Illinois football has taken portal hit after portal hit this offseason — but the Illini just got a MASSIVE win by keeping their most dynamic offensive weapon. Ca’Lil Valentine is returning for the 2026 season, and that matters more than people realize in today’s chaos-filled transfer era. In this episode, I break down why Valentine’s return is so important, how his late-season surge turned him into the featured back, and why this decision stabilizes Illinois’ offense heading into next year. With so much turnover across the roster, especially on defense, keeping a proven Big Ten running back might be the most underrated win of the offseason.

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