Illini WR Trevon Sidney Has Season-Ending Surgery

Illini wide receiver Trevon Sidney has season-ending surgery after suffering a leg injury at Minnesota over two weeks ago.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois football officials have confirmed junior wide receiver Trevon Sidney is out for the remainder of this season.

Sidney, who has been out for the last two games since suffering a leg injury in the 40-17 loss at Minnesota on Oct. 5, had season-ending surgery this week.

The Champaign News-Gazette was the first to report this news Tuesday morning after speaking with Illinois head coach Lovie Smith after the two-hour practice session. Smith said to reporters Monday that the program “may have something to announce” on the status of the 5-foot-11 receiver this week.

Sidney, a transfer from Southern California, is third on the team with 16 catches and fourth in yardage with 123. He scored his first and only career touchdown in Illinois' season-opening win against Akron on Aug. 31 and had a season-high 50 receiving yards against Minnesota before the injury.

Sidney, a native of Pasadena, Calif., had seven receptions for 104 yards (14.9 yards per catch) last season for the Trojans program while playing in 10 games. He’ll have one final year of eligibility remaining if he chooses to return to the Illini program for the 2020 season.

With the injury to Sidney and the uncertain status of Ricky Smalling, who suffered a lower-body injury on the first play of last week’s upset win over Wisconsin, Illinois (3-4, 1-3 in Big Ten) may be down to two receivers with starting experience this season (Josh Imatorbhebhe and Dominic Stampley) and five scholarship receivers who have caught a pass this season for the foreseeable future.