Illinois RB Kaden Feagin Out for 2024 Season Following Hip Surgery

The Illini's lead runner underwent hip surgery last week and isn't expected to return until at least spring

Nov 11, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Josh Sanguinetti (19) brings down Illinois Fighting Illini running back Kaden Feagin (3) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Illinois sophomore running back Kaden Feagin underwent hip surgery last Friday and will miss the rest of the 2024 season, Illini coach Bret Bielema confirmed in Saturday's postgame press conference following Illinois' 21-7 win over Michigan.

Feagin missed last week’s game against Purdue after suffering the injury in practice during the week leading up to the game. The Illini's' leading rusher (314 yards, three TDs), Feagin was declared out for the Michigan game early last week, but the team had been a bit cagey about releasing information before all the details were understood.

Bielema told the media Feagin had hyperextended his leg in practice and was consulting with physicians around the country – "[athletic director] Josh [Whitman] and the administration were awesome about finding the best person for these moments" – about next steps for treating the injury.

"A week ago, at this time, we didn't really know exactly what was going to happen," Bielema said of Feagin's status in Saturday's postgame presser. "We knew he was looking at a couple options."

Bielema, who texted Feagin and his mother on Friday and called him Saturday morning, said Feagin's injury wasn't a dislocation and that the doctors were "extremely excited" about the surgery results. "His mom said it couldn't have went any better," the coach said.

"I called him this morning, and he was already up walking with a walker," Bielema said. "And I said, 'Well, that's a great visual. I imagine you in this white gown with your fanny hanging out the back, walking around with this walker. And he goes, 'Coach, it's exactly what's going on right now.'

"So, unfortunately, he won't be with us this year," Bielema said of Feagin. "I don't know if he'll be with us in the spring, but the goal and intention is for him to be with us in the fall and for him to have a complete recovery."

In the meantime, running backs Josh McCray and Aidan Laughery have been holding down the Illini run game, and even quarterback Luke Altmyer has been getting in on the action.

In the Michigan win, Illinois gashed one of the best rush defenses in Division I for 187 yards – the most the Wolverines have allowed in 2024.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Instant Analysis: Illinois 21, Michigan 7

Can Bret Bielema Transform Illinois Into a College Football Powerhouse?

Illinois Football Legend Red Grange: His Legacy and Impact