McLean County Times

Illinois State University's football team is preparing for its first full team scrimmage this weekend, nearing the end of its third week of spring practice. On Thursday morning, the Redbirds conducted a two-hour practice session in full pads, focusing on red zone scenarios and two-minute drills inside the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center.

The practice opened with special teams and individual position drills, moving on to an 11-on-11 passing drill under pressure. Quarterback Beckham Pellant completed 7 out of 12 passes, connecting with various teammates. Defensive plays were also highlighted, with Ben Harman and Shadwell Nkuba II making significant defensive stops, and Travis Jones delivering a sack.

In the subsequent blitz drill, Pellant managed to evade sacks and make several successful passes. However, the defense responded, with safety Chris Taylor intercepting a deflected pass and returning it for a touchdown. Nkuba again ended a session with a crucial pass break-up.

The drill transitioned to red zone exercises from the 20-yard line, where Pellant connected with Xavier Loyd for a touchdown, followed by another scoring pass to Quinten Johnson. Andrew Rockford and Brady Probst also added touchdowns, showcasing their skills in receiving positions.

During the team's coordinated red-zone period involving three team units, the first-team capitalized on a penalty with a touchdown pass to Gavin Camp. The second team settled for a field goal attempt, while the third team saw Matt Lawson rushing for a touchdown. The session concluded with a two-minute drill period, ending scoreless for the first-team and with Nkuba intercepting a pass.

The Redbirds will return to Hancock Stadium on Saturday for another practice session. Fans can follow the team's progress through their official social media accounts and website.

For more information on the Illinois State Redbirds, visit GoRedbirds.com, which provides updates on tickets, the Weisbecker Athletic Fund, multimedia content, and merchandise.