SB Nation - Vontae Davis

Illini All Decade team: 1st team defense

Joe Kutsunis — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:38:24 -0000

Ah part 2 of the on going saga of the All Decade Team, the first team defense. There have been some mighty colorful personalities to play ball for the Illini over the years, particularly at linebacker, also we have an NFL punter (fun!)

By Paul M. Banks & Paul Schmidt of The Sports Bank and Joe Kutsunis of Hail to the Orange, "Home of the Blogging Illini"

First team Defense

DL Will Davis – 7^th all time in sacks for the Illini with 15, this son of the deputy minister of Liberia (its true) was one of the most potent pass rushers of the decade and recorded 5 tackles for a total 22 yards loss in the Illini’s 2007 win over Indiana. A 2^nd team All Big Ten player in 2007, and would led the team in sacks and TFLs that year as well. Taken in the 6^th round of the NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

DL Derrick Strong – Led or co-led team in sacks and TFLs in 2002 and 2003, part of the 2001 Sugar Bowl team.

DL Derek Walker- 10^th all time in sacks in school history, and the other half of a very potent pass rushing attack on 2007, he led the team in sacks in 2006 and 2008. Though undrafted, he is currently signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

LB J Leman – What can be said about J Leman, other than to this day this fan favorite is one of the most recognizable Illini players around, even though he has never taken an NFL snap. Don’t let that fool you though; he has the stats to back up his fame. Two time First Team All Big Ten, 2007 First Team All American led the Big Ten in tackles in 2006. He is the #6 all time tackler at Illinois. He tackled ball carriers, broke up passes and fought for the American way, and is still the best sound bite around. Also, the man made the mullet cool again, no small feat if you ask me.

LB Brit Miller - The other vocal leader of the linebackers from 2005 to 2008, he moved to the middle in ’08 and ended up leading the Big Ten in tackles that year, (eat it, Laurinaitis.) and was First Team All Big Ten. And a find comedian; everyone enjoyed his "mustache day" bit from Camp Rantoul featured on Big Ten Network’s reality series "The Journey."

LB Jerry Schumacher- Led team in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks in 2001 and 2002, is #10 all time tackler at the U of I. Earned 2^nd team All Big Ten in 2001 and 2002. Also has a fantastic player picture.

LB Matt Sinclair – Twice led the team in tackles and sacks. Yeah, that’s all we got. But seriously, he was really good, even though no one remembers anything about him.

DB Vontae Davis - 2008 Playboy All American (it counts) and first round draft pick by the Dolphins, making the jump after playing only 3 years in Champaign. Was First Team All Big Ten in 2007 and a factor in the passing game of every team he played. His hitting was so hard that on several occasions he knocked out either the opposing player, or himself. And his tremendous closing speed was like the hotness of Pam on "The Office." Even though it’s not really talked about, it’s there, it’s always been there and it’s superlative.

DB Kevin Mitchell- As unsung a hero of the 2007 Rose Bowl team as there could be, he led the team in interceptions with 5 and led the conference in defended passes. His 4^th quarter interception of Anthony Morelli sealed victory over a ranked Penn State team, the team’s first since 2002. Not as hyped or well known as Vontae Davis, but just as important to the Illini’s success.

DB Eugene Wilson- led team in INTs in both 2000 and 2001, was 1^st team All Big Ten in ’01 and a Playboy All American in ’02. Current Illinois career leader in passes broken up with an astonishing 60.

DB Muhammad Abdullah- As a true freshman, took over the starting free safety job from Mike Gusich in ’98 and never looked back.

P Steve Weatherford – Weatherford is the best punter in school history, and perhaps surprisingly, one of the school’s best athletes as well. Not only does he boast the best career punting average in Illinois history and the top two season averages, he was a two-time Big Ten champion in the decathlon. Ron Turner thought that it was possible Weatherford was one of the fastest guys on the team. And again…we’re talking about the PUNTER!

The Final Word on the 2009 Fighting Illini football Season

Joe Kutsunis — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:47:49 -0000

More photos » by Seth Perlman - AP

Browse more photos »

I really did not want to write this post. This season was so bad that we have known for many weeks that there would be very little positive that could be taken from it. It was a season that will be defined by let downs, unmet expectations and uncertainty.

Like I did at the end of last year's basketball season, I have assess to what expectations I wish to hold this team. At the beginning of the season, after reading my Phil Steele and feeling about as confident as I ever have about this team, I said that this season would probably be an 8-4 year, with losses to Penn State, Ohio State, Cincinnati and one team we should not lose to. That's a bowl, a solid season and in a situation that gives you a good feeling about the future.

Phil Steele said we would finish 3rd in the conference, and that there was an outside chance we would go undefeated. If there is anyone more upset with Ron Zook right now than Phil Steele, I would like to meet him, because this 3-9 season has got to hurt his credibility.

You know what might be the worst thing about this year? That the defense by the final three weeks was completely unable to make a stop and the offense was putting up sick numbers on otherwise good teams. The polar opposite of the beginning of the year where the defense would hang tough for 3 quarters before folding from exhaustion at the end, and got no support from the vaunted offense.

That offense that finally got its feet under it in the second half of the year put Illini fans through some awfully difficult to watch games early in the year. It would move the ball down the field and then lose the ball in one disastrous way after another. Fumbles and penalties and interceptions, groan. The offense at times was literally tripping over its own feet and keeping itself from success. There were lots of problems from receivers like Fayson and Cumberland who disappointed in their production, to Arrelious Benn who just plain was not thrown to enough. (double standard maybe, but which of these 3 is getting first round money?) One of the weapons I was looking forward to seeing better used this year was Uh-oh who outside of a catch here or there was either not thrown to or was sidelined with injury.

The running game would eventually prove to be one of the bright spots of the team, but early on it too was inconsistent, and underused more than likely due to all of the talent we perceived ourselves to have a wide receiver. Mikel Leshoure needs to get the ball more next year than any of the other backs, I don't care what playing time has been promised to the others. He is your go-to back, no excuses.

As for Juice, I still feel bad the way his final season as an Illini ended up. When he is allowed to play his game, the game he excels at, the game that got him to the Rose Bowl, it can be plainly seen how much of a threat he can be to defenses. He is as classy as football players get, even through being pulled earlier this season and then being put back in without any fanfare. He is your all time offensive yards leader, he will go down as one of the most important players to this school, and I for one wish things would have gone better for him. Maybe I am biased, going to school at Illinois during the Rose Bowl run will probably tend to do that.

As for the defense many of the problems that plagued it at the beginning of the season still plagued it at the end, but to a greater degree. There are some spots on defense of real strength, most notably defensive tackle, but the weak points were never fully shored up. I suppose some of this can be blamed on injury the losses of Martez Wilson, Miami Thomas and intermittently Donsay Hardeman combined with youth and inexperience in other areas to create at best an inconsistent defense.

The season just never really got off to the start it was supposed to. The loss to Missouri I really think sent this team into a tailspin and had it under perform its own ability from then on. I believe to some degree it was not as good as advertised, but its talent level is not as bad as its record. Ohio State, Michigan State, and Penn State did just as some predicted and put the Illini in a hole that they were never really fully able to pull themselves out of. If the Illini take one of those three games, I don't believe they lose to either Purdue or Indiana. This team should have been at least a 6-6 team. You can blame the coaches for panicking maybe, or the players for despairing, or the AD for giving the team a schedule that seems hell bent against going to a bowl. Whatever the reason this team was not put into a position to succeed, and underperformed.

There are still some bright spots to look forward to, somewhat at least. Terry Hawthorne, whatever position he is going to play, on whatever side of the ball, is going to be one of the better players for this team. He ended up being the best defensive back after being converted to the position halfway through the season. Jacob Charest emerged as the probable starting QB for next year, with Eddie McGee moving to receiver, a position he proved better at than many established players.

For all the problems this team has had it still has talent. Right now both Jon Asamoah and Arrelious Benn are projected first round draft picks. Along with Rashard Mendenhall from two years ago and Vontae Davis last year that will make three years in a row with a first rounder. Thats not something that usually happens to consistently bad teams. But to us, it has.

I don't know what next year really holds. There are a lot of rumors of firings and transfers that will be decided in the next several week, so I could not really tell you in what direction the team will ultimately go. The two indicators we do have though are next year's schedule and recruiting, and both of those point to another losing season. See you this summer football, I hope under better circumstances.

Comparing the Online Recruiting Ranking Services

Buck Bravo — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:00:11 -0000

Rivals, Scout, and ESPN all provide ranking systems for recruits headed to Division 1 football programs. Often, ratings of individual players will vary greatly from one service to another. In an attempt to determine which service most accurately projects the future performance of players, let's take a look at the ratings that were given to the 2009 NFL first round draft picks back when they were being recruited for college football:

PICK

NAME

COLLEGE

TEAM

RIVALS

STARS

SCOUT

STARS

ESPN

RATING

Matthew Stafford

Georgia

Jason Smith

Baylor

Tyson Jackson

LSU

Aaron Curry

OLB

Wake Forest

Mark Sanchez

USC

Andre Smith

Alabama

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Maryland

Virginia

Boston College

Texas Tech

Penn State

Georgia

Texas

Ohio State

OLB

USC

Northern Illinois

Kansas State

Tennessee

Missouri

Oklahoma State

California

Florida

Ole Miss

Ole Miss

Illinois

OLB

USC

Donald Brown

Connecticut

Louisville

North Carolina

Rutgers

Ohio State

Missouri

ESPN did not start ranking recruits until 2006, so players from before that time have no ranking. Despite this limitation, let's look at the trend lines for the different services:

While Scout may have had the most 5 star rankings for recruits who ultimately became first round NFL draft choices, Rivals had the best trendline for accurately ranking future NFL talent. A more comprehensive analysis looking at later rounds and previous years would best determine which service best analyzes talent. If I were retired or writing for TDG full time, I'd be eager to put such a report together for later this week. For now, the first round of the 2009 NFL draft will have to suffice.

An Almost Timely Early Look At The 2009 Schedule - Week 10 v. Illinois - November 7, 2009.

JG2112 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:00:11 -0000

Illinois - At a glance:

Location: Champaign, Illinois

Stadium: Memorial Stadium (size: 62,872)

Expected Attendance: 0. The game's in Minneapolis.

Undergraduate population: 31,173.

First season: 1890

Number of Big Ten Titles: 15

All-time record: 563-513-51

All-time bowl record: 6-9

Most awesome alum: this one's easy: current Gophers coach Tim Brewster

Most awesome Illinois fan site: Hail to the Orange.

Looking around the Big Ten, there are obviously a few different groups of teams and coaches. First, you've got the established teams with high-level recruits and coaches who have proven their mettle (Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan). Next, there is a group of solid teams with good but not great recruits, and outstanding coaches (Iowa, Michigan State and Northwestern). Then there are the teams with middling recruits and teams which are average to below average performers (Wisconsin, Indiana and Purdue). Then, you get to Minnesota and its Week 10 opponent, Illinois. Both teams have coaching staffs that recruit successfully, but there is really little indication that either head coach can actually coach.

When that's the case, you end up with a 7-1 start for the Gophers, followed by the November implosion. You also end up with the conference's best statistical QB playing his bowl game on Playstation 3 because his team couldn't beat Northwestern in the season finale.

That's why trying to figure out what's going to happen to each of these teams in 2009 is really hopeless until the non-conference slate is complete. Minnesota has new coordinators, a new stadium, and a new offensive philosophy. Illinois has a new offensive coordinator, has lost most of its defense, and yet is still highly recommended for a major bowl. This game is the conundrum within a mystery. Let's start de-constructing it by looking at.....

Illinois on Offense: The centerpiece of Illinois's team is QB Juice Williams. As a freshman, his completion percentage was under 40% and the team won 2 games. As a sophomore, his maturity was evident as he overruled Coach Zook and made a crucial fourth-down conversion in the fourth quarter of Illinois' upset of Ohio State. As a junior, he alternated dominating performances such as a Michigan Stadium record 425 yards of offense, with embarrassing efforts in losses to Minnesota, Western Michigan and Northwestern. The expectation is that Williams will compete for the conference Player of the Year award in 2009.

However, he may not be the best player on his team. WR Arrelious Benn, despite only touching painted grass 5 times last year, had 67 catches for over 1000 yards, and really is the only wide receiver in the conference that is comparable in production to Eric Decker.

All of Illinois' other skill position players return. Running backs Daniel Dufrene (663 yards, zero touchdowns? in 2008), Jason Ford (294 and 8 TDs) and Mikel LeShoure (126 yards) are in the backfield. Monster wideout (six-foot-five, 255 pounds) Jeff Cumberland, TE Michael Hoomanawanui, and Chris Duvalt are returning wide players.

Along the offensive line, the Illini lose Xavier Fulton and Ryan McDonald to graduation (Fulton to the NFL). True sophomores Jeff Allen and Corey Allen will likely man the tackle positions, and Eric Block (C), Jon Asamoah and Randall Hunt complete the line.

Bottom line: Illinois on Offense: The popular preseason tendency for Illinois is to declare: Juice Williams + Arrelious Benn = domination. However, the team was 5-7 last year, and the Illini's failure to go bowling can be directly attributed to Wiliams' poor performances against Western and Northwestern. A lot will depend upon the young offensive line providing Juice with the ability to execute the spread, and to have time to pass to Benn and Cumberland.

Illinois was shredded by van der Steeg last year. This year, the defensive ends, as previewed by Buck Bravo, should have the opportunity to tee off on the two true sophomore tackles and disrupt the spread offense. If they can apply the needed pressure, Illinois may be forced to the pass early in the game.

Illinois on Defense: Illinois has lost quite a bit from their 2008 defense, including 3 of 4 starters on the defensive line, 3 of the top 4 linebackers, and first-round cornerback Vontae Davis. Of course, Illinois' defense has been reeling since 2007, when this guy graduated:

While the defense led the conference in sacks and tackles for loss per game, it also gave up 26.6 points per game in 2008, as opposed to 21.8 in 2007. Considering that 5 of the front seven's 2008 starters are no longer in Champaign, there is significant uncertainty as to how the defense will perform.

For what it's worth, senior end Doug Pilcher is named on the Hendricks Award watch list, and Josh Brent has been reinstated to the team after spending part of the summer in the pen for being a drunk driver. Martez Wilson has the chance to live up to his five-star billing in high school and help replace Brit Miller's 132 tackles in 2008, although getting stabbed in the offseason probably didn't do wonders for his conditioning (he and Kevin Whaley could have a few interesting chats at the bottom of a pile this year, heh?)

The secondary was not that bad in 2008, only allowing 197 passing yards per game. However, as mentioned before star Vontae Davis is now playing for the Dolphins, and took his 78 tackles with him. Travon Bellamy (53 tackles), Donsay Hardeman (44 tackles, 1 INT), Dere Hicks (43 tackles, 1 INT), and Bo Flowers (23 tackles) are the top returning performers.

Bottom Line - Illinois Defense: Outside of Wilson, there isn't much to know or really feel confident about in regard to this defense. Three of the top four tacklers have graduated, as have five of the Illini's front seven. Players that accounted for 20.5 of the team's conference-leading 32 sacks (THAT number led the conference?) and four of the team's six interceptions are gone.

As with Michigan State, the keys for succeeding against the Illini defense would revolve around getting a blocker on LB Martez Wilson, exploiting the inexperience on the defensive line, and getting the DBs to get suckered into play action. While the defense may be solid after 9 weeks of the 2009 season, there is no reason to have such confidence on August 12th.

Illinois Special Teams: Meh. Matt Eller returns to do placekicking, and was 15 for 20 in field goal kicking in 2008. Anthony Santella returns to punt, with a 39.40 ypp average, placing him eighth in the conference.

Short punts equal a possibility for returns. Calling Troy Stoudermire.

Anything else? Zook is known as a top rank recruiter. He recruited most of the players to Florida which ultimately won a national title under Urban Meyer's coaching in 2007. He has recruited well at Illinois, although some of his excellent recruiting staff members (notably his former offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, who went to New Mexico) have moved on. In 2009, Illinois pulled what Scout's garage experts rated as the #35 class in the country (for comparison, Minnesota's was #46). The marquee pickups were CB Justin Green, OT Andrew Carter, WR Terry Hawthorne, QB Nathan Scheelhaase, and DT Lendell Buckner. I would doubt any of these players get meaningful time in 2009 - they either play positions of strength for Illinois, or positions that usually redshirt.

The Bottom Line: What to Expect: Minnesota and Illinois are two of the true wild-cards of this conference. I wouldn't be surprised if either finished with records varying from 3-9 to 10-2. And therefore, the home field advantage is what I will use to separate the two teams. At this point, there is hardly any other way to separate them. On November 1st, however, both fanbases will have a better read on these teams, and TDG will re-examine this game.

Minnesota 34

Illinois 31.

Know thy Opponent 2009: Illinois Fighting Illini

BoilerTMill — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:07:30 -0000

I am waiting to do a formal wrap of Media Days for either late tonight or early tomorrow, but after seeing some of the other blog coverage I have decided I will be attending next year's event. It's only a short drive to Chicago. Of course, if I win tomorrow night's Powerball I can just hire a lackey to go for me. Wisconsin blogger Adam Hoge at Bucky's Fifth Quarter has a great 1st day wrap up team-by-team. In the mean time, on to the Illinois preview.

It is rare that we have played three non-conference opponents since we last played a conference opponent, but that is the case with each of our next two opponents. We haven't played Illinois or Wisconsin since 2006, but we played Toledo in 2007 and both Oregon and Notre Dame last season. In each case, we are facing a team that will be very unfamiliar to us. Illinois is probably a little more familiar than the Badgers because of quarterback Juice Williams. We did see him and a handful of other guys in 2006, whereas Many of Wisconsin's players were redshirting back then.

Williams is an interesting player. When he is on, the Illini can be one of the best teams in the country. When he is off, the other team often gets the ball in the form of ill-advised passes that turn into interceptions or fumbles. The Illini are quickly entering the realm of Notre Dame and Michigan. They are a team with a superior amount of talent compared to most teams, but that talent grossly underachieves. That sums up Juice Williams in a nutshell, and 2009 is his final chance to impress.

2008 Record: (5-7, 3-5 Big Ten)

Bowl result: No Bowl

Blog Representation: Hail to the Orange

Series with Purdue: Illinois leads 41-37-6

Last Purdue win: 11/11/2006 at Illinois 42-31

Last Illinois win: 10/12/2002 at Illinois 38-31 (OT)

Someone should let Juice know Anthony Spencer is there to sack and strip the ball from him. Nah, Anthony will do it himself. This is from the 2006 game and it is seconds before Alex Magee recovers a fumble for a huge game-changing TD.

Last Season for the Illini:

This is our least celebrated trophy rivalry. While we play Notre Dame and Indiana each year, Illinois regularly rotates off the schedule. They are technically the closest Big Ten team to West Lafayette, giving reason for the rivalry. Still, they are not a protected rival like Indiana, as Northwestern is our second protected rival. Purdue has a slight three game lead in the Cannon portion of the series thanks to our recent four game winning streak.

Last year was a raging disappointment after Illinois played in Pasadena. It was probably one of the least deserved BCS bowl bids ever, but Illinois did have an impressive 2007 season. It was the Illini's first bowl bid since 2001. Last year was a return to normal for Illinois. A 5-7 finish against a rough schedule has many once again questioning Ron Zook coaching ability.

Would Matt Painter do this?

Illinois really wasn't that far off last year. They played Missouri, Penn State, and Ohio State close in three very tough games. With a bowl bid on the line they folded on the road against Northwestern in the season finale, giving the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk to Northwestern for all time.

Illinois probably plays the manliest non-conference schedule outside of our own. They open in a neutral site game against Missouri again. They then have a home opener against Brock Spack's Illinois State team. Illinois had better hope they have a good Big Ten season, as they finish the year with two tough non-conference games at Big East Champ Cincinnati and at home against Fresno State. Our game comes after a trip to Indiana.

Illinois offense:

The 2008 version of the Illinois offense grossly missed Rashard Mendenhall. After running for a school record 1,681 yards in 2007, no one could match his total. Williams led the team with 719 yards and five touchdowns. Daniel Dufrene tried to replace Mendenhall's production, but added only 663 yards and no touchdowns. Jason Ford didn't have many yards, but he led the team with eight touchdowns as a true freshman. He could see more time in the backfield than Dufrene. Williams has long been a serious rushing threat with over 2,000 yards in his career.

The one knock on Williams has been his passing ability. Yardage-wise, he has always been fine. He will likely leave Illinois as it all-time passing yardage leader, but he has been erratic at best. 3,173 yards and 22 touchdowns for 2008 are good. A 57% completion percentage and 16 interceptions are not. Williams has thrown 37 interceptions in 35 career games, so the likelihood of him suddenly cutting down on picks is low. He has actually thrown more interceptions in each successive season so far. The Illini are a better team by far when Williams does not have to throw much.

When he does throw, however, he has perhaps the best receiver in the conference throw to. Arrelious Benn has been almost everything Illinois fans have hoped for the past two seasons. He had 67 catches for 1,055 yards, but only three touchdowns last season. He has just five scores for his career despite impressive numbers elsewhere (sounds like Taylor Stubblefield pre-2004). He has to find the end zone much more often than he has already. Williams has spread his touchdowns around quite a bit. Seven different receivers had at least two scores last season, but no one had more than four. That means there is not one player we can totally focus on in red zone situations. That also makes Williams' rushing ability that much more dangerous.

Illinois must replace its center and left tackle from a line that gave up 25 sacks a year ago. Jon Asamoah at right guard and Jeff Allen at right tackle are both mainstays at 6'5" and 310+ pounds, but the rest of the line is in flux. Eric Block will move from left guard to center. Randall Hunt and Corey Lewis will both be on the left side and each has size at 6'6" and 320+ pounds. We should be able to generate a pass rush, but we have to finish off Williams once we get to him. Of course, to this point we will have faced Chandler Harnish, Jeremiah Masoli, Adam Weber, and Terrelle Pryor. What is one more mobile quarterback?

Illinois Defense:

In CFN's Illinois defensive preview, Pete Fiutak said that Illinois has a tremendous offense and Illinois defense needs to be merely average. I beg to differ. Illinois' offense committed 26 turnovers last year and generated a ton of yards, but not a ton of points. The defense was okay against the pass, but teams ran for more than 150 yards per game against the Illini. It will have to be much better than the merely adequate it was last year. It must also replace linebacker Brit Miller, who led the Illini in virtually every defensive category.

Illinois' defensive line generated 32 sacks, so it could get into the backfield. End Doug Pilcher is the most regular starter that returns, though Josh Brent and Sirod Williams are starters that battled injuries most of the year. Williams and Brent are tackles that should help in run situations. Brent is already on thin ice, however, after an offseason DUI cost him spring practice via suspension. Jerry Brown could also start at the other end position, but his academics are in question.

Martez Wilson is a highly touted recruit that is expected to do even better than Miller and American Hero J Leman at middle linebacker. Wilson played on the outside a year ago and amassed 73 tackles, three sacks, and two fumble recoveries. Illinois has a history of great middle linebackers, and Wilson is expected to be the next one. He'll be joined on the outside by Ian Thomas and Russell Ellington. Both are sophomores with not much experience. Nate Palmer and Justin Staples are both huge linebackers that redshirted last season and could be ready for serious playing time.

Best highlight from our last win over Illinois

The secondary lost a first round pick when the Dolphins drafted cornerback Vontae Davis. He led Illinois in interceptions with just two, but was in on 18 pass break ups. As a whole, Illinois picked off only six passes. Dere Hicks at cornerback and Donsay Hardeman at safety are the only two returning players that had an interception last year. Hardeman is a senior in his second season after being a very promising JUCO transfer last season. With 44 tackles and a pick he is expected to make an even bigger leap in year two. Garrett Edwards and Travon Bellamy should also see some time at safety, especially since Hardeman is recovering from a neck injury.

As a whole, this is a defense that is battling some serious injury and discipline issues. There is talent, but no less than four key players are uncertain because of injury, academics, or discipline. They aren't a group that will pick off a ton of passes and they could be susceptible against the run.

Illinois Special Teams:

Matt Eller is a decent sophomore kicker, hitting 15 of 20 field goals in his rookie year. He was not a weapon on kickoffs though. Illinois gave up two kickoff returns for touchdowns and almost 25 yards per return. That means we should be able to get decent field position. The punting was almost equally awful. Opponents averaged 11 yards per return and Anthony Santella averaged less than 40 yards per kick.

In the return game we must keep our eyes on Benn. While he hasn't broken a return for a touchdown, he has the ability to do so. He'll handle both kick and punt return duties. We can't kick away from him on kickoffs, either. A.J. Jenkins averaged 22.3 yards per return with a touchdown last year as the second half of a dangerous return tandem.

Intangibles:

With this game being the seventh on the schedule for the Illini it presents an interesting situation. Illinois has an absolutely brutal slate before this game. The only sure wins are Illinois State and Indiana. There is a very strong chance they will be 2-4 with losses to Missouri, Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State. That would make our game a must win possibly to save Ron Zook's job.

Personally, I view it a must win for us. If we're going to go bowling we have to get the four most winnable games we play at home against Toledo, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, and Illinois. It is probably the biggest swing game we face all year. Win, and we may only need a late season win at Indiana to go to a bowl. Lose, and we'll need a home upset over Michigan State, a road upset at Wisconsin, or an unlikely win at Michigan.

Those two factors are huge. We could have a lot to play for given our coaching situation and expectations, while Illinois may have nothing to play for given theirs. I am still not sold on Zook's coaching talent. Illinois managed to parlay one big upset at Ohio State into a Rose Bowl berth. That is really all they have accomplished as a program since 2001. Even with a talent advantage over most teams they have a worse track record than Notre Dame in terms of developing that talent and getting the most out of it. Of all the programs in the Big Ten, Illinois seems to be the one that has the wildest fluctuations. In this decade alone they have either played in a BCS bowl or no bowl at all. 2009 looks to fit right in with that history. They have the talent to be in the BCS, but the result could be very different.

Game Outlook:

I am excited to see an erratic passer in Juice Williams face off against one of the best secondaries in the Big Ten. I am even more excited that new defensive coordinator Donn Landholm stresses creating turnovers against a team that is turnover prone. Williams has certainly improved since 2006, but that game was a nightmare for him. With an even worse defense than we have now, Williams turned the ball over four times... in five plays.

Offensively, we should have some room to run the ball. All we need to do is give Elliott time to throw and the Illinois secondary isn't known for its tight coverage. I really like or chances going into this game, and it needs to end as a win.

Prediction:

I am not sold on Illinois. Maybe Toki from Hail To The Orange will have some things to say that will convince me otherwise, but I think Illinois is going to have a rough year. It will also cost Ron Zook his job. I think Purdue holds its own at home and gets a step closer to bowl eligibility. Purdue 27, Illinois 21

Mizzou Links, 7-15-09

Bill C. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:39:38 -0000

First, the Mizzou links.

Trevor Coleman has officially signed with the Mariners. Ryan Ampleman, come on down. You're the man now, dog (sorry, was channeling Sean Connery there...PUNCH the keys!!).

PowerMizzou checks in on Florida OL Jonathan Feliciano, a Miami "commit" who has committed to visiting other schools, including Missouri.

Dave Matter asks the question everybody was thinking. Hey Stryker Sulak...what’s worse, getting drafted by the NFL’s most dysfunctional organization or getting dropped by the league’s most dysfunctional organization?

Demarre Carroll goes for 9 (on 4-7 shooting with an and-one) with 4 boards and a couple of assists in 24 minutes yesterday in his Vegas (baby Vegas) Summer League game. The Grizz are now off until Saturday before closing out with back-to-back games this weekend.

Meanwhile, Leo Lyons sees 14 minutes of playing time for the Cavs, scoring 6 (on 2-4 from the field and 2-2 from the line) while grabbing 4 boards (good Leo) and collecting 4 fouls (bad Leo). The Cavs are back in action tomorrow.

Okay, that's pretty much it for Mizzou-related tidbits. Luckily there are a ton of other links to share...

National Championship Issue takes a look at BCS conference attendance and just how friggin' different things are when an FCS team is the opponent.

Roll Bama Roll is starting to think that conference title games aren't the way to go...

Somewhat Mizzou-related: Hail to the Orange looks at the Vontae Davis-less Illinois secondary.

SI's Stewart Mandel takes a look at the ten best early non-con games in 2009 (is there anybody who hasn't made a list like this yet?). A couple Big 12 teams make the list...OSU-Georgia and NU-Virginia Tech...

Finally, there is fail...and then there is FAIL...

Illini Unit Breakdown: The Defensive Secondary.

Joe Kutsunis — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:03:39 -0000

It used to be that I could simply say "Hey we've got Vontae Davis, who cares who's at Saftey" Well the only people who can say that now are Dolphins fans. I am stuck here sifting through what is left of a defensive unit that has alternatively shined and looked haggard. Even Vaunted Vontae had his moments of seeming merely human in pass coverage, especially against Minnesota and Eric Decker, a receiver that frankly should not have been a problem for him to handle. (He ran Joe Mcknight down in the open field, I mean come on!) This whole post could become me just crying about how the best player on defense left early for the NFL, or I could actually do my job. So today we review the defensive backfield, the unit that won the Ohio State game in 2007, and may or may not shoulder a heavy amount of blame for last year's sub .500 season.

So, Who will Start? For better or for worse, this is an easy question. Outside of Vontae, the rest of the backfield should be familiar. Donsay Hardeman is by far the most important returning starter at Free Safety. He runs a sub 4.4 40 yd, and hits like Mike Tyson. He recorded an interception that kept the Illini in the game against Minny last fall, and were it not for off season neck surgery, he would be considered a good bet to make All Big Ten this season. If he returns to Camp Rantoul 100%, he will more than likely be the key piece to the DBs.

Another very talented player returning this season is CB Miami Thomas. He suffered a season ending ACL tear last season in the Eastern Illinois game, but had an INT in the Ohio State game the year before that all but sealed the game for the Illini. He is a personal favorite player of mine, and I believe that if he has recovered and hasn't lost any of his speed, that he is the natural replacement for Vontae.

Dere Hicks will be coming back for his senior season and is most likely going to be starting all 12 games again this year. Bo Flowers returns as a Jr, but given some of the play we saw last year, he may not retain his starting job. As of last year this was where most of the experience ended. Garrett Edwards was playing as a RS Freshman, and Tavon Wilson as a true. If Bo Flowers does has not shown improvement, but Edwards has, it would not surprise me if he takes the starting job in camp.

So, my predicted 4 starters for Mizzou will be Donsay Hardeman at FS, Garret Edwards at SS, Miami Thomas and Dere Hicks at CB.

Possible Star: You have to go with Donsay here. He was very highly touted coming to the Illini, and even though he had to work through multiple injuries last year was still one of the best players on defense. Supposedly his neck is healed from last year, and if he can stay injury free all season, he should be near the top in tackles. He only played in 8 games, and had to come back from a leg injury last year but still finished with 44, a forced fumble and an INT. At full strength he should be a monster.

What to Expect: Rivals said this group could be "special" and Phil Steele predicts "significant improvement" I believe it will be better, even with out Vontae, Sure no one will be shutting down half of the field, but the overall improvement in experience and the return of Miami Thomas should result in a more well rounded secondary.

Last year, before Donsay came back, the problem seemed to be at safety, so much so that Zook even said he would consider moving Vontae over if it would mean plugging a hole. Against Penn State it seemed like Vontae was the only one who could cover his man. He is gone now, and we just have to hope that the inexperienced players who saw a lot of time last year have gained enough from the experience to become a stronger overall unit. I think the secondary should be better, and that overall, the defense should be better from last year, In the Big Ten, defending the run is most important, and that is where the strength of the defense should be.

Preview: Fighting Zookers

Beauford — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:57:49 -0000

First up in our 2009 College Football Preview series will be Illinois. Why? Because I'm rolling straight alphabetical homie.

Previously on Maize n Brew: Northwestern

Explanation and indemnifications found: here

The 2008 Illini were somewhat disappointing insofar as they were coming off a Rose Bowl bid and seemed to have the pieces in place to continue winning. Losing Mendenhall hurt substantially, but WR Benn, QB Williams, and CB Davis were all back and poised to continue winning. What actually happened? They went 3-5 in conference, 5-7 overall and threw a "we're not playing in a bowl game" party with Michigan. There was punch, and laughter, but only the sad bitter laugh of remorse over what was and what could have been. Zook texted. The night ended.

The offense was not the problem. Averaging 438 yards per game, they ranked 2nd in the Big Ten. Juice was the 2nd highest rated passer in the conference, and the team averaged over 28 points per game. Michigan fans will remember Juice from such plays as 77-yard swing pass, and Big House record 431 all purpose yards. Last year, I wrote this about Juice:

Juice Williams is a good quarterback until you make him throw. Then he's a bad quarterback. That could change.

Also:

Juice can't throw; it's that simple.

Well, he did lead the Big Ten in INT's with 16, but uh, yeah, I was kinda wrong. The main reason the Illini were sitting at home over bowl season had to do with a horrific turnover margin (9th in the BXI, the part of me being kinda right), and a defense that was put in some tough positions. Illinois Total Defense rank was 6th in the BXI, while their scoring defense rank was 9th, just 2 points off of UM's. A mediocre total + a bad scoring = bad field position probably resulting from the poor turnover margin. The Illini scored metric shit-load of points, but the price to pay was Juice throwing INT's and the defense being put in mostly bad situations. Last year, remarkably, I predicted the Illini to finish 7th in the BXI, mostly due to a lack of Mendenhall. They finished 8th. 2009 predictions/preview after the jump.

2009 Schedule

9/05	vs. Missouri	3:40 PM
9/12	Illinois State	7:00 PM
9/26	@ Ohio State	TBA
10/03	Penn State	TBA
10/10	Michigan State	TBA
10/17	@ Indiana	7:00 PM
10/24	@ Purdue	TBA
10/31	Michigan	3:30 PM
11/07	@ Minnesota	TBA
11/14	Northwestern	TBA
11/27	@ Cincinnati	TBA
12/05	Fresno State	12:30 PM

One thing the media will harp on that is off base:

Juice Williams does a lot of things, and does them fairly well. However, it is not a good sign when your QB leads the team in rushing as he did last year. I believe that Juice is a very good player; one who deserves a lot of respect from defenses. However, when he is asked to do too much - as was often done to him last year - he makes mistakes. Juice is a much better quarterback when he can actually set up, look for Benn, and scramble at the last possible second. I compare it to Kobe Bryant in a backwards kind of way. The less shots Kobe takes, the better the Lakers are. The less running around that Juice does, the better the Illini will be. Juice =/= Pat White. The media wants him to be, but the less he resembles Pat White, the better.

One thing the media will completely ignore that is integral to this team's success:

Disclaimer: I received this email from the always punctual Hail to the Orange, SBN's fine Illinois blog. Fruit hail. Delicious. It reads:

"I think I should point out that the rivals depth chart you used is wrong, or at least misleading.
Russel Ellington and Ian Thomas are sophomores and did play a very small amount last year. Thomas is in his 3rd year because of a redshirt, so while our LBs are unproven and young, they aren't quite that young and unproven."

Consider yourself noted. Also consider the Rival's depth charts to be nixed from usage in this space.

B2

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. You won't hear a ton about the departure of Vontae Davis because good shutdown corners are the silent assassins of the defense. Quarterbacks avoid them, they don't make tackles, and they don't get INTs. Instead, they shut down their half of the field. Vontae Davis had 2 INTs all year last year, but his impact will be missed. Now on the field at CB will be Junior Dere Hicks and...gulp...freshman Tavon Wilson, a 3 star out of the DC area. The Illini are dangerously thin in the secondary, until you look at the linebacking corp. Starting at all three positions are freshman, and while Martez Wilson did play last year, um, yikes.

Most important contributors on each side of the ball:

Offense - With much respect to Arrelious Benn, who is 100% uncut blue magic, this spot belongs to Juice. When he's on - like he was in the Michigan game last yaer - he's awesome. When he's having a bad day, he's a liability. The Illini go as Juice goes.

Defense - With the thin linebacking and secondary corp, the defensive line is going to have to be killers. Pilcher on the end and Williams in the middle are the two seniors. They will have to be rocks if this defense is going to stop anybody.

Area that scares you as Michigan:

Simple: Juice Williams doing what he did last year.

Area that makes you salivate as the Michigan Wolverines:

That defense looks primed to be worked over. The inexperience at nearly every position will lead to opportunities for the read option/back field passing attack.

Random factor that you think will come into play this season:

According to some talking head at ESPN, Illinois has the 8th toughest OOC schedule in the nation. While they don't get points for a USC-esque scheduling, their opponents are indeed consistantly tough. The last two games of the season for the Illini are Cincinnatti and Fresno State. Mid-majors with something to prove? No thanks.

Overall Record:

6-6.

Final Big Ten Standing:

7th

Bowl Destination:

Maybe the Motor City, if not they'd better start praying for some at-large's to open up.

Illinois: 2009 Beyond the Box Score Preseason Preview: The Defense

Bill C. — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:00:20 -0000

More photos » by Seth Perlman - AP

Vontae Davis was a stud, and the Illini pass defense was still only decent. What happens without him?

Browse more photos »

Confused? Catch up with the BTBS Primer.

It's funny--leaving the Mizzou-Illinois game last year, I was pretty impressed with the Illini defense. I thought Vontae Davis and the Illini D did a wonderful job on Jeremy Maclin (4 catches for 31 yards, 3 carries for 2 yards), and the D-line showed great athletic potential (Derek Walker even yoinked a pick six from Chase Daniel)...but Missouri gained 549 yards and scored 52 points. Illinois teams are perpetually full of athletic potential, but when will they consistently show it?

Defense

Overall Stats

S&P+: 111.81 (#31)
Success Rate+: 108.47 (#35)
PPP+: 116.05 (#35)

Standard Downs S&P+: 114.48 (#23)
Passing Downs S&P+: 97.11 (#72)

Redzone S&P+: 91.85 (#84)

Q1 S&P+: 98.39 (#69)
Q2 S&P+: 127.72 (#13)
Q3 S&P+: 127.47 (#14)
Q4 S&P+: 98.68 (#64)

1st Down S&P+: 110.71 (#28)
2nd Down S&P+: 107.69 (#43)
3rd Down S&P+: 115.46 (#34)

Rushing Stats

Rushing S&P+: 110.80 (#39)
Rushing SR+: 107.23 (#40)
Rushing PPP+: 115.79 (#37)

Standard Downs: 118.50 (#23)
Passing Downs: 76.95 (#109)

Redzone: 107.94 (#44)

Line Yards+: 111.81 (#26)

Passing Stats

Passing S&P+: 109.31 (#34)
Passing SR+: 106.65 (#36)
Passing PPP+: 112.42 (#38)

Standard Downs: 104.58 (#48)
Passing Downs: 107.03 (#49)

Redzone: 74.39 (#115)

Adj. Sack Rate: 8.6% (#10)

In all, this really wasn't too bad a defense--Top 40 overall, against the run, and against the pass. But breakdowns killed them. They gave up far too many big plays on Passing Downs--they were just about the worst in the country about giving up big runs on Passing Downs, which suggests that either a) they were worried about the secondary and tried to give them help against the pass, leaving them vulnerable to draws and runs, or b) this just isn't a very smart defense. I don't know the answer--will leave that up to you. Beyond that, they were also very poor in the redzone, and their splits were all over the place--they were great in Q2 and Q3...and below average in Q1 and Q4. Figure them out, I dare you.

Defensive Line

2008 Unit Ranking: #23 in the nation (#2 in the Big Ten)

Projected Depth Chart
Josh Brent (DT, 6'2, 315, Jr.)
Doug Pilcher (DE, 6'5, 265, Sr.)
Corey Liuget (DT, 6'3, 290, So.)
Jerry Brown (DE, 6'4, 265, Jr.)
Sirod WIlliams (DT, 6'0, 295, Sr.)
Daryle Ballew (DT, 6'1, 310, So.)
Antonio James (DE, 6'5, 255, Sr.)
Clay Nurse (DE, 6'3, 260, Jr.)

The highest-ranked, most athletic unit on the Illini defense in 2008, the defensive line faces having to replace starting DEs Derek Walker and Will Davis and DT David Lindquist. The athleticism is still there, but the depth is not, especially after the requested transfer of highly-rated RSFr Reggie Elis. Doug Pilcher likely returns to the starting lineup after 20 starts in 2006-07, and if Jerry Brown can stay above water academically, he should be pretty good (plus, he had two solid games against Mizzou in 2007-08). At DT Corey Liuget came on strong last year, earning a couple starts as a true freshman. This unit is still the likely strength of the defense, but there's more uncertainty here than there was last year.

Linebackers

2008 Unit Ranking: #60 in the nation (#8 in the Big Ten)

Projected Depth Chart
Martez Wilson (6'4, 240, Jr.)
Russell Ellington (6'2, 225, So.)
Ian Thomas (6'0, 225, So.)
Dustin Jefferson (6'0, 240, Jr.)
Aaron Gress (6'0, 230, Jr.)
Justin Staples (6'4, 225, RSFr.)

The bad news is, the Illini LB corps loses all-conference performer Brit Miller and two part-time starters in Rodney Pittman and Sam Carson. The good news is, the unit really wasn't that good with them, so they might not miss them that much (at least not Pittman and Carson). People are expecting big things out of former 5-star recruit Martez Wilson, and they could be right--his sophomore performance in 2008 (73 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1 FF, 2 FR) was pretty solid. Then again, it's not Weatherspoonian ('Spoon as a sophomore: 130 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR), so we'll see how much improvement he can do.

Meanwhile...yeah, that's about all they've got. Gress and Staples are newbies, and Ellington, Thomas and Jefferson did next to nothing last year. Maybe there's a sleeper in here somewhere...and maybe not.

Secondary

2008 Unit Ranking: #38 in the nation (#6 in the Big Ten)

Projected Depth Chart
Donsay Hardeman (FS, 6'2, 210, Sr.)
Bo Flowers (SS, 6'2, 215, Jr.)
Dere Hicks (CB, 5'10, 175, Sr.)
Travon Bellamy (FS, 6'0, 205, Jr.)
Tavon Wilson (CB, 6'0, 195, So.)
Ashante Williams (CB, 5'10, 195, RSFr)
Garrett Edwards (SS, 6'2, 210, Jr.)
Antonio Gully (CB, 6'1, 180, Jr.)

Lots of upperclassmen here, I can say that much. No Vontae Davis, though. Bellamy and Hardeman both racked up some tackles last year, but the secondary needed to produce infinitely more turnovers and opportunities than they did in 2008, and now they lose their lockdown corner. There isn't a lot of new blood here, which would probably be a good thing; I picture this unit as a bunch of Hardy Ricks's. Athletic, pretty smart, decent hitters...and not a whole lot of play-making ability. With good decision-making from Gabbert, this is potentially a good unit for the green Missouri WR corps to start with.

Special Teams

2008 Unit Rankings: #113 Net Punting, #94 Punt Returns, #63 Kickoff Returns

Projected Starters
K - Matt Eller (So., 39-41 PATs, 15-20 FGs)
P - Anthony Santella (Jr., 53 punts, 31.6 net punting)
PR - Arrelious Benn (Jr., 15 returns, 7.6 average)
KR - A.J. Jenkins (So., 22 returns, 22.3 average, 1 TD)

You see Benn's name atop the list of punt returners, and you think this could be a pretty good special teams unit, but...it wasn't. He did next to nothing fielding punts--Illinois was one of the worst punt returning teams in the country. Jenkins was solid returning kickoffs, and Eller was curiously a better kicker the further out the ball was placed (he was 1-for-4 on FGs from 30-39 yards...and 8-for-10 from 40+), but the net punting (and, as Jeremy Maclin can attest, net kicking in general) was atrocious. I am still tweaking my special teams unit rankings, but it's safe to say that this unit was pretty damn poor. All four starters return, but there is plenty of tweaking to be done here.

Summary

Really, this game might come down to the matchup of Mizzou's OL versus the Illini DL. If Blaine Gabbert doesn't have to run for his life, and if Derrick Washington is finding holes through which to run, Mizzou will score a lot of points. If the UI line can't put pressure on the Mizzou offense, I'm not sure the back seven can. Who knows--maybe there are some playmakers in there somewhere; but right now I don't know who they might be. Pilcher, Brown, Brent, and Liuget really could be solid up front, and if Dan Hoch has a rough first game, or if they're just able to confuse the Mizzou OL like Oklahoma State did, then Illinois could get enough stops to win the game. But to the extent that I'm confident about this game, it's because I'm not sure the Illinois D can do enough to take advantage of Mizzou's offensive youth.

---

Projections on Friday.

Poll

Who's most likely to disrupt Mizzou's plans for a 1-0 start?

DT Josh Brent

5 votes

LB Martez Wilson

8 votes

DE Jerry Brown

3 votes

FS Donsay Hardeman

0 votes

The Illinois offense scoring a whole bunch

39 votes

55 votes | Poll has closed

2009 NFL Draft: Big 10 Players Drafted

grahamfiller10 — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:46:59 -0000

# Players Picked From Each Big 10 School

Ohio State (7) - Marcus Freeman, Brian Hartline, Malcolm Jenkins, James Laurinatis, Brian Robiskie, Donald Washington, Chris Wells

Penn State (5) - Deon Butler, Aaron Maybin, Rich Ohrnberger, A.Q. Shipley, Derrick Williams

Iowa (4) - Bradley Fletcher, Shonn Greene, Brandon Myers, Seth Olsen

Wisconsin (4) - Travis Beckum (looks like we correctly predicted when he would get drafted...in January-take that you experts), DeAndre Levy, Matt Shaughnessy, Kraig Urbik

Illinois (3) - Vontae Davis, Will Davis, Xavier Fulton

Michigan (2) - Terrance Taylor, Morgan Trent

Purdue (2) - Alex Magee, Curtis Painter (check out Painter's ranking...)

Michigan State (1) - Javon Ringer

# of Big 10 Players Selected, Last 4 Years

2005: 41

2006: 31

2007: 27

2008: 28

First Round Money...Maybin (left) about to be rolling in a Maybach

Comments and Surprises

Beanie Wells went to Arizona in the first round. Will Beanie the Destroyer and his 240 lb. frame fit in Arizona's Spread Offense?

Deon Butler helped himself considerably this offseason, running 4.3 40 times and dominating pre-draft practices. The Seahawks are going to be extremely happy with their third round selection.

We knew someone would be ripped for choosing Brian Robiskie. That unlucky team is the Cleveland Browns, who scooped up Robiskie in Round 2. He hasn't played a down and is being referred to as having the ceiling of a complimentary receiver. Touche. At least Robiskie (who grew up in Cleveland and played for OSU) won't be far from home.

Somehow Morgan Trent, the five star recruit Michigan cornerback who underperformed at UM, got drafted in Round 6. I know he's fast, but his years at Michigan weren't entirely fruitful.