NCAA Football Preview - Illinois Fighting Illini
Sports Network | August 12, 2008
2008 ANALYSIS:
OFFENSE: Junior quarterback Juice Williams is the spark plug of the offense. Williams burst onto the scene as an electrifying runner during his freshman campaign in 2006. However, he completed only 39 percent of his passes. Last year, in addition to his 755 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, Williams passed for another 1,743 yards and 13 scores, completing 57 percent of his attempts.
This year, Zook and his staff are expecting further growth from their most dynamic player. It won't be easy though, as Williams will have to do so without the services of steady running back Rashard Mendenhall, who was scooped up in the first round of the NFL draft after garnering Big Ten MVP honors. Assuming Mendenhall's role in 2008 will be junior Daniel Dufrene (38 carries, 294 yards) and a host of other backs.
Arrelious Benn earned Freshman of the Year honors after leading the team with 54 catches and 676 receiving yards. He had offseason shoulder surgery, but will be just fine to pick up his sophomore campaign where he left off as a freshman.
Three starters return from an offensive line that allowed only 16 sacks a year ago, in addition to paving the way for Mendenhall to set a school record for rushing yards.
DEFENSE: Zook feels like he's got one of the best defensive lines in the conference, and that thinking is certainly justified. In Will Davis (9.5 sacks in '07), Derek Walker (2.5 sacks) and Dough Pilcher (5.5 sacks), Illinois has three starters to fill two spots, and plenty of quality depth beyond those three.
Without question, the Fighting Illini will be able to rotate in fresh pass rushers and continue to throw fastballs at opposing quarterbacks for four quarters. Starting defensive tackle David Lindquist (4.5 sacks) is also back for his senior season.
The linebacking corps must replace the talented J Leman, but outside linebacker Brit Miller (6-1, 252), who had 62 tackles and 8.5 TFLs last season, will slide into the middle to fill that role. Promising sophomore Martez Wilson (6-4, 246) and senior Rodney Pittman (6-2, 242) will flank Miller on the outside.
Coach Zook sent a message to All-Big Ten cornerback Vontae Davis by benching him in the spring game for not performing at a high level. However, when the dust clears, Davis is among the best cornerbacks in the nation and will no doubt be counted on to carry the secondary when the season kicks off. The team has two other defensive backs with starting experience, and several newcomers the coaches like an awful lot.
SPECIAL TEAMS: The kicking position has not yet been nailed down and the departure of reliable Jason Reda (16-of-18 field-goals in 2007) cannot be overlooked. Junior PK Mike Cklamovski is the likely candidate to fill the void. Sophomore Anthony Santella appeared to lock down his role as the punter for 2008 with an impressive showing in the Rose Bowl (44.7-yard average). Speedsters Benn and Davis will highlight the return game.
OUTLOOK: Illinois kicks off the 2008 season with a great deal of optimism and a lot will be known about the caliber of the team after the opening weekend at Missouri in front of a national television audience.
"I think when you're looking at that first game, knowing that you're going to play a top-five team it's going to give us an opportunity to make sure we do the things we have to do in camp," Zook said.
Memorial Stadium has undergone a major renovation, which should accommodate the expected sellout crowds quite nicely. With success, comes expectation and that's where the Illinois program finds itself entering 2008.
In addition to their opener against Missouri, the Fighting Illini will also face a stiff challenge when they open up their Big Ten schedule with back-to- back road games against Penn Sate and Michigan. They play Ohio State at home this season, though the Buckeyes have had that date circled since last November. The rest of the schedule is rather manageable, but check back to see where the Fighting Illini stand after they get done with Michigan in Ann Arbor in the first week of October.
