On Campus with The Illini Guy

On The Hot Seat.......Ouch!

2012-02-14T17:31:00.001-08:00

This Fighting Illini men's basketball team is getting impossible to figure out. After wins at home over top 10 teams Ohio State and Michigan State, it appeared that the Illini had turned a corner and was going to salvage what has been a rather tumultuous ride. But then, losses at Penn State, followed by a home defeat to in-state rival Northwestern once again has cast dark shadows over the program and once again put coach Bruce Weber on the proverbial hot seat. Much like what happened last November when Ron Zook was fired as football coach after 6 straight losses that followed a 6-0 start, the basketball team has lost six of their last 7 games, and currently have a 16-9 overall record, but reeling at just 5-7 in the rough-and-tumble Big Ten Conference. Athletic Director Mike Thomas has been non-committal on Weber's status, instead taking the stance that he will "evaluate the entire body of work and make a decision at season's end". By entire body of work, Thomas means the past several seasons, not just the 2011-12 campaign. Since Dee Brown left the program, the Illini have struggled in Big Ten play, compiling a 49-51 mark in that time frame. This doesn't bode well for Weber, who has endured a great amount of scrutiny this season with some of his coaching decisions. Also, during this period of time, several key recruits have left the program for various reasons, namely Crandall Head and Jereme Richmond, and the Chicago pipeline is producing some top level talent, but very little of that is ending up in Champaign-Urbana.

So what needs to be done? For starters, the players that have been producing all season need to all have good games at the same time. Brandon Paul has been very effective scoring over the past couple months, but turnovers remain a major concern for the junior from Gurnee. D. J. Richardson has seemed to disappear, and needs to regain the form that he had as a sophomore. Meyers Leonard, the lone remaining recruit from the 2011 class, appears to be NBA ready, but his maturity level needs to improve in order to excel at the next level. Weber continues to have a short leash for players that get two fouls in the first half, pulling them from the game and letting them sit on the bench for the remainder of the half. This disturbs the flow of the game, and the chances of the player getting a third foul is low, but until Weber takes a chance and lets this happen, we will only continue to speculate. In the loss on Sunday to Michigan (70-61), Leonard scored the first 4 points of the game, and was looking like he was going to have a huge game with a decided size advantage down low. But, two fouls later, he was out of the game, and throwing in halftime, was sidelined for nearly an hour. When he did get back into the game, he was taken off of the block inside and just added a free throw the rest of the way. Things have to change, and they have to change fast if the Illini are going to salvage the season and once again make the NCAA Tournament. The next two games become must-wins for the Illini, with the first of those coming on Wednesday night when the Illini return to action at the Assembly Hall to face the Purdue Boilermakers (7:30 pm, BTN). Purdue won the first meeting of the season back on New Year's Eve 75-60 in West Lafayette, and currently have a six game winning streak against the Illini. Illinois needs to win their remaining games at home, as well as take one or two more on the road. On Saturday, they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska for the first time since the 1975 season to face a Cornhusker squad that is last in the league, but plays well enough at home to make it interesting. But, first things first, they need to take care of business against Purdue, or else the outcries for Weber will only continue to get louder with increased fervor.

After several near misses early in Big Ten play, Jolette Law finally has her Illini women's basketball team playing better basketball, winning 3 of their last 4 games, including an exciting 66-65 victory over #10 Ohio State at home. The Illini also defeated Indiana 61-60 in Bloomington on a last second shot by Karisma Penn, and even though the Illini's record is still not impressive at 10-16 overall and 4-9 in Big Ten play, they are at least making progress and staying competitive. This potential makes them a dangerous team in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, a role that they have become all too familiar with over the past few seasons. That road is actually the only way that they will be getting into post-season action, but it is not out of the question. AD Thomas will also assess this body of work at the end of the season and make a decision. Thomas has said that he wants his athletic teams to compete for championships, and the way to make that happen is to make sure that he has the right people at the top to make that a possibility. Stay tuned, because this could get very interesting down the stretch.

A New Beginning

2012-02-02T18:36:00.000-08:00

I had intended on paying tribute to Joe Paterno this week in place of talking about Illini sports, but there was so much going on at the University of Illinois sports complex this week that I have decided to postpone that subject another week. I had the distinct pleasure of speaking by telephone to Jonathon Mahler, who just published a new book on Paterno entitled Death Comes To Happy Valley. Mahler was very insightful in talking with me about his research for the book, as well as the turn of events leading to his firing, and ultimately, death. So, that entry will be coming up in a future Illini Guy Report. There is a lot to cover this week, so I'll get right to it.

Wednesday was National Letter of Intent Signing Day for high school athletes to make their college choices official by signing on the dotted line and then faxing those letters to the respective schools. New Illini football coach Tim Beckman signed a total of 19 players in a class that is not bursting with a lot of fanfare, but talented nonetheless. Highlighting the class are 6 players from the state of Ohio, 5 from Illinois, 5 from Florida, and 1 each from Michigan, Indiana, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Since Beckman was hired back on December 9th, he has had roughly a month to assemble a coaching staff, and get out on the road to get the recruits onto campus. 14 skill players, 4 lineman and a kicker is the way that the class was broken down. On Tuesday, Beckman introduced his coaching staff to the media, and at first glimpse, the coaches he is bringing in are much like him, energetic and ready to roll. Beckman stresses family a lot, and will incorporate that philosophy into his coaching style at Illinois. After the recruiting class was unveiled, Beckman held an event at the Assembly Hall for the public to meet the coaches and to show the new commitments on the video screen. All signs are pointing to athletic director Mike Thomas making a good hire in Beckman, but the real test will be when the team takes the field this fall. It is unfair to judge him on this year, however, as most of these players are Zook's and may not thrive in Beckman's system. Unlike when Zook was hired, Beckman inherits a team with a lot of talent on the roster, although the marquee player, Whitney Mercilus, left early for the NFL. Also, a favorable schedule at home will help with getting another winning record. But the ultimate goal, as the coaches pointed out, is to bring championships to Champaign, something that everyone in Illini Nation should be excited to hear.

After three straight losses, Bruce Weber has begun to feel his seat getting a bit hotter, as fans continue to call for his dismissal. On Tuesday night, 9th ranked Michigan State paid a visit to the Assembly Hall, a task that was daunting at best. Needless to say, the game set basketball back quite a few decades, and in the end, the Illini came out on top in a very ugly game, upsetting the Spartans 42-41 to record their second win of the season against a top 10 team. There hadn't been this low scoring of a game since that infamous Penn State debacle a few years back, 38-33. The 42 points scored by the Illini also were the lowest by an Illini team in a win in a very long time. Still, a win is a win, but it does come with some questions. The Illini are still having trouble putting the ball in the basket, and whoever thinks Meyers Leonard is ready for the NBA after this season might want to re-assess their thinking. Yes, Leonard has size, and that is what the pro scouts are looking for, but the fact remains that he still has issues in driving the lane towards the hoop. Michigan State's two big men. Draymond Green and Derrick Nix manhandled him for most of the game. With the victory, the Illini improve to 16-6 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten, and will welcome the Northwestern Wildcats to the Assembly Hall on Super Bowl Sunday for a matinee affair (2:00 pm CT, BTN). After the Wildcats come to Champaign, then the schedule gets a whole lot tougher, with road contests at Indiana and Michigan the following week. In a season that has been anything but predictable in the Big Ten, it should be interesting to say the least.

Even though the Illini women's basketball team hadn't won a conference game heading into the start of last week, they have remained competitive, just not being able to win the close games down the stretch. That all changed, however, with a win at Michigan State last Thursday 71-62 in overtime. Trying to capitalize on the momentum of that win, they hosted Nebraska for "Pack The Hall" on Sunday afternoon. In front of 2200 people, which for the women is a pretty big crowd, they were defeated by the Cornhuskers 67-47. Nebraska came in ranked #19, so it was a pretty tall order for the Illini to come out on top. Finally, to cap a busy week for Jolette Law's team, the Illini hosted Minnesota on Thursday night, and was able to come out on top, defeating the Gophers 72-67. With the win over Minnesota, the Illini improve their season marks to 8-15 overall and 2-8 in the conference. Those records are still not very impressive, but taking a look at the schedule gives a better indication of why it is like it is. The Illini have the seventh toughest schedule in the nation, and Law is hoping that the level of competition that they are playing will benefit them when the Big Ten Tournament begins at the end of this month. That is the only realistic shot that they have of doing anything in the postseason.

Now What?

2012-01-26T08:03:00.001-08:00

Over the next couple of weeks, we will see just what kind of a basketball team Bruce Weber has this year. The Illini are currently on a two game losing streak, and enduring a tough task on Saturday when they travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota to battle the Golden Gophers of Minnesota at Williams Arena, commonly known as "The Barn" (7:00 pm CT, BTN). After the Illini lost at Penn State back last Thursday, the Illini came back home to face the Wisconsin Badgers, who have had an up and down season of their own in Big Ten Conference play this year. The Illini could have earned some redemption with a win over the Badgers, but instead, fell for the first time at the Assembly Hall, losing 67-63 to Bo Ryan's boys. We all know that there is some talent on this Illini team, but a lot of it is buried on the bench, not getting a chance to show what they can do. It has been a pattern of Weber's to stick with a certain lineup and ignore other players that could do as adequate of a job, and this year is no exception. Another habit of Weber's is to not mix up different defenses during a game. You see a lot of the successful teams adjust to what the other team is doing during the course of a game, but not Weber. He pretty much sticks with what he thinks works, regardless if it acutally does or not. Freshmen like Myke Henry, Mike Shaw, and Nnanna Egwu have had trouble getting into games since the Big Ten season started, even though Weber vowed early in the season that he would employ a rotation of 10 or even 11 guys. Egwu, who still moves up and down the court very well for a big man, has spelled center Meyers Leonard at times, but has not been on the floor very much with Leonard, instead settling for a relief role. Now, this type of behavior is what can lead players to transfer, as may have been the case with Crandall Head, who left the team at the end of the fall semester.

Shaw, who looked good in the non-conference season, has been buried on the bench as of late, and in the case of Henry, has proven that he is not afraid to take shots once in a while. Even Weber himself has said that he wants to get Henry and Egwu more minutes on the floor. Well, I have a solution for this: THEN PLAY THEM! It is understandable that Tyler Griffey, who lost his starting spot that he held earlier in the season, has been relegated to bench duty, because Griffey has lost confidence. After all, Griffey was one of the best players during the Illini's trip to Italy earlier in the summer, but Joseph Bertrand has since earned a lot more playing time, as has freshman Tracy Abrams, who is coming into his own as a player. The recent events haven't stopped the catcalls and chatter for Weber's job, as was evidenced at the 'Hall on Sunday when the Illini fell to the Badgers. But, after all, the Illini are 15-5 overall and 4-3 in the league, mired among several other teams in the middle of the pack in a very competitive Big Ten race. After the game at Minnesota, the schedule gets a whole lot tougher over the next couple of weeks, as Michigan State and Northwestern come to Champaign, followed by road trips to Indiana and Michigan. Over the course of the next month, teams will continue to beat themselves up, which, in turn, will change the standings even more than they are now. So, it's anybody's guess who will be the top 4 seeds when the Big Ten Tournament begins in March at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. It's just too early to tell right now.

Different week, same result for the Fighting Illini women's basketball team, as once again they were in a ballgame, but ultimately fell, losing 96-84 to Ohio State on Sunday in Columbus. Jolette Law, who continues to press on despite all of the unfortunate luck that has befallen her team, tries to keep her team motivated, but that is a very hard sell. Karisma Penn led the Illini with 23 points, and the 84 points was a team high for the season. However, the Illini fell to 6-14 overall and still remain winless in the conference at 0-7. The Illini will get a chance to get that elusive first Big Ten win of the season on Thursday evening when they travel to East Lansing to battle the Michigan State Spartans at the Breslin Center (5:00 pm CT, BTN). Something has got to give to get this program back on the track, and it is becoming more obvious that Law is not the answer to this puzzling question.

New Illini football coach Tim Beckman will unveil his first recruiting class with a public event to take place on Wednesday, February 1 at 4:30 pm. The new coaching staff will welcome fans to the Assembly Hall, and the unveiling will take place at 5:30 as the new class is announced on the video scoreboard. The event is free and open to the public, and parking for the event is free as well.

What's Next?

2012-01-20T11:19:00.000-08:00

This Fighting Illini basketball team is getting impossible to figure out. How can a team look so good in defeating one of the elite teams in the country one week, then struggle mightily against one of the bottom feeders of the conference the next? I guess you can chalk it up to being just a couple weeks in this crazy journey known as Big Ten Basketball. After the Illini's impressive upset win over Ohio State last week, the team had a rare 9 day break before playing their next game, a trip to Happy Valley to take on a Penn State team that has been a thorn in the side of Bruce Weber coached teams ever since he has been in Champaign. Granted, the break did some good in getting a couple of players healed that had previous injuries, but it also allowed for some outside distractions to creep in, most notably the lauding of the team to a higher standard after the win over the Buckeyes. It was just one game folks, and if you look around the Big Ten this season, it is happening all over the league. Indiana losing to Nebraska in Lincoln, Purdue falling to Penn State by 20 points in State College, and Wisconsin dropping back to back games, including one at the home in the comfy confines of the Kohl Center, a place where they very seldom ever lose. So, this trip to Penn State had disaster written all over it, and after the Nittany Lions came away with a 54-52 victory, the fears were justified. The Illini didn't play very well, and as has been the case for most of this season, and seasons past under Weber, play to the level of their competition. Good wins over Gonzaga and Ohio State have brought out the best in the Illini players, while listless perfomances against UNLV at the United Center in Chicago and home games against St. Bonaventure and Nebraska, in which the Illini won, but barely squeaked by, have given Illini Nation cause for concern. A lot has been written about Weber and his coaching philosophies, and a specific quote after the game against Penn State really brings this argument to the forefront. Weber was quoted after the game by saying "I didn't coach well, and we didn't play well". WHAT? How in the world can your players rally around when you have a coach that is admitting things like this! Weber has always been known as saying what is on his mind without disdain for his players or whomever he is talking about, but this little comment really strikes me in the worst way possible. You call a timeout with 4.5 seconds remaining in the game to apparently set up a play, and what happens when you come out of the huddle? You put the ball in the hands of Sam Maniscalco, who has been injured for a few games and hasn't been shooting the ball well either. Instead, why not give the ball to Brandon Paul, who followed up his record setting 43 point performance with 20 points. Granted, given Paul's turnover tendencies, he may have not been able to get a shot off, but at least you could have made a better effort than what was put forth. With the loss, the Illini fall to 15-4 overall and drop to 4-2 in the Big Ten. There is quite a logjam at the top of the league, with 5 teams now having 2 conference losses, which makes any and every game that much more critical. The Illini don't have much time to ponder this loss, as they get right back into action on Sunday when they welcome the Wisconsin Badgers to the Assembly Hall (1:00 pm CT, BTN). The Badgers are 15-5 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten. The Badgers have endured their own adversity this season, losing 3 straight games at one point this season, including back to back games in Madison. Bo Ryan always seems to get his guys ready for the Illini, and now more than ever, it is imperative that the Illini protect the home court and get a win.

The way the Big Ten is shaping up, it promises to be a dogfight down the stretch as many as 8 or 9 teams are within a game or two of the lead in the conference. Ohio State still looks like the team to beat, as they are nearly flawless in Columbus, but lurking in the background is Michigan State, who always seems to be in the hunt under legendary coach Tom Izzo. Indiana has struggled in the past couple weeks, being replaced in the standings by Michigan, who is playing perhaps the best basketball of anyone in the conference over the past couple of weeks. Illinois is still near the top, but have the most difficult part of their schedule coming up after this week. Purdue and Wisconsin have struggled at times this season, and are still within striking distance of the leaders, and a good week by either team could elevate them further up the standings. Northwestern seems to not know which side of the ledger they are on, looking really good at times, while other times deserving to be on the bottom tier. Speaking of the bottom tier, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State and Iowa seem to have that covered. But, as we have seen so far this season, in the Big Ten, anything is possible.

Same story for Jolette Law and the Illini women's basketball team, who lost again, this time at home to Penn State 71-65, to fall to 6-13 overall and winless in the conference at 0-6. Now, I have said this before, but all you have to do is look around the Assembly Hall at women's home games to realize that a change is needed. When you can stop and count the people in attendance physically, you need help as a program. Law went barefoot for a promotion to bring attention to a cause of children that don't have or can't afford shoes, but in the end, it didn't matter, since the Illini still went down to defeat. True, the Illini have been in most of these games, and they are remaining competitive, but sooner or later, you would think that they would find a way to win one of these close games. Right now, it is looking as if the Illini will once again miss the NCAA Tournament, something that is just unacceptable at this point.

New Illini football coach Tim Beckman has completed the hiring of his first staff, completing that process by hiring Tim Banks of Cincinnati as defensive coordinator. Signing day for this upcoming season is February 1, so they assembled the staff just in time. So, the complete list of coaches for the 2012 are as follows:

Coaching Staff Assignments

Tim Beckman - head coach
Tim Banks - defensive coordinator/safeties
Billy Gonzales - co-offensive coordinator/receivers
Chris Beatty - co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Luke Butkus - offensive line
Steve Clinkscale - cornerbacks
Keith Gilmore - defensive line
Alex Golesh - tight ends/specialists/recruiting coordinator
Tim Salem - running backs/special teams coordinator
Mike Ward - linebackers

A Breath of Fresh Air

2012-01-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

I guess that's why they play the games. It's become increasingly difficult to figure out this year's installment of the Fighting Illini men's basketball team. Some games they look like world beaters, other times they look like doormats. Take the case of the last two games for the Illini, both of them at home in the friendly confines of the Assembly Hall. Nebraska paid its first visit to Champaign as a member of the Big Ten, and almost left town with their first win of the season. Now, granted, the Illini haven't been setting the world on fire with their play on the court this season, and the game against the Cornhuskers proved that to be true. The Illini needed a strong second half surge to finally escape with a 59-54 win. The win wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination, and the performance left those in attendance wondering what the Ohio State Buckeyes would do to Illinois when they came to visit later the next week. Coach Bruce Weber has taken a lot of criticism this season, and deservedly so. His substitution pattern has left a lot to be desired lately, and that could have been one of the reasons that Crandall Head left the team at the semester break.

Ohio State came into Champaign ranked #5 in the nation, and boasting one of the more talented teams in the country. Nobody gave the Illini much of a chance against the Buckeyes, but as they have proved time and again, they play to the level of their competition. I don't think anyone expected what actually happened, because it is the stuff that fairy tales are made of. Brandon Paul went absolutely ballistic on the Buckeyes, scoring 43 points, including the Illini's final 15, to single-handedly lead Illinois to a 79-74 upset in front of a near capacity crowd. What made Paul's performance so phenomenal was that he only took 15 shots, making 11 of them. He was 8-10 from beyond the arc, and 13-15 from the free throw line. Turnovers continue to be an issue for Brandon though, as he committed 7 of them to lead the team in that category. The outburst by Paul was the most points scored by an Illini player since Andy Kaufmann dropped 46 back in 1990. Dave Downey still holds the all-time single game record for points scored by an Illini player with 53 points. Still, Paul's huge night will go down as one of the all-time moments in Assembly Hall history. The Illini improve to 15-3 overall with the win, and remain near the top of the Big Ten Conference at 3-1 overall. The Illlini get some time to rejuvenate themselves, since they don't play next until next Thursday when they travel to State College, Pennsylvania to battle the Penn State Nittany Lions (8:00 pm central time, ESPN2). The time off will give D. J. Richardson and Sam Maniscalco a chance to heal their injuries, so they will be ready to go when the meat of the Big Ten schedule hits.

Tuesday night was also a special night for a former coach of the Illini, as he was honored with the first banner to be raised in the Assembly Hall for the great coaches. Lou Henson, who turned 80 on Tuesday, was recognized at halftime, and judging by the reaction to the crowd, is still widely appreciated by Illini Nation. It was a fitting tribute to a legend, and only one honor is missing from the Henson resume, and that is a spot in the Hall of Fame. Here's hoping that Lou is alive to see it happen.

The Illini women's basketball team has to be the unluckiest bunch in recent memory. After falling to Purdue on a last second shot at the buzzer, the Illini have lost to Iowa 69-62 in overtime, and Wisconsin 70-67. All three of those games could have easily been wins, but they were not, and as a result, the Illini sit at 6-11 overall and still winless in the Big Ten at 0-4. Looks like some things never change.

New football coach Tim Beckman continues to assemble his staff, and reports are that LSU receivers coach Billy Gonzalez will be named offensive coordinator as early as Friday. Beckman needs to get his staff completed in order to go out on the road recruiting. Signing Day is early next month, and with a lot of commitments left from the Zook era, there is plenty of work to do.

Out With The Old......In With The New

2011-12-31T15:32:00.001-08:00

2011 was quite a year for Fighting Illini sports, both good and bad. As I type this, the football team, captained by interim coach Vic Koenning is winning their bowl game against UCLA in San Francisco, while the basketball team got pummeled at Purdue at around the same time. (More on both of those games later). But, the football program endured its share of ups and downs during the season, and the fact that they are even in a bowl game is a miracle unto itself. After all, this is the same team that started the season 6-0, lost their next 6 games to finish the regular season 6-6, and in the process, fired head coach Ron Zook. That firing led to the naming of Koenning as interim coach, and for the exception of defensive line coach Keith Gilmore, will start fresh with a stable of new coaches under Tim Beckman, who was hired in mid-December to take over the Illini. Koenning, who is headed to North Carolina to become defensive coordinator for Larry Fedora, has done a pretty good job leading the Illini in the meantime, and I must admit that I will be sorry to see him go. But, I understand his reasoning to want to start fresh, especially when there is a new coach coming in from the outside that has his own schemes. This Illini team, who ended up defeating the Bruins 20-14 in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, is the first team in school history to win consecutive bowl games, and with a long standing history of Illinois football, that is remarkable in itself. Granted, when you think Illinois football, winning is not something that immediately comes to mind. But, that is still a feat that warrants mention. This hasn't been the best Illinois team by far, but under Koenning, at least they gave it all they had.

Beckman inherits an Illini team in much better shape than when Zook was named coach after Ron Turner was fired. The only impending question at the moment is whether or not junior defensive lineman Whitney Mercilus will return. Mercilus had a record setting season, and all signs are pointing to him skipping his senior season and taking his game to the next level. All in all, a nice bowl win by the Illini and something to build on as the Tim Beckman era begins in Champaign.

Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini men's basketball team also played on New Year's Eve, and at the same time that the football team was doing battle in San Francisco. The result was not as favorable, however, as the Illini dropped a 75-60 decision to the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette. The Illini have not beaten the Boilers in the last 6 games, which means that nobody on the current squad has tasted victory against them. 2011 was another year of ups and downs for the Illini basketball team, with a return to the NCAA Tournament, and a win against UNLV before losing to Kansas and former coach Bill Self in the third round. Key losses of Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale and Bill Cole to graduation, as well as Jereme Richmond declaring early for the NBA draft. The story of Richmond didn't end very well, as he was not drafted, and ended up getting arrested and could face possible prison time as a result of his misfortunes. Such a tragic turn of events for a promising talent that may have seen his career end before it even began. Nice way to waste four years waiting for him to arrive, and then to have this happen. The defections didn't end with Richmond, however, as earlier last week Crandall Head left the Illinois program, apparently for a lack of playing time. Crandall had his problems while at Illinois, and unlike his brother Luther, who was given a second chance by Weber, never could seem to be consistent on the court. However, this is still a young Illinois team, and this year could be packed with a lot of nights when they play like they did against Purdue. I would just get used to it, and if I were Mike Thomas, maybe it is time to think about a change at the top if things continue on the path that it is at the moment. The Big Ten is competitive, and wins on the road will be hard to come by, no matter who you are.

Perhaps the highlight of 2011 was the remarkable run by the Fighting Illini women's volleyball team, as they made it all the way to the national championship game, before falling to UCLA, who won their fourth title in their storied history. Kevin Hambly had his team set a goal at the beginning of the season, and that goal was to win the title, something that they nearly accomplished. There were a few bumps along the way, but for the most part, the season went according to planned, and was a magical run. Hopefully the ladies can repeat the feat in 2o12 and create some sort of a dynasty for the Illinois program. That is sorely needed in any sport at the moment.

Jolette Law's Illini women's team continues Big Ten play this coming week when they welcome Purdue to the Assembly Hall on Monday to begin 2012. 2011 saw some flashes of promise, as the Illini ladies made a run in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, finally bowing out to Penn State in the semifinals. The loss meant the the Illini have not been to the NCAA Tournament in 8 years, something that drastically needs to change. So far in the 2011-12 campaign, that streak seems in no danger of ending, as they have stumbled out to a 6-8 start to the season, albeit losing Centrese McGee before the season began to an ACL injury. I also hope that Mike Thomas is closely watching this situation and makes the right decision about the future of this program.

Happy New Year! May 2012 bring more promise!!

A Fresh Start

2011-12-14T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, Tim Beckman was introduced as the 23rd head football coach at the University of Illinois, replacing Ron Zook, who was fired late last month. Beckman comes to Illinois from the University of Toledo, where he compiled a 23-16 record over the past 3 seasons, including a 14-2 record in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). There has been an awfully lot of conversation since Beckman was hired, and a good deal of that chatter has not been on the positive side. There are certainly a lot of questions that need to be addressed with this hire, but a couple really stand out above the others. The first question is whether or not this was the correct hire for the University and moving its football program forward. I have mentioned before that Zook left the program much better than he inherited it, and a lot of that is based on his ability to recruit and bring in some of the higher caliber players. Can Beckman carry on that tradtion? A lot of the bigger, more trusted names either were not interested in the job, or were lured away by other schools that have deeper pockets to pay the head coach. Athletic Director Mike Thomas, himself well-known for hiring MAC coaches where he previously was at the University of Cincinnati, is sure that he has hired the right guy for the job. At his introductory press conference when he was introduced, Beckman gave a speech that would lead to believe that he is ready for the job.

The second, and perhaps more important question that the Beckman hire raises is the fate of the current coaching staff and what lies in store for them as the new staff is formed. Interim coach Vic Koenning, who also serves as the defensive coordinator, remains on the staff, but it is unclear as to whether or not he will stay on once Beckman begins to formulate his staff. On Monday, Beckman extended an invitation for Koenning to stay in a co-coordinator role, and then on Tuesday, modified that invitation to the full coordinator spot. Beckman gave Koenning until Wednesday to make up his mind, but rumors have been circulating about Koenning being offered defensive coordinator positions elsewhere that would undoubtedly be worth more money than what Illinois would be willing to pay. The reversal of fortune tells me that Beckman intends to bring in his own man on defense, and who knows how much input Koenning would have. Granted, Koenning has a lot to think about in making this very important decision, as well as trying to get a football team ready to play in a bowl game in just over two weeks from now. Word came out out late on Tuesday that none of the offensive staff will return for next season, so it appears that the dominoes have already begun to fall. And, just announced on Wednesday, Koenning has indeed chosen to leave the program to pursue other opportunities. Koenning will stay with the team through the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, then leave once the bowl game is over. Defensive line coach Keith Gilmore will remain on Beckman's staff as he begins to assemble it over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more information on this breaking news.

For the first time since 1992, the Fighting Illini women's volleyball team is off to the Final Four. They punched their ticket to San Antonio by defeating Florida on their home floor last Saturday evening in an exciting 3-1 match. The match was tight from start to finish, as most regional finals are. The Illini have been one of the top teams in the nation all season long, and remain the highest seed left in the tournament. They will take on the Women of Troy, otherwise known as USC on Thursday evening at the Alamadome in San Antonio (approximately 8:00 pm, ESPN2), following the UCLA-Florida State matchup, which begins at 6:00 pm. Both matches will be televised, with the winners facing each other in the national championship game on Saturday evening. Coach Kevin Hambly has kept the distractions to a minimum all season long, and downplayed the stretch of games during the season that saw them fall from the top spot. Hambly was more concerned with being #1 when the season ended, not in the middle of it. Now, the Illini have their chance to do just that, and are two wins away from accomplishing that feat.

The Fighting Illini men's basketball team has raced out to a 10-0 start to the season, their best beginning since the year after the Final Four year. The latest victories weren't easy ones, but they still count in the win column nonetheless. St. Bonaventure presented a unique challenge for the Illini, and they proceeded to triple team center Meyers Leonard, thus essentially taking him out of the game. The Illini won a hard fought 48-43 contest, one that they had to come from behind in order to win. Then, on Sunday night, the Illini hosted Coppin State, another team that didn't want to go away easy. The Illini prevailed in that one as well, 80-63, and as a result of yet another perfect week, saw them rise in the rankings to #19 in both the AP and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll. Rankings mean nothing at this point of the season, and the Illini have a challenging week ahead as they try to maintain their unbeaten record and Top 25 ranking. The Illini make their annual trek to the United Center on Saturday to play UNLV (4:00 pm CT, Big Ten Network). Then, the Illini will return to the Assembly Hall on Monday evening to face the Big Red of Cornell before making their yearly trek to St. Louis to face their first top 10 team of the season against Missouri in the Busch Braggin' Rights game.

The Fighting Illini women's basketball team had been idle for nearly a week since defeating Illinois State 66-56 in Normal. The Illini will also be playing at the United Center on Saturday afternoon ahead of the men when they take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Jolette Law's team currently has a 4-5 record on the season.

Wanted: Football Coach

2011-12-08T11:04:00.000-08:00

I forgot how much fun trying to hire a football coach can be. In the days since Ron Zook was fired as Illini head football coach, there has been much speculation on who his replacement will be. Names have surfaced, rumors have spread, but so far, nobody has emerged as the clear-cut favorite. Sure, there have been names that made sense, but no one has made the commitment and signed on the dotted line yet. First there was Mike Leach, then Kevin Sumlin, and now the focus has shifted to Tim Beckman of Toledo. The only one that truly know what is going on is athletic director Mike Thomas, and he's not saying anything to anyone. A lot of rumors have been flying around as well about Thomas' whereabouts the past week during this search, but who know how credible this information is. One thing is clear: whoever comes into the job will need to build on what Zook started. It is fair to say that Zook left the program much better than he inherited it, but there is still a long way to go in order to make the Illinois program a consistent winner. Does anybody want this job? I begin to wonder as name after name appears to turn down the job for various reasons. Money is definitely a key issue, and I'm not sure that Illinois cannot afford another buyout of a football coach, since the state has multiple issues of their own outside of sports. With the uncertainty of who the new coach will be, it remains to be seen who of the current coaches will be on staff for the upcoming bowl game.

Interim head coach Vic Koenning spoke to the media, as well as Thomas to discuss the Illini's bowl invitation, which was determined on Sunday night. The Illini were selected to play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco, California on New Year's Eve. Their opponent will be UCLA, who also is in search of a head coach, since Rick Neuheisel was fired after the season. The Bruins are 6-7 on the season, which means that the loser of this bowl game will end the season with a losing record. Koenning really impressed me at the press conference by speaking from the heart instead of sounding like Zook has over the past few years. Koenning stated that if guys get jobs, they need to go to them, especially if they are needed for recruiting. He also expressed that he is looking, and may not even be around to coach the Illini in the bowl if he gets a job elsewhere. So much uncertainty remains, but someone will undoubtedly take the reins if Koenning cannot. One coach has already left the program, that being Paul Petrino, who rejoined his brother Bobby in Arkansas. Petrino will be the offensive coordinator and also coach quarterbacks. Petrino had some interesting comments upon leaving, and some of them could even be translated as a slam on Zook himself. So, who knows what the next three weeks will hold for the Illini football program as they practice for the bowl game. Stay tuned.

The Fighting Illini men's basketball team is coming off a big win over Gonzaga that has launched them into the Top 25 for the first time this season. The Illini took down the Bulldogs 82-75 last Saturday at the Assembly Hall before a national television audience, and looked good doing so. Meyers Leonard definitely has evolved into a formidable post player, and he took full advantage of going up against Gonzaga's big man Robert Sacre. The main question was whether or not the Illini could sustain that momentum coming off the big win into their next game, which was also at home against St. Bonaventure. Based on the way this game went, I would say that the Illini failed the test. The Bonnies were a dangerous team coming in, as the Illini found out early. St. Bonaventure shut down the inside game of the Illini, forcing them to rely on the long range jumper. The Bonnies had a nine point lead with five minutes to play, and the situation looked very bleak for the Illini. Then, Brandon Paul showed up and willed his team to one of the more improbable comebacks in recent memory, resulting in a gutty, 48-43 victory. Paul finished the game with 17 points, including several key shots down the stretch. When nobody else would venture inside the lane, Paul dared to try, and gave the Illini the spark they needed. The win over the Bonnies keeps the Illini in the rankings for at least one more week, and gives them a record of 9-0, their best start to a season since the 2005-06 season. The Illini are in final exam mode right now, but get back into action on Sunday night when they welcome the Coppin State Eagles to the Assembly Hall (7:00 pm CT, ESPNU). Coppin State is 3-4 on the season, but as the football team found out, you don't overlook anyone, especially when you are unbeaten.

Kevin Hambly's Fighting Illini women's volleyball team passed its first postseason test last weekend at Huff Hall, downing both Central Michigan and Marquette 3 games to none. The Illini, who garnered the overall #3 seed in the NCAA tournament, now will head to Gainesville, Florida to play in the regional with Florida, Ohio State and Michigan. The Illini will face the Buckeyes for the third time this season, with the Illini winning both matches during the regular season. The Illini defeated the Buckeyes in straight sets in Columbus, while taking them down in 4 games in Champaign. This is also the third time that the Illini and the Buckeyes have met in the NCAA Tournament, the last time in the first round at Huff Hall back in 1992. The Illini will play at 4:00 pm CT on Friday, with the winner facing the winner of the Michigan-Florida match at 6:00 pm CT on Saturday. The Friday matches will be streamed on espn3.com, with the final being on ESPNU on Saturday evening.

After losing 5 of the their first 8 games of the season, Jolette Law's women's basketball team is on a two-game winning streak, the latest being a 66-56 win over Illinois State in Normal on Wednesday evening. Freshman Ivory Crawford netted a career high 16 points to lead the Illini to the victory. The women have been away from the Assembly Hall for quite a while, and that hiatus will continue, at least for the next couple weeks. The next game for the women takes place next Saturday (December 17), when they battle Texas Tech at the United Center (1:00 PM, CT, BTN). That game is the front end of a men's and women's doubleheader the week before the Christmas holiday.

Changing Of The Guard

2011-11-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

The free fall of the Fighting Illini football ultimately resulted in the inevitable happening, and that was the firing of Ron Zook as head football coach. After starting the season 6-0, including narrow wins over Arizona State, Western Michigan, and Northwestern, the Illini have since dropped 6 straight games, the last setback in this streak being a 27-7 loss to last place Minnesota on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. This was perhaps the final nail in Zook's coffin, as once again the Illini offense looked positively dreadful, leading new athletic director Mike Thomas to make the decision to remove Zook as Illini coach. So, during the Illini basketball game on Sunday against Chicago State (more on that game later), news began circulating throughout the Assembly Hall that Zook had indeed been fired and that Thomas would be addressing the media, thus making it official. Zook himself also made a statement regarding his firing, but wouldn't take any questions from the media in attendance. Thomas had said prior to the firing that he intended to assess the program and Zook's future after the regular season was over, and also that he would examine the "entire body of work", not just this season. Thomas mentioned that a change was necessary to move the program forward, and also said that if he was making a decision about character, then Zook would have had a lifetime contract. But, character doesn't win games or put fans in the seats, so the decision was pretty much a foregone conclusion. Zook compiled a 34-51 record over his 7 seasons in Champaign, including taking the Illini to 2 bowl games. The Illini are still bowl eligible this season as well, so you can actually say that Zook coached the team to 3 bowl games, although he won't be leading the team in this year's game. That honor falls upon defensive coordinator Vic Koenning, who takes over as interim head coach while a replacement for Zook is found. Unlike his predecessor, Thomas plans on using a search committee to find the next coach. Former athletic director Ron Guenther commonly would be a search committee of one, thereby getting "his man" all by himself.

So, where does this leave the football program? As was previously mentioned, attendance is falling as quickly as the Illini's bowl placement. If there is one coach on the current staff that is capable of leading the team through this transition, Koenning is definitely the one for the job. You could argue that Petrino is the better fit, but just look at the offense over the past few weeks and all of a sudden he doesn't look so attractive in leading the team. Earlier in the season when speculation began that Zook might not be retained as coach, many people were wanting Petrino to be the successor, based solely on his name and reputation at Arkansas under older brother Bobby. That scenario doesn't look nearly as good now, and whether or not Koenning remains on the staff when the new coach is hired is anyone's guess right now. After all, he has head coaching experience at Wyoming and with so many jobs currently opening within the past week, would like to find somewhere to possibly coach again as well. Is is assumed that the Illini will be invited to a bowl game, but that is still uncertain where that destination will be. Stay tuned.

Much better news on the men's basketball front, with Bruce Weber's squad capturing the Cancun Challenge title with a 63-59 over in-state rival Illinois State. The Illini followed up that title with an easy win over Chicago State 90-43 on Sunday afternoon at the Assembly Hall. The lopsided win gave Weber a chance to play some of his younger players for considerable minutes, and one freshman in particular, Myke Henry, took full advantage of it. Henry scored 14 points to lead the Illini after coming off of an ankle injury at the start of the season. Such a performance is refreshing to see for this group of players, mainly because they are so young. On Tuesday night, the Illini traveled to Maryland for their first true road game of the season in the Big 10/ACC Challenge. The Illini prevailed in that game 71-62, behind a strong game by senior transfer Sam Maniscalco, who had 24 points. Maniscalco was clutch down the stretch, as he connected for 5 of 8 shots from beyond the arc, as well as made all 7 of his free throws. Brandon Paul also had a good game for a change, scoring 17 points to help lead the Illini to the victory. For the first time since the 2008-09 season, the Illini have started the season 7-0, but have a challenging stretch of games coming up before the start of the new year. The first real test comes this Saturday when Gonzaga pays a visit to the Assembly Hall (2:15 pm CT, ESPN2).

News isn't as encouraging on the women's basketball front, as Jolette Law's squad has endured a rough stretch of games to start their season. The Illini are just 2-5 so far, and dropped both games at the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico, falling to Green Bay 82-62 and Arizona State in a close one, 51-50. The Illini knew this would be a tough hill to climb since Law lost one of her better players to an ACL tear before the season began. With Centrese McGee out, players like Karisma Penn and Adrienne GodBold will need to step up. The women will participate in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge on Thursday when they travel to Clemson, South Carolina to take on the Clemson Tigers at 6:00 pm. The Illini will not return to the Assembly Hall until December 28th. Not that it matters anyway, given the lack of fan support that they get.

Kevin Hambly's Illini spikers were given the opportunity to host first and second round matches in the NCAA volleyball tournament. The Illini will face Central Michigan on Friday night, and the winner of that match will then take on the winner of the other match, which is Marquette and Western Kentucky. The Illini are the overall #3 seed in the tournament, and will feed into the Gainesville, Florida regional, which will be played next weekend on the University of Florida campus. Looking ahead, as I tend to do far too often, the Illini could match up with #2 Nebraska in one of the final four matches, should they get that far.

2011-11-16T13:40:00.001-08:00

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: The Illini version.

2011-11-15T20:45:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was a busy one on the University of Illinois campus. All the major sports were in action, either beginning regular season schedules, continuing seasons, or beginning post-season play. Here, in my own opinion, is a synopsis of the weekend.

First, the good. And there is plenty of good to report from campus, as a couple of the women's sports teams are doing very well in their respective seasons. The volleyball team returned to their winning ways, taking down two ranked teams in the process in Penn State and Ohio State last weekend at Huff Hall. On Friday evening, the Illini defeated the Nittany Lions, becoming the first team to sweep them in the season series in quite some time. Likewise, the Illini beat the Buckeyes on Saturday night to improve their season record to 24-3 overall and 13-3 in the Big Ten. The #7 ranked Illini are now just one game off the lead in the conference race, and will be back on the road this weekend when they travel to East Lansing on Friday night to battle Michigan State and then further up the road to Ann Arbor on Saturday to battle the Michigan Wolverines.

Last Sunday afternoon, the Illini women's soccer team began NCAA tournament play at home and defeated the defending champions Notre Dame 1-0 to advance to the second round of the tournament. In a very blustery wind, Niki Read scored the only goal of the game, and sent the Illini on to victory. The #16th ranked Illini will now travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma to battle #4 Oklahoma State, who is seeded #2 in the region on Friday evening at 5:00 pm. Auburn and Maryland are also in the regional pod, with the winners meeting on Sunday for the right to advance further still in the tournament.

Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini basketball team began the regular season this past Friday evening, and for the week thus far, have won their first two games, although they may not have been as convincing as one might have expected. The Illini beat Loyola-Chicago 67-49, then began the U.S. portion of the Cancun Challenge by taking down SIU-Edwardsville 66-46 on Monday evening at the Assembly Hall. D. J. Richardson tied a career high in points with 20, and Tyler Griffey notched his first double-double of his young Illini career with 10 points and a career high in rebounds with 14. The severely undersized Cougars hung tough with the Illini for a good portion of the game, before their size and athleticism finally wore their guests down. With such a young team this season, Weber has been trying different lineup combinations, but injuries have limited him so far. Among the players that have missed at least one game since the season began have been Sam Maniscalco, Myke Henry, and Devin Langford. Crandall Head, who is currently serving a four game suspension for an off-court incident, is set to return when the Illini face the Bisons of Lipscomb University on Thursday night (8:00 pm, CT BTN) at the Assembly Hall. The game against Lipscomb is another contest in the Cancun Challenge. Then, the Illini will head to Mexico to finish the challenge when they play the Richmond Spiders the week of Thanksgiving.

Even though the Illini women's basketball team has started the season 2-1, I file them in the bad category mainly because of the lack of attention that this program has. After a season opening loss to South Carolina last Friday afternoon, the Illini have bounced back to defeat Cleveland State on the road and Memphis on Tuesday night 62-54. The main issue here are the crowds at Assembly Hall. Often times, you can physically count the bodies in attendance, and the level of play doesn't seem to be helping this matter any. Coach Jolette Law keeps saying that she is going to get things turned around, and every year she is at the helm it doesn't seem to get any better. The Illini now embark on what turns out to be a nine game road trip, since they won't be playing back at the Assembly Hall until they host Alabama A & M on December 28th. The Illini will next be in action on Friday night when they take on the Oregon Ducks in Eugene, then Sunday when they battle the California Bears in Berkeley.

The state of the Illinois football program gets both a bad and an ugly tag, and to differentiate between the two, I will describe them separately. First, for the bad of the equation. The Illini dropped their fourth straight game after winning their first six games to become bowl eligible, and to make matters worse, it came at the hands of the Michigan Wolverines 31-14 as the Illini offense once again didn't fare very well at all. Pressure is mounting for Ron Zook in more ways than one during this losing streak, and it appears that it is finally getting to the coach. On two separate occasions this week, Zook has spoken to the media and the topic about his future as Illinois coach has come up both times. On Monday, a reporter grilled Zook about his future, and was told that this wasn't the time to bring that up. Then, at his weekly gathering with the press on Tuesday, he stated up front that this wasn't about him or about his future, and if anyone wanted to broach the issue with him, then he would be done for the day. Well, the subject was brought up about 18 minutes into the press conference, and that was the end of that. The Illini will face Wisconsin (11:00 am CT, ESPN2) on Saturday in the final home game of the season. It also marks Senior Day for 15 Illini players that will be playing their final home game at Memorial Stadium. The question is, will this be "Senior Day" for Ron Zook as well?

And now, for the ugly. This has been a very bad week for Illinois football, both on and off the field. There have been a couple of incidents that occurred after the game on Saturday that has really marred this program. First of all, senior Trulon Henry was shot in the hand after he returned to a party to get some younger players away from the scene. Henry, who will miss the remainder of the season and possibly the bowl game if the Illini get an invite, was the innocent victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then, to make matters worse, two freshmen wide receivers were arrested in a separate incident earlier on Saturday evening. Kenny Knight and Jordan Frysinger attempted to run from the scene on Green Street, but were apprehended by police before they could get very far. I don't know what this says about the speed of our receivers, but if they cannot outrun the police, then maybe they don't deserve to be on the football team. Still, these two incidents cast a darkened shadow on a program that has fallen on hard times in the last month. This cannot help Ron Zook's quest to stay on as Illinois coach, and only an upset win against Wisconsin and a season ending win at Minnesota might be the only thing that saves him at this point. Just sayin'.

Back To Basics

2011-11-09T12:54:00.000-08:00

Now that the Fighting Illini's bye week has come and gone, it is once again time to begin focusing on the stretch run, what has now become a 3 game season, and quite possibly, could determine the fate of Ron Zook. After getting off to a 6-0 start to begin the season, the Illini have fallen back to reality, losing their last 3 games and come off their bye week at 6-3 overall and 2-3 in the Leaders Division of the Big Ten. At Zook's weekly press conference on Tuesday, he talked about the team needing the break. Given the circumstances, this game is a very winnable one, and could go a long way in determining how successful the Illini will be in 2011. The team had such high hopes once they got out to that 6-0 start, but have fallen on some hard times as of late. The Illini will welcome Michigan to Memorial Stadium this Saturday (2:30 pm CT, ABC), and the Wolverines will be coming into Champaign reeling themselves, losing at Iowa 24-16 last Saturday. If you remember how the Illinois-Michigan game went last year, there were a record number of points scored, as the Wolverines defeated the Illini in a basketball score 67-65. Zook doesn't think that there will be nearly that many points scored this year, but feels that it will still be a close game nonetheless. For the Illini, win this game and you might be able to salvage your season. Lose, and it could spiral things downward even further. It's just that simple.

Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini basketball team finished the exhibition portion of their season on Monday night, with a 79-45 win over Quincy University at the Assembly Hall. Junior D. J. Richardson paved the way by scoring 17 points, including 4-6 from beyond the arc. The win over Quincy was a chance for Weber to see some different lineup combinations and get some last minute tweaks done before the season opener on Friday night against Loyola-Chicago (8:00 pm, CT). The game against the Ramblers will not be televised, but will be available on the internet at btn.com. On Wednesday, Weber announced that he has signed one player for the 2012-13 season, a very small class compared to the one that came on this season. The player, Michael Orris, is a point guard, and will back up freshman Tracy Abrams, and could possibly even see the court with Abrams. Orris had originally committed to Creighton, but had second thoughts about his decision and since the Illini had shown interest from the beginning, the family switched and Illinois was the destination.

Jolette Law's Illini women's team won their first and only exhibition game of the season, a 79-52 victory over Maryville on Tuesday night at the Assembly Hall. The Illini were led in scoring by freshman Ivory Crawford with 14 points, while Lydia McCully and Karisma Penn each tallied 13. The Illini will open their season on Friday afternoon at the Assembly Hall when they welcome the Gamecocks of South Carolina (3:30 pm CT). Law announced two signees to the program on Wednesday, Mckenzie Piper, a 6'0 guard from Iowa City, Iowa and 6'3 forward Nia Moore from Bolingbrook, the same high school that freshman Taylor Tuck went to.

The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team got back on the winning track last Saturday evening in Bloomington, Indiana, as they defeated the Hoosiers in 4 sets. Illinois is 22-3 overall and 11-3 in the Big Ten, and will come back to Huff Hall to host a couple of matches this weekend. The #5 Illini will host perennial conference foe Penn State on Friday night, then will welcome Ohio State on Saturday evening. Coach Kevin Hambly announced the signing of two players for the 2012-13 season on Wednesday, those players being Maddie Mayers of Ft. Wayne, Indiana and Alexis Viliunas of LaGrange, Illinois. Viliunas, who has a brother Eddie that is a tight end on the Illini football team, is a setter that should fit into the mold of the team very well.

The Fighting Illini women's soccer team completed the Big Ten Tournament in style, winning the tourney and getting the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament as a result. The Illini defeated Ohio State in double overtime on penalty kicks, then knocked off Michigan State 1-0 in the semifinals before beating Penn State 2-1 to capture the championship. Both the semifinal match and the championship game went into overtime as well, adding to the suspense and excitement. As a result of their success, the Illini will host a first round game at the Illini Soccer Complex on Sunday at 1:00 pm CT against Notre Dame. The Illini come into the NCAA Tournament at 16-4-2 overall and finished the Big Ten season at 8-2-1.

Finally, with all of the news that has been breaking in Happy Valley concerning the scandal over the past few days, I would be remiss if I didn't give my views on the situation. The ordeal surrounds the Penn State football program and a former assistant coach who did some horrific things. As a result of all of this, legendary coach of the Nittany Lions Joe Paterno has announced that he will be retiring at season's end, but with everything that is coming out regarding this situation, it appears that he should step down immediately. As one who has talked to Paterno over the past few years, I admit that I have had some admiration for the man who has coached in State College for the past 46 years as the head man. Details are still coming out about the scandal, and the more that is revealed, the less that admiration becomes. It appears that Paterno knew what was going on, but never followed up on his reporting of it. We still don't know who knew what, how many people were involved, or what this will do to the legacy of the long-time coach. What I do know is that this scandal overshadows the tattoo-gate in Columbus, and far surpasses the booster scandal in Miami. I don't know what else I can say about it at this point. Much more will be coming out in the days and weeks to come, but we may never get to the actual bottom of it, or what it will eventually do to the school and its administration.

Good time for a bye week?

2011-11-02T13:13:00.001-07:00

The spiral continues for the Fighting Illini football team, as they dropped their third consecutive game, this time to Penn State 10-7 during a snowstorm that plagued the eastern United States last Saturday at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. After the 6-0 start, which now seems like a distant memory, the Illini are now 6-3 and have an extra week to think about the loss to the Nittany Lions and also to prepare for their next game, a home contest against the Michigan Wolverines. The offense, which looked pretty good earlier in the season, seems non-existent at the moment, and Saturday was no exception. Jason Ford did rush for 100 yards on 24 carries, while quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase tallied 89 yards on the ground. Scheelhaase only completed 9 of 16 passes for 63 yards in the brutal weather conditions, but one of those passes was good for a touchdown to Spencer Harris. The Illini seemingly was driving to win the game late, but instead got into field goal range and tried to tie it with a kick by Derek Dimke. But, the attempt hit the crossbar, sending the Illini once again to defeat. This brings the Illini to their bye week, which probably couldn't come at a better time. It will give the Illini an opportunity to think about the last few weeks and then regroup for the stretch run, which is far from easy. They have 3 games left, including home contests against Michigan and Wisconsin, before ending the regular season Thanksgiving weekend at Minnesota. The first two games will be longshots to win, and since Minnesota beat Iowa last weekend, the Gophers will have much more to play for when they face the Illini in Minneapolis. Minnesota will not qualify for a bowl game, and will have nothing to lose when they take on the Illini. That will be, in essence, their bowl game. The Illini had better be aware of that fact and prepare accordingly, or else you might be looking at 6-6. Such a contrast to the view of the season just a few weeks earlier.

Bruce Weber's Illini basketball team began exhibition play on Tuesday night, and not surprisingly, it was a bit of a struggle. Faced with quite a few new players this season, and also a couple injuries to deal with, the Illini were not at full strength. Transfer Sam Maniscalco, who came from Bradley, sat out this game because his surgically repaired ankle has been bothering him as of late, paving the way for freshman Tracy Abrams to run the offense from the point guard position. Fellow freshman Devin Langford also sat out the game, due to a broken finger sustained in practice last week. A late scratch was Mychael Henry, who injured himself in practice on Monday, did not play as well. Then, there is the latest disciplinary case involving Crandall Head. Stemming from an incident that happened in the off-season, Head has been suspended for the first four games, including the exhibition contests, for what Weber commonly calls "not taking care of his business". This could mean anything from not going to class, to a number of other issues. Apparently Weber is not freeing himself of these issues, given all the headaches that Jereme Richmond caused in his one season in Champaign last season. As for the game, sophomore Meyers Leonard led the way for the Illini with 18 points, as they defeated Wayne State (Nebraska) 79-51 at the Assembly Hall. I was particularly impressed with two freshmen, Nnanna Egwu and Mike Shaw. Egwu moves up and down the court as good as I've seen a big man do in an awfully long time, and as far as Shaw goes, he has tremendous potential. This team will take their lumps on occasion, but I do think that they will end up surprising some people as well. They finish up the exhibition portion of the season next Monday night, when they welcome Quincy University to the Assembly Hall, a game that is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 pm.

Since the Illini women's volleyball team lost their #1 ranking at Nebraska two weeks ago, Kevin Hambly's squad has dropped 2 of their last 3 matches, the latest setback to Purdue 3-1 on Wednesday night in West Lafayette. Hambly has discovered that life on the road in the Big Ten is tough, especially when teams are out for you. The Illini are currently 21-3 overall and 10-3 in the conference, and will travel to Bloomington, Indiana on Saturday evening to attempt to get back on the winning track. Game time with the Hoosiers is set for 6:00 pm central time.

It's postseason time for the Illini women's soccer team, as they are currently involved in the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini defeated Michigan in the regular season finale last weekend in Champaign, and advanced in the opening round of the tourney with a win on penalty kicks over Ohio State in Evanston. The Illini will play at 1:15 pm central time on Friday against Michigan State, a match that will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Cause For Concern?

2011-10-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

Don't look now, but the Fighting Illini football team has all of a sudden become relevant again. Starting the season off with 5 straight home games, and parlaying those into 5 wins, plus a win at Indiana to make them bowl eligible in 6 tries, things were beginning to look up for a program that has struggled through mediocrity and instability over the past few decades. Then came Ohio State and the first loss, followed by a road trip to Purdue, which also ended in defeat 21-14. The result is a 6-2 football team that has more questions than answers, but who do you point the finger at for the blame?

Is the coach to blame? Ron Zook has never been known as a good game management coach, and this year that is really beginning to show signs of validity. Some of the decisions that Zook has made in the last two games really make one shake their head. From admitting to not knowing what the score was at Indiana when he elected to go for 2 points to punting on 4th down at the Purdue 33 when the Illini were down by two scores, Zook has really made people stop and think about what might be going on in his head. It seemed that things were looking up when he turned over the offense and defense to Paul Petrino and Vic Koenning, respectively last season, but Zook still is in charge of the special teams, and that is one of the many issues that this team has. Normally Illini Nation would be happy with a 6-2 record, given the limited success that this program has sustained over the years. It doesn't get any easier for the Illini, as they travel to Penn State on Saturday to battle the Nittany Lions (2:30 pm CT, ABC). Penn State comes into the game with the Illini at 7-1 overall and atop the Leaders Division of the Big Ten at 4-0. Their only loss has been to #2 Alabama. Of course, their schedule has been relatively weak up until now, and after the game on Saturday, they finish up with Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin.

Are the fans to blame? You have to wonder why a team that came into the Ohio State game 6-0 couldn't sell Memorial Stadium out, but I think a couple factors are at play here. First of all, Illini fans are taking the "wait and see" approach, and now that they have lost a couple of games, the chances of getting a sellout for the final two games are diminished somewhat. Another possible factor could be the stagnant economy. A lot of fans simply don't want to delve out the money to see this team play lesser opponents, ones that only lost by a scant few points. But, you really cannot pin the blame on the fans, because they are not the ones out there on the field. Yes, some are critical, but they have that right to do so.

Are the players to blame? For the most part, the players are the ones that are out there on the field trying to do what the coaches tell them to do. As I mentioned before, the special teams units have been brutal this season, and were it for a couple of plays that would have gone the other way, maybe one of those losses could have been adverted. There is no clear cut leader that has stepped up and taken control, which is what you need to have success in a program. Zook mentioned a few weeks ago that the team needs to understand how to deal with winning. Judging from the past couple of games, I don't believe that it is going very well at the moment.

The Fighting Illini volleyball team saw their winning streak come to an end last Saturday night, when they were defeated in 4 sets by Nebraska in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers were #4 in the country, and very tough at home, so the Illini losing wasn't a total shock. This will almost guarantee that the Illini will lose their top ranking when the new poll comes out. The Illini return home this weekend to begin the second half of the Big Ten season when they host Wisconsin on Friday night and Minnesota on Saturday. The Illini are currently 20-1 overall and 9-1 in conference play.

The Illini women's soccer team continues to win, and their current streak is up to 7 now, by virtue of a pair of wins over Northwestern (3-0) and Nebraska (3-1). The Illini have secured a second place finish in the conference no matter how the final weekend shapes up with the wins. The Illini are currently 13-4-1 overall and 7-2-1 in the Big Ten, and will conclude the regular season on Friday evening when they host Michigan for Senior Night.

The Fighting Illini basketball team held their annual Orange and Blue Scrimmage last Sunday afternoon at the Assembly Hall. Due to another engagement, I wasn't able to attend, but from what I heard about it, the team looked pretty good. This will be a very young and inexperienced team, so expectations shouldn't be too high as the season begins. Earlier on Wednesday in practice, freshman Devin Langford broke his finger, and after surgery, will miss approximately 4-6 weeks. Langford was a redshirt candidate to begin with, so this may be the "break" that he needs to get that elusive medical redshirt. The regular season tips off next Tuesday night when the Illini take on Wayne State in the first of two exhibition games.

Back To The Drawing Board

2011-10-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

After a quick 6-0 start to the football season, the Fighting Illini was knocked back down to earth last Saturday, as they suffered their first loss of the 2011 season, 17-7 to the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. This was the first time in quite a few years that the Illini were favored over the Buckeyes, and who could blame them? Given Ohio State's 3-3 record coming in, as well as the recent suspensions over "tattoo gate", the Buckeyes were reeling and headed for a downward spiral. But that all changed with Dan Herron returning from his hiatus. Herron proceeded to crack the century mark in rushing yards and score a touchdown in the process, but it could have been much better for the Illini, had they not repeatedly turned the ball over. Nathan Scheelhaase, who had carried the team on his shoulders for the first half of the season, led the team in rushing, as the Buckeyes came to play on defense. The loss dropped Illinois to 6-1 overall, but they still have a 2-1 record in the Leaders Division, which is more important than it has ever been. The Illini will get a chance to get back on the winning track this Saturday when they travel to West Lafayette, Indiana to battle the Purdue Boilermakers (11:00 am CT, ESPN2). The Boilermakers are 3-3 overall, and 1-1 in the Leaders Division of the Big Ten, and are coming off a 23-18 loss to Penn State last Saturday in State College, Pennsylvania. The Boilermakers have had some issues at the quarterback spot, but signal caller Caleb Terbush, who hails from Metamora, Illinois, will get the starting nod. Terbush would have started last season, but academic issues sidelined him for the year. Last year's starter Rob Henry is out with an injury, leaving the backup duties to Robert Marve, who started several games last season as well. With the meat of the schedule coming up for the Illini in the next few weeks, this game is crucial for the Illini to get to maintain their stranglehold in the Leaders Division.

The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team continued their winning ways this past week, by defeating Michigan State in 5 games last Saturday, then traveling up to Evanston to sweep Northwestern to run their unbeaten streak to 20 games without a loss. Cementing their hold on the top ranking in the country hasn't been easy for Kevin Hambly's spikers, but they have done the best that they can. Colleen Ward had a monster game for the Illini, as she completed a rare double-double in volleyball, getting 20 kills, as well as 20 digs. The road doesn't get any easier for the Illini, as they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to battle the #4 ranked Cornhuskers on Saturday evening (7:00 pm CT, Big Ten Network). This will be an epic matchup of two elite teams, and with the addition of Nebraska to the Big Ten, provides yet another hurdle in hopes of a conference championship. The Cornhuskers have been a perennial power in volleyball for many years, so when they joined the Big Ten, the conference itself got a whole lot tougher.

It's hard to believe, but basketball practice has begun, and in a normal year, people would be clamoring for hoops talk. But not this year. With the sudden success of the football team, basketball season takes a backseat for now, but soon the Illini will be taking the court, adding yet another sport in this crossover season of sorts. This should be an interesting season to say the least, with so many new faces. Your first chance to see the Illini in game action is this Sunday afternoon, when the annual Orange and Blue Scrimmage takes place at the Assembly Hall at 4:00 pm. Tickets are still available, which are general admission, and parking is free for the event.

Finally, the Illini women's soccer team is on a bit of a roll themselves, winning their last 6 matches. During this winning streak, they have shut out the opponent the last five times, including their latest, a 3-0 win over Northwestern on Thursday in Evanston. The Illini are 12-4-1 overall, and 5-2-1 in the Big Ten, and will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to battle Nebraska on Sunday at 1:00 pm central time. After a rocky start to the season, it seems that Coach Janet Rayfield has her team turning the corner, and at the right time.

The state of the Big Ten at the turn

2011-10-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

It seems hard to believe, but we are at the halfway point of the Big Ten season, and there have been a few surprises in the league so far. Here is a synopsis, team by team, of what has transpired in the league thus far, and what is to come in the second half.

There are still three unbeaten teams in the conference, and they are Wisconsin, Michigan, and the Fighting Illini. Michigan and Illinois are both 6-0, and much of that success can be attributed to the fact that both teams played at home for the first five weeks of the season. It also didn't help that they played a somewhat soft schedule, although Illinois beat a decent Arizona State team and struggled to beat Western Michigan and Northwestern, teams that were not as good as the scores indicated. Wisconsin is 5-0, due in part to them having their bye week this past week. Both Wisconsin and Michigan will visit Champaign in November, so if they are still undefeated at that point, someone will be losing their first game in the process. Wisconsin and Illinois are in the Leaders Division, while Michigan is on top in the Legends Division.

In close pursuit of Michigan in the Legends are Michigan State and Nebraska, who had to come from behind to defeat a stubborn Ohio State squad. (More about the Buckeyes, who are the Illini's next opponent, later). Iowa checks in at 3-2 overall, while Northwestern is 2-3 and Minnesota brings up the rear in the division at just 1-5. Northwestern had a rough go of it the past couple of weeks, squandering big leads to both the Illini and Michigan, before losing both of them. Minnesota has many more problems of their own, and with ailing coach Jerry Kill in and out of the hospital, things are not looking promising in the Twin Cities at the moment.

Besides the Illini and the Badgers at the top of the Leaders, Penn State and Purdue also sport unblemished marks in conference play. The Nittany Lions are 5-1 overall, while Purdue is 3-2. Ohio State is 3-3 overall, while Indiana is 1-5. Both the Buckeyes and the Hoosiers are winless in conference play so far this season.

Last Saturday at a sun-drenched Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana, the Illini became bowl-eligible in just their sixth game of the season by defeating the Hoosiers 41-20. The game didn't start out very well for the Illini, as Indiana ran the opening kick back for a

touchdown. A couple of turnovers also didn't help the Illini, as they found themselves trailing for

a good portion of the first quarter. When the Illini finally did wake up, they began to play like they

were capable of, led by A. J. Jenkins, who followed up his career day last week with another strong

performance. The defense also came to play, as they made a couple of key plays, the major one being

a fumble return for a touchdown scooped up and taken back for a touchdown by Tavon Wilson. The

running game was much more apparent in this game as well, as the Illini amassed 308 yards on the

ground. Senior Troy Pollard led the attack with 92 yards on 9 carries. The fact that the Illini are already

bowl eligible is something that doesn't happen very often, especially this early. However, the Illini have

a tough game this coming Saturday, when the Ohio State Buckeyes visit Memorial Stadium (2:30 pm CT,

ABC). The Buckeyes have had a rough stretch over the last few months, which has led to several key players off

of last year's team to be suspended, or dismissed altogether. This includes their former coach, Jim Tressel,

who knew of the goings on within the program, but either falsified reports or didn't report what was being

done. New coach Luke Fickell is making the best of a bad situation, and at 3-3, comes into Champaign with

absolutely nothing to lose. The Buckeyes were in a similar situation in 2007 when the Illini came to Columbus

to visit, and Juice Williams and the Illini pulled the major upset, defeating the then-#1 ranked Buckeyes.

Here's hoping that history doesn't repeat itself.

Saturday will also mark a unique promotion for the Illinois-Ohio State game, as the DIA attempts to 'Stripe

The Stadium'. Fans in odd numbered sections are asked to wear orange to the game, while those in even

numbered sections are supposed to don blue attire. Students in the north end zone will wear orange, and the

appearance of the FanCam at halftime will allow fans attending the game to view themselves in the stands

after they get back home. This has worked well at other venues, but it remains to be seen how it will fare

in Champaign. Stay tuned.

The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team continues to roll through the season, and overcame a huge

weekend unblemished this past weekend with wins over both Ohio State and Penn State. The Illini broke the

Nittany Lions' 68 match winning streak in the Big Ten, by defeating them 3-2. On Friday night, the Illini

took down the Buckeyes 3-0. The Illini had a rare mid-week match on Wednesday night at Huff Hall, and

defeated Michigan 3-1 to improve their overall record to 18-0 and conference mark to 7-0. The Illini next take

the court Saturday evening against Michigan State at Huff Hall. The success of the volleyball team has gotten

such that attendance is now maxing out for all home matches, and some admittance guidelines have been

changed, namely setting aside certain areas of the gym for Go Illini Card members.

Normally by this time of the season, fans are clamoring for basketball season to begin, given the past few

seasons that the football team has had. However, this year with the success of the football team is having, that

is not the case. All the same, Bruce Weber and the men's basketball team held their annual Illini Media Day on

Tuesday at the Ubben practice facility, and if you can take anything from this session, it will be that there is a

lot of new faces in the mix as the season begins. Returning starters Brandon Paul, D. J. Richardson, as well as

key reserves Meyers Leonard and Tyler Griffey will be asked to lead the squad, but don't count out senior

transfer Sam Maniscalco, who will be asked to step up and lead the offense from the point guard position.

As I mentioned, there are a lot of new faces this year, with a lot of potential. Mike Shaw, Mychael Henry, Tracy

Abrams and Nnanna Egwu are all in-state players who should be asked to step up early, while Devin Langford,

who hails from Alabama, and Ibrahim Djimde from Mali. The team will hold a practice and scrimmage before the

Ohio State football game at Assembly Hall to give everyone a chance to see this year's team. The annual Orange

Blue Scrimmage is set for Sunday, October 23rd at 4:00 pm.

Rolling Right Along

2011-10-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

So, the Fighting Illini football team is 5-0, with some winnable games on the horizon, you say? Yes, the view from this position is nice right now, but the journey to get there has been anything but easy. The Illini won their latest game by 3 points over Northwestern, a recurring theme that has seen them escape by that margin for the third consecutive game. What makes the win over Northwestern so important is that they had to claw their way back against the Wildcats to even make it a game. Imagine the irony! Clawing their way back against Wildcats! Anyway, with the Illini down 28-10 in the third quarter, things weren't looking so good for the orange and blue.

Some fans apparently had enough at that point as well, as some of them in attendance got up and left. But, if there is something that can be said for this season's Illinois football team, it is that you never give up thinking that something good will happen. That cannot be said for previous Ron Zook coached teams. In fact, if this were last season, the Illini more than likely would have lost that game. This team has the will to win, and they showed that mettle on Saturday by orchestrating a miraculous comeback to remain undefeated. Senior wide receiver A. J. Jenkins set a school record with 268 yards receiving on 12 catches, 3 of those going for touchdowns. It seemed like Jenkins was open all day long, and Illini quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase found him at every opportunity. When Jenkins wasn't catching passes, Scheelhaase targeted Spencer Harris, another wideout that ended up catching 6 passes for 63 yards. On the day, Scheelhaase completed 21 of 32 passes for 391 yards and those 3 tosses for scores to Jenkins, and also had a touchdown rushing as well. It was refreshing to see the offense come alive, and the 38-35 final score gave people leaving Memorial Stadium a sense of relief that they had come back to win the game, but also that the team is 5-0 and on the verge of bowl eligibility in October, something that hasn't happened around these parts for a long time. In fact, it has been 60 years since the Illini have started a season this successful, and at his weekly visit with the media on Tuesday, Zook stated that "we don't want to lose focus, because when you first develop the mindset to win, then you have to keep that vision to win even more". The Illini will get a chance to expand that vision this coming Saturday when they travel to Bloomington, Indiana to battle the struggling Indiana Hoosiers in their first road game of the season (1:30 pm CT, BTN). This has been a rare occurrence playing the first 5 games of the season at home, but the Illini weathered the storm and have a chance now to really make a jump in the polls this month. Coming into the game with Indiana, the Illini are ranked #19 in the AP media poll and #16 in the USA Today coaches' poll.

The marketing staff in the athletic department at the University of Illinois is putting together a unique promotion for the upcoming Ohio State game, which happens to be the next home game for the Illini on Saturday, October 15. "Stripe The Stadium" will be attempted at this game, where even numbered sections are encouraged to wear blue, and odd numbered sections and the north stands are asked to wear orange. A map of the project can be found by clicking on the following link: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_event/Stripe_the_Stadium_2011.pdf. This has been tried at some other schools, and has worked pretty well. The only major concern I have about doing something like this at Illinois is that we haven't had a sellout in quite some time, and also the fact that Ohio State notoriously travels well, so there probably will be pockets of scarlet and grey sprinkled through the orange and blue. However, a very cool concept if they can pull this one off, so be on the lookout that day when you watch the game on television for those of you not attending the game in person.

The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team cleared the first hurdle since becoming the #1 team in the nation with successive match wins over Indiana and #12 ranked Purdue last weekend at Huff Hall in Champaign. In front of a capacity crowd on Saturday night to watch the Illini defeat the Boilermakers (about 500 people had to be turned away), Kevin Hambly's squad rose to the occasion, and rode the crowd to victory. The road doesn't get any easier for the Illini spikers this coming weekend, as they go on the road to face a couple of stern tests in Ohio State on Friday night, then traveling to #9 Penn State on Saturday evening. The Illini currently stand 15-0 overall and 4-0 in Big Ten play.

Janet Rayfield's women's soccer team got back on the winning track as well last weekend, as they swept a couple of home matches at the Illinois soccer complex. The Illini defeated Indiana on Friday evening 4-1, then completed the sweep by knocking off Purdue 1-0 on Sunday. The Illini get back into action this coming weekend when they travel to East Lansing to battle Michigan State on Saturday afternoon. The game is at noon central time, but will on the Big Ten Network as a tape delayed broadcast Sunday afternoon at 5 pm central time. Currently the Illini are 8-4-1 overall and 2-2-1 in conference play.

Success On Many Levels

2011-09-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

So, this is what 4-0 feels like? For the first time in 60 years, the Fighting Illini football team has started the season with 4 straight wins, but getting there seemed to be more of a struggle than it really should have been. The Illini gutted out a tough 23-20 victory over the Broncos of Western Michigan at Memorial Stadium last Saturday, and judging from the attendance at the game, you would have thought that the team was 0-4. There were plenty of empty seats in the stadium, which brings two quick thoughts to mind: either word hasn't caught up with a lot of the fandom yet that this a pretty good team, or the Illini have lost a lot of support over the past few years with their repeated lack of success. There is no reason that the stadium should be that empty for a team that has yet to experience a blemish on their win-loss record. I understand that the opponent was not a Big Ten team, but the Broncos are still a very formidable foe and just as recently as 2008 beat the Illini. They nearly duplicated that feat on Saturday, as they outplayed the Illini on both sides of the ball, and were it not for 2 missed field goals by their kicker, very well could have beaten the Illini, which would have sent those in attendance home grumpy. Instead, the running game took center stage for Illinois, led by senior Troy Pollard, who had 14 carries for 133 yards. Freshman Donovonn Young, who continues to look better each time out, also broke the century mark, carrying the ball 12 times for 100 yards on the nose. Illini quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, who was dinged up in the win over Arizona State a week earlier, played it safe on the day, only throwing the ball 20, and completing 14 of those passes for 133 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Evan Wilson. Yes, I said the tight end! What has seemed to be a lost art for this Illini offense in not involving the tight end in the game plan, offensive coordinator Paul Petrino has vowed to integrate his tight ends more into the flow, and it certainly showed, especially with Wilson getting the touchdown grab.

Now, the task at hand is the start of the Big Ten season, and first up is Northwestern on Saturday (11:00 am CT, ESPN2), who the Illini defeated last season at Wrigley Field to officially become bowl eligible. The Wildcats have been on a bye this past week, and are coming off a tough loss to Army the week before. Northwestern will have their starting quarterback of last season under center once again, as Dan Persa returns from a broken leg. Persa missed the latter part of the 2010 season, including the game in Chicago with that injury, and will have revenge on his mind. The Wildcats are 2-1 on the season, with the loss to the Cadets being the only blemish thus far.

So, this is what #1 feels like? For the first time in the program's history, the Illini volleyball team is tops in the AVCA poll, and still undefeated at 11-0 on the season. This is the best start for an Illini volleyball team since the 1985 squad started off the year 30-0. Coach Kevin Hambly has sustained this program very nicely, but some credit must go to former coaches Mike Hebert (now at Minnesota) and Don Hardin for building the program from the roots up. Sure, it is Hambly that has been bringing in the players, so a lot of the accolades must be given to him as well. Hambly downplays the success of the team, stating that "the ranking is nice, but we'd rather be #1 at the end of the season. There is a huge target on your back when you are the top team, and the girls are just taking it one match at a time". The Illini get back into action this weekend when Indiana and Purdue visit Huff Hall. The Hoosiers come in Friday night with an 8-6 overall record and 0-2 in the Big Ten, while Purdue, still unbeaten as well, comes in at 14-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The Boilermakers are ranked #12 in the nation, and defeated Northwestern 3-1 on Wednesday night in Evanston. The match on Friday night will be televised on the BTN as part of the Student U. package.

The Illini women's soccer team is not enjoying the success that the football and volleyball teams are having this season, as they are just 6-4-1 entering play this weekend. Janet Rayfield's squad lost successive road games last weekend at Ohio State (2-1) and Penn State (1-0). The Ilini return home to the soccer complex this weekend when they host Indiana on Friday evening and Purdue on Sunday afternoon.

Uncharted Waters

2011-09-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

"WINNING"! To quote the word that Charlie Sheen used a few months back during his problem phase, it's something that Ron Zook and the Fighting Illini have been doing a lot of so far in the 2011 football season. For the first time since the 2001 season, the Illini have started the season 3-0, and have the potential for an even longer winning streak in the weeks to come. As a result of this start, the Illini have their first national ranking at #24 in the media poll, and are receiving votes in the coaches poll. Under the lights at Memorial Stadium last Saturday evening, the Illini survived their first real test of this campaign with a gritty 17-14 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils before a near capacity crowd in Champaign. The Sun Devils, ranked #18 by the coaches coming into the game and #22 by the media, had an explosive offense that took down Missouri a week earlier behind 6'8 quarterback Brock Oswiler, who Zook joked about "needing a stepladder to take him down". While the offense for the Illini didn't exactly burn up the artificial turf on Saturday, the defense, led by coordinator Vic Koenning, stepped up in a big way, coming up with 2 interceptions, a fumble recovery, and 6 sacks of Oswiler. This is a welcome sign, since the Illini lost some key personnel to the NFL a year ago. Getting back to the offense for a minute, Illini quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase completed 11 of 15 passes for 135 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown strike to A. J. Jenkins. Scheelhaase left briefly due to a minor injury, but returned after just one play out of the game, in which freshman Reilly O'Toole came in to lead the offense. Scheelhaase also led the Illini in rushing with 67 yards on 18 carries, followed by senior Jason Ford, who rushed 21 times for 58 yards. This kind of gritty performance is just what the Illini needed and it should prepare them very well for Big Ten play, which starts in two weeks.

So, now that the Illini have started out 3-0 on the season, the question is, when was the last time that they started the year 4-0? For this answer, you need to go way back to the 1951 season, when the Illini finished the season at 9-0-1 and the undisputed national champion with a win over Stanford in the Rose Bowl. There have been two other times since then that the Illini have reeled off 4 wins without a defeat (1963 8-1-1, and a win over Washington in the Rose Bowl), and 1953 (7-1-1), so this is uncharted territory that the Illini are venturing in. However, up next is the game that could be viewed as a trap game, when Western Michigan comes to Memorial Stadium this coming Saturday (2:30 pm CT, BTN). Back in 2oo8, the Illini traveled to Detroit to play the Broncos, and the result was disastrous, as they lost 23-17 to finish 5-7 that year and go from the Rose Bowl the previous year to no bowl. In fact, since John Mackovic left in 1991, the Illini have not had a coach that has produced a winning record in his tenure. Currently, Zook has a 31-45 record at Illinois, but has a ways to go in order to square that record and get over the .500 mark.

Another somewhat disturbing trend for the football team is the attendance factor. Sure, Memorial Stadium was nearly full last weekend against Arizona State, but that can be attributed to the fact that they were playing a quality opponent, and also that it was a night game, which almost always produces an ambient atmosphere. At the time that I am composing this weekly blog, there have only been about 42,000 tickets sold for this weekend's game, which, in my opinion, is downright sad. Yes, the team is 3-0 and I know that Illini football has not been the most consistent program over the past few decades, but this is a fun team to watch. I know the economy is bad and that could very well be a major factor in attendance, but the athletic department is making significant strides to boost attendance, and new athletic director Mike Thomas needs to further address this issue. With the recent changes to the stadium, including removing several hundred seats in the horseshoe due to safety concerns, the capacity of the stadium is just over 60,000 now. You figure in the other stadiums in the Big Ten (Michigan's "Big House" and Ohio State's "Horseshoe" come to mind), and Illinois football still seems somewhat irrelevant when it comes to filling the stands. What's it going to take in order for the stands to be packed for the Big Ten season that lurks in a little over a week? Continued winning will certainly help, and more night games would also benefit. Are you listening Mike Thomas?

Kevin Hambly's Illini volleyball team finished the non-conference portion of the schedule at a perfect 11-0, and are still ranked #3 in the latest AVCA poll this week. The Illini defeated Cincinnati in 3 straight games last Friday night in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge at Huff Hall, then had to once again rally from 2 sets down to defeat Louisville on Saturday night in the challenge. This is a trend that has become all too familiar this season, but the Illini have weathered every storm thus far, and still are undefeated as a result. Up next for the Illini, the start of the Big Ten season this coming weekend, when they travel to Minnesota on Friday evening, before playing at Wisconsin on Sunday.

Janet Rayfield's Illini women's soccer team opened up Big Ten play last Sunday, coming from behind 2-0 to tie Iowa 2-2 in double overtime in Iowa City. The #23rd ranked Illini are currently 6-2-1 on the season, and will continue Big Ten play this coming weekend when they travel to Ohio State on Friday night, then will take on Penn State Sunday in State College, Pennsylvania.

2011-09-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

Offense was the name of the game last Saturday, as the Fighting Illini totally dominated their guests from South Dakota State, en route to a 56-3 drubbing of the Jackrabbits at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. South Dakota State, who is a FCS school (Division 1-AA), never really stood a chance on the afternoon, as the Illini pretty much had their way with the Jackrabbits. A win like this gives Coach Ron Zook a chance to play some of his younger players, most notably the ones whose redshirts were removed in the first game of the season. With quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase getting some much deserved rest after the game was well under control, it was time for Zook to see what sophomore Miles Osei and true freshman Reilly O'Toole could do. O'Toole completed all 9 of his passes for 50 yards, including his first touchdown pass to tight end Evan Wilson. Not to be mistaken, this is Scheelhaase's team, and only a catastrophic collapse or an injury will get O'Toole significant playing time. However, O'Toole has proven that he can step in if needed. The Illini racked up 364 yards on the ground, led by an unsung hero named Troy Pollard. Pollard rushed for 101 yards on just 8 carries, while Scheelhaase had 93 yards on the ground. Freshman Donovonn Young, who looks to have a load of potential, had 65 yards rushing, but more importantly, scored 2 touchdowns, including a nifty 41 yard run for a score in the second quarter.

The win on Saturday lifted the Illini to 2-0 on the young season, the first time that they have started out with 2 wins in the their first two games since the 2005 season. Something that is a bit of a concern though is the attendance for the first two games. With the first game being over Labor Day Weekend and last week's game against a lesser opponent, it wasn't a surprise that the stands were not entirely full. The fandom will need to be won back, and this will be achieved by winning games. With 8 home games on the schedule, the opportunity to get off to a really good start is certainly there, and 2 games in, the Illini are making the most of that chance. However, the schedule gets a bit tougher this week, when the Illini welcome the Sun Devils of Arizona State to Memorial Stadium for a prime time matchup under the lights (Saturday, 6:00 pm, BTN). Arizona State comes into the matchup with the Illini at 2-0 as well, but slipped into the national rankings after defeating Missouri 37-30 last Friday night in Tempe. The Sun Devils have a potent offense, led by their quarterback Brock Oswiler, who is a monster that stands 6'8 and weighs 240 pounds. Yes, the Illini have eased through the first two games of the season, but the first real test will be against Arizona State. The key to stopping Oswiler, according to Zook, is to stay in front of him at all times. Besides their quarterback, the Sun Devils also have a very talented linebacker in Vontaze Burfict, who may be the top player in the nation at his position. This should pose quite a matchup between Burfict and Illini fullback Jay Prosch, who are both approximately the same size. The winner of this game will have the inside track to a pretty good season, while the loser will be down, but definitely not out.

The Fighting Illini volleyball team continues their winning ways, and have risen to #3 in the latest AVCA rankings. Kevin Hambly's squad took down Middle Tennessee State, Cal Poly, and Tulsa to take the title in the MTSU Invitational last weekend in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Illini are now 9-0 on the season, and will return home to Huff Hall this weekend to host the Big East/Big Ten Challenge. The Illini will face Cincinnati on Friday evening, while taking on Louisville on Saturday night. Both matches are slated to begin at 7:00 pm. Purdue, whom the Illini will not face in the challenge, will also be involved.

The Illini women's soccer team split a pair of matches last weekend at the LSU Invitational, losing to #11 Pepperdine on Friday night 4-2, then coming back on Sunday to defeat Oregon 5-0. The Illini will begin Big Ten play on Sunday afternoon when they travel to Iowa City to battle the Hawkeyes at 1:00 pm. The Illini are 6-2 on the season, and are ranked #20 in the nation.

Finally this week, Bruce Weber's Illini basketball team may not start practice for another month, but they have been busy on the recruiting trail, landing two players for future classes this week. Junior guard Malcom Hill committed as the second member of the 2013 class, joining Jalen James, who committed a few months ago. Senior guard Michael Orris, who currently plays at Crete-Monee, verballed to Weber just one day earlier. With a young group of players this coming season, the future is once again looking bright for Illini basketball for the next several years. One only hopes that the talent can live up to the expectations.

A Good Start

2011-09-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

For the first time since the 2006 season, the Fighting Illini football team has begun the season with a victory. This was made possible with a 33-15 win over the Red Wolves of Arkansas State last Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Yes, the win could have been more impressive, but nonetheless, a win is still a win, and counts in the standings as such. It was an extremely hot day for the first week of September, but that didn't seem to bother the players on the field as they welcomed their guests from Jonesboro, Arkansas. The Illini started out slowly, letting the Red Wolves stay in the game for much of the first half. Arkansas State even took a brief lead at 8-7, before the Illini stormed back to retake the lead and never look back from there. It has been well established that the Illini offense will be able to put points on the board, and with quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase running the offense, things appear to be in good hands. As a matter of fact, only 2 Illini receivers caught passes in the game, those being senior A. J. Jenkins (right) (11 catches for 148 yards and 1 touchdown) and sophomore Darius Millines (5 catches for 119 yards and 1 touchdown). Sure, there were other receivers that saw action during the game, but didn't figure in any of the action.

In a somewhat of a controversial move, Ron Zook removed the redshirt status of highly touted quarterback prospect Reilly O'Toole, who saw his first action of his career in his very first game. What this undoubtedly means is that O'Toole has jumped ahead of Miles Osei on the depth chart, and if something would happen to Scheelhaase, then O'Toole would step in and lead the offense. O'Toole only completed 1 pass in 2 attempts, and dinged up his shoulder in the process. Nonetheless, Zook doesn't think that the injury appears to be serious, and look for O'Toole to see more action as the season progresses. Other freshmen that saw action for the first time were running backs Donovonn Young and Josh Ferguson, tight end Jon Davis, cornerback Valdon Cooper, and punter Justin Duvernois. The idea of playing these players so early has both good and bad consequences, but in the long run, it gives them some experience once the Big Ten season begins next month. Up next for the Illini, the second of five home games in a row to start the season, when the Illini welcome the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State to Memorial Stadium on Saturday (11:00 am, BTN). The Jackrabbits play in the Missouri Valley Conference, and sneaked by Southern Utah 29-28 last Saturday in Brookings, South Dakota, and will be the Illini's only FCS opponent of the 2011 season.

The Illini women's volleyball team has started off the season meeting the high expectations that it was given, storming off to a 6-0 record and rising to #4 in the latest AVCA rankings. The Illini finished off Tennessee, Houston, and #21 ranked Dayton to capture their 21st Illini Classic in 28 attempts. The Illini spikers are heading to Murfreesboro, Tennessee this coming weekend to play in the MTSU Invitational. They will face host Middle Tennessee State, Cal Poly and Tulsa in the tourney, and look to stay undefeated in the process.

Janet Rayfiield's Illini women's soccer team also has started the season off on a good note, coming out of the gate with a 5-1 record and a #17 national ranking. The Illini lost their first match of the season, a 3-1 contest to USC on Friday night, before coming from behind twice to defeat Colorado by a 3-2 score on Sunday afternoon. The Illini are also headed south this coming weekend, as they travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to participate in the LSU tournament. The Illini will face Oregon on Friday night, before taking on #24 ranked Pepperdine on Sunday.

I had a chance to meet new athletic director Mike Thomas after Ron Zook's press conference on Tuesday, and came away very impressed with both his demeanor and his vision for the athletic program. In the many years of Ron Guenther's reign as boss, I never got the opportunity to talk to him at length, but in Thomas' second week on the job, I have already surpassed that goal. Thomas talked about some of the changes that his predecessor had undertaken, and his plans to continue those and also expand others. One thing that will be most interesting to watch is some of the coaching decisions over the next few months. Since there is a new person in charge, changes could be forthcoming. So, the current coaches on staff need to impress their new boss in order to stay in favor with him.

Getting Defensive with the Defense - Illini style

2011-08-27T12:25:00.000-07:00

Coming off of a 38-14 win over Baylor in the 2010 Texas Bowl, Ron Zook and the Fighting Illini are looking for bigger and better things as the 2011 season begins. Looking at the defensive side of the ball, a couple of key departures and some position switching has left more questions than answers as Camp Rantoul wraps up and the team begins preparation for their first

regular season game of the season. Gone are stalwarts Corey Liuget and Martez Wilson, and the absence of those two players leave a gaping hole for defensive coordinator Vic Koenning. Stepping over the line of scrimmage to the defense is former offensive tackle Craig Wilson (right, #79) into Liuget's spot, and so far the switch has been one that produced some early dividends. According to Koenning, he should have made the switch with Wilson last season to let him play behind Liuget to give him some experience instead of him learning on the job. Also on the D-Line are Akeem Spence and Whitney Mercilus, two players who saw significant action last season. In the bandit position is Michael Buchanan, who also saw quite a bit of field time a year ago.

The linebacking corps sustained a major hit with the loss of Wilson to the NFL last season, but should return several key players to make up his absence. Trulon Henry moves up a little bit, but will still be essentially be playing his safety position, just a little closer to the line of scrimmage. Ian Thomas also returns at the (Mike) linebacker spot, while sophomore Jonathan Brown and redshirt freshman Houston Bates will battle it out at the (Sam) linebacker position. The (Will) linebacker spot will be flanked by Earnest Thomas for the meantime while Ashante Williams, who is currently suspended for an off-the-field incident, continues to try and get back in Ron Zook's good graces.

The secondary is perhaps one of the deepest areas on the entire roster,

where between seven or eight players could contribute at any given moment. Terry Hawthorne (right #1) leads a talented

group of defenders at cornerback, and even though the job is his to lose for right now, Justin Green and Miami Thomas are battling for time on the field. At the other corner spot, Tavon Wilson is the odds-on favorite, with Jack Ramsey a more than capable backup in case something happens. The safety positions are still up in the air, but as of right now, Henry will occupy one of those spots, with Steve Hull battling Supo Sanni for the other side. Patrick Nixon-Youman will spell Henry if the need arises.

The area of special teams looks to be set, and even though the Illini will be starting 2011 with a new punter, due to the graduation of Anthony Santella, all appears to be safe at that spot as well. Derek Dimke will handle the placekicking duties, where he excelled last season. Dimke has been consistent since he arrived at Illinois, and this year appears to be no different. The punting situation was cloudy at best when training camp began, but cleared up significantly during Camp Rantoul when senior Matt Eller left the team when it was apparent that he would not be the starter come opening day. That nod will go to an incoming freshman, Justin Duvernois, who won the job outright. That led to Eller's decision to leave, and will also mean that Dimke could serve as a backup to Duvernois should something happen. Handling the punt return duties will be either Hawthorne or Ramsey, while Darius Millines and Troy Pollard will be returning kickoffs. Now, this personnel could very well change as the days leading up to the first game get closer.

Speaking of the first game, the Illini will welcome the Red Wolves of Arkansas State to Memorial Stadium to officially kickoff the 2011 season this coming Saturday (2:30 pm, BTN). The Red Wolves are coached by Hugh Freeze and finished the 2010 season with a 4-8 record. The Red Wolves are led by their quarterback Ryan Aplin, who completed 61.5% of his passes a year ago, and threw for nearly 3000 yards and 21 touchdowns. Arkansas State plays in the Sun Belt Conference, and have not played the Illini since the 2002 season. The Illini hold a 2-0 edge in the series, both games being played in Champaign.

It's been quite a lengthy off-season, but it is finally game week! Let the speculation begin in earnest. It's time to settle this on the field!

Ready.....Set.......Hut!

2011-08-18T14:31:00.001-07:00

The Fighting Illini football team has begun their annual training camp sessions, otherwise known as Camp Rantoul, on the former Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul. If you are looking at the team for maybe the first time this season, you will undoubtedly notice some differences from last year's team, but at the same time, much of the 2010 squad returns intact. Here now is the first part of a three part preview on training camp, as well as a position-by-position look at the 2011 Fighting Illini.

If there is one thing that is abundantly clear from the start, this year's Illini team should have no problem scoring points, although their workhorse tailback of last season, Mikel Leshoure, opted to turn pro and forego his senior season. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase returns to lead the offense, and after throwing for nearly 2000 yards and running for almost 1000 more as a redshirt freshman last season, is poised to put up even better numbers this time around. While Scheelhaase has the signal calling locked up for the time being, he is being challenged in camp by freshman Reilly O'Toole, who has been having a good first two weeks and taking the majority of the backup snaps. But that doesn't mean that O'Toole will supplant the second string quarterback job from Miles Osei, who has a year of experience under his belt. At this time, there is no sense of burning O'Toole's redshirt just to get him on the field for a few plays. Would the unfortunate circumstance occur of Scheelhaase getting hurt, then you might look to getting O'Toole on the field.

With the loss of Leshoure, the Illini had few options at the running back spot returning, the only real possibility being Jason Ford. Ford came into training camp a few pounds over where Zook and the coaching staff wanted him, but still should see the bulk of the carries this season. However, two freshmen backs are making their case for playing time, as Donovonn Young and Josh Ferguson are both having a great training camp and making the tailback position that much more competitive. The situation with Young and Ferguson has caused Bud Golden to leave the program, Golden being pushed down on the depth chart far enough below even Troy Pollard.

The receiving corps will be one of the Illini's strengths this season, as senior A. J. Jenkins leads a talented group of wideouts on the field. Scheelhaase will have plenty of options to throw to, led by sophomores Ryan Lankford and Darius Millines. Spencer Harris, another sophomore, has looked good early on, as has true freshman Jordan Frysinger. Clemson transfer Brandon Clear has also looked good early on, and may challenge Jenkins and some of the others for catches.

The tight end position in the past has been one that has not been utilized by Illini coaches, but since the arrival of offensive coordinator Paul Petrino, they have integrated the tight end into their offensive sets. Sophomore Evan Wilson leads a talented young group of ends that should catch their share of balls. True freshmen John Davis and Matt LaCosse are both showing promise early on in camp, and senior Zach Becker seems to be healed from his injury plagued career at Illinois. Between the tight ends and the wide receivers, Nate Scheelhaase has a lot of options at his disposal.

Part of a good offensive ground and air game is the job the men up front do, and the offensive line is another strength that the Illini will bring into this season. Center Graham Pocic returns, as does guards Jack Cornell and Hugh Thornton. Tackle Jeff Allen also returns for his senior season, and the only question mark on the line is the spot that injured tackle Corey Lewis occupies. In Lewis' absence are two young players, Michael Heitz and Simon Cvijanovic, who will see action until Lewis returns, whenever that may be.

Up next week, a look at the defense, which has some question marks with the departure of two key players that decided to take their game to the next level a year early.

Are You Ready For Some Football......Big 10 Style?

2011-08-04T19:33:00.000-07:00

Now that the calendar has rolled around to August, it is time to think about football and other happenings on the gridiron. The Big Ten Conference held its annual Football Media Days last weekend at the Hyatt McCormick Place in Chicago, and as is the case at this time of year, expectations are running high for all of the teams in the league. The conference will have quite a different look this season, as a new member joins the league for the first time since Penn State came aboard in 1990. Nebraska is the twelfth school to enter the conference, and their arrival will make possible the first ever league championship game, set to take place on Saturday, December 3rd at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Four new coaches will also lead squads as the season begins, and one of those is coming into a situation that is unenviable for anyone. But, more on that later. Now, a look around the league to see what everyone is thinking as the season commences.

Illinois coach Ron Zook (right) was the first coach to take the podium in front of the me

dia contingent. Running back seems to be the major concern, as Mikel Leshoure declared early for the draft, leaving the Illini with only one sure back, and due to some off the field

incidents last spring, is even a question mark as their training camp begins. True freshman Donovonn Young might see some action, and even though Zook has not seen him work out, is impressed by what he has heard. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase will lead the offense, and is backed by a veteran offensive line that returns virtually intact.media contingent, and as expected, the outlook for the Illini are running high. Coming off of a bowl victory in the Texas Bowl last December, Zook and company will need to fill in someholes left by some key departures for greener pastures in the NFL.

When Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema (right) went recruiting last spring, he didn't intend on finding a quality quarterback like Russell Wilson. Wilson, who is a transfer, was

highly sought after, and according to Bielema, they did an extensive background check on him to make sure that "they weren't bringing a problem into Madison". The Badgers are the odds on favorite to represent the Leaders Division in Indianapolis, and with four night games this season, should have plenty of national exposure. Bielema is especially looking forward to the game at Soldier Field in Chicago against Northern Illinois, citing that a game in the Windy City will be great for the program and could be a boost to recruiting as well.

Purdue coach Danny Hope (right) thinks that the Big 1o Championship game being played

indoors is a great idea, even though all of the venues in the league are outdoors.

Also, it doesn't hurt that the game is being played right down the road in Indianapolis,which if they are fortunate to get there, will have a huge fan following for the game. But, to get that fa

r, the Boilermakers need to get past the likes of Wisconsin and Penn State, and coming into the season with a two-pronged quarterback tandem of Robert Marve and Rob Henry will hopefully get them on the right path. Also, Purdue brough in a new strength and conditioning person in the off-season, so they are in great shape as the season begins.

Perhaps the biggest story of the off-season in the Big Ten, if not the entire country,

was the scandal in Columbus involving several Ohio State players that eventually led to the dismissal of Jim Tressel. Replacing Tressel at the helm of the Buckeyes is assistant coach Luke Fickell (right), who is walking into quite a firepit. Fickell wants to focus on what they have, not what they don't have, and the absence of several key players involved in the scandal is mainly what he is talking about. Before all of this went down, Ohio State probably was the favorite to win the prestigious Leaders Division, but that is no more. In order for the Buckeyes to represent this division, some magic will have to occur.

Indiana has a new coach this season in Kevin Wilson (right), and from all indications early on, it appears that the Hoosiers are moving in the right direction with this new hire. Wilson, who claimed that he has never watched a down of last season's Indiana team, has gotten off to a good start on the recruiting trail, landing highly touted quarterback Gunner Kiel of nearby Columbus, Indiana. Although Wilson could not speak about Kiel due to NCAA rules, he did saythat recruiting has started off on a good path since he arrived in Bloomington. The coaching staff that Wilson has assembled at Indiana will be no strangers to the Big Ten coaching rigors, since 13 of the 15 on the staff have coached in the conference at one point in their careers. Wilson himself coached under the late Randy Walker at Northwestern, so he is very familiar with coaching in the league. Seems like a good fit for the Hoosiers, and it also appears that Indiana may be on the rise as a result.

Penn State was the last team to join the Big Ten back in 1990, and long-time coach Joe Paterno (right) remembers it well being the "new kid on the block". Now beginning his

46th season as coach of the Nittany Lions, a lot of things have changed since JoPa took over in State College, and he is not sure how much longer he will continue to lead the Lions. Health

issues limited him last season, and he hopes that this season will be much better for him. When asked about the various scandals going on in college sports today, all Paterno wanted to say on the matter was that incidents were handled differently back in the "old days". He cited a specific example of disciplining a player without any knowledge from outside influences. With the advent of the internet and other social media outlets these days, that would no longer be possible.

The Legends Division features the other six teams in the league, including the newcomer to the conference in Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are coached by Bo Pelini (right), and he is

excited to be in the Big Ten because that means that they have 11 new opponents on their schedule and they will be traveling to some new venues as well this year. Pelini didn't think that the Nebraska style fits any one conference better than the other, he just thinks that football is football and you settle

the game on the field. One of the players that was represented by Nebraska was their outstanding linebacker Lavonte David, who was one of the top players in the Big 12 last year, and may have been one of the best in the country at that position. Joining the Big Ten will undoubtedly be tough, and the schedule makers did them no favors, since they have a rigorous inaugural season in the conference.

Iowa had their share of incidents last season, as the issue with training led to several

players getting sick after the season ended was a somewhat major story. Head coach Kirk Ferentz (right) likes the idea of Nebraska in the league, because it gives the

Hawjeyes a new natural rivalry. The Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers will play a trophy game called The Heroes Game,set for the day after Thanksgiving. The schools share a border, and have been familiar with each other over the years, although they haven't played one another very often. Still, Iowa has to be considered to contend for the Legends Division title with the likes of Nebraska and Northwestern.

Michigan enters this season with a new coach, Brady Hoke (right),

who had a verypositive outlook coming into Ann Arbor. The annual rivalry game between the Wolverines and Ohio State will take on a new look this season, as both schools field new coaches as the season begins. Hoke likes the idea of playing the Buckeyes in the last game of the season, and the possibility exists that the two teams could play again the following week in the title game. Hoke said if it happens, it happens. The Wolverines will once again be led on the field by their scrambling quarterback Denard Robinson, who looks to have another big season in Ann Arbor.

Michigan State head coach Mark D'Antonio (right) brings a heavy heart into the start of this season, as he is a close friend of ousted Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, and thinks it

is "gut-wrenching" to see what is going on over in Columbus. The Spartans have a good chemistry on their team, and according to D'Antonio, that is one of the strong points that they have entering this season. Another strong point is Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is one of the top signal callers in the league, if not the nation. Michigan State has been known as a bruising football team over the past few years, and D'Antonio hopes that the perceived notion will continue.

Minnesota enters into this season with a new coach as well in former Northern Illinois coach Jerry Kill (right). Kill is no stranger to the Big Ten, having coached against several conference teams during his tenure with the Huskies in DeKalb. Kill plans on using

MarQueis Gray as the quarterback for the Gophers, although he may play some wide receiver as well at some point during the season. Kill doesn't have any specific recruiting needs that he gears toward Minnesota, just players that he thinks can play at that level. From his time at Northern, he recruited athletes that could have played in the Big Ten, but chose to play at a smaller level. This could have contributed to the success that Kill has has against Big Ten opponents over the years.

Northwestern will look to rebound from last season, when they lost their starting quarterback Dan Persa to a broken leg. Persa, who is once again healthy, but not 100%, will

look to anchor an offense that was very prolific a year ago, and had it not been for Persa's injury, may have beaten Illinois at Wrigley Field. Instead, the Illini prevailed, downing the Wildcats 48-27 to

become bowl eligible. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald (right) knows firsthand what Persa is going through, as he himself broke his leg a couple of seasons ago, so he can help him out in getting back to the way he needs to be. The Wildcats are a senior-laden group, so they will look to finish out their collegiate careers on a high note.

The stars came out in Champaign on Saturday evening, as the Alumni basketball game featuring many former Illini greats took center stage at the Assembly Hall. Some of the greatest basketball players in Fighting Illini history took the court once again, in front of several thousand fans. Fan favorites such as Dee Brown, Deron Williams, James Augustine, Brian Cook, and many others dazzled one more time, and judging by how many former players are still playing either in the NBA or overseas, the level of play was pretty entertaining. Two of the older players in the game, Steven Bardo and Kendall Gill, still look like they could suit up and play with the younger guys. Before the alumni took the floor, the 2011-12 edition of the Illini conducted a scrimmage, one of 10 practices that are preparing them for a trip to Italy against some of the better European teams. With seven new players this coming season, the team will be a young bunch, and the extra practice time will hopefully remedy that situation.

On tap for next week, a trip to Camp Rantoul to check out the Fighting Illini's first week of training camp, preparing for the first football game of the season, set to kickoff Saturday, September 3rd at Memorial Stadium against the Red Wolves of Arkansas State.

Getting to know........Nebraska

2011-07-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

As summer nears its peak here in the midwest, the thoughts shift toward the upcoming fall season, which can only mean one thing.....FOOTBALL! This season, a new member joins the ranks of the Big Ten Conference, and that team is the Nebraska Cornhuskers from way out in Lincoln, Nebraska. I thought it would be fitting to take a little time during the "dog days" of summer to get better acquainted with our new friends to the west.

Lincoln is the state capital of Nebraska, and is the second largest city in that state. It has a population of just over a quarter million people, so just visualize an area about 1 1/2 times the size of Champaign-Urbana, and you will pretty much have it pegged. The approximate distance betwee

n Lincoln and Champaign-Urbana is 448 miles, which now makes it the second longest roadtrip in the Big Ten. That previous honor went to Minneapolis, but Lincoln is about 26 miles further. Still, Penn State is the longest drive, and now the borders of the conference stretch from Lincoln to State College, Pennsylvania, which is a whopping 984 miles. However, I don't think that anyone took distance to other schools into consideration when deciding on Nebraska to join the conference. They seemed to be the perfect fit, although not many people thought of them when all the talk about who the 12th member of the conference was going to be. The Cornhuskers are probably most known for their football team, which has had resounding success over the past few decades. They play in a venue named Memorial Stadium, which, coincidentally, will be the third stadium named that in the conference. Besides our historic landmark here on

campus, Bloomington, Indiana also calls their football venue that. In addition to football being a powerhouse, Nebraska also has been very successful in women's volleyball over the past few years, and while that might make other teams in the conference shudder, it actually will be a good thing, as it will enhance competition between the other schools and make the overall conference champion that much more worthy of the distinctive honor.

One of the major factors in bringing a twelfth member into the Big Ten was the establishment of a championship game in football. With an even number of teams now, the Leaders Division will battle the Legends Division in the first ever Big Ten Championship game to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, December 3. The Leaders consist of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin, while the Legends will comprise Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, No

rthwestern, Minnesota and Nebraska.

Speaking of college football, we are just two weeks away from the official kickoff of the season with the annual Big Ten meetings in Chicago. For the Illini, it is a sense of renewed optimism, especially coming off a Texas Bowl victory against Baylor. But, there are so many questions that don't have answers right now, especially since 3 of the top players left after their junior seasons to pursue their dream of playing in the NFL. That dream seemed to be put in jeopardy, up until the last few days, where it was rumored that there could be a possible settlement to the lockout. However, Mikel Leshoure, Martez Wilson and Corey Liuget are gone, and the players coming behind them have some huge shoes to fill. Once Camp Rantoul gets going in early August, I will once again have a full preview of the season on each side of the ball.

This summer seemed to have much more action with Illini sports than normal, with the baseball team advancing into the NCAA Tournament and the arrival of seven newcomers on campus for Bruce Weber's basketball team. One of the Illini's returning players, Meyers Leonard (left), just got back to campus from playing on the FIBA U19 men's national team in Latvia. Leonard met with the media on Wednesday afternoon at the Ubben practice facility on campus and thoroughly enjoyed his experience playing with some of the top talent in the nation. He will now be one of the veterans on a team of youngsters, and will help lead them much like Mike Tisdale did for him last season. Leonard, who seemed uptight as a freshman, was much more relaxed yesterday, and hopes his sophomore season goes much better than his freshman season did. Meyers averaged just under 7 points per game for the US team in their 9 game stint in Europe. Leonard will not have much time to relax, as the Illini are preparing to go to Italy next month for a trip with the entire team. He likes the idea of traveling with his teammates this time around, and has become quite the world traveler within the past month.

The next time this page is updated will be at the Big Ten Football meetings in Chicago. Enjoy the rest of what is left of the summer months!!!

Summer Daze.......

2011-06-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Now that the Fighting Illini baseball team has finished their season, this concludes the sports at the University for the calendar year of 2010-11. Dan Hartleb's team made a good showing in the NCAA Regional in Fullerton, California, knocking off the hosts, Cal. State-Fullerton, along the way, before getting eliminated by Stanford. Still, this was a banner season for the Illini in many ways, most notably since halfway through the regular season it appeared that even a Big Ten Tournament bid was unlikely. But, the Illini persevered and went on a tear at the end of the season to not only get in the tourney, but garner the top seed. After the pairings were announced for the NCAA Regionals, the Illini were sent out west where they faced CS-Fullerton in the opening game, which they lost, sending them to the elimination round where they first defeated Kansas State to stay alive, followed by a sensational performance in a win over Fullerton in the rematch of the first game. This put the Illini into the championship game against the Cardinal, who proved to be too much for the Illini to overcome. However, the country came to know guys like Josh Parr, Matt Dittman and Davis Hendrickson, and the future looks bright once again for the Illini as they look toward 2012. Several Illini were drafted in the MLB draft, but it remains to be seen who will actually sign contracts and who will return to the team next season. Whatever happens, it appears that the Illini will once again be back in the hunt toward the top of the Big Ten standings.

The Illini held their annual team basketball camp this past week on campus, and several key targets for recruiting were on hand at the one day event. I had a chance to take in a couple of the early matchups at the Ubben practice facility on Wednesday, and came away with a sense of puzzlement as to why certain players are on the radar and others are not. Junior-to-be Nathan Taphorn of Pekin is one of those players, and if he intends on playing in the Big Ten, he needs to do two things, and they are to grow a little more and add some size to his body. He reminds me of Bill Cole at about the same age, and if he can mature at the rate that Cole did, then maybe that is a possibility. A couple of Missouri Valley schools have also expressed interest in Taphorn, and if he maintains his current stature, he seems to be a much better fit at that level rather than at the major college division such as the Big Ten. One player that I did not get to see that is on the radar was Chicago Hope's Jalen James, who apparently was offered a scholarship that day and accepted later that evening. James is the first of the 2013 class to be offered a scholarship, and there are many others in the class that are sure to be evaluated. Many of the top players in the state were not at the camp, since they are playing elsewhere for the summer with all-star or AAU teams. With the 2012 class being one of the weaker groups in recent memory, the focus now switches to the 2013 class in hopes that there will be a couple of scholarships to offer some of the top talent of that class.

Thursday was the first day that the media could interview and talk to the incoming freshmen class on the basketball team, and one thing is clear as summer workouts begin; there are a lot of new faces, which gives renewed optimism, but also raises a few questions. As far as the new players go, all but one of them are on campus and already going through workouts and weights with the current players. Mike Shaw (right), who committed to the Illini last October at his high school in Chicago, is really excited about getting started, which shows in his demeanor and attitude. Devin Langford (left) , who is the only out-of-state player currently on campus, is adjusting to life away from home, and seems to be ready to go as well. Langford, if you may remember, played last December in the Shootout At The Hall with his team from Alaba ma, and made an oral commitment to the Illini shortly thereafter. One of the players that transferred in after the current class was assembled, Sam Maniscalco (right), came over from Bradley and will slot in at the point guard position for Coach Bruce Weber when the season begins later in the fall. When coach Jim Les was fired at Bradley, it opened the door for Maniscalco to make a move, and since he is in the graduate program at Illinois, it allowed him to transfer and play immediately, something that the Illini coaches were looking for since the incoming point guard from the recruiting class, Tracy Abrams (above left), is just a freshman. Abrams also played in the Shootout with Mt. Carmel, and will be the understudy to Maniscalco, who has the experience necessary to play the point position for the Illini. Two other players, Mychael Henry and Nnanna Egwu were still lifting weights during my time down at Ubben, so I didn't get a chance to speak with them. A seventh recruit, Ibrahim Jimde, is having issues getting transcripts from his native Mali, and has not arrived on campus yet. The current group of players seem to adapt will with the newcomers, and they are gearing up for a trip overseas in August, where they will all get a chance to play together for the first time.

The NBA draft was held on Thursday in Newark, New Jersey, and of the three Illini that expected to hear their name called, none of them actually received that call. Seniors Demetri McCamey and Mike Davis, and freshman Jereme Richmond all were projected by some to be drafted, but in the end, it didn't happen for any of the three. Now they can only hope that they can catch on with an NBA team signing a free agent deal, or take their game overseas. Perhaps the most questionable decision was that of Richmond, who left school after his freshman year to test the NBA waters. But Richmond missed a couple of workouts with potential NBA suitors, thus thinning his chances of hooking on with a team. Not surprising, given the fact that Richmond had somewhat of a rocky road during his short time in Champaign-Urbana. For a player that had committed before he even played a minute of high school basketball, he chanced high schools three times in his four years, and had numerous altercations with coaches and other players along the way. Karma? You be the judge of that.

Finally, believe it or not, football season is on the horizon, and whether or not there is an NFL season come September, there will be a college season. The annual kickoff for the Big Ten takes place on July 28-29 in Chicago, where they will welcome the Nebraska Cornhuskers to the league as the 12th team. There are only 46 days until Camp Rantoul begins and the 8-game home season for the Illini, the first in the history of the program.

Uncharted Waters

2011-06-02T12:36:00.001-07:00

Memorial Day weekend normally signals the beginning of summer, as schools across the state let out and kids everywhere start their three months of freedom. It seems strange to still be talking Illini baseball as this time of the year approaches, but the fact that they are still playing is all the more reason to give them some much needed print. After defeating Indiana in 3 straight games to wrap up the regular season, the Illini made the trip east to Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio for the Big Ten Tournament. Since schools in the midwest do not normally qualify as an at-large entry in the NCAA Tournament, the Illini would need to win the Big Ten Tourney in order to crack the field of 64 on Selection Monday, which, coincidentally, also was Memorial Day. Being the top seed in the tourney, the Illini had the pleasure of watching the other teams do battle, knowing full well that they would be facing one of the lower seeded teams when they finally took the field on Thursday. That team was Ohio State, which acted as the host school, since the tourney took place in Columbus, and what was to come about was truly epic. Down 4-1 heading into the last of the ninth, the Illini mounted a comeback for the ages, scoring 4 times in the frame on a walk-off single by Davis Hendrickson. The momentum from that game carried on into Friday evening, as the Illini took on regular season champion Michigan State. Needless to say, pitching was the name of the game as John Anderson threw a gem, going 7 1/3 innings and only allowing 1 earned run in notching the win and vaulting the Illini into the championship game on Saturday. The Illini were set to rematch against the Spartans after they dispatched the Minnesota Golden Gophers earlier in the day. In the title game, the Illini bats came alive, as Matt Dittman clubbed a grand slam over the right field wall and gave Corey Kimes all he would need, as Kimes went the distance, striking out 7 to give the Illini the Big Ten Tourney crown and the automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament. With the win, the Illini won their 8th straight game and improved to 28-25 overall, awaiting their fate on Monday.

Going to the NCAA Tournament is not a familiar trek for the Illini baseball team, as they had not been included in the field since 2000, when Itch Jones was still the coach. So, you can imagine the excitement on Memorial Day when the Illini were finally called and saw where they were headed. The destination was Fullerton, California to play Cal State-Fullerton on Friday evening at 10:00 pm central time (televised by ESPNU). The Titans are familiar to the Illini, mainly because Augie Garrido, who was a former coach of the Illini before Jones came to Champaign, was a long time coach at CSF. The Titans are the top seed in the regional and come in to the game with the Illini at 40-15 overall. The Titans play in the Big West Conference, and compiled a 19-5 mark this season to top the standings. The other two teams in the regional are Stanford and Kansas State, and for the Illini to emerge victorious and play on, they need some more of the magic that they have been able to muster for the last 10 games of the regular season, where they have gone 9-1. This Illini team is playing about as good as anyone in the country, so the prospects of them moving on is just as good as any other team making the move. Hey, lightning can strike twice, can't it?

Speaking of lightning striking, how about the turn of events over in Columbus, Ohio over the past couple of weeks? An ongoing situation came to an unforseen conclusion last week with the resignation of Buckeye head football coach Jim Tressel amid allegations that he covered up knowledge of memorabilia and other "perks" given to star players. Tressel for many years has been viewed as the picture of honesty, fielding good football teams each and every year. But, truth be told, Tressel has had a history of shady findings, even at his last job at Youngstown State, where he was also very successful. Many believe that the penalties that will be assessed to the Ohio State program will be justified, given the nature of the infractions. The Buckeyes have been on a pedestal for many years, and this will undoubtedly knock them from that perch and bring them back to the middle of the pack. With Nebraska coming into the league next month, this opens up a grand opportunity for the Cornhuskers to gain supremacy right away.

More next week, including the results of the Illini in the NCAA Regionals. It's summer, folks!!

Ch Ch Ch Changes...........

2011-05-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

The news that surfaced last week about University of Illinois Athletic Director Ron Gunether's decision to retire on June 30 set about a flood of questions surrounding the athletic program and what this means for the future of Illini athletics going forward. It is no secret that this decision was imminent and would happen one day, but the timing of it was perhaps the most shocking revelation of the entire process. It has been well documented that many significant accomplishments have occurred under Guenther's watch, and the uncertainty that looms with him leaving mid-summer. The renovation of Memorial Stadium and construction of the Ubben basketball practice facility, Irwin indoor football complex, and the Atkins Tennis Center are just some of the feathers that Guenther can put in his cap. Amid all of the successes that he has accomplished over the years, there have been some things that have made people shake their heads in wonderment. First and foremost at the top of this list is the demise of the women's basketball program. Beginning with Theresa Grentz a few years ago and her running off players left and right, Guenther then hired Jolette Law, looking for a fresh start and a new direction for the program. What has since happened has been downright disastrous, as the program has for sure gone in a different direction, just not the one that Guenther had hoped.

So where does the next athletic director, whomever it may be, turn his attention to? There is the debate on whether or not to renovate the Assembly Hall, and the continued restoration of Memorial Stadium with the horseshoe revamping and possible lowering of the field. Among one of the first orders of business should be to look at the women's basketball program and make a change there. In order for the Illini to once again be respectable with the women's program, a clean slate needs to be done as soon as the new AD comes into power. Also, continued measures of fund raising must be achieved to keep up with the other elite schools in the nation. As has been previously mentioned, Guenther did a great job in making this happen, but the baton needs to be passed on and the new AD must take it and run the next leg of the race.

Back on April 6th, the Fighting Illini baseball team lost to Benedictine-Springfield 8-6 to drop to 9-14 overall. Certainly there was speculation that Coach Dan Hartleb was not getting the job done and might not see the end of the season. Fast forward a little over a month later, and the Illini have managed to get back to the .500 mark at 25-25, after sweeping the final series of the year at home against the Indiana Hoosiers. The Illini needed several things to take place in order for them to secure a spot in the Big Ten Tournament, which starts this coming week in Columbus, Ohio. After winning the first two games of the series, the Illini came into the finale on Saturday needing a win and a Michigan State loss to Northwestern to gain a share of the Big Ten title. The Wildcats held up their end of the deal by knocking off the Spartans, and all that was left for the Illini was to take care of the Hoosiers and get the top seed in the tourney by virtue of winning the series over Michigan State earlier in the year. Drama ensued at Illinois Field as the Illini got the winning run on base in a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the ninth. Matt Dittman stepped up to the plate, and delivered a game winning 2-run home run to send the Illini packing for Columbus as the eventual top seed. They will have a bye and will face the lowest remaining seed of Wednesday's opening round games. The Illini will play on Thursday (approx. 7:05 pm, Big Ten Network) and will go from there.

Who says the summer months are not filled with excitement? Before too long, the Fighting Illini football team will begin fall workouts at Camp Rantoul and the Big Ten will welcome its twelfth member, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. More to follow on the Illini in the Big Ten Tourney, as well as Big Ten football media days in late July in Chicago.

Questions......and answers?

2011-04-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

What's wrong with Illinois? That's a fair question, and one that has been asked recently on a number of occasions. It all starts back with the basketball season that just ended, precisely around the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. The Fighting Illini had many question marks this season, with a senior class that underachieved by most standards, and a coach that has lost favor with the fan base and now seems on the proverbial "hot seat". Add to this mess a much heralded freshman who had been orally committed to the program for all of his high school career. When the season began, Coach Bruce Weber had high expectations, and to show his confidence, had shirts made up with a slogan geared toward the Final Four in Houston. Yes, it's nice to have goals and all that, but what transpired few people could have predicted. The team finished 20-14 for the year, including a trip to the NCAA Tourney, where they defeated UNLV before losing to former coach Bill Self and Kansas 73-59. It's no secret that this team had plenty of talent, but they didn't play up to the level that they were capable of and in some cases, looked dreadful. Bad losses to UIC at the United Center and Indiana in Bloomington created doubt for many people, and left fans wondering just what was next for this squad. The season was not without controversy either, as prized freshman Jereme Richmond was in and out of Weber's doghouse all year long. This should not come as a surprise to many, because his high school career followed a similar path. Richmond took a voluntary leave of absence the week of the Wisconsin game in Madison, and actually drove himself up to rejoin the team after dealing with some "family matters". Then, to make matters worse, the week of the Big Ten Tournament Richmond was involved in a locker room incident with another player after the loss to Michigan and was suspended for the NCAA Tournament as a result. It is clear that Weber and Richmond didn't see eye to eye on many issues, and the fact that Richmond felt that he should have been a starter all season could have played into the mix as well. So, when the news broke last week that Richmond had decided to leave Illinois to enter the NBA draft didn't surprise many, including me. It has always been Richmond's dream to play in the NBA, as it is most anyone's that plays the game of basketball at the collegiate level. The question here is, will Richmond be ready? According to some scouts, he is projected to be a late first round or early second round selection, which makes his decision one that makes sense. Apparently, Richmond was not going to class, and was in danger of becoming ineligible, but the rifts between he and the coaching staff still remain the major issue, in my opinion. Yes, this leaves a hole for next season, but also gives a glimmer of hope that nobody will transfer, instead vying for those minutes with the rest of the incoming freshman class.

Wednesday was the spring signing period, and Weber was able to add two players to the incoming class of recruits. Devin Langford of Huntsville, Alabama was one of the recruits that was showcased at the Shootout At The Hall back in December. He is a 6'7 guard/forward, that might take some of the minutes that was vacated by either Davis or Richmond. The other player that Weber added was a bit of a surprise, but a good one at that. Sam Maniscalco, who played at Bradley last season, has graduated, but under a new provision can transfer to a school that has his field of study for graduate school without having to sit out a year. When Jim Les was fired at Bradley, that gave Maniscalco the idea that he wanted to get a fresh start somewhere else, and given his ties with the Illinois Wolves AAU program, was a perfect fit for the Illini. The addition of these two players brings the total of incoming players to six, with Tracy Abrams, Nnanna Egwu, Michael Henry and Mike Shaw being the other four. Maniscalco's main role will be to play the point guard position, one that he did with good success over at Bradley. This will also give a temporary solution to the point issue that was facing Weber next season. With the departure of Demetri McCamey, it left the spot wide open, and was feared that Abrams would have to come in as a freshman and take the reins. Not so now, as Maniscalco will be more than qualified to ease Abrams into the quarterback of the offense for the 2012-13 season. Questions? Yeah, the Illini have plenty of them, and the one that remains the most intriguing will be what happens to Ron Guenther. Guenther's contract runs out in June, and if a new AD is named at that time, it might mean a possible coaching change down the road. Add to this the fact that some Illini assistants might be looking to further enhance their resumes as well, so a shakeup within the coaching staff is not a far-fetched idea either. At the annual season ending basketball banquet on Tuesday evening, Mike Davis was named team MVP, which was a good choice, since he was the most consistent of all the players this season. Yes, he had his moments just like all of the others, but towards the end of the season, it was evident that Davis cared and wanted to win more than anyone else. That showed some leadership in itself. Noticeably absent from the banquet was Guenther himself, and to nobody's surprise, Richmond was not there as well. So, in short, yes, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Illinois basketball program, and once again, what every one is asking these days is.... What's wrong with Illinois? We may find out, although it might not be known for a while.

Spring workouts have begun in earnest for the Fighting Illini football team, and coming off of a Texas Bowl victory in December, expectations are running unusually high as the annual spring game draws ever so closer. It's hard to think of a time where the football team has been more successful than the basketball team, but that time is now, and Coach Ron Zook has reason to be optimistic. With 8 home games slated for 2011, the first 5 of which will begin the season in Champaign, the possibility of starting 6-0 is a real possibility heading into a showdown with Ohio State in October. The main focus for this team during the spring workouts will be to build on what they accomplished in 2010, and back-to-back bowl trips will go a long way in achieving that. Watching offensive coordinator Paul Petrino in practice is priceless, and you had better not do something to draw his ire, because you will pay for it if you do. The man is intense, and I think the offense will do some big things this coming season. The spring game will be at 1:00 on Saturday, April 23rd, and it will be refreshing to see what these past couple weeks of practice has done for this squad.

The spring seasons are also underway for the Illini baseball and softball teams, and both teams are struggling. The baseball team is currently 11-16, and will welcome the Salukis of Southern Illinois to Illinois Field on Wednesday before heading to Michigan this weekend for a series with the Wolverines. The softball team is faring a little bit better at 18-14 overall, and are scheduled to play Purdue in West Lafayette on Wednesday in an afternoon doubleheader. Both teams have had their share of games cancelled on account of weather, something that is pretty common in Illinois during the early spring season. Once the temperatures heat up, here's hoping the bats for both teams will do the same.

Long awaited matchup

2011-03-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

I feel it befitting on the eve of one of the most anticipated matchups in recent Illini basketball lore to submit yet another blog entry. This would not be possible had it not been for the Illini getting it together on Friday night and playing the way everyone thought they would play in routing UNLV 73-62 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Illini came out firing on all cylinders, as Mike Davis appeared to give his team some much needed energy in playing like he didn't want it to be his last game as an Illini. Davis had a stat line that was impressive, leading the Illini with 22 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. He also added to that line by dishing out 5 assists and getting 1 steal. This all coming in a spirited effort amid some controversy before the game involving a fellow teammate. What would this Illini season be without something going on involving promising freshman Jereme Richmond, who was once again held out of the game by Weber for "conduct detrimental to the team". Apparently Richmond got into a verbal altercation with another teammate after the Michigan loss in the Big Ten Tournament, and this caused Weber to bench him, which in turn started the rumor mill flying once again. Will he transfer? Is he suspended? Will he even play? Weber didn't call it a suspension, because after all, Richmond was dressed and on the bench. Judging by Richmond's actions during the game, it doesn't look like he is one that is considering a transfer. A couple of years ago, Weber had a similar altercation with Dominique Keller, and Keller was seen sulking on the bench. It is widely known that Richmond has an attitude, and can be thought of as a prima-dona, and that appears not to set well with the coaching staff. Richmond's status for Sunday's game against Kansas has not been decided as of yet. Which brings me to the matchup with the Jayhawks.

Illini fans, you are finally going to get your wish of going up against Kansas and former Illini coach Bill $elf, who bolted Champaign back in 2003 because Kansas was his "dream job" and he "dreamed of having an office on Naismith Drive in Lawrence". So much animosity has been derived at $elf over the years since his departure, and you cannot argue that he is a good coach and a good recruiter of talent. He left the cupboard at Illinois well-stocked when he departed, and so far, Weber hasn't been able to do much with the program since that time. Shortly after $elf was gone, Weber held a mock funeral for him, saying that $elf was gone and it was time to move on. Saturday in Tulsa, both coached addressed the issue, and it appears to now be water under the bridge. So now, the Illini get their long awaited matchup against the Jayhawks in the third round of the tourney, and the task is a mighty tough one at hand. First of all, Kansas is a very good team with a lot of weapons. They are a top seed in the tourney for a reason. Secondly, the Illini haven't exactly set the world on fire this year, playing good for 35 minutes of games, but having a hard time closing out teams. But, if the Illini are playing at the top of their game like they did on Friday against UNLV, the possibility of staying with Kansas is real. I'm not saying they can beat the Jayhawks, but we shall finally see how they stack up against them. This could be Weber's chance to get the last laugh against $elf, and possibly quiet some of his harshest critics. They get their chance in prime time on Sunday (7:40 pm, TNT- Direct TV Channel 245). In the NCAA Tournament, you never know what might happen. Stranger things have occurred, and it will be interesting to see how this one goes. Illini Nation will be watching with vigorous interest, as will I.

Poetic Justice?

2011-03-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

So, it appears that the NCAA selection committee has a sense of humor after all. After a lackluster end to the regular season and a quarterfinal flop in the Big Ten Tournament, the Fighting Illini find themselves dancing in the NCAA tournament. It is the potential matchups that are most intriguing. First, to review a little bit. Bruce Weber had his team (so we thought) playing well the last few games of the season, winning games that they were expected to get at home against Iowa and Indiana, and losing road games at Ohio State and Purdue, which were not expected to be wins. The regular season ended with the Illini at 19-12 overall, and in a four-way tie at 9-9 in the Big Ten standings. By virtue of the tie-breaker system, the Fighting Illini earned the fifth seed, and faced off against #4 seed Michigan, who also finished 19-12 overall and in that tie with the Illini. Normally these 4-5 matchups are toss-ups, and the Illini had defeated the Wolverines in their only meeting of the season 54-52 back on February 16th in Champaign, a game that the Illini were lucky to win. The Illini started off on the short end against the Wolverines, but battled back and actually took control near the end of the half, leading 34-23 at the break. That is where things literally fell apart. As has been all too common this year for the Illini, they play well for 30 minutes, then falter down the stretch. Friday's game against Michigan was no exception, as the undersized Wolverines whittled away at the Illini lead, and eventually took control. Many of the people over at Conseco Fieldhouse were looking around at each other, wondering what was going on. But, in all actuality, we have seen this story before, all too many times. Before the Illini had knew what hit them, the 11 point lead evaporated and Michigan kept making their shots, while the Illini were not connecting on theirs. The result was yet another defeat that could have been avoided, something that this 2010-11 Illini team is no stranger to. Some blame the coach, and rightly so. After all, he was handed the keys to a luxury car when Bill $elf left and in the process, has managed to wreck that vehicle in the span of 5 short years. Yes, he finished runner-up in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, but that was with $elf's players. The players themselves have also been blamed, and you cannot disagree with that sentiment either. This senior laden bunch has underachieved, and at times, it looks as if they just don't care about being out on the floor. A nice group of guys doesn't necessarily mean that they can play well, and often they appear to lack toughness. So what can be done about this? It might be too late to be asking that question, but I'll give it my best guess.

After the loss to Michigan on Friday afternoon, I had this sick feeling to my stomach, a feeling that I hadn't had in quite a while since covering this team. Part of me wondered what was going on, and the other part of me realized that this is the way it has been all season, so why was the other half of me even worrying about it anyway? So, I continued to watch basketball on into the evening, seeing Michigan State upset Purdue, and Penn State bounce Wisconsin from the proceedings. That didn't make me feel any better, and I'm sure the team didn't feel the best either, since they were the ones that caused this dilemma in the first place. So, we waited for Selection Sunday, in hopes that the Illini would still be considered for an at-large berth in the "Big Dance". Most bracketologists had the Illini in no matter what, but I wasn't 100% sold on the idea. During the announcing of the brackets, Penn State popped up as a #10 seed, and my feeling got a little worse. After all, the Nittany Lions had made it all the way to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament, where they were schooled by Ohio State. Then Michigan came up, which was to be expected. Could the Big Ten get 7 teams in the dance? Would Illinois be left out again?

Then, the Southwest bracket was unveiled with Kansas as the top seed. The very next seeding line featured UNLV as an 8 seed, which was followed by the Illini in at #9. The Illini face the Runnin' Rebels of UNLV in the second round of the tournament on Friday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma (approx. 8:20 pm central time, TBS). Oh great, I said. Excited to see the Illini in the field of 68, this now became what a friend of mine labeled the Illinois Invitational. You see, Lon Kruger, who coaches UNLV, was the coach of the Illini from 1998-2001, so there was a story line for you. To make matters even more intriguing, Kansas looms next for the winner of this game, featuring, you guessed it, Bill $elf as head coach of the Jayhawks. There still is some ongoing animosity toward $elf on the way he left Illinois for the Jayhawks' job, but in the last couple of years, I have allowed myself to let it go and realize that there is nothing I can do about it anyway. I would, however, like to see Illinois get a shot at Kansas to see how long we could stay with them. Think of how much Bruce Weber could recoup if he found a way to beat both the Runnin' Rebels and the Jayhawks? Still, it is good to see the Illini back in the field and here's hoping that the seniors can try to give it one final shot to make something of this season. They owe it to the fans, at least.

Get your dancing shoes on folks, because the madness is about to begin!

It's March!

2011-03-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

The calendar says it is March, and that can mean only one thing: It's time for March Madness! College basketball enthusiasts of all shapes and sizes come together at this time of the year for conference basketball tournaments, and ultimately, the NCAA Tournament. This is the time of the year when teams can either make or break their seasons with one or two wins or losses.

The Fighting Illini are down to their final regular season game of the season, and to say that it is not a big game would be a serious understatement. In the past month or better, the Illini have resembled a team on a roller coaster ride (up, down, up, down). They have not been able to string back to back victories together in that time frame, but have been playing better basketball for the most part. Tuesday's loss at Purdue was encouraging, mainly for the level of intensity that the Illini exhibited, leading at one point by as much as 13 points. At that point, Coach Bruce Weber decided to sit Demetri McCamey after the senior picked up his second foul. Well, it could have been construed as a bad move, because the Boilermakers went on a 12-0 run during that stretch and closed the gap and eventually took a lead that they would never relinquish. The Illini will welcome the Indiana Hoosiers to the Assembly Hall in Champaign on Saturday (11:00 am, Big Ten Network), and enter play at 18-12 overall and 8-9 in the Big Ten. With the top 3 seeds virtually set for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament next weekend in Indianapolis, the logjam for spots 4-7 are still undetermined at this time. A best case scenario would pit the Illini against Michigan State in the #4-#5 game on Friday afternoon, but there are still a few games to be played, and there are tiebreakers that could come into play.

Saturday is also Senior Day, and this group of seniors that will be playing their final game in front of the Illini faithful have had their ups and downs this season. This group has not been the most talented bunch to wear the orange and blue, but they have shown flashes of brilliance as well during that time. In talking with the seniors on Thursday at Weber's weekly media teleconference, they all seem to have one common goal in mind, and that is to beat Indiana on Saturday. They know the significance of what a win would do, but they don't want to look too far ahead either. Mike Davis said that it is human nature to look down the road, but first thing's first, and the task at hand right now are the Hoosiers. Mike Tisdale, who fulfilled a dream in playing at Illinois, has come a long way since his days at small school Riverton, but never really gained the necessary weight to fit his 7 foot frame. Tisdale has looked lost at times this year, and hasn't used his size to the best of his ability. McCamey, who played in the shadow of high school teammate Evan Turner, and earlier this season was playing like he was a candidate for a high round pick in the NBA draft. However, McCamey hit a wall mid-season, and as a result, his stock dropped faster than an elevator out of control. He still has potential, and will have to show what he is made of if he wants a chance to play at the next level. The final senior is Bill Cole, and he is a player that is hard to describe. Virtually unused his first couple of seasons, Cole was pressed into a starting role in 2oo9-10, and performed admirably. Cole used that as a springboard and has started quite a few games this season as well. Coming from Richwoods High School in Peoria, Cole may not have been the best knife in Weber's recruiting drawer, but he fits the mold of the perfect Weber recruit: a marginal player that Weber gets the most out of. I think that this senior class had too much hype coming into the season, and when this year didn't go as the Illini expected it would, of course fingers were pointed and assumptions were made. Here's hoping that they can go out with a bang and not a whimper on Saturday.

To say that the Illini women's season has been a disappointment would not be far from the truth. Jolette Law's team finished dead last in the Big Ten, the first time that an Illini team had done so, even through the dreadful Kathy Lindsey era. The Illini finished the regular season at a horrendous 7-22 overall and just 2-14 in the league, including losing their last 12 regular season conference games. This didn't bode well for Law's team heading into the opening round of the Big Ten Tourney at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis against #6 seed Wisconsin. But, as has been the case for Law's tenure at Illinois, they once again pulled the upset, bouncing the Badgers 63-56 and living to see another day. Granted, some of the losses down the stretch were downright heartbreaking, but losses are still losses, and they piled up this season. The Illini will face the Michigan Wolverines in the quarterfinals on Friday afternoon (approx. 1:00 pm central time, Big Ten Network), and the only way that the Illini can see postseason play is to win out and capture the tourney title. A nice thought, but very unlikely to happen.

Enjoy the games, and rejoice basketball fans, March is here!

Bubble Talk

2011-02-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

Stop me if you have heard this story before. Top 25 team with a lot of potential doesn't play up to that potential, instead playing to the level of their opponent. The result: not a top 25 team anymore. Sound familiar? Welcome to Illinois basketball, mediocrity at it's finest! In the span of just over 2 months, Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini have begun a freefall of epic proportions, losing games that they have no business dropping, while at the same time, playing their way out of the rankings and squarely onto the proverbial NCAA Tournnament bubble. Folks, this conversation should not even be taking place with the talent that this team has on it. Led by a veteran group of seniors, the Illini were expected to rebound from an NIT appearance one year ago and return to the big tournament, the one that means more than any of the other ones combined. Well, that just hasn't happened, and if things don't change in a hurry, it won't be occurring this season either. Weber has taken a lot of heat recently, and with good reason. This team is capable of playing much better than their 15-8 record would indicate, and that senior leadership is just not there. Veterans Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale are playing like they are freshmen, and Demetri McCamey's NBA stock has dropped sharply in the past couple of weeks. A friend of mine recently posted on his Facebook profile that McCamey should begin to learn Turkish, because that is probably where he will end up. Yes, it is a sad state of affairs, and despite all that has transpired with this team over the past month, the end may not be in sight. Since Jereme Richmond took a brief leave of absence from the team for reasons that still have not been disclosed, it seems as if Weber is losing this team day by day. He continues to stay with his seniors, and young guns like Tyler Griffey, Joseph Bertrand, and Crandall Head have not sniffed the floor in several games. Illini Nation is in a state of emergency, and the talk shows and internet message boards have been less than cordial as of late. Not to say that I blame these people, but unless the Illini have a catastrophic collapse of epic proportions, Weber isn't going anywhere. He has another recruiting class that is highly ranked coming in next season, and his seat is beginning to get warm in terms of getting the job done. Now, the current group of seniors weren't that highly ranked in regards of recruiting standards, so it is not shocking that they are not excelling like most thought they would. Davis was headed to prep school before Weber scooped him up, Tisdale came out of Riverton, a small school near Springfield, and Bill Cole was a marginal player from the Peoria area. McCamey wasn't even the best player on his high school team, that honor being given to Evan Turner, who went to Ohio State and is now in the NBA. So, where does that leave the Illini, as February is upon us? Illinois has had trouble winning close games on the road, and in order for them to feel safe come Selection Sunday, that trend needs to reverse itself soon. They will get a chance to steal a game away from home this Thursday, when they travel to Minneapolis to battle the Golden Gophers (8:00 pm, ESPN). With Ohio State appearing to run away and hide in the Big Ten race, every game down the stretch is important. Here's hoping the players figure that out as well.

Who would have thought that at this point of the season, football would be more of a positive story than basketball at Illinois. Coming off a Texas Bowl victory, Ron Zook and the coaching staff completed signing day by inking 27 players, some of them potential diamonds in the rough. Zook felt that they addressed some needs, getting 15 linemen, 11 skill players, and a punter. A couple players that stand out in the class are lineman Willie Beavers (Southfield, Michigan) and running back Donovonn Young (Katy, Texas), as well as quarterback Reilly O'Toole (Wheaton, Illinois). With Nathan Scheelhaase firmly entrenched as the starter heading into spring practice, it is a positive to have a guy like O'Toole come on board. Whether or not he takes a redshirt will be anybody's guess at this point, but with 8 home games on the schedule for 2011, the potential for another winning season is very much a possibility.

Which brings us to women's basketball, and some serious controversy that arose last week when the Iowa Hawkeyes visited the Assembly Hall. Jolette Law, the coach of the Illini, played her collegiate ball at Iowa, and showed up wearing black and gold, which happen to be the colors of the Hawkeyes. Whether or not it was a coincidence, or a shout-out to her former team remains to be seen, but it was still tacky nonetheless. The play on the court has also been disappointing, as the Illini have lost their last 7 games and enter the week with a dismal 7-17 record. The Illini will host Indiana on Thursday, February 10th (7:00 pm) with a chance to break a rather long losing streak in the process. Let's just hope Law doesn't decide to break out the cream and crimson for this one.

Illini Basketball: Up and Down

2011-01-25T19:21:00.000-08:00

So it goes for Bruce Weber and his Fighting Illini basketball team. They are a team of ups and downs, and night in and night out, they are like a box of chocolates: you never know what you are going to get. This team has shown flashes of brilliance (see Gonzaga, Michigan State), as well as moments of total destruction (re-live UIC, Penn State) during this season, and some drama has been added as of late just for good measure. Over the last 4 games, the Illini are just 1-3, but some will say that a moral victory was achieved in the last defeat, a 73-68 setback to top-ranked Ohio State. What disturbs me more about this loss is the fact that the Illini had an 8 point lead in the second half, and frankly let it slip away during the last 10 minutes of the game. Freshman Jereme Richmond (more about him in a moment) had his best game yet as an Illini, notching his first double-double of his young collegiate career with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and ended the week with his two best games yet. This is coming off a tumultuous week for Richmond, who left the team briefly to take care of a personal matter at home. Or so we were led to believe. More pieces of this saga are beginning to surface, and it appears now that Richmond was considering transferring because of not playing as much as he thought he deserved. We may never know the real reason why he did not travel to Wisconsin when the Illini played the Badgers, but he did drive up to Madison with his parents and since that little ordeal, has played much better. Given the recent improvement in Richmond's game, I believe he has deserved to crack the starting rotation, which still hasn't happened. Weber has his detractors, and I have been known to defend him in this blog, as well as in casual conversation. However, I must shake my head at some of the decisions that he has orchestrated lately. For instance, continuing to start Bill Cole, as well as some of the other seniors, when in fact they haven't warranted being in that role lately. Another one just happened on Sunday against the Buckeyes, when Weber mentioned in the postgame interview room that he asked the team in the huddle who wanted to take the last shot to try to beat the Buckeyes. Isn't that the coach's job to make that decision? After all, this isn't the movie Hoosiers, and we don't have someone like Jimmy Chitwood who said he wanted the ball. Instead, Cole said he would take the shot, and when he couldn't get open to take said shot, they went inside to Tisdale, and a turnover resulted, which basically ended the game. Weber has been taking a lot of heat lately, and I think it might actually be starting to get to him. Since the Final Four year, the Illini have won just one NCAA Tournament game, and have missed the big dance twice in that span. Plus, those were Bill Self recruits, and even though the recruiting has been on the upswing in the past couple of years, they are still unproven and attitudes probably won't change until the Illini are back in the tourney and can win a game or two. The Illini can take the next step toward that on Thursday night when they travel across the border to Bloomington to battle the Indiana Hoosiers (8:00 pm central time, Big Ten Network). The Illini have been suspect of playing to the level of their opponent, and with the Hoosiers still down, this is a very important game for Weber and his team to make a statement. The Hoosiers have already lost Maurice Creek for the season, and may be without former Champaign Central standout Verdell Jones III when they battle the Illini. The Illini enter play with Indiana at 14-6 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten action. Yes, folks, there is still time, but it must start with a big win over Indiana. No doubt about it.

The Illini football team enjoyed some success at the end of their 2010 season, as they defeated Baylor in the Texas Bowl, but it apparently has come with a price. Three of the top underclassmen have decided to forego their senior seasons and instead test the NFL waters. The first to announce was running back Mikel Leshoure, who set numerous records for the Illini, including the school record for rushing yards in a game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Also going pro are linebacker Martez Wilson and defensive lineman Corey Liuget, both of whom enjoyed success with the Illini last season. In a way, you cannot blame them for making the jump, because with a possible lockout looming in the league, now might be the best time to go. Coach Ron Zook will undoubtedly miss these guys next season, and the list of incoming recruits is not as impressive as it has been in the past, but it could be worse. I believe that the bowl victory will carry some weight in that area, but it may be a couple of years until the benefits are seen. The coaching staff overhaul that was done before the season began looks even larger now, and hopefully they will be able to build on what they have started. With signing day less than 2 weeks away, the class of 2011 will be announced and the pieces will more than likely fall into place. What remains to be seen is if those pieces are large enough to fill the void left by the trio that could have returned. We shall see.

Welcome to 2011

2011-01-09T18:37:00.000-08:00

2010 didn't end very well on several Illini fronts, however, both the Illini men's basketball and football teams finished the year with victories, on the same day nonetheless. Amid speculation that they would go down to Houston and lay the proverbial egg in front of what was to be a pro-Baylor crowd, the Illini quieted their critics by dismantling the Bears 38-14, as Mikel Leshoure continued his assault on the record books by rushing for 184 yards and 3 touchdowns. Working at a disadvantage because of playing a Texas team in their home state, it didn't seem to bother the Illini all that much. Baylor, who was playing in their first bowl game since 1994, seemed to have the edge with their outstanding quarterback Robert Griffin III. Griffin, who came into the game as the fifth most prolific passer in the country, did pass for 306 yards and a touchdown, but his two early fumbles in the first half gave Illinois all they needed to jump on top and pretty much stay there for the entire game. The Illini assured themselves of a winning season at 7-6 with the victory, and also could very well see extensions come to fruition for Coach Ron Zook and several of his assistants. Herein lies the problem. Does Zook warrant an extension? After all, this was just the Illini's 3rd bowl appearance since the 2001 season, which isn't a very good track record. But, I am sure that there will be a reworking of the contract at some point, and I won't be surprised when it does happen.

After a pair of demoralizing losses before Christmas, Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini men's basketball team have righted the ship, and are out to a perfect 3-0 start in Big Ten play, including a big win over a top 25 team in Wisconsin. After starting out conference play at Iowa on the same night as the football team's bowl win against Baylor, the Illini got much needed wins against the Badgers and Northwestern. In the game against the Wildcats, the Illini couldn't do much wrong at all and finally played the way everyone expected them to play for much of the season. It may have been that Weber gave them a wake-up call after the losses to UIC and Missouri, or simply the fact that the players felt embarrassed and wanted to make a statement. Well, they did against Northwestern, shooting a blistering 70.5% from the field for the game, which was an Illinois record for field goal shooting in a game. The first half alone the Illini only missed 4 shots, enroute to a lead that they would never relinquish. However, the next stretch of games will be a tell-tale sign as to how good this Illinois team is. With games on the road at Penn State (Tuesday, 8:00 pm, Big Ten Network) and then a rematch with Wisconsin next Saturday, followed by home games with Michigan State and Ohio State, the possibility of remaining undefeated in conference play seems a stretch at best. Currently the Illini are 13-3 overall and still perfect in the Big 10 at 3-0. Penn State will be coming in on a high note after upsetting Michigan State at home over the weekend. We shall see how it transpires.

Finally, what in the world is going on with the women's basketball program at Illinois? It seems like the program is going in reverse after their latest setback, an overtime heartbreaker to Northwestern 69-66 on Sunday afternoon at the Assembly Hall. They still are not drawing very big crowds, so not a lot of people are seeing this destruction occur. Jolette Law means well, but with all of the suspensions and eventual transfers from the program, you wonder if she is just Theresa Grentz lite. I seriously think that athletic director Ron Guenther missed the boat badly on this hire, because in order to build this program back up to respectability, you first need to put a team on the floor that is going to put people in the seats. At this rate, they wouldn't fill up one side of Huff Gym with the crowds they have been seeing. Plus, at 6-10 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten, a trip to a postseason tournament seems very unlikely at this point. Maybe things will improve, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

Illini, we have a bowl game!

2010-12-11T11:00:00.001-08:00

At long last, the news is official. The Illini will be heading south later this month to play in the Texas Bowl in Houston. The Illini finished the regular season at 6-6, losing at Fresno State by the slimmest of margins 25-23. Most of the speculation about where the Illini were going already pretty much had been decided, but the official word came down last Sunday. The Illini will be facing the Baylor Bears, who haven't been to a bowl themselves since 1994. Baylor finished the regular season 7-5, and feature a prolific offense, led by quarterback Robert Griffin III. Griffin completed 274 of 413 passes on the season for 3,195 yards and threw 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for 8 touchdowns on the year, making him as durable of a threat on the ground as he is in the air. The Illini have had some problems containing high-powered offenses during the regular season, and this Baylor team will be no different.

But, just how exciting is everyone feeling about this upcoming bowl trip? This is not one of the marquee bowl games to begin with, and the fact that it is in Houston might make it more difficult for some fans to attend. One good thing going for the Illini is that the game is the only one being played on that day, so the whole country will be watching. That could be both good and bad.

Still, this is a positive note for the Illini to even be playing this late into December. According to Coach Ron Zook, it gives the team some extra practice time that they normally wouldn't be getting. Also, it gives the players some exposure and a chance to shine in playing an extra game. The Illini haven't been to a bowl game since the 2008 season, when they went to the Rose Bowl. But does this Illini team deserve the distinction of playing in a bowl game? After all, their season has been less than impressive, and at times the Illini have looked absolutely dreadful (see Minnesota). But, it is what it is, and the Illini contingent will descend on Houston after Christmas ready to play. The question is, will the fans follow?

The Fighting Illini men's basketball team ended a very successful week, defeating North Carolina at home and going on the road to defeat Gonzaga. After the defeat of the Zags, the Illini faced a sure trap game, when the Grizzlies of Oakland University came to the Hall. The game started out very bad for the Illini, as they fell behind by double figures early on. What was really strange about the whole game was what happened at the 12:38 mark of the first half. Apparently a women's ball got onto the rack of balls that were going to be used, and that one was in play for the first part of the game. Illini guard Demetri McCamey tried to point it out to the officials on several occasions before they actually discovered it, but to no avail. When they finally switched the balls out, the Illini began to take control, on the heels of McCamey, who scored 30 points. McCamey scored 23 of his points in the second half, including 11 straight to turn the entire momentum of the game. The Illini ended up winning 74-63 to run their record to 9-1 on the season. The Illini will take on the Bears of Northern Colorado on Sunday at the Assembly Hall (5:00 pm, CT - Big Ten Network). This will be the last tuneup game for the Illini of the fall semester. I think so far, this Illini team is playing the way I expected them to play, and the emergence of Jereme Richmond is not far off. The freshman has shown flashes of brilliance early on, and should crack the starting lineup before long. The next stretch of games will finish o

ff the non-conference portion of the season and then the Big Ten season, an entirely different animal altogether, will be on the horizon.

Saturday was a big day at the Assembly Hall for Illini fans as the 5th annual Shootout At The Hall took place, featuring several committed players for next season, as well as some other players that are being looked at by Bruce Weber and his staff. There were seven games on tap for the day, featuring some local teams, as well as some from a distance. The first game of the day had two area rivals going at it, the Unity Rockets and the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans. Separated by just a few miles between borders, the kids in each district know each other, and in some cases, even date each other. It used to be a big rivalry when the teams were in the same conference, but now that they are no longer in the same league, the rivalry has taken a bit of a back seat. The Rockets used a strong fourth quarter to outscore the Spartans 13-0 to win going away 47-29.

The second game of the day saw two Cornbelt Conference teams go at it as Rantoul took on Pontiac. Rantoul, who has a player that is getting some Division looks named Travis B

ritt, played pretty well all through the game, and even though Pontiac took the game into overtime, the Eagles still ended up winning 58-54. There is no doubt that when those two teams meet on the court later in the season during the Cornbelt season, there will be revenge on the minds of the Indians.

Game three of the shootout saw Springfield Lanphier take on Peoria Manual. Lanphier, who has a freshman named Larry Austin Jr. that is on the Illini staff radar screen, had their way for most of the game with Manual, and defeated the Rams 65-58. Manual, long a player in the bigger schools in the past, has scaled down their enrollment significantly, but still have some guys that can play. From the school that produced the likes of Sergio McClain, Marcus Liberty, and Jerry Hester, all Illini standouts, they gave the Lions all they could handle. The Rams are coached by Derrick Booth, who pl

ayed at Manual and collegiately for DePaul, and will have his team ready to play after this game.

The fourth game of the day featured one of the 3 Illini commitments for next season in 6'8 forward Nnanna Egwu of Chicago St. Ignatius, who took on Peoria Notre Dame. Egwu, who will be asked to step in for Bill Cole or Mike Davis when they graduate after this season, spent a lot of the time on the bench in foul trouble, and that evidently hurt his team's chances, as they ended up losing the game 48-46. Notre Dame, who has a player that is being coveted by Illinois for preferred walk-on status, Max Bielfeldt, won the game on a very questionable call. With just three seconds remaining, an intentional foul was called on St. Ignatius, sending Bielfeldt to the free throw line. He drained both attempts, then Notre Dame stole the inbounds pass to seal the victory. I have to agree with the St. Ignatius coach that it was not a good time to call an intentional foul, but it i

s what it is, and that was the ball game.

Game 5 on the day featured Bowman Academy of Gary, Indiana versus Chicago Mt. Carmel, and Illini signee Tracy Abrams. Abrams is set to assume the point guard duties next season once Demetri McCamey graduates in May. Bowman Academy has a player that is on the Illini radar screen in DeJuan Marrero, who is a 6'5 junior. Abrams runs the floor pretty well and should be a good addition to the Illini next season. The Caravan have another player named Malcom Hill-Bey who is a good player, too, so they should be a team to watch come March. This one went down to the wire, as most of the games have today, with Mt. Carmel coming out on top 63-60.

The sixth game of the day featured another Illini signee, Mychael Henry of Chicago Orr, facing the shootout's furthest participant, Lee H.S. from Huntsville, Alabama. Lee played on Friday night in a tournament in Marion, Illinois, and made the trek up here to play in the Shootout At The Hall. Devin Langford, who is high on the Illini, plays for Lee, and rumor has it that it is just a matter of time before he makes his decision official to play for the Illini next season. O

rr beat Lee 67-58, as Henry scored 32 points, making an impression on those in attendance.

The final game of the night featured two more local teams, St. Thomas More and defending 1A champ Salt Fork. Due to my being there all day for the games, I didn't stick around for this game, but I was told that Salt Fork won the game 46-33. Quite a day of high school basketball!

The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team saw their season come to an end where they had already won a match earlier in the season. The Illini fell in 5 sets, ending their season at 24-9, making the third consecutive year that they have advanced to the Sweet 16.

Finally, on Monday, the Big Ten unveiled their new logo for the conference, as well as the names of the divisions for the teams once Nebraska joins the league in 2011. Personally, the powers that be that developed this logo could have done much better in the creativity department. It is a generic logo, that, according to commissioner Jim Delaney, is targeted to go back to th

e basics. The logo (at right), gets rid of the embedded 11 in the old logo, and goes back to the '10', with an open end of the G in Big, symbolizing an 0 that leaves the imagination open. The division names are an entirely different matter altogether, and whoever came up with them needs to seriously reconsider their choices. The Legends Division, comprising Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern, makes it sound like those schools are has-beens. The Leaders Division, featuring Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State, give one the idea that these schools are in the driver's seat for conference supremacy. Why not just call them East and West? This is rather ridiculous in my opinion, and the Big Ten ought to be embarrassed about this. However, the conference also announced 18 new trophies to be handed out for post-season awards, some of which are pretty clever names. Those can be found at the conference's website www.bigten,org

That's all for this week.

Making Progress, so to speak.

2010-11-20T13:00:00.001-08:00

I've covered a lot of Fighting Illini sporting events since becoming The Illini Guy, but nothing quite compares to this past Saturday, when I traveled to Wrigley Field in Chicago to watch Illinois and Northwestern do battle at the Friendly Confines. This game had historical implications to begin with, but the Big Ten Conference making changes to the way the game was to be played on Thursday made this even more bizarre. Even though the powers that be knew that the east endzone would be an issue with the rightfield wall being right there at the end of it, they decided that in order to promote safety for both teams, they would just move from east to west and bypass that side of the field altogether. Very strange was the consensus when this decision was announced, but in all actuality, it was kind of a neat phenomenon once the game actually started. Yes, it was rather strange watching both teams occupy one side of the field on offense, and say what you will, but it reminds me of the old backyard football games we played as children growing up, having one team walk to the other end when the other team scored. Wrigley Field hasn't hosted a college football games since 1938, and hasn't seen football within its boundaries since the Bears left in the early 7o's. The enhancements of Wrigley over the past few years led to the decision of having the field move east to west. Once the game began, it felt more like a regular college football game. You couldn't really tell that they were only going one direction by the television monitor in front of me. This is actually a cool atmosphere, especially as darkness descended on the field. As for the game itself, it was another track meet from start to finish, with some big plays sprinkled in by both teams. Mikel Leshoure pretty much had his way in the ballgame, setting an Illinois record for rushing yards with 330 on the ground, carrying the ball 33 times and scoring twice. You could tell it was going to be a good day for Leshoure as his first two runs from scrimmage went for 32 and 30 yards, respectively. The old record, 315 yards, set by Robert Holcombe, stood since 1996.

More importantly, the win over the Wildcats gave the Illini their elusive sixth win, making them bowl eligible for the first time since the 2007 season when they went to the Rose Bowl. This is quite an accomplishment for Zook and the Illini, since they weren't expected to do this well. Given the changes in all of the coaching positions in the offseason left a lot of uncertainty, the results have been better than expected. The Illini will get a chance to get their 7th win of the season on Friday night when they travel west to Fresno, California to battle Fresno State (9:15 pm, CT, ESPN2), a team that defeated them in overtime last season in Champaign. The Illini can put an exclamation point on what they claim a successful season with a win over the Bulldogs. Then the decision will be handed down on Sunday evening when the bowl pairings are announced. Most likely, the Illini are ticketed for the Texas Bowl in Houston, but anything is possible at this point. At least they are headed somewhere and will be practicing in December, something that all teams wish they could do.

Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini basketball team finished the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer with a split in New York City, losing to Texas on Thursday night 90-84 in overtime, then coming back to win Friday evening against Maryland80-76 to capture third place in the tournament. The Illini had chances to beat the Longhorns, but couldn't get the job done, suffering their first defeat of the season. The Illini have certainly been busy since they returned from the Big Apple, hosting a pair of games, and going on the road into a hostile environment. The Illini hosted Yale last Tuesday, and came away with a 73-47 victory in a game that never really was in doubt. Given the late start of the contest, it was still rather well attended. After the win over the Bulldogs, the Illini ventured to Kalamazoo, Michigan to face the Western Michigan Broncos. Why Kalamazoo, you ask? Well, this was part of the football deal with the school, and since the Illini played there in 2008 for football at Ford Field in Detroit and in basketball in Champaign last season, they needed to return the favor, playing up there. The Broncos will return the favor on the football field next season, coming to Champaign to battle the Illini. This was labeled a trap game for many reasons, given the fact that the Illini stumbled in Las Vegas last season against Utah and Bradley, losing both games. The result against Western Michigan was a favorable one, as the Illini defeated the Broncos 78-63 to set up the showdown with North Carolina in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge this past Tuesday night.

The Illini and North Carolina have quite a history over the past several years, dating back to the memorable national championship game in 2005, a game in which the Tar Heels won 75-70. The teams have met seven times before this game, with the Tar Heels holding a slight 4-3 advantage. On this night, the Illini would prevail 79-67, as they placed 5 players in double figures, led by Mike Davis with 20 points. Demetri McCamey scored 17, while Mike Tisdale added 14. Jereme Richmond and D. J. Richardson scored 12 and 11 points, respectively for the Illini, who improved their season record to 7-1 on the season. The Illini have another tough test awaiting them this coming weekend, when they travel west to Seattle, Washington to battle the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Key Arena (4:00 pm, CT, ESPN). The Illini have a score to settle with the Zags, as they defeated the Illini in the annual United Center game in Chicago last season. However, this one will be tougher, since it is on a neutral court and a long way from Champaign. But, there will more than likely be more Illini fans in Seattle for this game than there were Gonzaga fans in Chicago last season, given the fact that there are Illinois alums scattered all across the country, and a good contingent in the Upper Northwest.

Good news for the Big Ten for the second year in a row, as they won the ACC/Big Ten Challenge by the slimmest of margins, 6-5. Winners for the Big Ten included Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Northwestern. Given the fact that the ACC won the first 10 challenges between the two conferences, it was a good feeling to see the Big 10 come out on top, although they have some work to do in order of evening up the series.

Something that remains a question is the play of Jolette Law's women's team. The Lady Illini just returned from a trip to Hawaii, where they went 1-2. The Illini started off last week with a rare 11:00 am game on Monday at home against Cal Poly, a game in which they won handily 104-63. The uniqueness of the unusual start was that a lot of students from area schools attended the game, which made the Assembly Hall seem more populated than it normally would at that time of the day. In Hawaii, the Illini defeated Long Beach State 69-48, but lost to North Carolina 87-58 and Ole Miss 70-61. Wednesday night was the womens' turn for the spotlight, as they hosted North Carolina State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The game was on the Big Ten Network, and from the looks of it on television, there wasn't very many in attendance. It is almost embarrassing to see the Illini women on TV, and see a near-empty Assembly Hall, especially when other venues that host womens' games have much larger crowds attend. I guess that winning games will help the attendance, but for this crop of players, I just don't see that as an option at this time. The Illini head to Boulder, Colorado this weekend to battle the Buffaloes in the Big 10/Big 12 shootout.

Finally, despite losing 3 of their last 4 matches of the regular season, Kevin Hambly's Illini volleyball squad will host in the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament, which starts on Friday at Huff Hall. The Illini dropped matches on the road to Indiana and Purdue without their star Laura DeBruler, who was lost several weeks ago with a torn ACL. The Illini finished the regular season at 22-8, and will take on Austin Peay Friday evening at 7:00 pm. The winner of that match will face the winner of the Cincinnati-Western Kentucky match, which precedes it, for the right to move on to the next round.

Where do we go from here?

2010-11-17T20:17:00.001-08:00

I really don't know where to begin here, so I'll start with the obvious; the Fighting Illini football team may have been pretenders all along. All this talk of a possible b*** has severely gotten into their heads, and as a result, dropped a game they had very much in the palm of their hand to lowly Minnesota. That's right, the 1-9 Golden Gophers. Well, make that the 2-9 Gophers now, since they beat Illinois 38-34 last Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Illini had a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter, but couldn't seal the deal and let Minnesota score two touchdowns late to seal the victory. Taboo was talk of the b***, and even though the players were acting like they weren't thinking about it, they are kids and you know darn well they were. But, I have to think that a good portion of this loss must fall on Coach Ron Zook, who has about as good of clock management skills that I do, and that is not a compliment. It seems as if Zook has taken control of the offensive and defensive play calling in the last two weeks, because the Illini have fallen back into the same frame of mind that they had last season when they went 3-9. Now, they must win one game to qualify for that elusive b*** eligibility, and with Northwestern and Fresno State, both road games, looming on the schedule, that is a tall order.

The Illini head north to Chicago this weekend to face the Wildcats, but the venue will not be Ryan Field in Evanston (2:30 pm central time, ESPNU). Instead, the Illini and Northwestern are playing at historic Wrigley Field, who has not hosted a football game in over 70 years, and has not seen football of any kind since the Bears played there in the 70's. The unique atmosphere has its share of concerns though, as one of the endzones borders the outfield wall, a sure sign of disaster if someone runs a long route pattern and forgets where they are. Deemed the Wrigleyville Classic, the Friendly Confines has been transformed into Wildcat purple, including the historic marquee outside the stadium, which also took on a fresh coat of purple paint, one that would make Barney proud. ESPN Gameday will also be there broadcasting throughout the day, but the funny thing about that is the game is not on one of the major channels of the network, instead being slotted to "the U", only available to about half the regular subscribers. I wonder what will happen if Lee Corso picks Illinois to win the game, because he normally chooses a headpiece of the team that gets his vote. Doing a chief headdress would certainly fuel some debate, but we'll just have to wait and see. The Wildcats are 7-3 on the season and come into the game ranked #25 in the country, but lost their starting quarterback Dan Persa on the last play of scrimmage last weekend when they upset the Iowa Hawkeyes in Evanston. Evan Watkins gets the start this week, and he has only attempted 7 passes in his collegiate career. But, with the Illini secondary performing like they have over the past couple of games, does it really matter who the Wildcats throw under center? This would not be a good scenario to rely on the game in Fresno, California in 2 weeks as the last chance to gain b*** eligibility. Stay tuned on this one.

Now for some better news. Bruce Weber takes his #13 ranked Fighting Illini east to Madison Square Garden in New York City this weekend for the culmination of the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. The Illini will take on the Texas Longhorns Thursday night (approx. 8:30 pm central time, ESPN2), then, pending the outcome of that game, will take on either Pittsburgh or Maryland on Friday night. This will be a good early season test for the Illini, and should give a good indication of how talented this team is. The Illini need a good showing in the Big Apple to keep those lofty expectations in tact. Games against North Carolina and Gonzaga loom further down on the schedule before the rigorous Big Ten season begins just prior to the new year. The Illini are 3-0 on the young season, and are coming off an 85-63 win over Weber's former school, the Salukis of Southern Illinois. Weber brought the Saluki program to prominence before moving north to Champaign, and below I-64 he is still considered a figure of authority. The Longhorns are 2-0 on the young season, and are ranked #22 in this week's poll.

Wrigley in November? Should be mighty cold on those rooftops! Should be interesting. That's all for this week. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Coming down to the wire

2010-11-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

If you are a sports fan like myself, then you have to love this time of year, as sports seasons begin to overlap. It seems that there is something going on every single day, which keeps people like me constantly on the go, making it happen and reporting it to everyone out in cyberspace. So, here goes for this week.

By now, you know that the Illini and Michigan hooked up on the football field last Saturday, and a track meet of epic proportions ensued, with the Wolverines ending up on top 67-65 in 3 overtimes. Yes, it more resembled a basketball score, but it was, in fact, football. I knew that the Michigan defense wasn't very good, and that their offense could put up points in bunches, but I did not expect to see triple digits in points, and over 1200 yards in total offense. The Illini defense, who has been very good for the most part this season, took the afternoon off, as they let Denard Robinson, and then, Tate Forcier, have their way with the secondary. Wolverine wideout Roy Roundtree caught 9 passes for an astonishing 246 yards and scored twice, including a 75 yard pass from Robinson on the game's first play. That should have been the first indicator that this was going to be a shootout. Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase keeps getting better and better each week, and his numbers in this game weren't bad at all. Scheelhaase completed 14 of 25 passes for 211 yards and 3 scores, two of them going to Mikel Leshoure. On the day, Leshoure had 5 touchdowns total, to go with 123 yards rushing and 52 yards receiving. Scheelhaase once again was honored as the freshman of the week in the Big Ten, his fifth so honor this season. Leshoure also was named the offensive player of the week in the conference for his efforts in the loss to the Wolverines. Believe it or not, this team is getting better, and still remain on the cusp of bowl eligibility, which they can take care of this Saturday when 1-9 Minnesota visits Memorial Stadium (11:00 am, Big Ten Network). This will be Senior Day for a host of Illini, including occasional quarterback Eddie McGee, who will be among the players taking the field at Memorial Stadium for the final time. Once bowl eligibility is achieved, then they can concentrate on the final two games of the season and improving the bowl that they will more than likely be going to.

Illini basketball is in full swing, and now that the exhibition games are over, it is time for them to count in the regular season standings. This is the earliest start in the history of the Illinois program, and they are currently in the middle of the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. Coach Bruce Weber is a strong advocate of the battle against cancer, so it is fitting that the Illini were asked to play in this year's classic. The Illini opened up at home against UC-Irvine on Monday night, and used a strong first half to defeat the Anteaters 79-65. Brandon Paul led the way for the Illini with 18 points, while Demetri McCamey and Mike Tisdale scored 13 and 12 points, respectively. This was the first game in the 2K Sports Classic, and on Wednesday night, the Illini played the second game against Toledo, which ended up being a slaughter. Toledo was pretty much gutted in the off-season, and a new coach and several new players spelled disaster from the get-go. The Illini jumped on the Rockets early and often, and built up a 25-5 lead before Toledo knew what hit them. Behind 13 points by McCamey, the Illini were able to rest their starters and get some other players some much needed minutes. That is, all but Crandall Head, who did not play because according to Weber, "he didn't take care of his business". We have come to know over the past few seasons that this means either he didn't attend a class or some other disciplinary measures. It was a landslide from the start, and it ended 84-45 in favor of the Illini. The Illini showed flashes of the talent that they have, but the road just gets tougher from this point forward. A game that Weber did not want to play will take place on Saturday night, when Southern Illinois comes to the Assembly Hall (7:00 pm, Big Ten Network). According to Weber, the game was agreed upon by assistants from both schools at last year's Final Four. Chris Lowery, who coaches the Salukis, was a former player of Weber's and a former assistant at Illinois under Weber. So, you can see why he doesn't get a thrill from playing this game. From there, the Illini will head to the Big Apple for the conclusion of the Coaches vs. Cancer event when they take on the Texas Longhorns next Thursday. This will be the first true test of what this team has, and we should get a good idea of how good they really are after these two games at Madison Square Garden.

Wednesday was National Letter of Intent signing day, and in what is becoming a trend with Weber lately, has been getting some good, quality recruits to come to Illinois. This year is no exception, as 4 four-star athletes signed on the dotted line to play for Weber. What is more remarkable about this is that they are all from the Chicago area, and with the last 2 classes beginning to make an impact, the idea of stacking classes gives fans in Illini Nation reason to have hope. Tracy Abrams, a guard from Chicago Mt. Carmel, headlines the class, followed by Nnanna Egwu from St. Ignatius Prep. 6'6 wing Mychael Henry hails from Orr High School, and was a later bloomer that attracted Weber's attention last season, and the last recruit to make it official was Michael Shaw, who is from DeLasalle Institute. All of these players should add to the current squad quite nicely, and will attempt to fill the void when the Illini lose McCamey, Tisdale, Davis and Bill Cole next season. Does the question still rage that Bruce Weber cannot recruit? I'll let you be the judge of that one.

Illini women's coach Jolette Law also signed a good recruiting class, headlined by Ivory Crawford of Proviso East High School. Two more players from the state of Illinois will play next season for Law, those being Kierra Morris of Morgan Park Academy and Taylor Tuck of Bolingbrook HS. Law also snagged two players from the state of New York in Nia Oden (Christ the King HS, Brooklyn) and Alexis Smith (St. John the Baptist HS, West Islip). This class, combined with what is currently at Illinois, should give them some added depth. As has been the case over the past several years with the women's program, there are some issues with one of the players. Adrienne GodBold has been suspended 6 games for a violation of team rules, while Kersten Magrum will miss some time as well due to an injury. Those absences didn't seem to stop the Illini in their lone exhibition win, a 100-37 triumph over Division II foe Kentucky Wesleyan on Tuesday night at the Assembly Hall. Karisma Penn led 7 Illini players in double figures with 18 points, and recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds. Junior Lana Rukavina also had a double-double, scoring 17 points and carroming 10 boards. The Illini open the regular season on Friday evening when they host the Illinois State Redbirds at the Assembly Hall.

Finally, Illini women's volleyball is still very much in the driver's seat for the Big Ten title, and this weekend's matches at Ohio State and Penn State could go a long way in making that claim a reality. Coach Kevin Hambly also signed some good recruits for next season, inking four new players. They are as follows: Jocelynn Birks (Lyons Township HS), outside hitter Morgan Criswell (Decatur LSA), 6'6 blocker/right side hitter Liz McMahon (West Liberty Twp, Lakota West HS in Ohio), and Ali Stark (Mt. Vernon, Iowa). These four recruits, in addition to what Hambly already has, should keep the Illini in contention for the forseeable future.

See, not too much going on, is there? That's it for this week.

Get Your Bowling Shoes On?

2010-11-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

They say defense wins championships. They may be on to something.

The Fighting Illini football team inched one step closer to becoming bowl eligible by defeating Purdue rather handily last Saturday at Memorial Stadium 44-10, but the most intriguing part of the whole game was the attendance. Where in the world was everybody? Granted, the Illini have not had the level of success that, say, Michigan or Ohio State have had over the past decade, but to give Ron Zook and his team the benefit of the doubt, this is a team that is now 5-3 on the season and knocking on the door of bowl eligibility. They have made significant strides during the season, and that can be attributed in large part to the work of the defense under new coordinator Vic Koenning. I have heaped praise for Koenning before in this blog, and I will continue to do so until he gives me reason not to. The Illini defense has risen to the occasion more often than not in 2010, and while the offense has sputtered in several games, it has been the defense that has sustained much of the momentum and spurred the Illini on to victory in those games. In the win against the Boilermakers, the offense finally showed signs of life, as quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase completed 16 of 20 passes for 195 yards and threw 4 touchdown passes, all to different receivers. Among the recipients of the touchdown grabs were freshman Darius Millines, who caught his first collegiate touchdown, and A. J. Jenkins, who caught his fourth of the season. Mikel Leshoure, who was held to just 23 yards rushing on 15 carries, did manage to get in the endzone 3 times, twice via the run and once on a pass from Scheelhaase. But, before I get too far off on the tangent of my rant, back to the crowd.

Folks, this is a pretty decent football team that comes out week to week, but you wouldn't know it by the size of the crowd at most home games. Maybe fans are still reluctant to come out and spend money to see this team in action, or it could be other factors as well. With high school football entrenched in their playoffs now, that probably kept some people away that might normally would have attended. But, the student section in the north end zone wasn't even full, which tells me one of two things: either the students don't want to support their peers, or they would just as soon watch from a local watering hole, apartment or dorm. The bottom line here is there is just one home game left, and by that time, the Illini could be either looking at becoming bowl eligible, or already there, primed to improving their bowl game options. The next step in the process is a tall order, as the Illini head to Ann Arbor, Michigan to take on the Michigan Wolverines at the "Big House". (11:00 AM Central Time, ESPN). Michigan Stadium seats 113,000, and you can bet it will be a full house waiting to greet the Illini. Michigan themselves have fallen on some hard times in recent years, but at 5-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten, they will have a packed house. I just wish I could say the same for the fans here at Illinois. But, I digress. Winning on a consistent basis will ultimately bring the fans back, so until that occurs, I guess we should expect near capacity crowds cheering this team on to victory.

Bruce Weber and his Fighting Illini basketball team began their season this past week with two exhibition games, marking the earliest that an Illini team has hit the court to begin a season. The opponents, both Division II foes, and from the Great Lakes Valley Conference, no less, proved to be more of a challenge for the Illini than they ever dreamed possible. The first game, against Lewis University, was tight the entire contest, and a late surge by the Illini finally allowed them to prevail 75-65. A lot can be said for these exhibition games, because as I stated last week, it means more to the team coming in to play Illinois than it does for the Illini themselves. As Weber said, "they have designed plays to work against us, and we are just concerned about getting bodies in and out". The same held true for the second opponent, Southern Indiana, as they came in an stayed close with the Illini for the majority of the game, before falling 76-67. Screaming Eagles coach Rodney Watson, who was an assistant under Weber when he was at Southern Illinois, knows Weber's style pretty well, and even ran some plays that Weber developed while in Carbondale. There is some cause for concern, given the high expectations of this team before the season, but they are just that, expectations. You have to realize that this is a team that missed the NCAA Tournament last season, and are ranked #13 in the pre-season poll without even playing a game that counts. Senior Demetri McCamey was virtually non-existent against Southern Indiana, going 0-6 from the field and only scoring 3 points on the night. Weber says that things are not going the way they intended them to right now, but the next couple of weeks will determine how far this team has come. They take the court 3 times next week, beginning play in the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. The first two games of this classic will be at the Assembly Hall, with the Illini taking on UC Irvine on Monday, followed by Toledo on Wednesday. The Illini welcome Weber's former school, Southern Illinois next Saturday evening, then will head towards the Big Apple the following weekend to play Texas, then either Pittsburgh or Maryland. Hopefully the Illini can get their act together before then.

The Fighting Illini volleyball team continues to roll right along through the season, as they went 3-0 this past week and maintained their stranglehold on the top spot in the conference. Wins over Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin have propelled the Illini to a 20-3 overall record and 12-1 in league play. Even though they have a 2 match lead in the conference standings, they must go on the road for 5 of their last 7 matches and will do so without the services of their leader, Laura DeBruler, who is lost for the season with an ACL injury. However, other players such as Johannah Bangert, Jennifer Bonilla and Michelle Bartsch have filled in nicely during DeBruler's absence, and will do everything they possibly can to keep the Illini in the top spot. The Illini travel to Northwestern on Friday evening for their only contest of the weekend.

That's all I got for this week. Stay warm!

2010-10-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

What a difference a few months make. At the beginning of the year, nobody really knew what the Illini football team would be like, but so far, after 7 games in the books, it has been a pleasant surprise. Now, they are just 4-3 in those games, but when you consider who the 3 losses were to, it makes the success of this team that much more evident. Missouri, who was the Illini's first loss of the season, is 7-0 and just defeated Oklahoma, who was ranked #1 in the country. The Tigers check in at #8 in this week's USA Today/ESPN Top 25 coaches poll. Ohio State, who dealt the Illini their second defeat of the season, was ranked #1 for a week themselves, and at 7-1, are ranked 10th in this week's poll. The third team to beat the Illini this season, Michigan State, is also undefeated at 8-0 and are currently ranked #5 in the nation. What does all of this mean? Well, for starters, the 3 losses that Illinois has endured have all been quality losses, and certainly will help their cause, should they become bowl eligible. That will happen in 2 more wins, which would be a major accomplishment, given projections at the beginning of the season. So, how do the Illini get those 2 wins to become bowl eligible, you say? Well, for starters, beating Purdue on Saturday will help (11:00 am, ESPN2). Out of the remaining games left, Minnesota and Northwestern stand the best chance of being that elusive sixth win. But don't ask Ron Zook or his players about bowl eligibility, because they are not focusing on it. Not now. They are just taking one game at a time, which is the way it should be. They cannot get too concerned with going to a bowl, because if they do, then that becomes the focus and they lose sight of what is in front of them. Purdue comes into the contest with the Illini at 4-3 as well, but a notch better than the Illini in Big Ten play at 2-1. The Boilermakers are having some injury issues of their own, as starting quarterback Robert Marve was lost for the season a few weeks ago, and redshirt freshman Rob Henry took over the starting job. However, Henry, too, suffered an injury in Boilers' 49-0 loss to Ohio State, so true freshman Sean Robinson may end up starting against the Illini. Zook doesn't know who will start, so he is preparing for both of them, just to be safe. Robinson is not a stranger to Zook, as he was recruited by Illinois, but ended up signing with Purdue. Robinson is from Rochester, Illinois. If the defense continues its stellar play as of late, the Illini will inch ever closer to becoming eligible for a bowl. But don't tell Zook that I said that.

Since the 2004-05 Fighting Illini basketball team that came one game from being crowned national champions has there been this much hype to begin a season. The Illini return essentially everyone from a team that just missed the NCAA Tournament a year ago, and bring in a talented freshman class that most certainly will test the veterans. Returning starters from a year ago include forward Mike Davis and center Mike Tisdale, while sharpshooting guards Demetri McCamey and D. J. Richardson return to the lineup as well. All but Richardson are seniors, but the hardly matters to coach Bruce Weber, who has just as much talent on this year's team than the Final Four team. The major story for this team, however, are the 3 freshmen who will be making their debuts for the Illini this year. Much hearalded recruit Jereme Richmond, who has been on board Bruce Weber's train since before he started high school, leads the pack, but is followed closely by 7'0 big man Meyers Leonard, who hails from downstate Robinson. Rounding this triumverate of talent is Crandall Head. Yep, that Crandall Head, the younger brother of former Illini Luther Head. These three players are already beginning to push the upperclassmen, which should lead to quite a battle once the season begins. Weber said on Tuesday that he may go with a different starting lineup each half of the exhibition game against Lewis University, just to try some different combinations. Also pushing for playing time are guards Brandon Paul and redshirt freshman Joseph Bertrand. Bill Cole, who started quite a few games last season after making major progress from the previous year, may start out in that role, but the position is essentially up for grabs and is anyone's for the taking. Finally, Tyler Griffey returns for his sophomore campaign, destined to keep making his mark. With all of this at Weber's disposal, a good season is forecast, which should create a lot of interesting battles for positions. Stay tuned.

The women's team will look remarkably different this year, as compared to last year. Gone are Jenna Smith and Lacey Simpson to graduation, and Fabiola Josil is gone due to transferring from the school. The result of this is no seniors on the current roster, and a couple of incoming freshmen that could have an immediate impact. Juniors Eboni Mitchell, Lana Rukavina and Macie Blinn will anchor a young team that has a challenging schedule, one that head coach Jolette Law thinks will benefit them in the long run. Lydia McCully, Karisma Penn and Adrienne GodBold, who all saw significant minutes a season ago, also return to try and help the Illini get back to the NCAA Tournament, somewhere they haven't been since the 2002-03 season. The freshmen that will help get this team back on track are Centrese McGee and Alexis Burke, two talented players. Now the hope is that these young players will stay with the team and not leave to go elsewhere, which has been the case more over the past few seasons.

As if there wasn't enough going on around campus this weekend with basketball and football, there is also a volleyball team that is making some headlines as well. Kevin Hambly has the Illini in first place in the Big Ten, and they host a huge match on Friday night against Michigan, the only team to defeat the Illini in conference play this season. The Illini carry a 9-1 league mark into Friday's match with the Wolverines, and will also play host to the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday evening. Both matches are at Huff Hall and start at 7:00 pm.

There you have it, a busy, busy weekend of sports on the horizon. Get out and enjoy a game!

A Step In The Right Direction

2010-10-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

Things are actually beginning to look up for Ron Zook and his Fighting Illini football team. Before Saturday's victory at Penn State, the Illini had never won in Happy Valley, and even though this is not your typical Penn State team loaded with star-studded talent, a win nonetheless, is still a win. The Illini took a big step with the victory over the Nittany Lions, but in the immortal words of Zook "they are still not where they want to be". Sure, the offense finally showed some signs of life, and quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase resembled the quarterback that everybody envisioned him to be, but Penn State is down from their glory years, and it appears that the talent level has fallen. Mikel Leshoure once again topped the century mark in rushing yards, and has made himself one of the players that other teams target when they prepare for this offense. Perhaps the most surprising element of this year's team has to be the defense, and it's major improvement over a season ago. Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning has done wonders with this unit, and I have said it before, and I'll say it yet again, that despite all the injuries to this unit, they have made significant improvements week in and week out. Before the season began, I didn't give this team much of a chance, thinking they would go 4-8 at best. Now, after 5 games, they have a winning record at 3-2, and the inevitable talk of the 'b' word has begun to surface. Yes, with upcoming games against Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota and Northwestern looming, the thought of a December or January game is a distinct possibility, providing that they can get 3 wins out of the final 7. Am I getting ahead of myself here? Perhaps. Will I be accused of "drinking the orange and blue kool-aid"? Possibly. My point here is that this team is better than I thought they would be, and better than most of Illini Nation figured on when Camp Rantoul began back in August. Of course, all of this could take a huge step backward if they go to Michigan State and lay an egg on Saturday (11:00 am, Big Ten Network). The Spartans are co-leaders of the Big Ten at 6-0 overall and 2-0 in league play, and are coming off a big win at the Big House in Ann Arbor over Michigan. Michigan State has endured some hardship in recent weeks, as their head coach, Mark D'Antonio, suffered a heart attack after the Notre Dame game, and has been off the job for a few weeks. That has not stopped them in their tracks, and D'Antonio should be back on the sidelines this week against the Illini. For the Illini to come away with another road victory and shock the nation, they need to keep doing the things they have been doing, and maybe even step it up a notch or two. After the Spartans, the schedule lightens a little bit with home games against Indiana and Purdue, then a trip back to Michigan to face the Wolverines. We shall see what happens.

That bouncing ball sound you hear? Must signal the start of basketball season for both the men and the women's teams at the University of Illinois. The teams held their annual media day festivities on Tuesday at the Ubben Sports Complex, and the assembled media got a chance to hear both Bruce Weber and Jolette Law speak about their teams, and interview the players on the men's team. There is a sense of excitement about Weber's 8th Illini team, and the team wants to remove the bad taste from last year's stinging defeat to the Dayton Flyers in the 3rd round of the NIT. A talented group of seniors, meshed with a sophomore class that saw a lot of action as freshmen a year ago will look to move the ball up and down the court. Add in a heralded group of freshmen, and this team has great potential to advance far in the NCAA Tournament. I know it is only October and the season is yet to officially begin, but based on intital reports and workouts, this team is athletic and will be flexible enough to move players in and out of the lineup with relative ease. Your first look at this year's Illini squad comes on Friday night at Huff Hall, when "Illini Basketball Madness" takes center stage. The event, which is free to the public, will begin a little after 10:00 pm, after the volleyball match against Purdue. The arena will be cleared after the volleyball match, then doors to Huff will open at 10:00. Fans that attend the volleyball match will be given first chance to get back in line to get the best seats for the basketball event, and some of the items on the agenda for the evening include a three-point shooting contest, a slam dunk contest, and a scrimmage featuring the men's team. You will want to get there early, because when Huff Hall reaches capacity, there will be nobody else admitted. Why hold the event at Huff you ask? Huff Hall is a more intimate environment, and the DIA wants to create an atmosphere for the fans and recruits on hand. There are a lot of future Illini expected to attend, as well as potential recruits as well. Maybe even a few surprises too! This event is a showcase of the program, and holding it at the Assembly Hall just doesn't offer the intimacy that Huff does. Regardless, it should be a good environment and I am looking forward to seeing Jereme Richmond in the slam dunk event. Be looking for an official preview of both the men's and women's teams coming in the next couple of weeks to the Illini Guy Report.

Now, on to volleyball. If Coach Kevin Hambly didn't have bad luck, he'd have no luck at all. Senior Laura DeBruler, who missed several matches earlier in the season after a bout with mononucleosis, suffered a knee injury at Michigan last weekend, and will miss the remainder of the season with an ACL tear. DeBruler ends her Illini career ranked first in kills and attacks all-time at Illinois, and seventh all-time in digs. This loss is especially devastating to Hambly and the Illini, as they begin a crucial part of their Big Ten season, tied for first with Michigan (#15 nationally), and Northwestern (#20). On the docket for this weekend is Purdue on Friday night and Indiana on Saturday evening. Staying up at the top now is the main concern for the Illini as they work toward their goal of winning their first Big Ten volleyball title since 1992.

That's all I got for this week. More on these topics, including an official recap of the Illini Madness event will follow next week. Until then.

October: Crossover month

2010-10-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

October is here! Time for falling leaves, cooler temperatures, and the beginning of the crossover of sports seasons at the University of Illinois. Football season is in full swing, as is women's volleyball and soccer, and soon enough, both men's and women's basketball will commence, giving the typical Illini fan a plethora of events to pick and choose from. But, not to get ahead of myself, a quick review since my last entry.

The "History at Huff" event featuring the women's volleyball team hosting #2 Penn State was everything it was advertised about and much more. On that chilly evening a couple of weeks ago, the Illini did something that nobody had been able to do in 65 matches, and that was defeat the Nittany Lions in a match. In front of a packed house and a Big Ten Network television audience, the Illini took care of the Lady Lions in 5 games to finally break the stranglehold that Penn State had on the Big Ten. Not wanting to be outdone the next night, they swept Ohio State in 3 straight games to make a productive weekend that much more enjoyable. In a weekend that saw the football team enjoy a week off, Kevin Hambly's team took center stage, and lived up to the hype. Laura DeBruler, who had been out with mono for the past few matches, came back with a venegance to help lead the Illini to victory. Since that match, the Illini have defeated Wisconsin in Madison (4 games) and Northwestern (5 games) to run their record to 12-2 overall and in position to crack the top 5 in the national rankings. Up next, a trip to Michigan to play both the Wolverines and Spartans this coming weekend. Hambly has done a wonderful job thus far as bench boss, and the future continues to look up as they make their mark in the Big Ten.

After enjoying their bye week, the Fighting Illini football team welcomed the #2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes to Memorial Stadium last Saturday, and despite the success that Illinois has had over the Buckeyes the past few years, nobody gave them much of a chance. Considering that the Illini have not beaten the Buckeyes in Champaign in nearly 20 years certainly didn't lend any credibility their way. You have to give credit to defensive coordinator Vic Koenning for getting his unit in a much better position this year to at least stay in games with teams instead of the other way around. After all, he hasn't had much to work with, what with injuries and defections. Still, the Illini made a valiant effort against the Buckeyes, but ultimately fell 24-13. There has been a lot of speculation about one particular play toward the end of the game, mainly a disagreement whether or not they should have gone for a first down, or tried the field goal, which is what they did. Zook's philosophy was to kick the field goal to get the points, rather than go for the first down and get the touchdown. They needed 2 scores anyway to win the game, and judging by how the offense has performed under these conditions, didn't see that happening. Plus, the Buckeyes could have gone right back down and scored a touchdown of their own, which is what eventually ended up happening. Now, I'm a proponent of not leaving points on the field, but in certain situations, you have to go for it and take your chances. Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino was quoted this week as well, saying he would have kicked the field goal. This statement leads me to believe that it was Zook's decision, and his alone, to make that call. Still, the Illini lost, and you cannot justify what would have happened if the other decision was made.

Up next for the Illini, a trip to Happy Valley for a meeting with the Penn State Nittany Lions and legendary coach Joe Paterno on Saturday morning (11:00 am, Big Ten Network). The Illini have never won in State College, and even though this is not one of the more powerful Penn State teams as in recent memory, it will still be a tough task. They have one of the conference's leading rushers of all-time in Evan Royster, and if the Illini don't figure out how to move their offense besides Mikel Leshoure, it could be a long day in PA.

The Illini women's soccer team is also enjoying a good season, currently sporting a 10-2-1 record as they go into Madison this coming weekend for a match against the Wisconsin Badgers. The Illini swept the Indiana schools last week, defeating Purdue (4-1) and Indiana (2-1) to stay near the top of the conference standings. Vanessa DiBernardo continues to lead the Illini in goals scored with 9, recording 4 of those against the Boilermakers and Hoosiers to garner Big Ten Player of the Week honors for the week.

October also signals the start of basketball season, and in these parts, expectations continue to run high for the men's team. It seems that, even during football season, all people want to talk about is basketball and what the team will do this season. Thankfully, Illini fans don't have much longer to wait for the answer to that question, as the official start to the season is slated for Friday evening, October 15 at Historic Huff Hall. The doors will open at 10 pm that evening after clearing the arena for the volleyball match, then once fans start coming in, will be able to come into Huff until it reaches capacity. Why not host it at the Assembly Hall, you say? Huff Hall is more compact, and thus, would be a better atmosphere than spacious Assembly Hall, which for some reason, never gets to capacity for such events. The evening will include a 3-point shooting contest, as well as the ever popular dunk contest. The night will conclude with a short scrimmage, signaling the official start of the first practice.

Not to be outdone, Jolette Law's women's basketball team will begin practice even earlier than Bruce Weber's men's team, taking to the court on Thursday, October 7. New rules permit womens programs to start 40 days before their first game, meaning the time is now for the Illini to begin workouts. However, Law will be looking for some leadership, as two of her leading scorers graduated in Jenna Smith and Lacey Simpson. A full preview of both hoops teams will be coming up in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for that.

Yes, October is here. Get out and support the Illini by getting to a game, or two....or three.

100: Just a number.

2010-09-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

Looking at my blog posts from the past, I have come to discover that this entry will be post #100. A lot has happened since the first post, and I hope I have entertained and informed you with my insight on all things Illini. So, on to this week's banter.

Things are beginning to improve on the football field with Ron Zook's crew, and although the last two victories have been against in-state schools, it is, nonetheless, a start. With the 35-3 win over Southern Illinois a week ago, the Illini began to regain some of the momentum that it lost when they were defeated by Missouri. Then, last Saturday, the Illini had to withstand a late rally by the Northern Illinois Huskies to squeak out a 28-22 win at Memorial Stadium. The Illini haven't started out with a winning record since the 2008 Rose Bowl season, so anything positive is good news. Both the offense and defensive units seem to be improving, and coordinators Paul Petrino and Vic Koenning appear to be getting their respective squads in check. Despite several injuries over the past few weeks, the health of the team is also improving, and it seems that Terry Hawthorne will be ready for Ohio State when they come to Champaign in two weeks. That certainly is good news for Koenning and his defense, who has been shuffling players in and out of the secondary since he went down. In fact, Jack Ramsey, who switched to defense due to the losses of Hawthorne and Supo Sanni, has switched back to wide receiver.

In the win over Northern Illinois, some old habits cropped back up, and other persistent issues became more evident as the season shifts into Big Ten mode. Once again, the tight end was not utilized, and not one ball was thrown their way. One of the things that Petrino stressed before the season was that he would throw their direction more, something his predecessor, Mike Schultz didn't do much of. Not sure the reason why, other than they weren't open or were being used to block on the line for Mikel Leshoure to do his damage. Leshoure scampered for 180 yards on 24 carries, proving that the Illini like to get it to their workhorse, or as Petrino refers to it as "FTS" (Feed The Studs). Some quick observations regarding quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase through the first 3 games have been a mixed bag. Yes, he is a good scrambler and can gain yards in bunches that way, but upon further review, it has come to my attention that he is Juice Williams without the arm strength. Juice could throw the ball down the field and so far this season, Scheelhaase has not proven that he can do the same. The next stretch of games beginning with Ohio State (Saturday, October 2nd, 11:00 am) are crucial to making this happen, as those teams will be keying on the run and forcing Scheelhaase to pass. I think that the Illini can stay with Ohio State, but how long depends on the success of moving the ball against the Buckeyes. They can score points in bunches, and the defense will need to step up in a big way in order to keep the Illini in the game. With the Illini enjoying their bye week this coming weekend, it gives the team a chance to heal some of those injuries and get healthier before Ohio State comes calling.

The stage is set for one of the biggest volleyball matches in recent memory this Friday evening at Huff Hall. The Illini will attempt to set an attendance record as they get closer to "History at Huff" when the #5 ranked Illini welcome #2 Penn State. The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has sold 1500 general admission tickets for the match, including selling tickets online for the first time for a volleyball match. The Illini have not had a sellout at Huff since 1992, and if ever there was an occasion to surpass that feat, then this is the time to do it. The Illini have had an up and down week leading up to the important match, losing in 5 games to Cincinnati and defeating Louisville in 4 games in the Big East/Big Ten Challenge last weekend in Louisville, Kentucky. The Illini have been without outside hitter Laura DeBruler for the past few matches, due to her having mononucleosis. They are set to get DeBruler back for the big match against the Nittany Lions. Here's hoping she is ready for the challenge and can stop Penn State's 65 match winning streak in the Big Ten that spans the past 3 seasons.

The stage is set for this week's activities. Here's to another 100 posts!

Mizzou aftermath and a look ahead to SIU

2010-09-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

Well, that was fun, now, wasn't it? The six year football series between Illinois and Missouri is now history, and the Tigers won all six games. This year, the Illini made it close, and for a half and some change, even led Missouri. The Illini, not expected to do much in the game because of a lean recruiting year, injuries to some key defensive players, and an inexperienced quarterback, suprisingly stayed with the Tigers for the better part of the game, but eventually wore down to a more experienced and determined team. Nathan Scheelhaase, who didn't do a terrible job in his first collegiate game, showed he has potential to scramble with the football. Some pundits have referred to him as "Juice Williams Light", or "Juice without the arm", which cannot be viewed as good news. Actually, I think he has a chance to be a special player, but as all college players go, needs some time to get comfortable. Something that was puzzling to me during the game was the inability to throw to the tight end, something that new offensive coordinator Paul Petrino promised they would do. Actually, only 3 receivers were utilized during the game, Eddie McGee, Jarrod Fayson and A. J. Jenkins. Petrino has a stud at the position in freshman Evan Wilson, so his philosophy of FTS (Feeding The Studs) didn't come to fruition. I don't think this was an oversight, but they could have looked his way at least once or twice during the game. When the Illini went into the locker room at the half with the lead, a sense of shock filled the pressbox at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis as to what everyone was witnessing. Could things be different? Former Illini and now Rams rookie tight end Michael Hoomanawanui arrived during the break and was as surprised as anyone. He stated that he was at Rams practice and had just gotten to the stadium, and was hoping that he didn't bring them bad luck. Well, that is another story altogether.

The running game is not an issue, as Mikel Leshoure carried the ball 20 times for 112, but didn't get in the endzone. The only touchdown the Illini scored was on a 13 yard pass to Jenkins from Scheelhaase that capped off an 8 play, 82 yard drive. The Illini looked decent, sure, but a loss is still a loss, and as Zook said after the game, he is judged by wins and losses, not by how the team looked for a portion of the game. The natives are getting restless, yes, but some of that feeling can subside the next couple of weeks with home victories against in-state schools. These wins are certainly not a given, and a loss in either game will be deemed unacceptable.

Speaking of unacceptable, that can be a good word to describe the actions of bandit defender Michael Buchanan, who was suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Apparently he was out late on Saturday evening and was stopped by campus police for a DUI. Such behavior has been an issue with Illinois athletes over the past few years, and this can only be bad news for a defense that keeps getting thinner by the day. Clay Nurse will step into the bandit position in Buchanan's absence, while Whitney Mercilus will move to the end position vacated by Nurse.

Illinois has a chance to get back on the winning track this Saturday when they host Southern Illinois at Memorial Stadium (6:30 pm, Big Ten Network). The Salukis are a power in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), or what was formerly known as Division 1-AA. SIU put 70 points up on Quincy University in their first game, and while it was a lesser opponent, according to Zook, "it is hard to score 70 points on air". The Salukis have some athletes on their team, and Zook said that there are some players on their roster that he would like to have on his team. They play a different style, and the Illini better be careful or they could be looking at an 0-2 start come late Saturday evening. Imagine how loud the catcalls will be then.

Perhaps the most exciting action on campus right now is taking place in Huff Hall with the Illini volleyball team. Kevin Hambly has his squad playing very well right now, and they are coming off one of the most important wins in the program in recent memory. The Illini spikers went into Austin, Texas last weekend and knocked off the #2 Texas Longhorns. That win moved them up to #3 in the recent poll, and they have another stern test awaiting them this weekend when they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to play in a tournament involving #20 Dayton, #7 Nebraska, and Western Michigan. If the Illini can come out on top in this tourney, they will be creating momentum for the big showdown on September 24th when top-ranked Penn State comes to Huff Hall. More on this as it becomes available.

The Illini women's soccer team has been having a measure of success as well, going 5-1-1 through their first 7 games of the 2010 season. The Illini will conclude their non-conference road schedule this weekend with a trip to Cincinnati. The fast start by Janet Rayfield's squad has earned them the top ranking in the Great Lakes Region, the first such ranking in the program's history.

More from campus next week.

It's Game Week!

2010-08-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

The long three weeks of Camp Rantoul is now history and classes have started at the University of Illinois, so that can mean only one thing: Let There Be Football! Ron Zook leads his Fighting Illini football team into the Edward Jones Dome this Saturday to battle the Missouri Tigers in what amounts to the final installment of the State Farm Arch Rivalry between the two schools. The series hasn't exactly been kind to the Illini, as they have been defeated by Missouri every time in the five year history of the series. So, in a sense, you can say that the Illini are kind of glad to see this rivalry come to an end. The Illini have undergone a lot of changes since last season ended, so you may not recognize what you see on the field come Saturday. Several new coaches, as well as a host of new players will make their debut, and to add insult to injury, literally have had some bad luck with players getting hurt coming out of camp. First there was offensive lineman Corey Lewis, who sustained an injury in spring ball and will miss the entire season. Then, safety Supo Sanni, who was penciled in to start in the secondary for the opener, fell victim to an injury of his own and will miss the season as well. Next to go down was tight end/fullback Zach Becker, who sustained yet another stress fracture in his foot, the third such injury to sideline Becker since his high school days at St. joseph-Ogden. Becker is likely to miss up to 3 weeks, but said he might be back for the Ohio State game. If that wasn't enough to make you shake your head, sophomore cornerback Terry Hawthorne hurt his foot, and will miss 4-6 weeks. According to reports that have surfaced within the past week, Hawthorne had this injury during Camp Rantoul and neglected to say anything about it, hoping it would get better on its own. According to Zook, prior knowledge of the injury could have prevented any further damage and kept him playing instead of looking from the sidelines.

So, where does these chain of events leave the Illini? Consider this: some offensive players are now moving to the defensive side of the ball in order to fill needed spots for the opening game. Converted wide receiver Jack Ramsey is now playing cornerback, and running back Justin Green will also be switched to the corner position. Ironic as it is, Green was recruited by Ohio State as a defensive back and was rumored headed there before the Illini stepped in and offered him a chance to play running back, which he wanted to do. So, it is no suprise that Green was a logical choice to make the switch. Freshman wideout Steve Hull will also switch sides of the ball and play safety in place of Sanni. This puts the secondary on a thin basis, and no doubt the Missouri offense will try and test the Illini early and often. Blaine Gabbard, the Tiger quarterback, had a great game last season against Illinois and all signs point to the same type of success happening.

It is apparent that the Illini get off to a good start this season, because another lackluster start like they have had the previous few seasons (the Rose Bowl year nonwithstanding), will simply not be good enough. The natives are getting restless in Illini Nation, and a 1-2 or even 0-3 start out of the gate may put some people over the edge and the calls for Zook's head may get louder still. Not saying that this will happen, but it is entirely possible for the Illini to go down to St. Louis on Saturday and get pummeled again, then come home with their heads between their legs and get beat by SIU. Momentum is key here, and a slow start to the season will kill any hopes of getting to a bowl. These latest injuries certainly do not help matters any, but we will just have to wait and see what transpires as a result. At this point, it's anyone's guess.

The Big Ten is set to announce the conference divisions on Wednesday night, and the Big Ten Network will cover the announcement live on its channel beginning at 6:00 pm central time. Be listening to WGCY or go online to listen around the world at www.wgcyradio.com for the latest regarding this. So much speculation has been generated by this, and it is almost time to find out what will be the result. In the meantime, did I mention it's Game Week?

Getting Defensive - Literally

2010-08-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

It is often said that defense wins championships. Judging from the performance of the Fighting Illini defensive unit the past couple of seasons, that might stand the reason why you don't see too many championship trophies in the football office complex. The Illini will look somewhat different on defense this season, and leading the charge is Vic Koenning, who takes over the defensive coordinator duties and also coaches the defensive backs. Koenning comes from Kansas State, where he spent last season coaching the Wildcats as a co-defensive coordinator. Koenning has been a head coach in the past, taking the reins at Wyoming from 2000-2002. He inherits a defensive unit that gave up a lot of points in 2009, and at some times last season, it didn't matter how many points the offense scored because the defense would give up just as many, or in some cases, even more. Koenning has vowed to change the philosophy of the mindset that people have about the state of the defense.

Anchoring the defensive line will be returning starters Clay Nurse and Cory Liuget. Michael Buchanan, Akeem Spence, and Daryle Ballew will also see quite a bit of action up front. The linebacking corps has potential and want to get the reputation back as being known for Illinois producing great linebackers. Back after an injury last season is Butkus Award candidate Martez Wilson, who looks ready to resume his fine Illini career. Ian Thomas and Dustin Jefferson are also expected to contribute heavily, as is Justin Staples and Nate Palmer. Early in training camp, a true freshman has emerged at the linebacker spot in Jonathan Brown. Brown has looked very good thus far, and could very well challenge some of the veterans at the two-deep spot before the season begins. Senior Aaron Gress will also see significant playing time, as will freshman Austin Teitsma, who reminds me a little bit of Brit Miller.

Probably one of the deepest areas of the entire defense lies in the secondary, where there are several players vying for just a handful of positions. Returning starters Tavon Wilson and Nate Bussey anchor this group of players, while Terry Hawthorne and Supo Sanni also will be on the first team defense. Miami Thomas, who has battled injuries during his brief Illini career, hopes to make it an entire season healthy, but after having surgery on both knees the past couple of seasons, is a step slow and therefore, may not contribute as much as originally planned. Also expected in the mix are Joelil Thrash, Ashante Williams, and Travon Bellamy. Walt Aikens, who had some off the field issues that led to a suspension earlier in the summer, has been cleared to practice for the time being, pending the University investigation into the reason why he was suspended. Therefore, the jury is out whether or not he will be there to contend for any playing time. Junior college transfer Trulon Henry, who happens to be the older brother of NFL rookie Arrelious Benn, is expected to start at one of the corners, and even wears the same number as his brother. In talking with him before training camp, he actually wanted to wear number 6, but Chris James had that one already spoken for, so he turned the number upside down and went with 9. Also looking to fit into the mix are Patrick Nixon-Youman and late signee Fritz Rock. As deep as the secondary is, the main concern is whether or not these individuals will be able to make the plays to keep the offense in games.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years, you realize that the defense has been very porous over the previous seasons, and expectations are not very high as the team continues their Camp Rantoul session. Heading into the Missouri game each season, one wonders when they will turn it around and start the season on a winning note.

Coming next week, a look at the special teams units and a full report on the goings on at Camp Rantoul as the Fighting Illini wrap up training camp and head back to campus to begin classes for the 2010 Fall Semester.

2010 Fighting Illini Football Preview - Part 1

2010-08-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

In the weeks leading up to the start of the 2010 season when the Illini play in St. Louis against the Missouri Tigers, I will be heading up to Camp Rantoul several times to look at the current Illini squad and offer my take on what I see unfolding. Here is the first such installment after taking in workouts earlier this week. What follows is the offensive preview for the upcoming season:

The offense that Illinois trots out on the field on September 4th at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis will look vastly different than squads of the past. Gone is Juice Williams, and for a lot of Illini faithful, the consensus is good riddance. Enter Nathan Scheelhaase, a redshirt freshman from Kansas City, Missouri who is much smaller than the aforementioned Williams, but apparently more mobile in the pocket. Experience will be an issue with Scheelhaase, as he is one of three quarterbacks on the roster that has never thrown a collegiate pass. Backing him up are true freshmen Chandler Whitmer and Miles Osei, the latter of which seems likely to redshirt this season. Don't be surprised to see Eddie McGee take some snaps as well, as he worked out under center a little last week.

Running the ball shouldn't be an issue for the Illini, as they return their top 4 rushers from a year ago. Led by Mikel Leshoure and Jason Ford, the ground game seems poised to continue its greatness under new offensive coordinator Paul Petrino. When Petrino was introduced as the new OC last spring, he unveiled his philosophy to "Feed The Studs", or FTS as he so mildly put it. With horses such as Leshoure and Ford, that shouldn't be a problem. Also returning to the mix is Troy Pollard and Justin Green, who are both fully healed and should be ready to contribute. Added to the mix is redshirt freshman Bud Golden, who may be asked to fill in on certain situations.

On the receiving end of things, gone is Arrelious "Regus" Benn to the NFL, but a stable of speedsters remain. Catching the ball may be the toughest part with this group, and here's hoping that Scheelhaase can get the rock to them. Chris James, Jarrod Fayson, and A. J. Jenkins anchor the cast returning for one more go at it. It was Jenkins that was here, then all but gone from the program, then back again. He said that it was the philosophy of the new offensive coordinator that played a huge part in his decision to return to the team, and thinks he can catch a lot of passes as a result. Added to the mix of this talented group are Fred Sykes and true freshman Steve Hull, as well as a pair of players from the Sunshine State with blazing speed, Darius Millines and Ryan Lankford. Head Coach Ron Zook has said early on that several true freshmen may see action in the beginning of the season, and those two speedsters in particular may be among the ones that see action early. Rounding out the receiving corps are the tight ends, which can be used in several different capacities. They can block on the line, come out of the backfield as an H-Back, or go for the occasional pass as well. Early favorites at the position include local product Zach Becker, Justin Lattimore, and London Davis. Becker appears to be the favorite right now, and said that he will either come out of the backfield as a fullback, or be used in the tight end formation. Whatever the situation calls for and the coaches want, Becker is willing to contribute in any way that he can.

Of course, it all starts up on the offensive line, and those horses pave the way for the glamour position players to do their jobs. The O-Line is experienced, and should give Scheelhaase plenty of time to work. Jeff Allen and Randall Hunt anchor a line that has a lot of upside, and with Ryan Palmer, Hugh Thornton and Graham Pocic returning as well, should bolster the rotation pretty well. Add Corey Lewis and Craig Wilson in there as well, and you have some much needed depth for this group, that will need some breathers every now and then, especially early in the season when the temperature is still an issue. The offensive line has taken some heat in the past for not allowing Juice to move in the backfield like he was meant to do, but hopefully that mindset has passed and this year's group can put that behind them and move on to bigger and better things.

It is hard to predict how a team will do by simply watching them in training camp, but for a team that finished 3-9 a year ago, the prognosis is not rosy. There are a lot of undecideds about this particular Illini team, and as it has for the past few seasons, will begin on a neutral field against the Missouri Tigers on Labor Day Weekend. The excitement level has been there for the past 2 meetings, but soon has leveled off considerably once the lights went down and the team returned to reality. This year, the expectations are not nearly as high, so there is room for some optimism. The defense will play a huge role in that, and next week, I will break down the defense group by group and assess what needs to be done in order for the Illini to start the season off on a winning note. Until then.

Big Ten Football - Let the games begin!

2010-08-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

Now that the calendar has turned to August, most people's attention turn to the gridiron and the start of football season. Unless you are a fan of the Chicago White Sox or St. Louis Cardinals, this season cannot come soon enough. This season's Big Ten football campaign promises yet again to be another competitive one, with the usual band of suspects near the top regaining that status. The season officially kicked off on Monday and Tuesday with the Big Ten Media Days at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago. All 11 coaches, as well as commissioner Jim Delaney and director of officials Bill Carollo were available to the media for interviews. The top 3 teams, as selected by the attending media contingent, for the preseason included Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin in that order. No surprise that the Illini were nowhere near that list, and what follows is a brief snippet of all 11 coaches and their prospects on the upcoming season.

First on the podium was Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema. Bielema is beginning his fifth season at

the helm of the Badgers, and doesn't feel any immense pressure on being selected as the #3

team in the preseason conference standings. A main knock on Bielema in the past was not

being more media friendly, something he hopes to change this

season. Already during the summer,
he welcomed a television crew into his home for a cooking lesson, and played golf with a writer. Also thinks that the evolution of

social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have

changed the game a bit, anywhere from keeping track of players to interactions with fans. As far as his expectations for the season, they have a lot of fifth year seniors, led by their quarterback Scott Tolzien. The flux of experience will hopefully mean great things for Bielema and the Badgers this season.

The second coach to take the mike was Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Being the youngest coach in the league, he is once again dealing with another quarterback that has seen limited action in games. In regards to the Wildcats' meeting with the Fighting Illini at Wrigley Field in November, he likes the idea and thinks it will be nothing but a positive boos

t for the program, not to mention a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play on the same field as George Halas and Gale Sayers.Fitzgerald still thinks about the play in last season's Outback Bowl, and how it could have gone differently. But, it was just one of about 50 plays that could have gone either way and the game was more or less forgotten once he got off the plane after returning home.

Next to speak was Illinois coach Ron Zook. Zook, who is entering his seventh season as coach of the Fighting Illini, has faced some intense pressure over the summer, as recruiting took a bit of a downturn and several new coaches were hired to replace ones that were let go during the off-season. Still, Zook remains optimistic that they can rebound this

season said today that this season's team looks better on paper than the 2008 Rose Bowl team. Well, football games are not played on paper, they are played by little men inside your television set. Not sure who said that quote, but it was pointed out to me up in Chicago and I thought that this was a fitting occasion to use it. Quarterback will be a major question, as the top 3 signal callers on the roster have thrown a grand total of 0 passes between them. That being said, Eddie McGee, who converted to wide

receiver from quarterback last season, has the most experience of any player on the roster at that position. Not a good situation to be in, but hopefully Nathan Scheelhaase, who was named the starter earlier in the summer, can mature quickly and be the type of signal caller that he can be.

Speaking of hot seats, the next coach that came to the podium was Michigan coach Rich

Rodriguez. Rodriguez has endured much criticism during his short tenure, mainly because of not getting the job done. The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is one like no other, and often a coach's legacy is determined by how often they beat the other team. One wonders if Rodriguez cannot get the job done this season, how hot

the seat will get in Ann Arbor. The tradition that Michigan football brings speaks a lot, and Rodriguez said that one of the main concerns of the Wolverine fan base was for the team to win more games, something that he hopes to change. He went on to say that is is never easy as a coach to please everyone, and ever the showman, said that he would choose to go for 2 points almost always instead of kicking an extra point if the game was on the line. Statements like that certainly cannot endear him to the hostile Michigan fan base.

Michigan State's Mark D'Antonio was next on the list, and started off by saying that their team will pretty much evolve around Greg Jones, who was voted as the preseason defensive player of the year by the Big Ten media. The Spartans have a lot of depth returning, and are looking to

improve on a season that saw them go to yet another bowl game.

In D'Antonio's 3 seasons in East Lansing, they have been to a bowl game each and every year. The quarterback returns for Michigan State, Kirk Cousins, and has quite an array of receivers to go to. They return a stable of receivers, as well as all four tight ends from a year ago. The main concern, according to D'Antonio, will be at running back, where they saw five different players last season see action. Once that hurdle is cleared, the Spartans may very well be on the road to yet another bowl appearance.

Indiana's Bill Lynch was next on the dais, and his main concern was finishing games, citing they were about 12 plays from having a great season in 2009 and qualifying for a pretty good

bowl game. The Hoosiers return their quarterback,

Ben Chappell, as well as one of the top receivers in Tandon Doss.

In addition to catching the ball, Doss is down right dangerous on special teams, being the main returner on both punts and kickof

fs. Lynch said that once Doss catches the ball, he is tough to bring down, but getting him the ball will be the main concern. They worked very hard in the spring and summer, and brought in a

couple of junior college transfers at the corners in the secondary, which will no doubt bolster their defense.

Taking the stand next was Purdue coach Danny Hope, who was excited to report that they had over 90 players on campus during the summer workout sessions, so team chemistry will be key going into the season. He talked about the slow start that the

Boilermakers had in 2009, but also added that they finished strong, including a dramatic win over Ohio State in West Lafayette. Regarding expansion of the leafue, Hope said that he

welcomes the idea of new rivalry games, but also wanted the

current rivalry games with Indiana, Illinois and Michigan State to remain intact as well. The Boilers should be well represented at

running back and the receiver position, but the quarterback slot may be another story, as they are inexperienced there.

A fan and media favorite, Joe Paterno, took the podium next, and as usual, had the media in attendance in stitches with his quips and one-liners. Never one to shy away from a question, Joe Pa was cornered with the question that he seems to get every year, when he will step down as

coach of the Nittany Lions. And, the answer that he gives every year, is that he has no plans to retire. After all, he has been doing this for 44 years, and probably will continue until he can no longer coach effectively. When posed with the question of what he think

s about Nebraska coming into the league, he recalled when Penn State came into the league and relished the idea, much as he doe

s now with the Cornhuskers set to debut in 2011. One wish that

Paterno had was if the conference does any additional expansion, that they find a couple teams from the eastern part of the country to cut down on the travel expenses for the Nittany Lions. Sounds like a winner of an idea to me.

Minnesota coach Tim Brewster spoke next, and was very humbled to be following the legend that is Joe Paterno. Brewster, who played his collegiate ball at Illinois, has been trying to

improve the non-conference scheduling of the Gophers, and with USC coming to the Twin Cities this fall, thinks he is well on the way to accomplishing that goal. Often in the past, Minnesota had scheduled a light pre-conference schedule, only to falter down th

e stretch, but with the early cupcake slate, almost assuredly qualified for a bowl game. Brewster likes the idea of quality teams coming into their new home, TCF Bank Stadium, and wants to

show it off as much as possible. On the field, Adam Weber returns behind center and with a good recruiting class in the off-season, looks to get back to a bowl game sooner, rather than later.

Kirk Ferentz hit the podium next, and is second to Paterno in years of service inside the league, beginning his 12th season in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes were picked to finish second in the preseason by the media, and Ferentz understands the lofty expectations that come with that.

Offensively, the Hawkeyes have lost some linemen, but return quarterback Ricky Stanzi to lead the offense, James Vandeburg stepped in last season when Stanzi was injured, but going into fall camp it is Stanzi who will lead them. Ferentz hopes that they can replace some of the depleted linemen to help protect his signal caller. As most of the coaches today concurred, Ferentz likes the idea of expansion, and with Nebraska set to come aboard next

season, is excited of the instant rivalry that will be created from this game. Iowa and Nebraska border each other, and it could very well become a game along the lines of Ohio State and Michigan.

The final coach to speak was Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. Tressel, who is beginning his 1oth season in Columbus, knows that being the preseason favorite comes with a target on their backs. The Buckeyes also have the conference's preseason offensive play

er of the year in quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Tressel knows that they will get everyone's best shot when they play the Buckeyes, and even though they lost a lot of seniors last season, knows that they will bounce back, especially with Pryor leading the offense. Regarding the expansion question, Tressel likes the idea of new rivalries being created, but doesn't think that it will hurt the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry at all.

Later in the day, commissioner Jim Delaney met the media and pretty much gave the idea that there will be a Big Ten Championship game, starting as early as the 2012 season. Details are very sketchy at this point, and more information will definitely be forthcoming once Nebraska officially joins the league next July.

11 coaches, 1 exciting day of speculation. Yes, sports fans, football season is here!

Sign of the times?

2010-07-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

We are approximately one month out from the start of Camp Rantoul and the official beginning of the 2010 football season for the Fighting Illini. There are still a lot of unanswered questions regarding the team, but none more so than the puzzle with the assistant coaches, which took another turn last week with the announcement that newly hired tight ends coach Greg Nord was going back to the University of Kentucky, thus vacating the position that he had secured last December. The departure of Nord not only creates a void in the coaching staff this close to the beginning of the season, but also means that the recruiting coordinator is now up for grabs, since Nord held that position as well. What does THAT tell you? Not sure what this means, but it cannot bode well for recruiting as the Illini embark on yet another season that is important to Coach Zook and his current staff. Since the coaching exodus last fall, recruiting has fallen off, as several key commits have changed their minds and removed Illinois from their choices. Maybe the fact that the program has had just 3 winning seasons in the last 15 years is a big reason, but the decline of the level of recruiting cannot help this situation anytime soon. You've seen the numbers depicting what the new offense and defensive coordinators will be making this coming season, and with the state of Illinois in a financial catastrophe, this certainly doesn't help matters any. Now, given the fact the Nord is gone leaves the coaching staff with an important position to fill and not a whole lot of time to do it. Most likely, Dan Disch will take over the recruiting duties in a stopgap measure until a permanent hire is secured.

Since the Big Ten Conference has welcomed Nebraska starting in 2011, this puts the chances of the Illini rising in the conference at slim and none. Nebraska has been a successful program in the Big 8 and now Big 12 in the past, and the addition of the Cornhuskers will give perennial programs such as Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan another hurdle to climb when it comes to getting to the big bowl games. Other sports such as volleyball and men's basketball may in fact benefit the Illini, as the Nebraska program in other sports have not been nearly as successful than the football program. Still, it is a good thing for the conference, as it brings the total number to 12 (name change?), and will more than likely begin fueling debate over conference realignment into divisions. Early talk, however, has centered more on RPI rating over the last 1o years and less on geographical placement. More on this as it becomes available.

Illini Nation was once again represented well at the John Deere Classic in the Quad Cities, the closest venue for a PGA event in the state of Illinois. Four former Illini began the week in the tourney, and only one, defending champ Steve Stricker, regained his title by shooting a 4-day total of 258, good for 26 under par for the tournament. Fellow Illini alums Joe Affrunti (139), D. A. Points (139) and current Illini golf coach Mike Small (146), all missed the cut and was done for the weekend on Friday. Congrats to Strick on another PGA title!

Coming in August, the first of 3 previews on the upcoming football season as Camp Rantoul approaches. Stay tuned.

Summertime . . . . .Quiet times on campus

2010-06-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

The summer months on the University of Illinois campus tend to be quiet and uneventful. However, the last couple of months the Illinois sports teams have been in the news, and a couple of individual student/athletes have been creating quite a buzz in their respective sports. First, on the football side of things, the announcement of Nathan Scheelhaase as the starting quarterback entering Camp Rantoul has caused some fallout in the ranks. Jacob Charest, who saw some action last season when Juice Williams was benched, has decided to transfer closer to his North Carolina home, most likely because of the Scheelhaase verdict. This leaves true freshman Chandler Whitmer as the backup to Scheelhaase, so if there are any issues early on with the offense (and given the state of the program as of late, that is entirely possible), look for Whitmer to get his feet wet. Personally, I think that Charest made a premature decision by leaving, but I can see the issue from both sides. And, to add to the intrigue, it was announced earlier on Tuesday that former defensive lineman Josh Brent has decided to enter the NFL supplementary draft instead of trying to regain his eligibility. Brent enrolled at Parkland last spring as a measure to increase his grades, but according to a UI spokesman, didn't improve them as much as he needed to, and therefore, is exploring the NFL option instead.

On the basketball front, the men's program continues to point upward, while the women's program remains a question mark. Coach Bruce Weber got yet another commitment from Mychael Henry, which means that the program is in good hands for the distant future. With all of the interest in assistant coach Jerrance Howard lately, the Illini are in need to make a move to keep him in place. However, Jerrance's heart bleeds orange and blue, so that shouldn't be a problem. Howard has been courted by Coach John Calipari of Kentucky, where he was an assistant before coming to the Illini coaching staff. Howard played for the Illini and is a good candidate for a future head coach one day.

Another semester, another player dismissed from the Illini women's team. It really should come as no surprise, but freshman guard Brianna Jones has been booted by Jolette Law for a violation of team rules. Also announced earlier this week was the transfer of Fabiola Josil to North Florida. This has become a broken record of sorts, with the total of players leaving the program for one reason or another increasing on a yearly basis. Something needs to be done about this and quick, or else this program will remain in limbo and will never rise to the level that it is capable of.

Now for some better news. Illini junior Scott Langley made quite a splash in the golfing world recently. Langley won the individual title in the NCAA Tournament in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and then won a US Open qualifier in his home area of St. Louis to get to play with the pros at Pebble Beach. Langley finished the tournament at 8 over par, shooting a 292 for the weekend, giving him a tie for 16th place overall. Not a bad showing for the youngster, who insists that he will be back at Illinois for his senior season to try and help the Illini win the NCAA team title next season.

Finally, Illini track and field standout Angela Bizzari has completed a sensational season on the track, winning the Dike Eddelman award for the third time. This is unprecedented, and I am sure that she has an Olympic future in front of her. Bizzari had to withdraw from the 5000 meters at the NCAA Championships, citing a case of nerves as the culprit.

Enjoy the rest of the summer folks, as Camp Rantoul is only 50 days away!

Illini Draft hopefuls and other tidbits

2010-05-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

The local radio scene in Champaign-Urbana has a lot of information regarding the Fighting Illini, and with good reason. The main AM station is the flagship of the Illini Sports Network, and offers some good coverage of Illini sports of all kinds. While listening to the elder statesmen of the scene, Jim Turpin and Loren Tate one morning, they happened on to a topic that I couldn't agree more with; the fact that it seems to be basketball season all year round, or at least the main topic for sports talk radio. Even in the fall, when football season is upon us and Ron Zook's squad should reign supreme, for some reason people still want to talk about basketball. Maybe it has something to do with the way the respective sports have fared over the past few seasons, with the basketball team enjoying modest success, while the football team has not endured much success, except for a bowl appearance here and there. Basketball talk seems to be more interesting for people, what with recruiting issues, coaching banter, and potential NBA Draft picks, there is a lot to talk about. Normally, with football recruiting, that is centered around a certain time of the calendar year, while basketball recruiting seems to be more widespread.

Over the past few seasons, the Illini have missed out on most of the top recruits in the state of Illinois, and as a result, they have gone elsewhere to play their college ball. It seems like Illinois just cannot land that premiere player, although that trend might be changing just a bit. Jereme Richmond, who is one of the top players in the state, has been committed to the Illini since he was a freshman in high school. Richmond is set to enter Illinois this summer, bringing full circle a recuiting saga that has lasted well over 4 years. Two other incoming players , Meyers Leonard and Crandall Head, have not been on the radar nearly as long. Leonard was virutally unknown until his junior year, when he began to blossom into the player that he has become. He is now rated as one of the top 20 players to come out of the class of 2010, which is an added benefit to Coach Bruce Weber and his coaching staff. Head, the younger brother of former Illini Luther Head, has been heralded as a potential star, but injuries have limited his play over the past year, so he is a wait-and-see type of player that very well may be a redshirt candidate when he enrolls at Illinois later this year.

Football recruiting, on the other hand, has taken a serious hit over the past season. With the coaching staff shuffle on the football side of things taking place, some recruits that were all but signed, sealed and delivered, are no longer in the mix. This has given a sense of pessimism to the outlook for 2010, and people just don't seem to want to talk about most of the players that are in this incoming class. I talked about not being impressed at the Illini's spring football game for the players that are coming back, and really cannot see how most of these recruits will do anything to give the Illini any reasonable chance at attaining a bowl bid for this season, something that may save Ron Zook's job. Hopefully I am wrong about this feeling, but for now, that is the way I see it.

Back to basketball again, the Illini's chances to make a serious run for Houston in 2o11 got stronger on Saturday, when both Demetri McCamey and Mike Davis pulled their names out of the NBA Draft and will return to school for their senior seasons. McCamey, who would have remained in the draft if he was guaranteed a first round pick, didn't feel that it was likely to happen, and will attempt to elevate his stock by finishing out his career as an Illini. Davis, who more than likely was just testing the waters by exploring the NBA, probably didn't have that good of a chance to be drafted high, and will more than likely benefit from another year in the college ranks. A deep run is a possibility for the Illini if everything holds together, and with playing time limited for some, it remains to be seen if there will be any other transfers before the start of the season. We know that Stan Simpson is already gone, and Richard Semrau is not returning to max out his eligibility either, but with an influx of guards on this Illini team next season, one wonders what the future holds for a guy like Jeff Jordan. With Joseph Bertrand in the mix for next season, it really limits the field at that position. I guess we will just have to wait and see how this plays out over the summer. Yet another example of basketball talk reigning supreme.

Finally, to close this installment of the Illini Guy Report with a quick recap on the baseball and softball teams, two squads apparently going in different directions. The baseball team took 2 of 3 from Ohio State over the weekend in Columbus, and find themselves at 23-22 overall, yet just 8-10 in the Big Ten. They will host Purdue this coming weekend at Illinois Field for a three game set starting Friday evening. The games on Friday and Saturday will begin at 6:05 pm, while the series finale on Sunday is slated to start at 1:05. The softball team is enjoying their best season in school history, and despite a 3-2 loss to DePaul last Wednesday, are 39-6 overall and 12-2 in conference play. They will close the regular season at home this week against Purdue on Wednesday for a doubleheader, then single games this weekend on Friday and Saturday against Minnesota. There is still a good chance that the Illini will host either a first and second round matchup, or even a super regional. Stay tuned.

Hooray! It's Spring!

2010-04-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

No offense, but that Illini spring football game on Saturday was less than a stellar affair. All the hype building up during spring practice regarding the new coaches and their respective regimes finally was able to be seen, and if the performance on the field is anything reminiscent of what will take place in the fall, then some people have cause for worry. Gone are Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn, who are trying to ply their trades at the next level (more on this later on), and with the new coaching staff comes some new players as well. Starting at the quarterback position, Nathan Scheelhaase looks to be the person that will take the baton and carry on as the season begins in August. Scheelhaase ran plays with the first team offense, and while his numbers looked okay (11-2o, 126 yards passing), his perfomance stated otherwise. Scheelhaase threw two interceptions, and at times, was left scrambling in the backfield. It is apparent that Scheelhaase has the potential to be a good quarterback, but his trademark is his arm, and that was never really utilized during the game. His counterpart on the other side, Jacob Charest, was much worse, only completing 2 passes in 8 attempts for just 15 yards. Charest was sidelined for a good portion of the game with an ankle injury, which gave incoming freshman Chandler Whitmer a chance to get some action. Charest also threw two interceptions, and mis-handled a snap late in the ball game. Whitmer completed 7 of his 8 passes for 43 yards, including a 1o yard touchdown reception to Eddie Viliunas as time expired. Even though the quarterbacks were "off-limits" during the game, as evidenced by the white jerseys, Whitmer was in position to get sacked several times. On the ground, the result was much better and more encouraging, as Mikel Leshoure and Jason Ford led the way with 129 and 99 yards, respectively. Leshoure, who carried the ball 12 times, scored twice, including a 75 yard scamper that had to please Zook. Ford, who just had 6 carries, scored once on a 56 yard run down the sidelines. So much for the change in offensive structure.

But we had to see this coming, didn't we? As last season ended, the recruits started to de-commit, and even some of the players on the roster either left school or asked to be released from their scholarships. One such player was wide receiver A. J. Jenkins, who apparently had seen enough of what was going on and wanted his release. When Paul Petrino was hired as the offensive, it must have been enough to sway Jenkins to stay put. Good thing, On Saturday, Jenkins caught 6 passes for 95 yards, and may have jumped into the role of leading receiver. All this from a guy who was as good as gone a few short months ago. The crowd, which was announced as just under 6,000, looked a lot smaller, and the weather forecast was probably the blame for more fans not attending. The outlook doesn't look that good for 2o1o, but with some luck, this team may be lucky to win the 6 games it needs to become bowl eligible. A favorable non-conference schedule might be the saving grace, because the way the team is right now, they are not ready for what the Big Ten may throw at them.

Football at Wrigley Field? It's official! The Illini will play Northwestern at the Friendly Confines on Saturday, November 20, in the first football game to be held in the park since the Bears last played there nearly 50 years ago. The game, which will actually be a home game for the Wildcats, is sure to be a big draw and will also be a hot commodity for television, so look for a major network to pick the game up. Let's just hope that the teams warrant such exposure.

The NFL Draft has come and gone, and several Fighting Illini players were drafted and will try and take their game to the next level. Benn was taken in the second round (pick #39) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which was a bit disappointing for Regus, who thought he might go higher. A player that wasn't upset with his pick was Jon Asamoah, who was drafted in the third round (pick #68) by the Kansas City Chiefs. Asamoah almost sounded giddy on his teleconference, saying that this was a dream come true, although when he entered college at Illinois, didn't realistically think that this was ever an option. Finally, the final Illini player taken in the draft was Bloomington Central Catholic product Michael Hoomanawanui, who was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the 5th round (pick #132). Several players that went undrafted signed free agent contracts after the conclusion of the draft. Juice Williams signed with the Bears, wide receiver Jeff Cumberland signed on with the New York Jets, Daniel Dufrene signed with the New York Giants, and Chris Duvalt inked with the Seattle Seahawks. Once team mini-camps begin, it remains to be seen how far some of these players will continue on with these teams.

Finally, not to be left out, the Illini basketball team made some news over the past couple of weeks with a couple of players declaring for the NBA Draft. No surprise was Demetri McCamey, who has been toying with the idea for quite some time, but more peculiar was junior Mike Davis, who also declared. Neither player has hired an agent, so if they don't like what they are hearing about their draft prospects, they can return to school in the fall and resume their careers with Illinois. More on this later.

New York state of mind

2010-03-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Two down, and.........three to go? The Fighting Illini continued their run in the NIT Tournament with a convincing 73-58 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes on Monday night, and in the process, moved into the quarterfinals of the tourney and only need one more win to earn a return trip to New York, this time with a little more meaning. Rewind back to last week with me for a moment when the Illini traveled to Stony Brook, New York to battle the Stony Brook Seawolves on their home court, despite being given the #1 overall seed in the tourney. You see, a little thing called Cirq du Soleil was booked at the Assembly Hall, and Huff Hall on campus didn't have a regulation sized court. Plus, some goofy rule about games not being played at neutral sites in this tournament left no choice than to move the game to the opponent's floor, hence Stony Brook. This was a huge deal for the school, and they came out playing like it, too. But, in the end, the Illini were just too physical, and they eaked out a 76-66 victory, moving them into their matchup with Kent State.

Nobody was really excited to miss the NCAA Tournament and settle for the NIT, but there's an old adage that goes something like "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade". Can the same be said for apples? Or, in this case, The Big Apple? Spurned from the NCAA, the Illini made it their mission to play to win the NIT, and so far, they are holding up that claim. The next chink in the armor comes on Wednesday evening when the Illini host the Dayton Flyers (8:00 pm central time, ESPN2) in the third round, or as I like to call it, the quarterfinal round of the NIT. The winner of this game gets to play in Madison Square Garden in the Final Four. There are still some big names left in the NIT field, and the Illini have the possibility of running up against some of these teams down the road. They may even have some scores to settle with the teams for past meetings in the NCAA Tourney. Virginia Tech (2008 NCAA, loss), North Carolina (2005 National Championship, loss), and the game on Wednesday against Dayton (1982 NIT, loss and 1990 NCAA, loss). Previous records can be eliminated in these situations, but I thought it would still be fun to recount the past meetings that the Illini have had with the aforementioned schools and the sweet revenge that the possibility of winning an NIT Championship would be. Yes, I know it is not the "Big Dance", but it is still a trophy and all the players that I talked to after the Illini win on Monday night agrees with me.

Actually, the Illini have a chance to play on the parquet of MSG four times out of their next seven games, because the Illini will be in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York coming up in November. When the season ended in Indianapolis and the Illini were left out of the 65 team NCAA field, Coach Bruce Weber told the guys that this NIT opportunity was similar to an early season tournament for next season. All they are losing are Dominique Keller, who has seen limited action the past few weeks, Richard Semrau, who is leaving the program at season's end and never was much of a factor this year, and spiritual leader Bubba Chisholm. There may be another one or possibly two that might not return, but essentially the Illini remain intact for the 2010-2011 season, plus they will be adding 3 players to the mix and also getting Joseph Bertrand back from his redshirt season. All the more incentive to play as a team and get better, so that when they season officially starts, they can pick up where they left off. Literally.

Uusally only 3 teams end up winning their last game of the season, the eventual NCAA Champion, plus the NIT Champ and third-place winner. The Illini can possibly lay claim to the latter two scenarios, and they are just one win away from getting a chance to do so.

Bracket Racket - Let The Madness Begin

2010-03-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Well, that wasn't the result that Illini Nation was expecting. After a valiant run in the Big Ten Tournament over the weekend at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Illini found themselves on the outside looking in at the field of 65 as the brackets were unveiled on Sunday night. Still, this event is one of the highlights of my sports season, and not seeing Illinois pop up on the screen is, frankly, a little strange. Since Lou Henson departed as coach of the Illini, they have only missed the NCAA Tournament a total of 3 times in that span, and have not played in the NIT since 1996, which coincidentally was Henson's final game as coach of the Illini. Until this year. Since the Illini wasn't one of the 65 teams selected for the "Big Dance", they accepted a bid to play in the NIT, which is more commonly thought of as the little sister of the NCAA Tournament and may as well stand for such terms as "Not Invited Tournament" or "Not Interested Tournament". Whatever you wish to call it, the Illini are playing in it, and there is little anyone can do about it. Thanks to a scheduling conflict at the Assembly Hall (Circ du Soleil has the Hall booked for all of this week), the Illini have to hit the road in the first round, despite being given a #1 seed in the NIT.

So, where are they headed, you ask? To Stony Brook University (Wednesday, 8:00 pm ESPNU), which is on Long Island, New York (I had no idea where it was, so I had to look it up). This is the Seawolves' first ever post-season berth since becoming a Division 1 team 11 years ago, and the photo at the beginning of this blog shows the Pritchard Gymnasium, where the team has played their games while their other facility was being renovated. To say that this gym is small would be a gross understatement. Luckily, the venue that the game will be played in is about 5200 capacity, still a small crowd compared to what the Illini are used to playing in front of. The question I have about this is if the game is going to be held in a cracker box such as this, why couldn't the University use Huff Hall, which would have given the Illini a home game in the first round like is should be. According to Bruce Weber Huff isn't a legal court, so it couldn't be used. Not really sure that that means, or they could have moved the game to a neutral site closer to Champaign-Urbana so fans could actually attend the game and support the team. It is no secret that the Illini are disappointed to not be playing in the tournament with 4 letters, and to give them an assignment such as this in the first round tells me 1 of 2 things. They are either rewarding the Illini with a somewhat easy matchup, or penalizing them by putting them in the middle of nowhere and letting them travel sans fans to the contest. It is almost evident that a lot of fans won't bother to make the trip east, and the Illini fans fortunate enough to live near New York City will get the rare opportunity to see their team up close in a venue that may resemble a high school facility.

So, how did the Illini get themselves in this mess to begin with? Everything always seems to point back to the Las Vegas Invitational and the two games that were played in Sin City, which were both losses, and bad ones for the NCAA resume as a result. They knew it then, and those games kept showing up and looking worse as time went on. The Illini did have some quality wins throughout the season, with victories at Wisconsin, at Clemson, and at home against Vanderbilt and Michigan State. Couple those with another win over Wisconsin in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tourney and a double overtime loss to top-seeded and eventual tourney champ Ohio State in the semis, and the feeling was a little bit more relaxed. But, nobody saw what Minnesota was doing, and slowly, they knocked off Penn State on Thursday, Michigan State on Friday, and thoroughly embarrassed Purdue on Saturday to get to the championship game. This changed the view of things quite sharply and many thought that if it came down to Illinois and Minnesota, that Minnesota would get the nod. Well, in the end, that is exactly what happened. Minnesota's name was called on Selection Sunday, and the Illini's were not, and the snub has once again reared the 'Fire Weber' threads on message boards, which frankly, was expected.

If the Illini can get by the Seawolves, they would play their next two games at the Assembly Hall, but how many fans will actually show up to the games? Fans aren't excited about playing in the NIT, especially with the likes of North Carolina, Connecticut, Virginia Tech and Mississippi State in the field as well. The NIT bracket resembles a region or two of what would normally look like teams in the NCAA Tournament. Maybe the Big Dance should expand to 96 teams. That would probably make the NIT irrelevant, and we would not be having this discussion.

Regardless, enjoy the game and hope that the Illini can play another game in front of the home crowd.

The Second Season

2010-03-09T10:07:00.001-08:00

Ok, bracketologists, this week is dedicated to you. Championship week has arrived, the precursor to the unveiling of the 65 teams that will battle it out for the national championship next month. If you are a sports fan, especially a college basketball fan, then chances are you are in heaven this week. So much is on the line this week for so many teams, and that could not be more apparent for the Fighting Illini, who find themselves on shaky ground and square on the NCAA bubble. Not to say that they don't deserve to be where they are, because they have had some really bad losses this season and, to make matters even worse, haven't taken care of business over the past few weeks to solidify themselves a spot in the "dance". Yet, sitting at 18-13 overall as they head to Indianapolis to begin play in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday, there they are being talked about as one of the Lucky 65 that will be rejoicing come Sunday. Personally, I don't see this, because the Illini have really done nothing as of late to give me any indication that they belong in the field come Selection Sunday. Losing at home against Minnesota and Wisconsin during the critical stage of their season doesn't bode well, but who am I to say? That is the selection committee's job to seed these teams, and not mine. Thank goodness for that!

The Illini certainly will know their opponent in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, because they just faced them last Sunday. The Wisconsin Badgers, probably still sore from the beatdown that the Illini gave them in Madison in February, came into the Assembly Hall with a score to settle and a point to prove. In the first meeting, the Badgers were without Jon Leuer, who was injured, but it didn't take long for the Illini to see that he was back. The game was pretty tight throughout, but once again the Illini fell behind by double digits and tried to make a valiant comeback, which fell short this time around. Demetri McCamey, who has carried the Illini through thick and thin this season, had another sub-par game, and even got into it with Coach Weber on the bench. Weber joked with reporters after the game saying it was all "hugs and kisses" between him and his star guard, and that it was a good teaching moment between a father and a son. Since Weber doesn't have any sons of his own, he probably makes those points evident through the players that he coaches. I have normally been a defender of Weber and some of the things that he does, but on Sunday, he did (or didn't do) some things that maybe could have swung the momentum in the other direction. At the end of the first half, with 2 fouls to give and trailing by 3, Weber could have called for fouls that would have essentially ran out the clock. Instead, he doesn't call for the fouls, and Keaton Nankivil buries a triple at the buzzer that put the Badgers up by 6. The Illini would get no closer than 5 in the second half, and will now limp into Conseco Fieldhouse needing at least 1 win, maybe more to feel good about their chances on Sunday.

Speaking of the Big Ten Tournament, the action kicks off on Thursday with 3 games, leading off with Michigan (8 seed) vs Iowa (9 seed) squaring off at 1:30 central time. After that game, Northwestern (7 seed) takes on Indiana (10 seed), followed by Minnesota (6 seed) battling Penn State (11 seed) to close out the action on the first day. Friday's action begins at 11:00 central time with the top seed Ohio State Buckeyes taking on the Michigan-Iowa winner. The Illini (5 seed) and the Badgers (4 seed) are the second game of the day, then after a little break, the evening session kicks in with the second seed Purdue taking on the winner of the Northwestern-Indiana game. Michigan State, the third seed, will face the winner of the Minnesota-Penn State game in the final game on Friday. The winners of those matchups will meet on Saturday afternoon with the championship game set for Sunday afternoon, just before the brackets are unveiled.

In closing this Big Ten Tournament edition of the "On Campus With The Illini Guy" blog, the Illini have had some good wins this season, namely on the road at Clemson, at home against Vanderbilt and Michigan State, and also the win at Wisconsin. However, bad losses in Las Vegas against Utah and Bradley, and the loss at Georgia sting at this point, while the loss at the United Center in Chicago against Gonzaga really would have put this team over the top, just have fans shaking their heads at this point. Is it enough? We shall see in a few short days. Enjoy the tournament folks, because you know I will!

Welcome To March Madness

2010-03-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

It's here! That month on the calendar that has bracketologists everywhere up in arms. Yes, I'm talking about March Madness, that event that occurs every year around this time and for basketball purists like myself, is pure heaven. The Fighting Illini have endured a wicked stretch of games over the past couple of weeks, and all that is left now are two games, one on the road against Ohio State (March 2, 8:00 pm), and at home against Wisconsin (March 7, 11:00 am). Let's backtrack for a minute, to the beginning of this grueling cavalcade, shall we? When the Illini entered this 8 game mini-season, they were still trying to fins themselves and a lot of "experts" gave them no chance, many even going as far to say that they would not win any of the 8 games remaining. Well, the Illini have defied those pundits' beliefs with a 3-3 mark, which is about as good as you can expect. A win at home against Michigan State, who was without Kalin Lucas, and victories on the road against Wisconsin and Michigan, gave Illini fans hope for the postseason. However, home losses to Ohio State and Minnesota in this stretch, and a road loss to Purdue, have Illini Nation on pins and needles as they await the final two games of the regular season. As has been the mantra for this Illini team for most of the season, they fall behind a team and then try to make a valiant comeback effort, sometimes not being able to come back full circle. This was the case last Saturday, as the Illini dug themselves a hole against Minnesota, trailing by as much as 19 points during the contest, and then staging a thrilling comeback and almost pulling the game out. However, the Illini lost 62-60 to the Golden Gophers, and maybe the only person who would have been able to get the Gophers on that day was Carl Spackler himself. This is nothing new for this Illini team, spotting the other team a double digit advantage, but some teams you just cannot come back on. Saturday, Minnesota was one of those teams. Presenting matchup problems for the Illini from the start, the Illini just didn't have it in the first half, as they missed shot after shot, en route to only scoring 14 points in the half and a 10 point deficit. At times I have heard churches louder than the Assembly Hall was, but the play by the Illini gave the fans something to cheer about. It finally did get loud, but down the stretch, both Bill Cole and Demetri McCamey fouled out, leaving literally no floor leader to complete the comeback. The Illini had a good look at the final shot, but couldn't get it done. Jeff Jordan, with his dad in attendance, decided to pass off the final shot and got it to freshman D. J. Richardson, who missed the shot as time expired. His Airness would not have passed over that shot, and maybe it was a confidence thing with Jeff, but whatever the reason, the Illini went down to defeat.

So, where does this leave the Illini come Selection Sunday? Depends on who you talk to and what you look at. The loss to Minnesota certainly didn't help their chances, and my firm opinion is the Illini need to win at least 1 of the last 2 games, plus a win in the Big Ten Tournament to feel somewhat good about their chances. The Illini currently stand at 18-11 overall and 10-6 in Big Ten play as of the Ohio State game, which means that to get to that elusive total of 20, they will indeed have to win at least 1 of the remaining 2, plus win one in Indy at the conference tournament. But even then, it is not a given that the Illini are in. Many fans have been speaking their displeasure lately about Bruce Weber and his coaching abilities, and most of this banter has been coming from fans that are not too happy with the way he is coaching or even the current plight of the team. The Big Ten has been pretty tough this season, and certainly the Illini losses in Las Vegas to Utah and Bradley don't help the resume, but they have had some good wins this season as well, including wins at home against Vanderbilt, as well as road victories at Clemson and Wisconsin. I have seen the Illini anywhere falling between an 8 seed to an 11 seed, and that can certainly change over the final week of the regular season.

It was announced last week by Weber that Richard Semrau would not return for his fifth season, the one he received when he sat out as a medical redshirt. Semrau has been buried on the bench this year, and is pursuing a master's degree at the U of I and just thinks it is best that he not come back. He cited the lack of play and wanting to focus on his degree as the reasons for his decisions. I wish him well.

This has been another disappointing season for the Fighting Illini women's basketball team, and there has been some turmoil and controversy as well, starting with the departure of Destiny Williams earlier in the season. That being said, the tandem of Lacey Simpson and Jenna Smith, have played out their home careers with the Illini, and now Jolette Law's ladies venture to Indianapolis later this week to battle the Indiana Hoosiers in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament (Thursday, March 4 3:50 pm central time), on the Big Ten Network. All Smith has done has become the all-time rebounding and blocks leader in program history, and ended up second in career points. Simpson became the all-time steals leader, as well as the record for most games played as an Illini. Both will be sorely missed, and one wonders what direction the program is headed in with them two gone. Law was supposed to be this savior for the program and set it towards new heights. However, the Illini finished 15-13 in the regular season and 7-11 in the conference, and received the 9th seed in the conference tourney opposite the Hoosiers. Is there a run left in them as they gear up for Indy? Doubtful, but we shall see.

The Fighting Illini baseball and softball teams have begun their seasons, and the women's softball team is on fire out of the gate, starting out the season 14-1. They will next play on March 9 in Peoria against Bradley University. On the men's side, the baseball team is just 1-2 on the young season, and will compete in the Keith LeClair Invitational this weekend in Greenville, North Carolina. Teams that the Illini will face in this tournament will be Western Carolina, West Virginia, and the host East Carolina.

Beginning The Homestretch Run

2010-02-17T09:21:00.000-08:00

Fans of Illini Nation rejoice! The success of the 2009-10 men's basketball team has made everyone forget the struggles of the football team over the past couple seasons, but that situation might be changing, however. More on that later, but now back to basketball. The ESPN Gameday visit was a resounding success, and to top it all off, the Fighting Illini came away with a much needed victory over the Michigan State Spartans 78-73, in one of the most thrilling games at the Assembly Hall in recent memory. Complete with a court rush by the Orange Krush, it was certainly a night to remember. The Illini followed that win up by travelling to Madison, Wisconsin and defeating the Badgers at the Kohl Center, a place where you don't win very often, if at all. In the Bo Ryan era at Wisconsin, the Illini have won in Madison 3 times, something few programs can boast. On the heels of those two victories, the Illini returned home last Sunday to face yet another ranked team, the Ohio State Buckeyes, who might be playing the best basketball in the conference at the moment. They certainly looked every bit of that, as they dismantled the Illini 72-53, giving the Illini their worst loss in over 30 years at home, and stunting any momentum that they had over the course of the past few games. So, what went wrong? First of all, Ohio State started out in a zone, which threw the Illini off. That could have been rectified, but for some reason, it wasn't. This Illini team lives and dies by Demetri McCamey, and if he is not on his game, then problems very likely are bound to occur. The Buckeyes once again have their star player back, who was also a high school teammate of McCamey's at St. Joseph's in Westchester. Of course, I'm talking about Evan Turner. All Turner did was miss a triple double by just 2 assists, as good of an all-around game as you're bound to see all season in the Big Ten, if not the country. But it just wasn't Turner who stymied the Illini. David Lighty seemed to have his way with running the floor, and the deadeye aim of Jon Diebler certainly didn't help matters any. As the players commented after the game, this is one just to forget and move on, because there is still a lot to play for.

So, where does this leave the Illini? As of the time of this blog entry, the Illini stand at 17-9 overall and 9-4 in the Big Ten standings, firmly entrenched in a tie for fifth place. The way things look right now, those numbers should be good enough for the Illini to secure a first round bye in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis next month. However, the road for the Illini is still packed with some of the top teams in the league, and over the course of the remaining 5 games, they play in order: at Purdue, at Michigan, home versus Minnesota, at Ohio State and at home against Wisconsin. Definitely not out of the woods yet, but realistically, you could see at least 2 wins in that group. Going into the final 8 game stretch, there were some national media people who said that Illinois wouldn't win any of those games, but so far, they are 2-1 in that stretch. Now, looking further ahead to the NCAA Tournament, the picture doesn't appear as rosy. As of now, the Illini's RPI stands at 70, which normally won't get you in the field of 65. Say the Illini go 2-3 over those final 5 games aforementioned above, they would be 19-12 overall and 11-7 in conference play. I don't believe that a Big Ten team that has gone 11-7 has ever missed the field, but 19-12 just doesn't seem to warrant a spot in the tourney, in my honest opinion. To have a legitimate shot and feel good about their chances come Selection Sunday, I think they would need to go 3-2 over this final stretch, and win at least 1 game in the Big Ten Tourney. This scenario would give them a 21-11 overall record and a 12-6 conference record, numbers that still don't look great, but appear better than the first option. It is evident that the losses to Bradley and Utah in Las Vegas are looking huge right now, as is the loss to Georgia. Also, the Gonzaga defeat should have been theirs for the taking, so if those games somehow were reversed, we are not even having this conversation right now.

Back to the present now. With the Illini idle this week, they have a chance to recuperate and get ready for Purdue on Saturday afternoon (3:00 pm central time, ESPN). The Boilermakers came to Champaign in the middle of January and beat the Illini 84-78, so they will be looking for revenge over their neighbors to the east. But beating Purdue on their home court will not be an easy task. Sure, the Illini did it last season, but this Purdue team is more talented and have a lot more weapons to utilize too. The Boilermakers come into the game ranked #4 nationally in both the AP, as well as the ESPN/USA Today polls. If the Illini can find a way to knock off Purdue, and that is a big if, it will go a long way in the discussion regarding RPI and NCAA Tournament talk. Coach Bruce Weber and the players are only concerned for the moment with the next game, and so media people such as myself will speculate about what lies ahead beyond this weekend.

Now that the football coaching staff seems to be in place, it's time for individual workouts to begin. Spring practice will commence soon enough, and this will give the players a chance to work with their new position coaches, and will give the coaching staff a chance to get acclimated to each other. Something interesting to watch as spring practice unfolds will be the quarterback battle. There seem to be 3 players in the mix for the successor to Juice Williams, and as of right now, Jacob Charest has the early edge since he is the only one with game experience. However, look for redshirt freshman Nathan Scheelhaase and true freshman Chandler Whitmer to make it a battle royale. This one should be fun to watch. Also on the football news front, those Illini fans that have been complaining for years that there are not enough home games in a season, your needs have been met! It was announced last week that for the 2011 season, there will be 8 home games. The first 5 games of the year will all be at Memorial Stadium, which will give the Illini an advantage and also a chance to get a good start out of the gate. Let's hope that the product on the field warrants that start.

Game Day in town!

2010-02-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, the easy part is over, and now comes the really difficult stretch for Bruce Weber and the Fighting Illini men's basketball team. With a conference schedule that was front loaded with some easy games, the Illini have made the most of it by going 7-3 through the first 10 games of Big 10 play, but a juggernaut of toughies await, starting with Michigan State (8:00 pm, Saturday ESPN). The game against the Spartans is big on many fronts, the first and most obvious reason being the presence of ESPN and their Game Day crew being in Champaign for the game. Out of 343 Division 1 schools that play college basketball, only 8 teams get the designation of being selected as a destination of Game Day. This year, Champaign and the University of Illinois is one such lucky school. But, first the matter at hand is to find a way to defeat the Spartans, who are on top in the conference this season with a 9-1 mark. They were defeated quite handily at Wisconsin earlier in the week, and in addition to losing the game, may have lost their point guard and Big Ten player of the year candidate Kalin Lucas to a sprained ankle. Lucas let go a shot outside the arc, and came down hard on the ankle, and is currently listed as day-to-day. Ouch! Generally with a high ankle sprain, those take a little longer to heal, but Lucas is resilient, so we'll see if he plays against the Illini. You never wish an injury on anyone, and if the Illini are to defeat the Spartans, I would like to see them do it at full strength. I have the utmost respect for Coach Tom Izzo and the Michigan State program in general, but if this injury is worse than projected, then the Spartans may have just brought themselves down to the level of everyone else in the league. After the Michigan State game, the Illini go to Wisconsin (Feb. 9), play Ohio State at home (Feb. 14), then Purdue on the road (Feb. 20), followed by a trip to Michigan to play the Wolverines, who are always tough at Crisler Arena. Yikes! That is a tough stretch of games, and earlier losses to Utah, Bradley and Georgia are really starting to look bad now when it comes to talking about the NCAA Tournament. That is why it is imperative for the Illini to take care of business at home and try to steal 1 of the upcoming road games. This is a task that seems monumental, and for intensive purposes, it probably is. I still think that the Illini can go 4-4 over the final 8 games of the Big Ten schedule and still get in the Big Dance, provided that they win at least 1 game in the Big Ten Tournament. But, maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself. The task at hand is the Spartans.

Did I mention the Game Day crew is in town? The bus rolled into campus on Monday, and I was fortunate to get a tour of the bus, meet the driver, and ask questions about how life is inside this coach. Inside are at least 8 or 9 flat screen televisions that the crew of Rece Davis, Hubert Davis, Jay Bilas and Digger Phelps use to watch games to pass the time away when they are not doing their live, "on location" shows, one of which will take place this Saturday at the Assembly Hall. Since it is a rare opportunity to have the Game Day experience here in town, who knows when it will come back, if it ever does! The event on Saturday is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 8:00 am, with the first people through the door getting the best chance to be on television. They will fill in the west side of the hall behind where the crew will do their live show, then spread out from there if the need arises. Last week the crew was in Manhattan, Kansas where they set the record for attendance with over 8100 fans. I'm not saying that Illinois will break the record, but we have an opportunity to do so. The show will air live from 10-11 on Saturday morning, then before the Illini tip it off with Michigan State later that evening, they will do another 1 hour live show recapping the day's activities and other games from around the country. Given the history of the relationship between the Illinois program and Digger Phelps, this should be interesting. As of now, there are no plans for Bob Knight, who sometimes is a member of the crew, to be in town. Wouldn't THAT be something? And our old friend Dick Vitale will be broadcasting the game that evening with Dan Shulman and Erin Andrews as sideline reporter. Oh, what fun!

Wednesday was football letter of intent signing day for schools all over, and the Illini signed 20 players to the program. Since the overhaul of coaches in the off-season, the recruiting kind of went a different way than originally planned. A lot of commits backed out at the last minute due to varying reasons, and the new coaches that came in tried to fill needs in their respective units. One of the more notable signees, Chandler Whitmer, is already enrolled in school and will battle immediately for the quarterback spot with Nathan Scheelhaase and Jacob Charest. The face of the program for the last few years, Juice Williams, is gone now, so a new face will need to emerge. But, who will that person be? Looking at this class from a talent perspective, there isn't really anything that jumps right out at you. In the Big Ten as a whole, the Illini's class has been ranked dead last. Coming off a 3-9 season, that doesn't bode well for the future. Instead of battling it out with the likes of Florida and Ohio State for some of these players, Marshall and Arkansas State is more along the lines of the caliber of some of these players. I don't care who you are, that's not going to win you many games and turn around a program that has been once again driven into the ground. Players want to go somewhere that they will be successful, both from a personal and team standpoint. Clearly, Illinois is not headed in that direction. I really can't see the Illini any better than 6-6 for the 2010 season. I hope I'm wrong, but the facts don't lie.

Welcome To Mediocracy.

2010-01-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

2010 has not exactly started off the way Illini Nation had wanted it to. Both the men's and women's basketball teams are struggling in Big Ten play, and the game of musical chairs that is going on with the football coaches leaves one to wonder what the next football season will bring. First to the men's basketball issue. The Illini, after starting out 4-0 in Big 10 play by beating teams that they should have, have fallen on tough times, losing 3 straight, including games at home to Purdue and on the road at Northwestern. There has been a lot of talk, especially in the past week, about Bruce Weber and what the future holds for him as coach at Illinois. Since the Final Four year, Illinois has a record of 101-56 overall and 40-35 in the Big Ten. (These records are through Saturday's game at Northwestern). Outstanding, not in the least. But, are these numbers really indicative of talking about Weber being fired? I realize that whenever the Illini lose a game, there are people that come right out and think that Illinois needs a coaching change. How do I know this? I hear people talk, and I do my share of listening to radio talk shows and reading message boards. As I mentioned several months ago in a previous blog, Illini fans are spoiled and think that they should be winning at a better percentage than they are. Most people that have a good basketball sense realize that the Final Four team was a much more talented team than what Illinois is comprised of this season, and to further that argument, those players were not recruited by Weber. Since that time when Weber has been doing the recruiting, the caliber of players is good, but not great like those teams. The freshmen on this year's team, namely Brandon Paul (right) and D. J. Richardson, started off the year like gangbusters, and everybody began to elevate them on a pedestal as can't miss prospects. Well, then they hit the wall, one by one. The jury is still out on Joseph Bertrand, because he has been injured for most of the year and will end up redshirting. That leaves Tyler Griffey, who as of late has shown flashes of brilliance. This Illinois team is one that will still be in tact next season, because they only lose Dominique Keller, who came in as a junior college transfer, as well as Bubba Chisholm, a fan favorite that is a walk-on, also from the juco ranks. That being said, there are some enduring questions that remain from the players that will be returning.

Where has Mike Davis gone? Or at least, the Mike Davis that consistently put up double-doubles every game, or close to it. Lately, Davis has been non-existent, as the game at Northwestern demonstrated, when he finished with no points and only took 3 shots.

Who told Mike Tisdale that he is a three-point shooter? Shouldn't someone 7'0 tall be under the basket, rebounding shots that the guards are missing? Instead, he is constantly out on the perimeter, leaving either Davis or, sometimes, nobody, to rebound shots. This is, case in point, why Illinois keeps getting outrebounded night after night.

The Illini seem to be relying on Demetri McCamey to carry them, which he has in the past few games. If not for his play on several occasions, the Illini might be even worse off than what they are now. This lack of leadership has led Weber to forbid the players to talk to the media until further notice. This gag order was a result of nobody stepping up after the Northwestern debacle and taking a stance in the locker room. At least last year, the Illini had Chester Frazier to rally the team when they needed it most. This year's team doesn't have that sort of voice. At one point, it appeared that McCamey would be the guy, but that hasn't happened. Or, perhaps Tisdale? Not happening, yet. Davis? He needs to be concerned about his disappearing act right now. So, you see, Illini fans can expect more of the same next year if something doesn't change on this team. They will add Luther Head's younger brother Crandall to the mix next year, along with another big man Meyers Leonard, as well as Jereme Richmond, but if someone doesn't step and take ownership of this team, nothing that Weber says or does will do anything to change things. I am in the agreement with many people that if Weber doesn't do something to get back on track after next season, then changes may have to be made. But right now, I don't believe that to be the case. The Illini have two games coming up that are winnable, first on Wednesday night at Penn State (5:30 pm, Big Ten Network), and then on Saturday at home against Indiana. They really cannot afford to drop any of these games, because their slim NCAA Tourney hopes took a huge hit with the loss to the Wildcats, and there isn't anyone that would disagree with that.

Onto the women's side of things, where the situation isn't much better. When Jolette Law (right) was hired as the women's coach, the way she talked gave people the impression that she wanted to come in and change the perception of the program. The last coach, Theresa Grentz, was well known for running players out of the program, which didn't do much for continuity. Since Law was hired, her record doesn't exemplify this vision at all. She is 41-44 overall, and only 16-29 in Big Ten play, never finishing higher than 9th place in any season (she is in her third season, and these stats are through the Penn State game on Sunday). Plus, Law has done her share of running players from the program. So far, Danyel Crutcher has been shown the door, and top recruit Destiny Williams left the program after only playing in 1 game. Williams has since transferred to Baylor, and there is wide speculation about why she left, but only her mother knows the real reason, and promised to keep quiet about the situation if her daughter was released from her scholarship. Also, the crowds still have not been what Law was hoping for. There have been several promotional ideas that have been designed to draw fans to watch the women, but none of those have produced a sellout as of yet. Here's an idea: put a winning program on the floor and maybe fans will come out to see what all the fuss is about. Illinois will never be a powerhouse like Tennessee or Connecticut, which consistently draw capacity crowds to their arenas, and even if they develop into a winning program, will not see that type of support unless it is sustained over many years. Pat Summitt or Geno Auriemma Jolette Law is not.

As if the above programs were not enough, there is the question of how good the football program will be next season, given all of the changes that have taken place internally since last season ended in December. Amid the mediocrity since the Rose Bowl season of 2007, Ron Zook (below, right) remained in charge, but his supporting cast has taken on an entirely new look. Coordinators on both sides of the football have changed, as well as the running back, quarterback, and tight ends coach. You always remain speculative until these coaches start working with players somewhere besides a classroom, but the way some of them are talking lends a little hope to what may be another disappointing season on the field. The new offensive coordinator, Paul Petrino, seems to know what he wants to do at Illinois, but will he have the tools necessary to make that happen? Regus Benn is off to the NFL draft, and a couple other receivers transferred out of the program, leaving a handful of players eager for a new system, and hopefully a fresh start. With signing day for football quickly approaching, it will be interesting to see what kind of a recruiting class Illinois ends up with this year. There have been some high profile recruits that have backed out of their agreements, while others are still on board, hoping for change. We should know pretty soon just how far Illinois is from achieving that goal.

So, has Illinois settled in for mediocracy? Granted, you can't have a winning season every year, but if the men's team misses out on the NCAA Tourney this year (which looks likely at this point), will that be enough to make Illini Nation groan even louder? If the women cannot turn it around and even make a post-season tourney (still in the balance), is that reason to look toward a change? And, finally, if Zook cannot get the football program back on track with this new cast of characters, will that finally be enough for him to be shown the door? I know people have their opinions on this matter, and I would love to debate them with you. Please send me your comments and let the battle begin!

New year, new challenges.

2010-01-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

With the start of the new year comes renewed hope for both the men's and women's basketball teams as they begin conference play. First, on the men's side, Bruce Weber's crew finished the non-conference portion of the schedule at 8-5, although there were a couple of games that very much could have ended up in the win column. Losses against Bradley, Utah and Georgia hurt their RPI, and even though the Illini made a valiant comeback against Gonzaga at the United Center only to fall short, the team proved one thing; it can fall behind and still come back and win ballgames, or at least make things interesting. Already in Big 10 play, the Illini have had to come from behind in 2 of the first 3 games to stay perfect. The latest occurrence was last Saturday evening at the other Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, where the Illini played about as badly as you can play and trailed by as much as 15 points. Then, in the second half, almost by clockwork, the Illini began their comeback and eventually won the game. Mike Tisdale led all scorers against the Hoosiers with 27 points, which included 13 of 14 from the charity stripe. Weber has switched the lineup around for the last couple of games, giving Bill Cole and Jeff Jordan starts because of their defense and willingness to get in there and do what it takes. In the victory over Indiana, it was Demetri McCamey that came off the bench to score 19 points, seeming to take over the game at times. According to Weber, it is something that he likes to see with McCamey, and that maybe he is getting the message about riding the pine to begin games. The slow start sort of continued against Penn State as well, and the Illini once again found themselves in a position to come back and win the game. This time, McCamey put the game on his shoulders, scoring 18 of his game high 25 points after halftime. Tisdale also had a good game, scoring 16 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and nearly collecting a triple double with 7 blocked shots. This trend will have to change, however, as the road begins to get mighty tough starting out with a trip to the Breslin Center in East Lansing to face the #7 Michigan State Spartans (2:30 pm, WCIA). After that, another ranked team comes to the Assembly Hall when the Illini host Purdue on Tuesday, January 19 (8:00 pm, ESPN).

On the women's side of things, you need a bottle of Tums to watch this team perform, as they have had several down-to-the-wire games as of late. The last three games for the women have come down to the end, and the Illini have been on the winning end of 2 of those games. Jenna Smith continues to dazzle and rack up double-doubles, and with counterpart Lacey Simpson, plus talented freshmen in Karisma Penn and Adrienne GodBold, one wonders how close Jolette Law's team is to turning the corner and making a serious push at an NCAA berth. The Illini took their show on the road to Columbus, Ohio on Thursday night and faced a talented Ohio State team, who is ranked #5 in the country by no accident. The Lady Illini made a valiant comeback, but fell just short, losing 72-61 to 11-5 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten play. The Illini will be in action on Sunday afternoon when they travel to Madison, Wisconsin to face the Wisconsin Badgers, a team that they beat 53-52 back on January 3.

Speaking of the women's program, it looks as if the Destiny Williams saga is finally over. Last week, Williams' mother issued a statement that effectively removed her from the team and Coach Law let her out of her scholarship, provided that nothing was released about why she left the team and Illinois in general. Hmmmmm. Sounds like there is something more going on here than meets the eye. Law considers it a dead issue and is moving on from this point, but I don't think we have heard the last of the story. More to follow if I hear anything on it. Otherwise, Destiny just wasn't in the cards at Illinois.

Finally, you think you've heard enough about the football program during the off-season, but the coaching changes keep on happening. After Reggie Mitchell left for Kansas, Ron Zook has hired DeAndre Smith to fill the open spot and coach running backs. Smith came from UNLV, where he coached in the same capacity, and over his coaching tenure, has tutored 11 1,000 yard backs. Sounds like things are looking up offensively with the Petrino, Brohm, Nord and now Smith added to the staff. Concurrently, when Vic Koenning was hired to be the new defensive coordinator, one knew that the dominoes were not done falling on that side of the ball as well. Sure enough, Curt Mallory, who was a co-coordinator with Dan Disch, left the program to take the defensive coordinator position at the University of Akron. This leaves Disch on staff to work on Koenning's defensive staff, and something tells me that the moves may not all be done yet. You will definitely need a scorecard to tell who is who when spring practice begins. I just hope that we are able to see what is going on.

Dear Santa - From an Illini fan's perspective

2009-12-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

With the Christmas season upon us and only two days before the big guy from the North Pole makes his annual pilgrimage around this world of ours, I often wonder what a letter to Santa would look like from the average fan of Illini Nation. Well, thanks to the magic of print and a little bit of imagination, I think it would go something like this:

Dear Santa-

I have been a very good fan this year, rooting the Illini on in good times and bad, and judging the football season that just ended a few weeks ago, it couldn't possibly get much worse, could it? I paid my dues by buying season tickets, purchasing Illini merchandise for my family, and spending my hard earned money on concessions to keep them happy during these games. So, I do have a few requests as we embark on the year 2010 and hopefully brighter days ahead. I wish for these new coaching hires that have recently been added to all pull together and try to put a winning product on the field. I realize that it is not always the coaches that are the problem, but they do teach the players what to do, and so they usually shoulder their share of the blame. I realize Mr. Guenther, or as Ron Zook likes to call him, Coach Guenther (still haven't figured that one out), has a ton of faith in Zook, or else he would have sent him packing like Mr. Tepper and Mr. Turner before him. I was disappointed to see Reggie Mitchell leave for Kansas, but he evidently saw an opportunity and maybe thinks that a change of scenery is the best option for him. I wish him well.

I would also like to see the recruiting improve, something that Zook has been able to hang his hat on in recent seasons. But, when a program that has been up and down (more down) like our beloved Illini, I cannot really blame players if they don't want to come here and play. It is, after all, a matter of choice. That being said, would a trip to a bowl game be too much to ask for? Usually, we don't have any plans around the holidays except for watching other teams play in games like the Las Vegas Bowl and the Poinsettia Bowl. It would be nice to have the Illini play in a bowl of their own, maybe like the Sun Bowl or one of those in a warm weather climate. Beats spending Christmas and New Years in the cold and dampness of the Midwest.

Now, on to basketball. I really like the job that Bruce Weber is doing with the basketball team, although he does have his critics that think he could do better. Every season we look forward to the start of practice during football season, and anticipate the first exhibition game, which leads to the start of the regular season. The Missouri Braggin' Rights game is always a fun time, and or course, there is the United Center game at the home-away-from home. One thing, Santa about the basketball team that I would like to see change is for the team to develop some heart to finish strong down the stretch. I know basketball doesn't take as long to turn around a program than a football team does, but our 3 losses this year all have came to mediocre teams that have simply wanted it more than we have. You couldn't ask for more talented freshmen than what we have, and what is coming further down the road makes me just giddy with anticipation. Yet, this business of getting to the NCAA Tournament and lasting just 1 or 2 games is getting a bit old. Schools rich in basketball tradition like Duke, North Carolina and Kansas seem to do it every year. Why can't we be like them?

Thank you for taking these wishes to heart, Santa. I will be sure to leave you cookies and plenty of orange and blue kool-aid for when you come. Have fun going around on your big night.

Getting Offensive

2009-12-16T13:34:00.000-08:00

Football season has been over for almost 2 weeks now (at least on the campus of the University of Illinois - and some would agree that it has been even longer than that.), and yet the program still is making news. Late last week, Ron Zook made headlines by firing four assistants on the offensive side of the football. Offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Schultz, as expected, was one that was let go, as was quarterbacks coach Kurt Beathard, receivers coach Jim Pry, and special teams coordinator Mike Woodford. Also making changes on the defensive side of the ball, Zook demoted Curt Mallory and Dan Disch, who were co-defensive coordinators this past year. They will remain as position coaches on defense, and the search was on to find a defensive coordinator with some high credentials. Action such as this is typical at the end of a season, especially for schools that aren't "going bowling". Many have expressed that is should have been Zook that was out the door, but athletic director Ron Guenther is sticking by his claim that Zook was safe at least for another year. Now, I am sure that all bets are off if the Illini happen to tank again next season, and then you probably will see a change at the top.

Early this week, rumors began to surface of possible replacements that were making their way to Champaign. On Tuesday, those reports were confirmed as Paul Petrino was named the new offensive coordinator. Petrino, who is the brother of former Louisville and current Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, comes to Illinois with some good credentials and a love of an "open offense" that will, in his own words, "FTS (Feed The Studs). Other reports have Jeff Brohm and Greg Nord both headed to Illinois from Louisville to fill offensive position needs. I had a chance to speak to Petrino after his introductory press conference and asked him point blank if the offense that he plans to bring to Illinois is what he ran at Arkansas. He assured me it was. So, those of you that are excited for the upcoming bowl season to start, be sure to watch Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl on January 2. You will get a good idea of what the Illini will be showcasing.

Petrino mentioned that he will employ an offense that will involve the tight ends more. Well, that could be an issue with the recent graduation of Michael Hoomanawanui and Jeff Cumberland, coupled with the transfer of Hubie Graham. This leaves Zach Becker and Justin Lattimore as the only players at the position that have actually seen time there. Also, losing highly touted prospect C. J. Fedorowicz begs the question, why wasn't this done a month ago? What harm would it have done to try and keep this prospect, that is going to Iowa?

Petrino will be without one of those "studs" come next season, as on Wednesday Arrelious "Regus" Benn (right) made his decision to forego his senior season and enter the 2010 NFL draft. This was not a shocking revelation, as everyone knows what Regus can do and he is still being projected as a high first round pick on draft day. One wonders what might have been had he not been dealing with injuries this season, or was thrown to more than he was. Still, it's a business decision and one that makes sense to me for him to make. I wish him well, but will miss seeing #9 running the sidelines catching passes and also that infectious smile.

Shootout At The Hall

2009-12-12T15:44:00.000-08:00

The Assembly Hall normally plays host to men's and women's basketball, among other events throughout the year. However, for the past four years, the Assembly Hall has been the venue for an event that showcases some of the best high school talent in the state of Illinois. This year is no different, and to go one step better, there are teams from 2 other states involved. The main focus of the shootout is to bring in the players and teams that the Illini have either recruited or are on their radar in terms of being looked at. The shootout was given an extra measure of credibility when former Illini star and current Utah Jazz player Deron Williams lent his name to the event.

In the first game of the shootout, Rich South defeated Champaign Central 53-47 in a game that was tight all the way through. Central is one of the local teams, and features a sophomore by the name of Jay Simpson that is already committed to play at Purdue. Rich South, who was missing their star Crandall Head, younger brother of former Illini Luther Head, played pretty well without him. Crandall is committed to the Illini and will join them next season along with a couple other players competing in the shootout.

The second game of the day featured a couple of teams, one with strong ties to Coach Bruce Weber. Glenbrook North, who produced Jon Scheyer, now at Duke, is coached by Bruce's younger brother David Weber. One of the better players for Glenbrook just happens to be Weber's son, Austin. (Yep, Bruce's nephew). This was a low scoring affair, with the Spartans coming out on top over Peoria Notre Dame 41-23. Glenbrook North moves to 8-0 and has one of the better teams in the state in Class 4A and also feature Jordan Liss and Alex Dragicevich, the latter of which is headed to Notre Dame next year to play basketball. The Irish have a decent player on their team as well, his name being Max Bielfeldt, and he led them in scoring with 8 points.

The third game of the day featured one team that needs no introduction to the state of Illinois, and the other one making their shootout debut. Peoria Manual, who was dominant back in the 90's, still is pretty good, and has produced countless talent to the Division 1 level. Many of those players have come to Illinois, among them Sergio McClain, Marcus Griffin, Frank Williams, and Jerry Hester. Marvin Jordan was one of the players to watch for the Rams, and he didn't disappoint, scoring 10 points. Bowman Academy, which hails from Gary, Indiana, has a superstar of their own in DeJuan Marrero, who lived up to his expectations as well by scoring 20. Marrero is only a sophomore, and at 6'5, still has a lot of growing to do. He is on the radar for the Illini as well. Bowman Academy defeated Manual 69-50 t0 stay perfect on the season.

Game four of the day featured the first overtime game of the shootout, a 68-62 victory by Chicago Mt. Carmel over Peoria Central. Mount Carmel features an Illini commitment, Tracy Abrams, who is a 6'1 junior. Abrams has been on the radar of the Illini for quite a while, and will be joining them in the class of 2011. Peoria Central features a young star in the making of their own in Antonio "Bobo" Drummond. Although Drummond didn't lead the Lions in scoring (2 other players each scored 16), he promises to be a good player and can even get better than he is now.

The fifth game featured another player that will be wearing the orange and blue next year for Robinson. Meyers Leonard, who stands 7'0 tall and will be joining fellow Illini junior Mike Tisdale on the front line next year. However, Rock Island, who played the Maroons, has a superstar in the making as well by the name of Chasson Randle. Randle, who is a junior, still has Illinois in his sights but won't make a firm commitment for a while yet. The Rocks defeated Robinson 58-53 behind 28 points by Randle. Leonard scored 16 for the Maroons, who are a much smaller school than their counterparts.

Game six of the day featured another local team, the Champaign Centennial Chargers, facing the Waukegan Bulldogs. Centennial, who is the defending Class 3A state champs, is off to another undefeated start and features a team loaded with talent. Rayvonte Rice, who is headed to Drake, is the real deal, and the folks in Des Moines, Iowa are lucky to be getting him. Also on the Chargers' roster is Jeff Johnson, who will take his game to Eastern Kentucky next year. Waukegan, who features yet another recruit for the Fighting Illini (notice a trend yet?) in Jereme Richmond. Richmond, who has been committed to Illinois since he was an eighth grader, has kept the commitment firm and despite some troubles that led to switching schools midway through high school, never wavered. Plus, his game has gotten better as well and should be a good fit for the Illini next year. The Chargers kept their unbeaten streak alive by defeating the Bulldogs as Rice scored 32 points to lead his team to victory. Richmond will look good in orange and blue as well next season.

The final game of the evening pitted two prep schools who have already played twice this season. Quality Education Prep from Winston-Salem, North Carolina took on Brehm Prep from Carbondale in a game that could have resembled a college game with the talent on the floor. The two teams played on Friday night, with Quality Education coming out on top in that one. Brehm lost their best player, James Siakem, due to several broken bones in his face. He is apparently headed to New York for surgery soon. Quality Education boasts a roster that most college teams would love to have with five players standing 6'8 or taller. Their marquee player is Quincy Miller, who may have the most talent of anyone in the shootout field. The Pharoahs play a national schedule, which could stand the reason why they are so talented. Brehm, who without Siakem, still only lost 76-74, made up for their star player's loss by getting 24 points from Bruce Barron in their defeat.

I think that the cupboard for Illini hoops in the near future looks pretty full and great things might be in store.

A Sad State Of Affairs

2009-12-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

And, mercifully, this football season is over! In weather more befitting caroling, the Fighting Illini saw their 2009 season come to a crushing and heartbreaking end as they dropped a 53-52 decision to the Fresno State Bulldogs last Saturday afternoon at a frigid Memorial Stadium in Champaign. This has been a season of disappointment for the Illini, most notably because of the lack of play on the field not being consistent with the level of talent. Several times on Saturday the Illini had the Bulldogs right where they wanted them, but every time they managed to find a way back into the game. What happened at the end of the game was a fitting end to the entire season. With the Illini leading 52-45 late in the game, the Bulldogs got the ball back and moved down the field with relative ease. With time running out, Fresno State appeared to score a touchdown, and video replay evidence confirming that ruling, the decision was whether the Bulldogs would kick the extra point to tie and send the game to overtime, or try for the two-point conversion and try to win it in regulation. After a series of timeouts, Fresno decided to go for two, and got it on a deflection to an offensive lineman. That play also was reviewed, and ruled a conversion, sending the few thousand fans in attendance home stunned, yet probably not surprised at how the game ended. Juice Williams and the seniors deserved better, and as Ron Zook had said several times in the week preceding the game, these players came to Illinois at a time when it was not popular to do so.

So, where does this leave the program? Not good, by any stretch of the imagination. Recruits are decommitting, players are leaving the team for various reasons, and what it all boils down to is a recruiting class of just 8 players for 2010. Yes, 8. How did things get so bad so fast? You can start at the top with that question. Known as a good recruiter coming to Illinois, Zook has proved that he can get the players here, but coaching them and, ultimately, keeping the players here is an entirely separate issue. It is no secret that there will be some coaches that will be searching for new jobs soon, and one wonders just how firm athletic director Ron Guenther was in his "vote of confidence" for Zook midway through this season. Under the current circumstances, this cannot continue. The program is getting a bad name, but Illinois has never been known as a football school anyway. In the last 14 years, the Illini have been to just three bowl games. That is down right embarrassing compared to schools such as Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and even Purdue. Still, a lot of these player defections that have surfaced the past few days are just rumors and not confirmed yet. What ultimately will happen if any more recruits de-commit is that Zook, or whomever, will be offering players that may not have been considered for Big 10 programs. This is not good, folks, and it doesn't appear to be getting any better soon.

On to some much better news. Following their stunning come-from-behind win over Clemson last week, the Fighting Illini returned to the Assembly Hall for the first of 3 games before final exams on campus. Saturday night the Illini entertained Boise State, and even though they didn't play very well, still escaped with an 84-77 win. You expect the Illini to play the lesser name schools better, but for some reason, they let the Broncos hang with them for much of the game. When the Big 10 season begins later this month, this type of play will need to cease or else the Illini will find themselves on the losing end of most of those games. The freshmen still continue to impress, and another one made an impression in the win over Boise. Tyler Griffey, from Wildwood, Missouri, had his best game of his Illinois career, showcasing his shooting touch from outside. Then the Illini welcomed Vanderbilt, a team that they defeated a year ago in Nashville. The Illini prevailed against the Commodores as well, 79-68, as Demetri McCamey scored 23 points to lead his team to victory. The freshmen came alive once again, as D. J. Richardson added 16 for the Illini as they moved to 7-2 on the season. The win over Vanderbilt was also the second win over a top 25 team this season. Illinois was in the top 25 at one point this season, but the Vegas trip put the kabosh on that real quick. The Illini continue their season this Sunday against Western Michigan (1:30 pm, Big Ten Network), before the annual Border War game against Missouri shortly before Christmas.

The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team survived the first 2 rounds of the NCAA Tournament, and will now head west to face Hawaii, and most likely Stanford. The Illini got by Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne and Dayton in the first two rounds played at Huff Hall, and will now see how they stack up against the likes of the elite in the nation. This region is stacked to begin with, seeing as the latest AVCA rankings had Stanford #3, Hawaii #4, and the Illini #5. Coach Kevin Hambly enjoys this level of competition and feels that they can compete and get a spot in the final four.

Finally, Jolette Law has the Illini women's basketball team playing some of the best basketball that the program has seen in many years. After an opening season loss to Temple in a game that the Illini had a sizable lead, they have run off 7 straight wins to give the program a little respectability and a lot of hope. On Wednesday evening, Marquette paid the Illini a visit, and unfortunately for the home standers, defeated Illinois 65-55 in a game that was televised on the Big Ten Network. That still leaves the Illini at 7-2, which is not a bad start to the season. The conference portion of the schedule begins soon, so Law will need to keep her team playing well if it wants a chance to play in March. Stay tuned.

Rolling Snake Eyes In Vegas

2009-12-01T18:44:00.000-08:00

Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini finished up the Las Vegas Invitational in Sin City over the Thanksgiving holiday, and came up with a result that was not to their liking, or anyone else's in Illini Nation. The Illini breezed through the first two games of the invitational, defeating Presbyterian and Wofford, and headed west to face Utah and what looked like Oklahoma State for the title. Well, sometimes things don't end up like you expect them to, and the Illini blew a 16 point halftime lead to the Utes and ultimately fell 60-58 on a runner by Shawn Glover at the buzzer. The Illini freshman duo of Brandon Paul and D. J. Richardson, who looked very good for the first four games of the season, found that life away from the Assembly Hall isn't the same as playing in front of the home fans. In fact, the two need to learn quite a few things or else all of the road trips and neutral court games will end up in a similar fashion. Weber says that he is still looking for a leader to emerge on this team, and the challengers right now seem to be Mike Tisdale and Demetri McCamey. McCamey scored 19 points and Tisdale added 18 in the loss, but others will have to step up and help these guys out. On Saturday night, the Illini played for third place against the Bradley Braves, and it was a tight game for the entire contest. Mike Davis led the Illini in scoring against the Braves with 17 points, while Tisdale added 12 and McCamey chipped in 10 points. However, Bradley handed the Illini their second consecutive loss, 72-68, and sent the Illini home with a fourth place finish in the tourney. It was far from the expectations that they had going out there, but then again, this is a team that still has to gel together and fill in the missing pieces left from last year. The Illini get a chance to start another winning streak on Saturday evening when they welcome Boise State to the Assembly Hall (6:30 pm, Big Ten Network).

This week begins the 11th annual Big 10/ACC Challenge, which up to this point has been dominated by the ACC. The Big 10 has never won a challenge, and really haven't come close in any either. However, as I type this blog, the Big 10 has a 3-1 lead and are splitting the final two games of the evening. They could very easily go into the final day of the event needing just 2 wins to capture their first ACC/Big 10 Challenge and bragging rights for a year. The Illini have drawn as their opponent the Clemson Tigers, which they play for the second consecutive year. The Illini lost to Clemson 76-74 last year in Champaign, and will play on Wednesday (6:15 pm, ESPN) at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina. For the Illini to get past Clemson this time around, the freshmen will need to grow up and play like upperclassmen and forget that they are first-year players. Also, someone, anyone, needs to step up and become a leader on the floor. That way, when things start going south like it did in Vegas, there can be someone to step in and get them back on track.

Ron Zook and his Fighting Illini football team will put the wrap on the 2009 season this Saturday when they welcome the Fresno State Bulldogs (11:30 am, Big Ten Network) to a cold Memorial Stadium for the first ever college football game in the month of December. Sure, the year the Bears played at Memorial Stadium there were December games, but the NFL is used to playing in this month. So, too, are football programs that are perennial bowl contenders. Illinois is not one of those such programs. It might be a different story if this game meant something, but it doesn't mean anything to the Illini. It is senior day, and Juice Williams' final game as an Illini, as well as for a host of other seniors playing their final game in front of the home crowd. It hasn't been easy for this group of players, and according to Zook, they came to Illinois at a time when it wasn't popular to do so. In fact, Williams committed to play for the Illini the night that Penn State defeated Illinois 63-10. Sure, it could have been better, and for all intensive purposes, it should have been better. But, this is Illinois. Not known as a football school, and the way this season has gone, that moniker won't change anytime soon.

Coach Jolette Law has the Fighting Illini women's basketball team off to a 6-1 start on the season, the best start in nearly a decade. Law had her troops out in San Luis Obispo, California in a tournament that they won, defeating Cal Poly (56-47) and Alabama (64-55). Senior Jenna Smith continued to dominate, averaging 21 points and 15 rebounds in the tourney. Smith has posted a double-double in 6 of the 7 games that the Illini have played in this season. The women will travel to Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Wednesday evening to take on Wake Forest in the women's version of the ACC/Big 10 Challenge. The Illini will next take the court at the Assembly Hall on December 9th, when they host Marquette at 8:00 pm.

When Kevin Hambly took over for Don Hardin as women's volleyball coach, nobody expected him to continue the success that the program had developed over the years. But Hambly has done exceptionally well, getting his girls into the NCAA Tournament and hosting a first and second round matchup this Thursday and Friday at Huff Hall. The Illini fell to Minnesota in their final match of the regular season, but still managed to get the fifth overall seed in the tournament, pairing them with Stanford in the regional. The Illini draws as their first round match the Mastadons from Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne (IPFW) (7:00 pm), who are making their first tournament appearance. If the Illini can get past IPFW, they will play the winner of the other match, Milwaukee vs. Dayton on Friday. The winner leaving Champaign gets to travel to Stanford to feed into that regional.