What happened: Bret Bielema said Illinois will be without a transfer wide receiver Saturday against Southern Illinois. The receiver has not yet appeared for the program after arriving as an offseason addition.

Why it matters: That keeps the offense searching for another option in the passing game as it tries to steady itself early in the season. It also pushes back a clearer look at how much the transfer can change the unit once available.

What to watch: The next update to watch is whether Daniel Brown is available in a limited role. Illinois will also be looking for the next status change on the sidelined transfer receiver.