TDs. Lord was spectacular in the national championship game, hauling in 13 receptions for 161 yards and two scores.
Two FCS transfer pass-catchers bring solid experience. WR Ethan Loss comes in from Butler after a Second Team All-Pioneer Football League season, totaling 56 catches for 670 yards and a touchdown, plus 31 rushes for 209 yards and two scores. Tight end Alex Herrera, transferring from Eastern Illinois, had 33 catches for 372 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games over the last two seasons.
Of course, a lot of ISU’s offensive success will be determined by the new quarterback’s play.
Two names to keep an eye on in the open competition are Beckham Pellant and Gage Roy.
Pellant was the No. 2 QB last season as a redshirt freshman, appearing in six games and attempting 22 passes. Roy is a senior transfer from USC, where he saw little playing time from 2022-25.
The Redbirds should be strong on the offensive line, at running back, and at wide receiver, with plenty of key components from last year’s playoff run back in 2026. Whereas most of the top teams in the MVFC return standout quarterbacks, Illinois State faces a question mark at that spot this offseason.
Defensive Outlook
Illinois State returns its top three tacklers and eight players who logged at least 280 snaps from last year’s unit that allowed 25.7 points per game. The Redbirds have to replace their entire starting d-line and top two cornerbacks.
Linebacker will be a position of strength.
Tye Niekamp highlights the unit as an early top candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award. The 6-foot-3 and 240-pounder is a three-year All-MVFC selection and three-time FCS All-American. He was named the 2025 MVFC Defensive Player of the Year while leading the FCS with 160 tackles, including 16 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, four QB hurries, one interception, and nine pass breakups. Niekamp totaled 112 tackles, 11 TFLs, three sacks, four interceptions, and eight pass breakups in 2024. And as a freshman in 2023, he was named the MVFC Freshman of the Year after tallying 74 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and seven pass breakups.
Linebacker Dexter Niekamp, Tye’s younger brother, also returns after totaling 50 tackles, six TFLs, and four sacks last fall. Mason Kaplan is another key LB back in 2026. Kaplan finished No. 3 on last year’s squad with 81 tackles, including 6.5 TFLs, two interceptions, and six pass breakups. Anthony Corona (43 tackles, 4.5 TFLs) and Solomon Oduma (46 tackles, 3 TFLs) added between 285-305 snaps last season and bring back solid experience.
Second Team All-MVFC selection La’Shavion Brown will lead the safeties after finishing No. 2 in team tackles. He totaled 93 stops while adding four pass breakups and an interception. Brown was another splash transfer addition, coming in from Hutchinson Community College last offseason.
With the top two cornerbacks gone and an entirely new starting defensive line, the Redbirds will need new names to emerge. Doreon Dubose brings back good experience at corner, playing nearly 600 snaps last year and totaling 53 tackles and four pass breakups. Defensive tackle Travis Jones (6’3″ 285 lbs) logged 400+ snaps and had 21 tackles, numbers that look to increase in 2026.
Two FBS transfers could factor into the mix — DB Key Crowell from East Carolina and DL Aden Cannon (6’6″ 270 lbs) from Indiana. Crowell played close to 200 snaps last season at ECU, mostly at outside corner. In 2024, he was at D2 Indianapolis, earning First Team All-GLVC honors after totaling 51 tackles and five interceptions.
The Redbirds will have an elite group of linebackers in 2026. In the physical MVFC, though, d-line development will be crucial for the defense to hold up.
2026 Preseason Preview Central
Illinois State Football Schedule
9/5 at Western Illinois
9/12 at Northern Illinois
9/19 vs Eastern Illinois
9/26 at Northern Iowa
10/3 vs South Dakota State
10/17 at Southern Illinois
10/24 vs Indiana State
10/31 vs Murray State
11/7 at North Dakota
11/14 at Youngstown State
11/21 vs South Dakota
Bold indicates MVFC contests
