Illini’s hopes rest on 19-year-old’s arm

By Brian Heinemann
For The Herald

With a redshirt freshman quarterback and six new assistant coaches, the Illinois Fighting Illini are facing an uphill battle in trying to get back to where they were just three years ago. 

Coach Ron Zook sees similarities between the 2007 Rose Bowl squad and the 2010 team, from attitude to talent, though.

“It's kind of like the attitude we had a couple of years when we were fortunate enough to go to the Rose Bowl,” Zook said. “I think on paper we're probably every bit if not better a football team than we were that year. But still there's so many things that enter into it.”

The most important thing the Illini have to figure out is how to help their 19-year-old quarterback, Nathan Scheelhaase, succeed. Having two of the top three parts of the second best running attack in the Big Ten last year – 17th in the NCAA – will certainly help. 

“It's going to be important that our offensive staff, Coach (Paul) Petrino and the offensive coaches, that we keep as much pressure off him as we can,” Zook said.

With the kind of defense the Illini had last year, though, Scheelhaase stands to face plenty of pressure to score. Illinois ranked near the bottom of the nation in just about every defensive category last year, and were 91st in total defense, last in the Big Ten.

That was a huge drop-off from 2008, when the Illini were in the top half of the nation defensively. The key to that drop-off, and the reason Zook and his team are hopeful for a turnaround this year, was junior linebacker Martez Wilson.

“Martez got hurt in the first game last year,” Zook said. “That was a big blow. He was, no question, the leader. He had a great, great spring. He had a great camp. He was playing as well as any Mike linebacker I've been around probably anywhere. And for him to get hurt in the first game, obviously, was a big, big blow.”

Wilson, who suffered a herniated disc last season, is back at 100 percent and ready to go, something that bodes well for the embattled Illini defense. But with a porous pass defense that lost both starting safeties, that side of the ball looks to still be a major weakness for Illinois, my No. 10 team in the Big Ten.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Last year: 3-9, 2-6 Big Ten (ninth)

Lettermen returning/lost: 47 returning, 17 lost

Starters returning/lost: offense 5/6, defense 7/4, kickers 2/0.

Key returning starters: Jarred Fayson, WR, Sr.; Tavon Wilson, CB, Jr.; Mikel Leshoure, RB, Jr. 

Others to watch: Martez Wilson, LB, Jr. (second in team on tackles as sophomore, injured after one game last year); Michael Buchanan, DE-LB, So.; Eddie McGee, WR, Sr. (former QB, runs Wildcat formation)

By the numbers: 6.8 - yards per carry for Leshoure last year, best in four years in the Big Ten. 17 - the Illini’s rush offense rank nationally, good for second in the Big Ten. 5 - interceptions last year, tied for last in the NCAA. 17 - letterwinners lost, the fewest in the conference.

Schedule: After their annual opener with Missouri, Illinois gets Southern and Northern Illinois at home before starting a critical three-game stretch, hosting Ohio State Oct. 2 and then traveling to Penn State Oct. 9 and Michigan State Oct. 16. The final three games could determine a bowl game, hosting Minnesota Nov. 13, playing Northwestern at Wrigley Field Nov. 20, and finishing at Fresno State Dec. 3.

Reason for optimism: Martez Wilson is back, and he’s 100 percent. The run game was fantastic in 2009, and returns over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns. The defense has more experience, and the road schedule is one of the easier in the conference. The Illini also avoid Iowa and Wisconsin.

Reason for pessimism: Starting a redshirt freshman quarterback and the porous pass defense. While Zook is optimistic about Nathan Scheelhaase at quarterback, he’s never played a down of college football and has no breaking-in period with Mizzou up first. The pass defense ranked No. 100 last year, with only five interceptions and a handful of deflections.

Bottom line: Don’t look for the Illini to get back to their Rose Bowl form of three years ago. While the run game is good, defenses can stack the box against a freshman quarterback, and Illinois isn’t going to beat anybody with the pass. It would take a tremendous upset to start anything but 0-3 in conference play, and the Illini could feasibly enter the second half of the season at 1-5.

Tomorrow – No. 9: Offense makes Hoosiers a threat