CHAMPAIGN — Yes, Jake Hansen watched the ACC, Big 12 and other conferences play college football the first few weeks of the season.

It gave him a to-do list. And a to-don’t list as well.

“I was tuned in to most of the college games,” the Illini linebacker and co-captain said. “I think it was good for us to see that because a lot of them looked a little bit sloppy.

“You saw a lot of drops from different wide receivers and miscues from quarterbacks. That’s something we can learn from. You can get that better preparation.”

In a month, it will be Hansen and the Big Ten getting critiqued by the rest.

Last week, the conference announced plans to start the season Oct. 24. The Illini open at Wisconsin.

Hansen hoped the Big Ten would reconsider its Aug. 11 decision to postpone. Wish granted.

“I’m really excited,” Hansen said. “To have it taken away and given back to you makes you appreciate it that much more.”

The original announcement by the Big Ten last month hit Hansen especially hard. The 22-year-old redshirt senior missed the final four games of the 2019 season and wasn’t able to play in the Redbox Bowl bowl loss to Cal because of a back injury.

Fortunately, Hansen has a strong support system, starting with his parents, Lorie and Shad. His teammates helped, too.

“All of us are going through the same thing,” Hansen said. “There’s a lot of stuff that’s going on that’s worse.”

It gives him perspective. Football is important. But not over health and life.

To their credit, the Illinois players have stayed together in troubled times. They didn’t flee to leagues that are playing or opt out to prepare for the NFL.

Some of the players in the Big Ten who made those decisions have reconsidered and want to opt back in.

The Illinois seniors have been pointing to 2020 for years. They didn’t want to miss the chance to see how it plays out.

Back for more?Seniors who play in 2020 will also be eligible to return for a full season in 2021. The waiver applies to all fall sports.

The idea is because of the limits of the current season, it is fair to allow those players to get another shot.

“I think that’s one of the things the NCAA did right by a lot of the players across the country,” Hansen said. “Giving everybody an extra option to play that year, whether it is at your school or another school, I think that’s very important.

“It’s like a safety net for anyone who can get injured during this type of year or anyone who is thrown off by the whole cononavirus pandemic and doesn’t feel like playing. They have the option to sit out and play next year.”

Will Hansen take advantage of it?

“It kind of just depends,” Hansen said. “Different scenarios could play out. Who knows, I could see me in orange and blue again next year. Maybe, I’ll be able to pursue my dream of playing in the NFL next year as well.

“We’ll make that decision when the time is right for that.”

Yet to be determined: What happens to the limit of 85 scholarships? If seniors are allowed another season, schools will blow past that number.

The math isn’t the players’ problem. It’s for the administrators to figure out.

Playing this season is what matters most to Hansen. After missing the back half of 2019, it allows him another chance to show his ability, which was on frequent display last season when he compiled 72 tackles and led the country in forced fumbles with seven.

“It’s huge,” Hansen said. “I think it’s a great opportunity.”

The postseason all-star games figure to be back on. NFL pro timing days and the annual combine provide more avenues to make an impression, too.

Quiet timeOther college conferences are playing in front of limited crowds. Twenty percent capacity in some cases, depending on state rules.

In the Big Ten, it will be friends and families only. Both home and vising teams can take care of their own.

The near silence will be new for a game that thrives on the energy and noise from the crowd. Think how intimidating Ohio Stadium is with 104,944 people screaming until they are hoarse.

It will up to the players to find their own motivation.

“We have a lot of guys who are like that,” Hansen said. “It is going to be different. At the same time, you’re still competing at a really high level. I don’t think it’s going to be as big of a factor as people think.”

Hansen is all for music being played during the games. He doesn’t have a strong opinion about pumping in crowd noise.

Starting Oct. 24, Hansen has nine guaranteed games. Given where the Big Ten stood earlier in the month, it will have to do.