The buzz (or lack thereof)....after Michigan

The Illinois-Michigan game was a classic example of a disciplined team beating an un-disciplined team. Illinois had all the effort and emotion that they needed. What they didn't have was the discipline that would have enabled them to channel that emotion into better execution. The result: penalties and a dropped punt reception that led directly to Illinois' defeat. Nevertheless, things are still looking up at Illinois. After a loss like that, it helps to remember where we were last year at this time. So, chin up, Illini fans. The chance for 8 wins is still out there, and that would mean a decent bowl berth. Here's what's on the wires today:

Is there a quarterback controversy at Illinois? Ron Zook says no, but then goes on to explain that Juice will start, but that he'll probably still share time with McGee. And he says that McGee will get more and more time as he gets better and better. Okay, now I'm really confused.

John Supinie of the Peoria Journal Star tries to keep a positive outlook in this article on the Illini's prospects for the remainder of the season. He notes how down Illinois fans were after the Michigan loss, but reminds fans of how far the team has come since the doldrums of the last five seasons.

This Daily Illini editorial very eloquently slams Zook for what it calls his "Quarterback Carousel". It compares the way he switched out Juice and McGee to a restless baseball manager who keeps pulling pitchers off the mound. I must say, I have to agree with this article. Illinois has really got itself into a pickle with this quarterback situation. Juice is the face of the team, and he's been instrumental to the recruiting boon that Zook has been able to pull off the last few seasons. Now, it appears to everyone that McGee should get the call. But what happens to Juice then? Would he transfer? Or change positions? Who knows. But I know one of the reasons Zook is sticking with Juice is that he made certain promises to him in order to get him to come here. At what point will Zook call Juice in to the office and tell him that he has to go with the guy that gives him the best chance to win?

Well, that's about it for the buzz around the Illini this week so far. As you can see, the " noise in the system", as Zook likes to call it, has died off quite a bit. That's what happens when you lose twice in a row! Nevertheless, as I've stated already, it's important to keep perspective. I think the goal for this team should be 8 wins. That means we win out, except for the Ohio state game. Very achievable. We just have to beat Ball St., Minnesota, and Northwestern. Very achievable.

One last look in the rearview mirror at Iowa

Okay, so it was a pretty darn heartbreaking loss on Saturday. 10 - 6 to a really bad Iowa team. So what does that make Illinois? Well, on Saturday, the Illini were also really bad. Here are the biggest weaknesses I see in this team after that game:

- No Passing Game! Let's face it...when Juice is in at quarterback, our passing game is virtually non-existant. The weird "Veer Option" that they run fooled people during the first 6 games, but Iowa had enough game tape to watch, and were able to shut the Illini offense down. Two options if the Illini want to win more than 7 games this season: Teach Juice to pass (quick) or insert McGee as the starter. The problem is, Juice is the face of the program and was instrumental in re-opening the Public League to recruiting. So it puts Zook in a tight corner with recruiting. But ultimately, you have to win. The best player needs to play.

- Coaching decisions during the game. I don't want to beat a dead horse here. We all know Zook should have declined those penalties on Saturday. Problem is, I'm not sure he thinks he should have. And that's kind of scary, to be honest. I mean, I really think he thinks he made the right call.

That's it for now. I just got a sick feeling thinking about how close we came to winning that sucker..... even though Iowa fully deserved the W.

In case you missed it....here's the ESPN GAMEDAY segment on Zook from last Saturday

The MichiganZone defends the Illini in its "Top 25 Re-evaluation"!

Listen up Illini fans! You're not going to BELIEVE this! Our friend Yost, over at the MichiganZone, puts up a very good argument about how the AP and coaches top 25 is pretty much skewed toward teams that get pre-season media hype. The blog post includes some legit props that are handed out to the Fighting Illini. It's a must read for Illini Fans!

Wednesday's Illini Chatter

We thought it'd be fun to take a run through the media maelstrom that has hit Illinois Football and Ron Zook this week. Here goes:

Matt Hayes of the Sporting News examines Illinois' meteoric rise in this article. It's another one of the many incredulous looks at Zook's recruiting magic, which he has now turned in to magic on the field. Yep, of course there's discussion of Zook's tears following the Wisconsin game!

The Sun-Times talks about how Zook has the Illini Football team "flyin'" here in this article.

Are you wondering what Kirk Frerentz thinks of the job Ron Zook is doing at Illinois? If so, then you have to check out this article. Of course, Frerentz acts like he's not surprised that Illinois is suddenly an awesome team.

It looks like Zook's on the field success is going to help his bank account. Illinois is allegedly trying to lock him up through 2012. They're looking to bump his already over $1 million annual salary by a couple hundred thou' a year. Zook, of course, claims he's not sweating the contract stuff at all. He just wants to win, baby.

InsideIllini.com posted a decent article that attempts to analyze why the Illini are "so good" so far. The article is kind of all over the place. It hypes their young talent, especially Martez Wilson. It gives most of the credit for the team's success to good coaching and to the players being tired of being doormats, however. The article claims that the most important game of the season so far was the Syracuse game, and credits that game with being the catalyst for everything that has happened since.

Here's an article from the Daily Illini that says the Illini are in now way going to overlook the "stumbling" Hawkeyes. Let's hope not! Iowa REALLY stinks!

The Detroit Free Press has posted an article titled "The Big Tennys", in which it dishes out mid-season awards. Illinois earned the title of "Biggest Surprise". Surprise!

Mark Tupper (we call him the Tubby Tuppster) writes a hype article about Illinois' bowl projections. Tupp Doggy Dogg can't resist injecting that Rose Bowl hype. Awesome!

If you want Zook's take on Saturday's game at Iowa, here is a condensed version of this week's press conference.

As you can see, the media wires are just FLOODED with Illinois stories. It's about time! Many of them still express cynicism about Zook. Emphasis is on how he's a great recruiter, so good, in fact, that his talent gathering abilities make his "bad coaching" meaningless. I don't buy any of it! I mean, look at Charlie Weis over at Notre Dame. They've had some good recruits come in there over the last three years. And Weis is in his third year just like Zook. Yet Notre Dame is a miserable 1-5! I think it's high time Zook start getting some credit for his coaching as well as his recruiting. Maybe it's that stupid "swinging gate" thing he has the Illini do on extra points. Stop doing that play, Ron, and you'll start getting the credit you deserve!

A look back at the Titanic win against the Sconnies!

FLASH TRAFFIC! FLASH TRAFFIC! FLASH TRAFFIC! THE SPORTING NEWS ANNOINTS ILLINOIS AS BEST TEAM IN BIG TEN!

Wow. I'm actually almost speechless. Read this article folks. The national media now believes that Illinois is the best team in the Big Ten.

Ha Ha! I bet recruiting will really take off now! How long till the drum beats for a national title run?

Go Illini!

Biggest Game in a Loooonnnnngggg Time against Wisconsin

Well, guess what Illini fans. The snowball was rolled off the top of Mount Everest last weekend after the victory against Penn St. at home. That snowball has turned into an avalanche for the Illini football program. The national media is starting to pay attention folks. Check out this story by ESPN.com. If the Illini can somehow beat Wisconsin on Saturday, the avalanche will undoubtedly turn in to one of biblical proportions! Imagine how easy it'll be for Zook to convince recruits to come to Illinois then!

Now, if he would only stop doing that "swinging gate" thing on extra points.......

Go Illini! Beat the Sconnies!

Illini starting to get some national media buzz trickle!

Well, that's what a surprising 3-1 start will do for you! Yep, Illini fans, there are some good signs in the national media. Way down in Alabama, the Birmingham News is reporting some serious buzz on the Illini and Ron Zook! Did you ever think you'd read this quote:

"Watch out for Ron Zook"!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it! It's finally happening!

What they're saying about the Illini heading into the Big Ten

Here's a rundown of what they're saying about the Illini heading into the Big Ten:

1. Mark Tupper (Decatur-Herald & Review) writes a glowing article about the Illini post-Syracuse. He comments on how explosive the offense was, and how Juice seems to be coming in to his own. The one thing he doesn't address-- Juice's inability to find consistency in the passing game.

2. John Supinie of the Peoria Journal-Star writes about how the Illini are officially "trolling for a bowl". He points out that a win Saturday at Indiana would mean the Illini are halfway to bowl eligibility with 3 wins. Since they'll likely be favored later in the season against Ball St., Minnesota, and Northwestern, the possiblity of 6 wins seems well within grasp. That's IF, of course, they can beat the Hoosiers on the road Saturday.

3. John Decker from HoosierNation.com writes an article titles "5 days and counting" that breaks down some numbers going into Saturday's Indiana/Illinois Match-up. He places focus on Juice Williams' 60.5% completion rate so far this year, and also makes mention of the 8 true freshman who have played so far this year for the Illini. To be sure, he also mentions the number 2-- the total number of Big Ten wins the Illini have achieved in the last four years.
He also makes mention of how Illinois is 10th in the Big Ten in turnover differential, at -4. That number is a result of the 5 turnovers they experienced vs. Mizzou. Thus, his conclusion is that Illinois isn't really turning the ball over every game a ton-- but at the same time, they're not forcing turnoves either. Contrast this with Indiana's turnover ratio of +6. Yep, the Hoosiers have forced a total of 5 interceptions and 5 fumble recoveries in the first three games. If that trend continues, it's going to be lights out for the Illini on Saturday.

Well, that's about all that's cookin' within the sports media on Tuesday before the Indiana game. So far, we're not getting much media attention beyond the usual local coverage, and the mandatory Chicago coverage. Look for things to pick up if Illinois beats Indiana. If that happens, the Illini are suddenly a true turn-around story.

Why do they bash on Zook so much? Pat Forde of ESPN calls Zook "worst hire" of 2004!!!

Well, Pat Forde published a "slam" article against Ron Zook this week. I can't understand why so many people treat Zook like a punching bag. I think it all goes back to that infamous website that a "Debby Downer" Florida fan started as soon as the Gators hired Zook. I don't know. In my opinion, though, here's the case FOR Zook:

1. The guy can recruit, right up there with the best of them. There's no doubt about this one.

2. He has loaded the Illinois program with coaches much like himself-- they can all recruit just like he can. Mike Locksley deserves a lot of credit for snagging Aurrelious Benn and some of the other offensive stars that are wearing the Orange and Blue.

3. He's attempting to run the program with integrity. That's right-- he wasted no time in kicking Derrick McPhearson and Jody Ellis off the team when they were caught stealing laptops by Champaign Police.

4. He's demanding a high level of performance from his team, in only his third season-- despite still being in the midst of a HUGE re-building process. Yep-- Zook has put his foot down this season, and he's calling out players by name when they don't perform.

Some minor complaints about Zook:

Okay, we didn't really want to go here, but here are two minor complaints about Ron--

1. He runs up and down the sideline like a frenetic maniac throughout the entire football game. Wasn't it Vince Lombardi who talked about "Grace Under Pressure?"

2. He has the team do some sort of crazy "swinging gate" thing every time they kick an extra point. We just don't get this maneuver! I mean, why not just kick the extra point! Let's get the fundamentals down pat, and then, maybe, every once in a while, we can do something resembling a trick play.

All in all, those are minor complaints. I guess Zook is the Rodney Dangerfield of college football coaches. But, that is only to Illini outsiders. To IlliniNation, he's getting closer and closer to a blue-chip coach.

Illini SHOULD win big against Western Illinois....that's SHOULD (just ask Michigan about "should"....)

Well, it's a 6 p.m. kick-off tonight at Memorial Stadium against the Leathernecks, and that's probably a good thing, 'cause it's supposed to get well into the '80's today (with humidity). It should start to cool off by game time, though. Besides a hot, humid afternoon of tailgating, what else should we look for today out on the field? Here's ten things to look for during the game today:

1. Juice Williams will start the game, and more than likely, he'll play the whole game, even if it's a blow-out. I'm just guessing here, but I think that the coaches want to get Juice's confidence back up after last week's injury. According to the local media, he had a strong week of practice, and is looking sharp for the game. There's no doubt that Juice wants to put to rest any supposed QB controversy after Eddie McGee's streaky, but strong, showing last week against Mizzou.

2. The Leathernecks to run a TON! They're a big time running team. Expect them to keep a nice balanced attack throughout the game. Also, their coach is a West Point grad (so he's a smart dude I guess), and also a Hayden Fry protege'. So watch out for trick plays!

3. J Leman to get a lot of tackles, maybe even close to the 20 he had last week. Why? See #2 above. He's going to be keying on their backs, and looking to stuff anything coming through the line up the middle.

4. Aurelious Benn to have a big game. Did anyone else notice how visibly HUNGRY and ENERGIZED he looked out on the field last week? This guy is a competitive monster, you can just tell. And even on ESPN2 last week, you can tell he has that contagious WINNER's mentality that can spread like wildfire thru a unit. Illinois' hasn't had any receiver even close to Benn's talent level since Brandon Lloyd wore the orange and blue.

5. Kyle Yelton to stay on the bench (thankfully!). It looks like Santella has the punting job locked up now. Yelton's low line drive last week that Mizzou returned for a touchdown pretty much sealed the deal for Santella. Santella can boom it at times (at least compared to Yelton), but he has a slower wind-up and release. Zook really likes Yelton's fast "get rid of it" quotient. The problem is, the guy's leg is like a wet noodle! Punting is STILL a big problem for the Illini. Keep a close eye on the punting game today. It needs to improve big time.

6. Turnovers. Look for a lot of turnovers in this game. Illinois showed that they could create them on both sides of the ball last week. I'm looking for Illinois to shut the run down tonight, forcing a lot of must pass scenarios on 3rd and long. That means some potential picks, especially if the Illini can get pressure on the quarterback and force him to make bad decisions.

7. Memorial stadium to be rockin'. At least half of it. Remember-- the west stands will be empty due to contruction. But the north end of the field is now enclosed, and that is the end that the students will be sitting in. It'll be interesting how loud that end of the stadium is going to be. The local media has been hyping how Zook thinks the new lay-out, once completed, will make Memorial Stadium rival the Assembly Hall in terms of crowd noise and home field advantage. We'll have to withhold judgment on that one for now.....but it'll be tough to rival the Hall's atmosphere. Anything even close would be awesome, though. The big thing is we need to win some games, so that the fans keep coming to them!

8. The Grange Rock. Zook wants the team to slap the Grange Rock on the way out of the tunnel, in order to honor Illini Football heritage, et al. Not a bad idea. So they moved the Grange Rock adjacent to the tunnel exit/entrance. We'll have to see if the rock gives them any luck!

9. Zook to run up and down the sidelines like an insane man the whole game. Why does he do that? Hasn't he ever heard that saying "Grace Under Pressure?" I can't stand how spastic he looks on the sidelines.....doesn't he know that a spastic leader transmits that spazoid vibe through to all of his men? Calm down Ron! You're doing a good job! You don't have to run around like a crazy man just so everyone knows you're working hard! Okay, okay...I feel better now.

10. A blow-out victory! The News-Gazette is predicting a 42-10 blow-out victory. I'm thinking more like 37-17. Should be fun.

No respect! Chicago media blowhard laughs at Illini football prospects

Mike Nadel, the chicago sports columnist and blowhard, absolutely laughs at the prospect of a winning season for the Illini. He thinks 5-7 would be absolutely amazing! Now, this guy's not the most knowledgeable sportswriter in the world....but is there a chance he's right on this one? SI is predicting a bowl bid.......but the jury's still out. Especially with the Chicago media! We'll know a lot more after the Missouri game, though.

Just how good IS Aurrelious Benn, really? Check out this footage, and decide for yourself...

Coming soon, to Memorial Stadium in Champaign. Be there.

ILLINI CLASSIC LOOK-BACK: Spiking the I-flag at Michigan State

An early preview of Illinois Football

"With the completion of Memorial Stadium more than a year off the Fighting Illini are looking to create a big buzz for 2007. The hype surrounding Ron Zook, Juice Williams, and the rest of the Fighting Illini is huge after this past season and controversial recruiting season. Right now the Zook and his players are looking to improve upon last years 2-10 record which included two heartbreaking losses to Ohio State and Wisconsin. Improving on last season is possible but it won't come easy. 2007 includes home games with Wisconsin, Penn State, and Michigan. The Illini also have two tough roadies at Iowa and Ohio State. With an excellent incoming recruiting class and talented upperclassmen expect Coach Zook and the Illini to make a splash in the Big Ten in 2007!" --GCM's sporting blog, a member of The Sporting News blog network

A look back at a great day in Illinois football history....

I remember watching this game. What a great feeling it was to see the Illini break Michigan's heart like that with a last minute pass into the endzone! Here's to more moments like that, starting this season......

The 2007-2008 athletic year is coming right up!

Okay, so basketball fizzled out in a slew of scandal, missed free-throws, and a tough tourney loss. As Cubs fans would say, "Wait till next year!" Well, next year is almost here.....the first Illini football practice is the first weekend of August. That's only a month and a half away! Let's bring it on!

The Illini regain their footing against Iowa at home

As the buzzer sounded at the Assembly Hall, the orange faithful let out one big collective sigh of relief. Victory, 74-70 over the Iowa Hawkeyes. It wasn't the prettiest of games, but the Illini showed some signs of life after a 3 game losing streak since December 29th that seemed much longer than 12 days to fans that have grown accustomed to nothing but W after W the past couple of seasons. After the Saturday loss to the Buckeyes, short-tempered and fickle Illini fans throughout the midwest began beating the "drums of doom". Embodied by naysayers like Chicago sportswriter Mike Nadel, many fans whined and whined and cried endlessly about recruiting and Bruce Weber and recruiting and Thad Matta and recruiting and Bill Self and recruiting and Wha! Wha! Wha! Cry! Cry! Cry! And what did Bruce Weber do? What he has done since he came to Illinois 4 years ago-- he simply coached and coached and coached some more. You really have to respect his ability as a coach. I mean, after the Ohio St. game, he did a brutally honest self-assessment of the team, and he recognized that they just had no confidence at all. So what did he do? He focused on their confidence and attitudes in practice. He talked to them individually, and he didn't just hammer away on them for their mistakes. He reminded them of what they can do well, and he told them to "have fun and just play basketball." Then, he threw the practice agenda out the window yesterday, and they decided to just have a "fun" day at practice. Don't be fooled, there was hard work galore being done by both the coaches and the players Sunday through Tuesday. But he reminded them that when all is said and done, this is just a ballgame in the end, with 5 men on each side. And so the team relaxed. Especially the upperclassmen. Specifically, McBride and Randle. You know, this is how seasons truly unfold. "Gradual, steady improvement" can happen, but most athletic seasons are marked by "break-throughs" and "A-HA!" moments. I truly believe this Iowa game was one of those for the Illini. No, they didn't play perfect. There were lapses on defense, some poor ballhandling at times, and too many three-point shots that clanged off the rim in the fist half. But overall, they seemed like a team out there. And for that, I am encouraged. I really think they only got their footing tonight. The next step is to walk steadily against Michigan St. in East Lansing on Sunday. Then maybe we can talk about jogging or even running in future games. But, to Mike Nadel, and others like him-- y'all represent the "shallow" side of reporting and fandom. That's cool, I understand you can't change your personality. Y'all salivate over the Jerry Tarkanians, Thad Mattas, Bill Selfs, and Billy Donovans of the world for their "other-wordly" recruiting abilities. Meanwhile, great coaches like Bruce Weber take a group of talented, blue-chip (but maybe not McDonald's All-Americans) kids, and they teach them and turn them into a team. And that's what we're seeing unfold here in Champaign. And I know that the naysayers will quickly say "But Iowa is only 9-7, and you're jumping ahead to conclusions." But I say back to them-- I watch every game, and I see this team, from the pre-season agains SIU-Edwardsville to the Big Ten trench games against the Indianas and the Ohio St.'s and the Michigan St.'s. And I tell you this-- these guys care, and they have heart. And they're finding their way. And they stood up tonight, pulled themselves up by their shoelaces. McBride, Randle, WarCat, and Pruitt-- the upperclassmen. That is the key to this season-- I finally see it. And so does the team. Weber-- he's seen it all along.

Well, enough preaching. Here's a few blurbs from the game:

1. McBride woke up from his season long slumber. He had a real break-through tonight. He played hard, he yelled at the guys, he huddled them up on the court. He led the team out there tonight. And his positive attitude translated to his shot. He hit some key threes. And he let them come to him, through the flow of the offense. The best thing about his game, though, was his leadership, and the energy level he brought to the team. He has to sustain this now. Even if he has a bad shooting night, he needs to keep his head up, and keep leading this team.

2. Randle had a break-through as well. He seemed to finally just let go of the injury baggage that has been hindering him. The mental side of injuries is a big part of sports. And his was a particularly sensitive area (the groin/abdomen). Again, you don't "gradually" make a mental recovery from an injury. It takes a breakthrough. Throw your body after a couple loose balls, make a few big dunks. Still fine? Yep. And that's all it takes. Now he has confidence. I think that when he really picked up steam in the second half was when he started getting the ball as he rotated to the top of the key, and he would suddenly make a dribble/slash penetration to the basket, and he would either dunk, shoot, or pass it to Pruitt or WarCat. And when they got it down there (especially Pruitt), they weren't messing around. It was a dunkfest, and that will bring your shooting percentage up REAL fast. Keep it up Brian!

3. Our most effective line-up tonight was:
McBride (PG), Smith (SG), WarCat (PF), Randle (SF), Pruitt (C)

That might be our "go to" line-up until Frazier gets healthy.

Well, that's all for today. Anyways, I know I might sound a little too upbeat, given that we did have some defensive lapses and still need to keep working on our shooting and ball-handling. But this team is going to be fine.

Go Illini!