Illinois Football Camp is in Session: Familiarity should make for easy transition for Zakhari Franklin

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) -- As they put some final touches on Memorial Stadium renovations before the season kicks off camp is officially in session for Illinois football.

Head Coach Bret Bielema said 40 players will take part in the teams first training camp Monday night and one player no stranger to training camp is summer transfer Zakhari Franklin but it will be his first taste of Fighting Illini football.

Franklin is the active leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns which would usually be a challenge getting a player like him late in the offseason and getting him up to speed with a new team but Franklin is very familiar with the system since Offensive Coordinator Barry Lunney Jr and him were at UTSA together during the 2021 season.