CHAMPAIGN — Illinois football thought it had its difference maker in the middle of the defense in Calvin Hart Jr.
Hart was one of the team’s stars to open last season as a transfer linebacker from North Carolina State, flying around the field with six tackles and a touchdown in the team’s Week 0 win over Nebraska last season. That earned him Big Ten defensive player of the week honors and made him the Chuck Bednarik Award national player of the week.
That coming out party was short lived. Hart tore his ACL in the fourth quarter of that game on a tackle on a tight end with multiple teammates, and has been rehabbing and waiting for months to get back on the field and make a similar impact.
“It was very emotional,” Hart said. “Playing the way I played and having my brothers all around was a great feeling, especially transferring into a new program and having the impact I wanted to, it was surreal. … After the game, I was already sitting there and not being able to celebrate with them was very emotional.”
Hart was cleared before this spring, meaning he’ll be back on the field for…