The Illinois Fighting Illini recently announced two new additions to the football program.

On Thursday, Trent Harris was named assistant linebackers coach while Dele Harding takes over as assistant running backs coach.

Coach Bret Bielema welcomed both to the program.

“Couldn’t be more excitd to have you @trentharris33,” Bielema posted on his X page.

Harris played for the Miami Hurricanes from 2014-17 before a seven-year professional career in the NFL, XFL and UFL.

Harding returns after playing linebacker for the Illini from 2016-19. He began his coaching career as a defensive assistant for the Houston Texans in 2020 under former Illini coach Lovie Smith.

MCCRAY TURNING HEADS IN THE BACKFIELD

A healthy Josh McCray has Bielema excited about the running back position. Not because McCray is full strength but the unit has impressed as a whole.

“I would say I don’t think we have a 1A, I think we got a 1A, B, C, and D,” he said at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. “I’m super excited.”

Josh McCray is back after a season he played only five games before a neck injury caused him to miss the rest of the season.

“I think Josh McCray is the best he has ever looked,” Bielema said. “I’m really impressed with where he is at.”

The Illini also have Kaden Feagin, who is coming off a strong freshman season with 405 rushing yards.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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According to Friday’s official NFL transaction report, the Kansas City Chiefs made a roster move on Friday. The team signed former Illinois defensive end Owen Carney, making room on the roster by waiving linebacker Luquay Washington.

Carney checks in at 6 foot 3 and 275 pounds. Now 25, he first joined the league as an undrafted free agent for the Miami Dolphins in 2022, but didn’t make the regular season’s initial roster. That November, the Cincinnati Bengals signed him to their practice squad — and then to a reserve/future contract for 2023. But once again, he didn’t make the team’s regular-season roster.

Over five seasons in Illinois, Carney appeared in 55 games, recording 116 tackles (53 solo, 21.5 for loss), 16 sacks, a forced fumble and three passes defensed.

The Chiefs now have 91 players under contract, with a full complement of 90 players on its active roster. (Offensive tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick has an International Pathway Program roster exemption). We now estimate that the Chiefs have $14.1 million in cap space.

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