Jonathan Brown News

Mason Monheim didn't arrive at Illinois with a ton of fanfare locally, but he was certainly well known in Ohio for his exploits on the high school gridiron.

October 13, 2012; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Mason Monheim receives congratulations from linebacker Jonathan Brown after recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium.

We've spent the past several days looking at which Big Ten players can reach some major single-season statistical milestones in 2013.

The Orlando Sentinel has ranked all 125 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country.

If Illinois Football plans on having its defense return to the dominating form that it was in 2011 under then coach Vic Koenning, one of the key members of that D is going to have to step up and return to form as well.

Now that spring practice is solidly in the rearview mirror, we're examining the most indispensable players on each Big Ten team for the 2013 season.

Tom Fornelli, college football writer and manager of SBN's new Illinois site The Champaign Room stops by to talk about what went wrong in year one under Tim Beckman and what the outlook is for 2013.