Poised freshman-era Illini QB with size, touch, and a quick trigger
In the 2018 season, M.J. Rivers II gave Illinois a useful glimpse of a pro-style quarterback: 56-of-101 passing for 547 yards and 3 touchdowns, plus 49 carries for 65 yards, while starting three games as a true freshman.[1][7][13] What stands out beyond the box score is the confidence Illinois trusted him with early, the size at 6-foot-4 and about 215 pounds, and the fact that he showed he could step in after an injury to AJ Bush Jr. and keep the offense moving.[1][5][14]
