CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Football is officially back in Champaign, Illinois.

The Fighting Illini began their 2025 fall training camp on Friday with meetings, lifting, media availability and practice.

“Getting back in here is just an incredible feeling, you know, to see the guys back again after a short week off,” Illinois junior running back Aidan Laughery said ahead of practice. “But when you’re with guys every day for four, eight weeks, going at it, yeah, football is back. We’re here. Everybody’s wound up [and] ready to go.”

The Illini are hoping to build off a 10-win season in 2024. They’re hoping to go to bowl games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010 and 2011.

“I think for us, starting out strong is really really important,” Illinois senior offensive lineman Josh Kreutz said. “Obviously last year we did not start strong. We ended really strong, but we want to start stronger than we did last year and even better. So that would be the goal for the start of season.”