Football
Big Ten Countdown - No. 4 Illinois
By Tony Gerdeman
Predicted Finish
9-3 (6-2)
Two Cent Overview
A four-year starter at quarterback with an arsenal of air and ground weapons pitted behind 60% of a veteran offensive line . The defense is replacing three starters on the front four and hoping there are linebackers who can make plays. The secondary will come together provided the safeties can limit the big mistakes.
Schedule
Sep.5 Missouri (at St. Louis) (W)
Sep.12 Illinois State (W)
Sep.26 at Ohio State (L)
Oct.3 Penn State (W)
Oct.10 Michigan State (W)
Oct.17 at Indiana (W)
Oct.24 at Purdue (W)
Oct.31 Michigan (W)
Nov.7 at Minnesota (L)
Nov.14 Northwestern (W)
Nov.27 at Cincinnati (L)
Dec.5 Fresno State (W)Goal
Win every game they’re favored in and one or two that they’re not.
Team Motto
“100% of the time we’ll win 50% of the time.”
Five Questions Looking For Answers
1. Can quarterback Juice Williams maintain a consistency that allows his team to overcome mistakes.
2. Will one running back emerge to carry the load?
3. How do you keep all of these wide receivers happy?
4. When badness happens, will this team fold?
5. Are there two good safeties on this team?Something To Look For
Linebacker Martez Wilson moves to the middle. Wilson (6’4” 240) started seven games at outside linebacker last year as a sophomore, but this year he slides inside to the middle linebacker spot where the coaches hope to utilize his supreme athleticism and speed. Given Wilson’s pass rushing talents, we can expect him to be utilized on frequent blitzes, but the staff really likes him for his ability to run sideline to sideline. He was an outstanding wide receiver in high school, so it should be no surprise that he is also highly thought of for his coverage skills. Basically, Martez Wilson looks how you’d want your middle linebacker to look. Now as a junior, he has to start playing like it.
Returning Starters
Eight on offense, five on defense and both kicking specialists.
Best Player
Wide receiver Arrelious Benn. There’s nobody else like him in the Big Ten. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast. If Tim Tebow played wide receiver, we would probably call Benn the “Poor Man’s Tim Tebow”. That’s how good this guy is! However, he needs to find the endzone a lot more than the five times he did last year. He needs to at least double that number, which shouldn’t be a problem if Juice Williams knows what’s good for him.
Second-Best Player
Quarterback Juice Williams. Williams has improved as a passer every year, and this year should be no exception. The problem is that he started so low and is just now getting to the point where he might reach the “very good” category. Still, the potential is there, and so are the weapons. The key for Williams will always be eliminating mistakes (37 interceptions in 37 career games). If he can do that, Illinois can make it back to the BCS.
Best Chance For a Big Loss
At Cincinnati. There would be no rhyme or reason for a big loss here, and with the Illini, that’s about all the rhyme or reason you need.
Most Important Game
Penn State. The Nittany Lions come into Memorial Stadium as one of the favorites of the Big Ten and this is the Illini’s chance to make their mark on this conference. If they can get by Penn State, there’s a very real chance that they’ll be favored in the rest of their games this year, giving them a chance at eleven wins or more.
Best Road Game To Pack Up The Family Truckster And Travel To
At Ohio State. Like criminals returning to the scene of the crime, minivans from Illinois will pour into Columbus under the dark cloak of night. And since you’ve never been one to turn down a good caravan, you will follow--much to the dismay of your wife who sometimes wishes you’d stay home for longer than two weeks. “Why can’t you plant roots?”, she asks. But you told her before you two ever got married that you would never be able to turn your back on the gypsy life and if she couldn’t handle that, then she wasn’t the woman you thought she was when her father traded her to you for a slightly-used refrigerator and twelve pounds of venison.
Game On The Schedule That Joe Paterno Would Deny Having Any Knowledge Of Scheduling
Illinois State. Upon being asked how Illinois State ended up on the schedule, Paterno would berate the media and Penn State’s sports information director, shouting “You woke me up for this!? You better hope I‘m not up for the rest of the day!”
Game They Shouldn't Lose, But Could
Northwestern. Chalk this one up to the very next category. And to be honest, any of the games on the conference schedule--except for Indiana--could suffice.
Best Reason They Won't Be Undefeated
The Happening. We don’t know when “it” will happen, all we do know is that “it” will definitely happen. A hiccup here, or a stumble there. That’s what Ron Zook’s teams are known for and until it doesn’t happen, it will be expected. It would be like Bruce Springsteen not singing “Glory Days” during a Super Bowl medley. It just doesn’t happen. Sorry.
Best Reason They Will Be Undefeated
The Offense. The most explosive offense in the conference, and could be one of the most dangerous in the nation. New offensive coordinator Mike Schultz comes over from TCU and is intent upon maintaining a balanced offense. If he can do that, defenses will be in trouble.
Player People Are Expecting Too Much From
Middle linebacker Martez Wilson. When Wilson committed to the Illini a few years ago, there was virtually no limit to fans’ expectations, and to this point he has yet to live up to the impossible. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been good, because he has. But you would think fans would begin to temper their feelings after two seasons in which Wilson has yet to achieve flight or make quarterbacks collapse from just a gaze. But they haven’t. And now that he’s at middle linebacker, it’s going to get even worse.
Player People Will Be Pleasantly Surprised By
Cornerback Tavon Wilson. Wilson is expected to take over for Vontae Davis, who left early for the NFL (though some would say he left even earlier than that). Wilson played in all twelve games last year as a freshman and even started once. This year his improvement has been quite noticeable. The coaches are growing more comfortable and confident through every practice and they probably don’t expect too much of a drop off between Davis and Wilson.
Best Newcomer
Wide receiver Jarrod Fayson. Fayson is a transfer from the University of Florida, so you know he has to be good. You don’t bask in the essence and glow of Tim Tebow and not have a little Tebow Dust find its way into the crevices of your being.
Something They Do Well
Move the ball. In 2007, the Illini led the conference in rushing by 56 yards. Last year, they led it in passing by 20 yards. This year they may be able to do whatever they like (when they’re not busy turning it over).
Something They Don't Do So Well
Come from behind and win. Juice Williams has never led his team to a victory after trailing in the fourth quarter. The only thing close to a fourth quarter comeback for Williams would be two wins via last minute field goals in which his team squandered double-digit fourth quarter leads that allowed the opponents to tie the game. In fact, the last win for the Illini in which they trailed in the fourth quarter would be Ron Zook’s first game as Illinois’ head coach in 2005 when his team came back from a 27-10 fourth quarter deficit to beat Rutgers 33-30 in overtime.
What's Improved?
The running game. The Illini return everybody who carried the ball last season, so it’s impossible for them not to be better. Right? Yes, this is the same group that rushed for 87 fewer yards per game than the year before, but everybody is a little bit better now and the coaches know who can do what. There are essentially six capable running backs on this roster right now and the staff is only planning on playing four. Daniel Dufrene has probably been the most consistent in practice, while many think sophomore Jason Ford has the most potential. The player that may have piqued the coaches’ interest the most is freshman Justin Green. Green originally committed to the Buckeyes to play defensive back, but Ron Zook lured him to Illinois with the promise of a shot at running back, and it looks like he’s going to get that shot earlier than anybody expected. There is already talk of creating packages to utilize Green’s speed and elusiveness. If Juice Williams’ leads the team in rushing again, it will simply be a byproduct of the committee of talented running backs sharing the ball.
What's Gotten Worse?
Experience on the front seven. The Illini lose three starters on the defensive line and two linebackers. That doesn’t mean it’s all fresh meat for Illinois, however. Defensive end Doug Pilcher was a part-time starter last year, but has started 25 games in his first three years, so he’s hardly inexperienced. Defensive tackle Josh Brent started eight games as a sophomore last year and looks promising. Aside from those two up front, the staff is still looking for two other solid starters. Martez Wilson started seven games last year at linebacker and there are no worries about him. One other linebacker spot should be wrapped up by Ian Thomas, a sophomore who played in nine games last year. The third spot, however, is up for grabs and there are about five guys fighting for the job. Aside from Pilcher’s 25 starts, the rest of the front seven return only 18 starts among them.
Anything Else We Should Know About?
The wide receivers. This is the deep end of the talent pool for the Illini. Even without Arrelious Benn, this is still one of the two or three best receiver groups in the conference. Jarred Fayson has been making an impact at practice and has coaches excited for what he can bring when defenses aren’t paying him the attention he deserves. Former tight end Jeff Cumberland (6’5 255) looks to become an even bigger contributor this season as the coaches like his ability to make plays in traffic. And then you have guys like Chris Duvalt, A.J. Jenkins and Fred Sykes, who are all capable of big plays when given the opportunity. And we haven’t even gotten into the younger guys like Cordale Scott and Terry Hawthorne yet. There are pass-catchers here for days.
Anything Else?
A renewed focus on field position. Illinois has finished 10th and 11th in the conference in net punting the last two years, which has finally led the staff to the realization that something needs to be done. One little thing (or two big things) that they’re talking about doing is using Arrelious Benn and Martez Wilson as gunners on punts. This seems like a bit of an overreaction and rather unlikely in my opinion. Wouldn’t it just be easier to simply coach your players better? The real story right now regarding field position is the much talked about implementation of the rugby punt. Itself alone, the rugby punt isn’t reason to get excited, but when you have the rugby punt with an ambidextrous punter, now you can do some things. And that’s what punter Anthony Santella brings to the team. He is a right-footed kicker who is comfortable kicking with either foot, meaning he can take off to either side of the field when performing a rugby kick. So don’t be surprised if he keeps it every once in a while if the side he is running towards is under-defended.
Brad Pitt Role Or Movie That This Team Resembles
The Mexican. Had a tremendous cast, but just wasn’t a very good finished product. Poor direction?
One Prediction
Illinois will win their first bowl game since 1999.
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