The bye week is now over, and it's time to get back to the matter at hand, which is the football season. The Fighting Illini football team enjoyed a much needed bye week this past week, and according to head coach Tim Beckman, "it couldn't have come at a better time". Since the Illini are playing so many young players this season, the bye week gave them a chance to rest their legs and prepare for the final non-conference tilt, when they welcome the Redhawks of Miami (Ohio) to Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Saturday morning (11:00 am CT, BTN). The last time out, the Illini were defeated for the first time this season 34-24 by the Washington Huskies at Chicago's historic Soldier Field. Even though the Illini lost the game, some positives can be taken from that game. Most notably is the fact that the Illini never quit when they got down early in the third quarter. The team rebounded, and made it a competitive contest, and even though the Illini dropped a couple of passes that could have resulted in touchdowns, the future of the program has the needle pointing upward. Now on to this week's game. The Redhawks have been struggling so far this season, only totaling 448 yards of offense in their first 3 games, all of which have been losses. The Miami quarterback, Austin Boucher, has accounted for 268 of those yards, but only has thrown one touchdown, Needless to say, the Redhawks are not firing on all cylinders, but this is the type of game that the Illini cannot overlook for any reason. The Illini have equaled their win total of last season, and a win on Saturday will surpass that total. I remember giving the Illini four wins at the beginning of the season, and I am not about to adjust that total. However, I am starting to see some positive signs in and around the program, and this year's team seems more cohesive than the one that self-destructed last season. But, bear in mind, the losing streak in the Big Ten is still 14 and counting, so there is still some work to be done before the Illini will be "officially back". But, things are looking up.
The future schedules have now been completed up through the 2017 season, and with the addition of a home and home series with North Carolina in 2015 and 2016, the quality of opponents are on the upswing. Earlier this season, the Big Ten conference came out and said that they would refrain from playing FCS opponents and scheduling them in the future, but as you will look at the list of schedules in the years to come (http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/ill-m-footbl-sched.html), you will notice that Murray State appears on there in 2016. The Racers are an FCS opponent, but this was already scheduled before that mandate went into effect. There is even a game scheduled in 2018, which seems like a very long time away (actually it is).
Kevin Hambly's women's volleyball team ventured out to Tobacco Road this past weekend, and the trip down that road wasn't one to remember. The Illini lost to #15 North Carolina in straight sets on Friday night, then made the short trip to Durham on Saturday night when they were defeated by the Duke Blue Devils 3-1. The Illini, although 4-6 on the season, are still among the nation's top 25 teams, mainly due to their schedule, which has been one of the toughest in the nation. The Illini begin Big Ten play this weekend when they welcome Iowa to the State Farm Center on Friday night (7:00 pm CT, No TV), then get paid a visit by yet another top 25 team, Nebraska, on Saturday afternoon (4:00 pm, BTN). The match on Friday at the State Farm Center is the test run for the NCAA Regional that will be held in December.
Janet Rayfield's women's soccer team began conference play last weekend in Columbus, and played Ohio State to a 1-1, double overtime tie. The Illini will return to the Illini soccer complex this weekend to battle Iowa on Friday night (7:00 pm, CT), then will welcome Nebraska on Sunday afternoon for the annual Illini Soccerfest (4:00 pm, CT). The Illini are currently 5-2-2 overall and 0-0-1 in Big Ten play heading into this weekend's action.
Illini basketball practice officially begins this weekend, and if there wasn't a lot going on campus, both the men's and women's teams are holding "Illini Street Jam", in which the corner of Green and Wright Streets in the heart of campustown will be transformed into a basketball court. Always thinking outside the box, the Illinois DIA is hoping that this event will be well attended. The festivities begin at around 7:30 pm on Saturday evening, and should last for about an hour. Be there!
Two Steps Forward.......Three Steps Back.
The rebuild of the Illinois football program continues as they drop a tough 34-31 loss in overtime to Purdue.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
You can view the 2013 Fighting Illini football season as a season of quarters. With 3 games now in the books, that would signal the end of the first quarter. In grading the Illini through the end of that quarter, it would be fair to assume that they have done fairly well, most deserving of a B- to C+ grade. Already, Tim Beckman's team has exceeded expectations, and undoubtedly, earned him at least another year as the head coach. The dominating win over Cincinnati can be attributed to this, but last Saturday at historic Soldier Field in Chicago, the Illini held their own against a formidable Washington squad, losing 34-24. In looking at the statistics, it becomes apparent that the Huskies were dominant, out-gaining the Illini in total yards 615 to 327. Washington, who runs a fast-paced offense, was able to get off 89 plays against the Illini, averaging a play roughly every 10-11 seconds. The Huskies struck in quick flashes, led by their outstanding running back Bishop Sankey, who carried the ball 35 times for 208 and a touchdown. Washington quarterback Keith Price was also very efficient, completing 28 of his 35 passes for 342 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sankey also caught a touchdown pass from Price, but his main target was Kevin Smith, who caught 5 passes for 104 yards. The Huskies' outstanding tight end, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, was not effective, only catching 3 passes for 8 yards. Seferian-Jenkins has the build to play at the next level, and the fact that he is coming off an injury could stand the reason why he was severely limited in the game. On the Illinois stat side, quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase didn't have the best of days, only completing 9 of 25 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. However, the blame cannot be dumped solely on Scheelhaase, as 2 receivers, Ryan Lankford and Steve Hull, both dropped sure touchdown passes at some point in the game. As far as the running game went for the Illini, they rushed 36 times for 136 yards, and scored twice on the ground, once by Scheelhaase, and the other score was a 10 yard scamper by freshman Aaron Bailey. In his short career, Bailey continues to impress, and gives the Illini another added dimension that Scheelhaase doesn't possess. The aforementioned Lankford only caught 3 passes on the night, but one of those was a quick strike for 72 yards that did go for a touchdown. When the Illini got down 31-10 in the third quarter, things began to remind Illini fans of last year, when the team would pretty much mail it in and accept the consequences. However, this team has a different mantra, and the strike from Scheelhaase to Lankford brought the Illini ever closer. The Illini narrowed the gap further on Bailey's scamper, but couldn't get any closer to drop the game.
The Illini enjoy the first of their 2 bye weeks this weekend, and the time off is welcomed, since this is still a young team and a lot of players have seen action already. The Illini will conclude their non-conference portion of the season next Saturday when they welcome the Redhawks of Miami (Ohio) to Memorial Stadium (11:00 am CT, BTN). To think of a possible 3-1 pre-Big Ten record would have been unheard of at the beginning of the season, and with the conference being somewhat down this season than in years past, the dreaded B word is being bandied about. But, I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, so I won't go there.
Kevin Hambly's Illini volleyball team continues to welcome any and all comers to their schedule, and as evidenced by last weekend's Illini Classic, they can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the country. The Illini welcomed Arizona State, #6 Washington and #2 Texas to Huff Hall last weekend, and although they came away with a 1-2 mark on the weekend, they feel confident that the upgraded competition will serve them well once the Big Ten season begins. The Illini defeated the Sun Devils 3-2, but lost to the Huskies 3-1 and the Longhorns 3-2, in front of huge crowds for all matches, including the Arizona State match, which began at 10:00 am on Friday morning. The Illini will wrap up their non-conference portion of the schedule this coming weekend, when they travel to ACC country to battle the Tar Heels of North Carolina on Friday night (6:00 pm CT), and then over to Durham on Saturday evening to battle the Duke Blue Devils (5:30 pm CT). The Illini currently stand at 4-4 overall heading into the weekend action.
The Illini women's soccer team finished the non-conference portion of their season this past weekend with a pair of wins, defeating Indiana State 3-2 on Friday night, then taking down Florida International on Sunday afternoon 4-0. The Illini improved their season mark to 5-2-1 with the wins, and will begin Big Ten play this Friday when they travel to Columbus to battle the Ohio State Buckeyes (4:00 pm CT). The match against Ohio State is the only contest on the schedule for this weekend, so that will give Coach Janet Rayfield's squad a chance to rest before the meat of the conference schedule gets going next weekend.
Finally for this week, a bit of basketball news. The 2013-14 men's basketball team will conduct an "Illini Street Jam" on Saturday, September 28th at 7:30 pm at the corner of Wright and Green Streets in the heart of the University of Illinois campus. Both the men's and women's teams will be unveiled at this event, and both teams will also participate in the jam, which is free and open to the public. This event coincides with Dad's Day and the football game with Miami (Ohio), and will follow the volleyball match at Huff Hall against #12 Nebraska, which starts at 4:00 pm.
The Illini enjoy the first of their 2 bye weeks this weekend, and the time off is welcomed, since this is still a young team and a lot of players have seen action already. The Illini will conclude their non-conference portion of the season next Saturday when they welcome the Redhawks of Miami (Ohio) to Memorial Stadium (11:00 am CT, BTN). To think of a possible 3-1 pre-Big Ten record would have been unheard of at the beginning of the season, and with the conference being somewhat down this season than in years past, the dreaded B word is being bandied about. But, I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, so I won't go there.
Kevin Hambly's Illini volleyball team continues to welcome any and all comers to their schedule, and as evidenced by last weekend's Illini Classic, they can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the country. The Illini welcomed Arizona State, #6 Washington and #2 Texas to Huff Hall last weekend, and although they came away with a 1-2 mark on the weekend, they feel confident that the upgraded competition will serve them well once the Big Ten season begins. The Illini defeated the Sun Devils 3-2, but lost to the Huskies 3-1 and the Longhorns 3-2, in front of huge crowds for all matches, including the Arizona State match, which began at 10:00 am on Friday morning. The Illini will wrap up their non-conference portion of the schedule this coming weekend, when they travel to ACC country to battle the Tar Heels of North Carolina on Friday night (6:00 pm CT), and then over to Durham on Saturday evening to battle the Duke Blue Devils (5:30 pm CT). The Illini currently stand at 4-4 overall heading into the weekend action.
The Illini women's soccer team finished the non-conference portion of their season this past weekend with a pair of wins, defeating Indiana State 3-2 on Friday night, then taking down Florida International on Sunday afternoon 4-0. The Illini improved their season mark to 5-2-1 with the wins, and will begin Big Ten play this Friday when they travel to Columbus to battle the Ohio State Buckeyes (4:00 pm CT). The match against Ohio State is the only contest on the schedule for this weekend, so that will give Coach Janet Rayfield's squad a chance to rest before the meat of the conference schedule gets going next weekend.
Finally for this week, a bit of basketball news. The 2013-14 men's basketball team will conduct an "Illini Street Jam" on Saturday, September 28th at 7:30 pm at the corner of Wright and Green Streets in the heart of the University of Illinois campus. Both the men's and women's teams will be unveiled at this event, and both teams will also participate in the jam, which is free and open to the public. This event coincides with Dad's Day and the football game with Miami (Ohio), and will follow the volleyball match at Huff Hall against #12 Nebraska, which starts at 4:00 pm.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Sign of Progress?
Color me surprised.
After an auspicious start to the season, in which they narrowly defeated Southern Illinois 42-34 in the opening game to the 2013 campaign, the Fighting Illini football team were looking for any positive signs to move the program forward.
They received that, and then some.
The Illini had one of the more complete performances in recent memory in defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats 45-17 last Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. The offense, which is apparently still very fluid, once again posted great numbers, amassing 522 yards of total offense. Redshirt senior quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase continued his early season success, completing 26 of 37 passes for 322 yards and throwing for 4 touchdowns. Scheelhaase, who seems to be thriving under new offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, involved 11 receivers into the game, led by junior college transfer Martize Barr, who caught 5 passes for 72 yards, including a nifty touchdown pass diving into the endzone. Steve Hull, Josh Ferguson and Evan Wilson also caught passes for scores, and what is most significant about Wilson is that this offense is finally utilizing the tight end, which couldn't be a better option at this point. With the likes of Wilson, Matt LaCosse and Jon Davis among the stable of tight ends, this crew is proving to be one of the most talented group at the position in several years. Besides the passing game, the Illini also had the running game going as well, as they rushed for 210 yards collectively. Junior Donovonn Young led the attack on the ground with 64 yards on 14 carries and 1 touchdown. Perhaps one reason for the success in this game could have been the return of lineman Ted Karras, who missed the first game with an injury. Karras brings a level of authority to the offensive line, and according to Coach Tim Beckman, "he is very vocal and emotional leader". The defense, which was a concern coming into the season and didn't quell critics after their lackluster effort against the Salukis, fared much better against the Bearcats, and could be considered a success only surrendering 17 points to a team that scored 49 a week earlier against Purdue.
Going into the season, the non-conference portion of the schedule appeared daunting, and the road doesn't get any easier, as the Illini venture away from Memorial Stadium for the first time in the 2013 season Saturday to take on the Washington Huskies for the Chicago Homecoming at historic Soldier Field (5:00 pm CT, BTN). The Huskies, who were idle last week, defeated Boise State two weeks ago 38-6, and feature a high-powered attack from both ends of the offense. Quarterback Keith Price completed 23 of 31 passes for 324 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win over the Broncos, while Bishop Sankey carried the ball 25 times for 161 yards, finding the endzone twice. Jaydon Mickens caught 9 passes for 109 yards to lead the Huskies in receiving, but did not catch any for a touchdown. Against Boise State, Washington averaged just 9 seconds per play, so they can run a lot of plays in a short amount of time. Head coach Steve Sarkisian is a true proponent of the west coast offense, and he is the same person that led the offense for USC the last time the Illini went to the Rose Bowl. Whatever the outcome is against Washington this weekend, it is apparent that the Illini are turning some heads and that this season may not turn out to be such a downer as originally thought. But, I will caution, it is still early.
After splitting matches last weekend in Ames, Iowa, the Fighting Illini volleyball team returns to the confines of Huff Hall to host the 30th annual Illini Classic. Starting on Thursday evening, there will be 4 teams in action, including #2 Texas, #6 Washington and #27 Arizona State batlling the Illini over the 3 day tourney. The Illini will begin play on Friday morning when they take on Arizona State at 10:00 AM, then will play Washington later that evening at 6:30 PM. The Illini will then take on the #2 ranked Longhorns Saturday evening at 7:00 PM, in which promises to be a showdown on the volleyball court. The Illini are currently 3-2 overall on the season.
The Fighting Illini women's soccer team returns home to the soccer complex this weekend to take on Indiana State and Florida International in a pair of matches. The Illini lost once and tied the other game this past weekend in the Sun Devil Classic on the campus of Arizona State. The Illini lost to the host Sun Devils 4-3 in double overtime, and then came back two days later to tie Arizona 1-1, also in double overtime. The match this weekend at home against Indiana State on Friday night at 7:00 pm, and the match on Sunday afternoon against FIU begins at 12:00 noon. The Illini are currently 3-2-1 overall on the season.
Fighting Illini men's basketball coach John Groce received another official visit from a recruit over the past weekend, as point guard Quentin Snider visited campus as a prospective recruit. A decision, although not confirmed yet, could come any day, as early as Thursday afternoon.
After an auspicious start to the season, in which they narrowly defeated Southern Illinois 42-34 in the opening game to the 2013 campaign, the Fighting Illini football team were looking for any positive signs to move the program forward.
They received that, and then some.
The Illini had one of the more complete performances in recent memory in defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats 45-17 last Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. The offense, which is apparently still very fluid, once again posted great numbers, amassing 522 yards of total offense. Redshirt senior quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase continued his early season success, completing 26 of 37 passes for 322 yards and throwing for 4 touchdowns. Scheelhaase, who seems to be thriving under new offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, involved 11 receivers into the game, led by junior college transfer Martize Barr, who caught 5 passes for 72 yards, including a nifty touchdown pass diving into the endzone. Steve Hull, Josh Ferguson and Evan Wilson also caught passes for scores, and what is most significant about Wilson is that this offense is finally utilizing the tight end, which couldn't be a better option at this point. With the likes of Wilson, Matt LaCosse and Jon Davis among the stable of tight ends, this crew is proving to be one of the most talented group at the position in several years. Besides the passing game, the Illini also had the running game going as well, as they rushed for 210 yards collectively. Junior Donovonn Young led the attack on the ground with 64 yards on 14 carries and 1 touchdown. Perhaps one reason for the success in this game could have been the return of lineman Ted Karras, who missed the first game with an injury. Karras brings a level of authority to the offensive line, and according to Coach Tim Beckman, "he is very vocal and emotional leader". The defense, which was a concern coming into the season and didn't quell critics after their lackluster effort against the Salukis, fared much better against the Bearcats, and could be considered a success only surrendering 17 points to a team that scored 49 a week earlier against Purdue.
Going into the season, the non-conference portion of the schedule appeared daunting, and the road doesn't get any easier, as the Illini venture away from Memorial Stadium for the first time in the 2013 season Saturday to take on the Washington Huskies for the Chicago Homecoming at historic Soldier Field (5:00 pm CT, BTN). The Huskies, who were idle last week, defeated Boise State two weeks ago 38-6, and feature a high-powered attack from both ends of the offense. Quarterback Keith Price completed 23 of 31 passes for 324 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win over the Broncos, while Bishop Sankey carried the ball 25 times for 161 yards, finding the endzone twice. Jaydon Mickens caught 9 passes for 109 yards to lead the Huskies in receiving, but did not catch any for a touchdown. Against Boise State, Washington averaged just 9 seconds per play, so they can run a lot of plays in a short amount of time. Head coach Steve Sarkisian is a true proponent of the west coast offense, and he is the same person that led the offense for USC the last time the Illini went to the Rose Bowl. Whatever the outcome is against Washington this weekend, it is apparent that the Illini are turning some heads and that this season may not turn out to be such a downer as originally thought. But, I will caution, it is still early.
After splitting matches last weekend in Ames, Iowa, the Fighting Illini volleyball team returns to the confines of Huff Hall to host the 30th annual Illini Classic. Starting on Thursday evening, there will be 4 teams in action, including #2 Texas, #6 Washington and #27 Arizona State batlling the Illini over the 3 day tourney. The Illini will begin play on Friday morning when they take on Arizona State at 10:00 AM, then will play Washington later that evening at 6:30 PM. The Illini will then take on the #2 ranked Longhorns Saturday evening at 7:00 PM, in which promises to be a showdown on the volleyball court. The Illini are currently 3-2 overall on the season.
The Fighting Illini women's soccer team returns home to the soccer complex this weekend to take on Indiana State and Florida International in a pair of matches. The Illini lost once and tied the other game this past weekend in the Sun Devil Classic on the campus of Arizona State. The Illini lost to the host Sun Devils 4-3 in double overtime, and then came back two days later to tie Arizona 1-1, also in double overtime. The match this weekend at home against Indiana State on Friday night at 7:00 pm, and the match on Sunday afternoon against FIU begins at 12:00 noon. The Illini are currently 3-2-1 overall on the season.
Fighting Illini men's basketball coach John Groce received another official visit from a recruit over the past weekend, as point guard Quentin Snider visited campus as a prospective recruit. A decision, although not confirmed yet, could come any day, as early as Thursday afternoon.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
A win is a win?
At least the updates to the stadium were easy on the eyes.
The Fighting Illini raised the curtain on the 2013 season this past Saturday, and judging by the way the team looked on the field, there is still a lot of work to be done. There is a philosophy that says a win is a win, but I don't think you can apply this here. True, the Illini did win the game 42-34 over the Salukis of Southern Illinois, but very easily could have lost the game if a couple of plays had gone the other way. The Illini offense, led by new OC Bill Cubit, looked revamped, as redshirt quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase set a career high in passing yards with 416 yards, which is good for tenth all-time at Illinois. The superb outing by Scheelhaase earned him the Big Ten offensive player of the week, and as it turned out, he needed every bit of them for the Illini to come out with a victory. The offense appears to be fine, but the defense, now that is another story. The Illini wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as they moved down the field and came away with a Taylor Zalewski field goal to take an early 3-0 lead. A lot of preseason hype was placed on true freshman Aaron Bailey and the wonderment of when he would see his first collegiate action. Bailey was able to score his first touchdown in the third quarter, as he rushed up the middle for a 2 yard score. Scheelhaase's favorite target was wideout Ryan Lankford, who caught 6 balls for 115 yards, but was held out of the endzone. Running back Josh Ferguson caught 4 passes for 103 yards, including a 53 yard touchdown strike from Scheelhaase. Junior Donovonn Young had an auspicious start, only gaining 6 yards on 12 carries, but scoring from 2 yards out. No matter how you slice it, the win just didn't feel very good, and it proves the notion that this defense isn't very good and is going to allow a large number of points this season. Special teams looked somewhat better than they did last year, especially the kick return team. Sophomore V'Angelo Bentley returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, and swung the momentum back to the Illini. It turns out that Bentley's return was the difference in the game, as the Salukis made a late push to make the game interesting. It is also worth noting that the next series after Bentley's return, he was burned by a SIU wideout for a touchdown. Turning a positive into a negative? Could be.
This has to have the Illini's next opponent, the Cincinnati Bearcats, licking their chops as they come into Champaign this coming Saturday (11:00 AM CST, ESPN2). The Bearcats welcomed Purdue's new coach Darrell Hazell to the Big Ten with a 42-7 thrashing of the Boilermakers in their season opener at Cincinnati. The Bearcats used a balanced attack, rushing for 221 yards on the ground, while getting 204 yards through the air. Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux completed 13 of 20 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown, but also threw an interception. All told in the game, 12 receivers caught at least one pass for the Bearcats. For the Illini to even stand a chance in this game, the defense needs to improve markedly, and fast. As with all of the high powered offenses in the Big Ten, the Illini need to find a way to defend the pass, or else it will be another long season.
Fighting Illini men's basketball coach John Groce got some great news this past weekend, as 5-star power forward Leron Black verbally committed to the Illini. Black, who was highly sought after by Indiana and Tennessee, is from Memphis, Tennessee and brings the total of recruits to 2 for the 2014 season. Champaign Centennial junior Michael Finke is the other player in the class that has given Groce a verbal commitment. Still waiting on the decision from big man Cliff Alexander, who still has the Illini listed among his choices, although Kansas and Michigan State are also in the mix.
The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team began the 2013 season on a good note, by going 2-1 in the Long Beach State Mizuno Invitational on the west coast. The Illini began play by upsetting #17 Florida in straight sets, then dropping a match later on Friday night to the host team. The Illini came back on Saturday night and defeated Kentucky to complete a successful weekend. The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Illini, as they are headed to Ames, Iowa this coming weekend to battle #14 San Diego on Saturday afternoon, then coming back on Sunday taking on the #11 host Iowa State Cyclones.
The Illini women's soccer team are also underway on the season, and after an opening loss to Notre Dame, the Illini have now reeled off three straight wins, capped by home victories over College of Charleston (6-2) and Illinois State (5-1) to run their season record to 3-1. The Illini will venture west this coming weekend to battle Arizona State on Friday night, then will take on Arizona on Sunday afternoon. The Illini hope to have their star Vanessa DiBernardo in tow, as she was called up to the US women's national team for play on Tuesday. This is a huge honor for DiBernardo, and will be a significant loss for the Illini if she misses any time due to the callup.
The Fighting Illini raised the curtain on the 2013 season this past Saturday, and judging by the way the team looked on the field, there is still a lot of work to be done. There is a philosophy that says a win is a win, but I don't think you can apply this here. True, the Illini did win the game 42-34 over the Salukis of Southern Illinois, but very easily could have lost the game if a couple of plays had gone the other way. The Illini offense, led by new OC Bill Cubit, looked revamped, as redshirt quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase set a career high in passing yards with 416 yards, which is good for tenth all-time at Illinois. The superb outing by Scheelhaase earned him the Big Ten offensive player of the week, and as it turned out, he needed every bit of them for the Illini to come out with a victory. The offense appears to be fine, but the defense, now that is another story. The Illini wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as they moved down the field and came away with a Taylor Zalewski field goal to take an early 3-0 lead. A lot of preseason hype was placed on true freshman Aaron Bailey and the wonderment of when he would see his first collegiate action. Bailey was able to score his first touchdown in the third quarter, as he rushed up the middle for a 2 yard score. Scheelhaase's favorite target was wideout Ryan Lankford, who caught 6 balls for 115 yards, but was held out of the endzone. Running back Josh Ferguson caught 4 passes for 103 yards, including a 53 yard touchdown strike from Scheelhaase. Junior Donovonn Young had an auspicious start, only gaining 6 yards on 12 carries, but scoring from 2 yards out. No matter how you slice it, the win just didn't feel very good, and it proves the notion that this defense isn't very good and is going to allow a large number of points this season. Special teams looked somewhat better than they did last year, especially the kick return team. Sophomore V'Angelo Bentley returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, and swung the momentum back to the Illini. It turns out that Bentley's return was the difference in the game, as the Salukis made a late push to make the game interesting. It is also worth noting that the next series after Bentley's return, he was burned by a SIU wideout for a touchdown. Turning a positive into a negative? Could be.
This has to have the Illini's next opponent, the Cincinnati Bearcats, licking their chops as they come into Champaign this coming Saturday (11:00 AM CST, ESPN2). The Bearcats welcomed Purdue's new coach Darrell Hazell to the Big Ten with a 42-7 thrashing of the Boilermakers in their season opener at Cincinnati. The Bearcats used a balanced attack, rushing for 221 yards on the ground, while getting 204 yards through the air. Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux completed 13 of 20 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown, but also threw an interception. All told in the game, 12 receivers caught at least one pass for the Bearcats. For the Illini to even stand a chance in this game, the defense needs to improve markedly, and fast. As with all of the high powered offenses in the Big Ten, the Illini need to find a way to defend the pass, or else it will be another long season.
Fighting Illini men's basketball coach John Groce got some great news this past weekend, as 5-star power forward Leron Black verbally committed to the Illini. Black, who was highly sought after by Indiana and Tennessee, is from Memphis, Tennessee and brings the total of recruits to 2 for the 2014 season. Champaign Centennial junior Michael Finke is the other player in the class that has given Groce a verbal commitment. Still waiting on the decision from big man Cliff Alexander, who still has the Illini listed among his choices, although Kansas and Michigan State are also in the mix.
The Fighting Illini women's volleyball team began the 2013 season on a good note, by going 2-1 in the Long Beach State Mizuno Invitational on the west coast. The Illini began play by upsetting #17 Florida in straight sets, then dropping a match later on Friday night to the host team. The Illini came back on Saturday night and defeated Kentucky to complete a successful weekend. The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Illini, as they are headed to Ames, Iowa this coming weekend to battle #14 San Diego on Saturday afternoon, then coming back on Sunday taking on the #11 host Iowa State Cyclones.
The Illini women's soccer team are also underway on the season, and after an opening loss to Notre Dame, the Illini have now reeled off three straight wins, capped by home victories over College of Charleston (6-2) and Illinois State (5-1) to run their season record to 3-1. The Illini will venture west this coming weekend to battle Arizona State on Friday night, then will take on Arizona on Sunday afternoon. The Illini hope to have their star Vanessa DiBernardo in tow, as she was called up to the US women's national team for play on Tuesday. This is a huge honor for DiBernardo, and will be a significant loss for the Illini if she misses any time due to the callup.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
And away we go!
Welcome to the second year of the Tim Beckman era at Illinois.
The inaugural season of Beckman at the helm of the Fighting Illini football team was one that could easily be forgotten. The Illini stumbled out of the gate en route to a dismal 2-10 season, and doubts arose almost from the get-go regarding whether or not Athletic Director Mike Thomas made the right choice. To defend Beckman for a moment, he wasn't really given a whole lot to work with and didn't have much time to put things in place. However, the second season beckons (a little play with words, if you will indulge me for a moment), and major questions still arise. The Illini are in the waning stages of preseason training camp, leading up to the first game on August 31st. Here now, is a look at the offensive unit, fresh off a week in Rantoul for their annual off-campus training camp.
The quarterback position seems to be one of the only spots on offense that is somewhat set at this current juncture of the season, with redshirt senior Nathan Scheelhaase set to lead under center. Scheelhaase will have yet another offensive coordinator to work with, as Bill Cubit comes in from Western Michigan, where he was a head coach for the past few seasons. This year will be a bit of a difference for Beckman and the offensive play calling, as he has instilled that duty to Cubit solely instead of call-by-committee like it was last season. Battling Scheelhaase for playing time will be junior Reilly O'Toole and true freshman Aaron Bailey, who has shown a lot of promise thus far in practice. Scheelhaase, who was married in the off-season, is back to near 100%, and despite a tweak to an ankle last week in practice, will be the go-to guy when the Salukis come to town for the first game. The running back position is also one that has some experience returning, as Donovonn Young appears to be the leading candidate to carry the ball, with Josh Ferguson, and Dami Ayoola also expected to see quite a bit of action. True freshman Kendrick Foster also will fight some of the veterans for playing time.
The wide receiver position returns a lot of players from last season, led in part by Ryan Lankford and Spencer Harris, who caught the bulk of passes in 2012. Justin Hardee will also figure into the mix, as will junior college transfer Martize Barr, who has a lot of upside. Barr, who brings a lot of energy to the team, has told me on several occasions that the junior college game is markedly different than he has seen so far at the Big Ten level. Devin Church, who was injured last season and missed a good portion of his freshman year, is back to full strength and should see plenty of action. Miles Osei, who has fully converted from quarterback, will see his share of passes as well, and Steve Hull, providing that he can stay healthy, should also serve a prominent role in the offense. As far as tight ends go, Cubit vows that he will use them much more than in past seasons, and there are quite a few players to choose from. Evan Wilson and Jon Davis will be utilized a great deal, as will Trevor Kanteman, who transfers in from Pierce College in California, having sat out the entire season due to an injury. Sophomore Matt LaCosse, who has an NFL body, looks to make some noise, as will Tim Clary, who was the star of last season's spring game. Between this cast of characters and the running backs, Scheelhaase (or whoever) should have no trouble finding someone to pass the football to.
The offensive line was a major concern last season, and even though a lot of players return from last season, the position is still a question and work in progress. Corey Lewis returns after multiple knee surgeries at one of the tackle positions, and some other mainstays, including Michael Heitz, Ted Karras and Simon Cvijanovic. Alex Hill will begin the year at center, but injuries could move some people around before all is said and done. Earlier this week in practice, Karras hurt himself and was seen on crutches after the session. Never one to expound on injuries, Beckman naturally was non-committal on Karras' injury and status as game week approaches. If Karras is out for any length of time, that could deal a huge blow to an already thin (no pun intended) O-Line. Joe Spencer will fill in for Karras during his absence, but other players such as junior college transfer Dallas Hinkhouse, Jesse Chadwell and Pat Flavin still need to build some additional muscle in order to be effective at this level.
Yes, numerous challenges await this Illini team as the season opener gets closer, but with Beckman, he is still taking it one day at a time, one game at a time. Next week, I will get defensive and talk about the other side of the ball for the Illini, who have some challenges of their own to work through.
The inaugural season of Beckman at the helm of the Fighting Illini football team was one that could easily be forgotten. The Illini stumbled out of the gate en route to a dismal 2-10 season, and doubts arose almost from the get-go regarding whether or not Athletic Director Mike Thomas made the right choice. To defend Beckman for a moment, he wasn't really given a whole lot to work with and didn't have much time to put things in place. However, the second season beckons (a little play with words, if you will indulge me for a moment), and major questions still arise. The Illini are in the waning stages of preseason training camp, leading up to the first game on August 31st. Here now, is a look at the offensive unit, fresh off a week in Rantoul for their annual off-campus training camp.
The quarterback position seems to be one of the only spots on offense that is somewhat set at this current juncture of the season, with redshirt senior Nathan Scheelhaase set to lead under center. Scheelhaase will have yet another offensive coordinator to work with, as Bill Cubit comes in from Western Michigan, where he was a head coach for the past few seasons. This year will be a bit of a difference for Beckman and the offensive play calling, as he has instilled that duty to Cubit solely instead of call-by-committee like it was last season. Battling Scheelhaase for playing time will be junior Reilly O'Toole and true freshman Aaron Bailey, who has shown a lot of promise thus far in practice. Scheelhaase, who was married in the off-season, is back to near 100%, and despite a tweak to an ankle last week in practice, will be the go-to guy when the Salukis come to town for the first game. The running back position is also one that has some experience returning, as Donovonn Young appears to be the leading candidate to carry the ball, with Josh Ferguson, and Dami Ayoola also expected to see quite a bit of action. True freshman Kendrick Foster also will fight some of the veterans for playing time.
The wide receiver position returns a lot of players from last season, led in part by Ryan Lankford and Spencer Harris, who caught the bulk of passes in 2012. Justin Hardee will also figure into the mix, as will junior college transfer Martize Barr, who has a lot of upside. Barr, who brings a lot of energy to the team, has told me on several occasions that the junior college game is markedly different than he has seen so far at the Big Ten level. Devin Church, who was injured last season and missed a good portion of his freshman year, is back to full strength and should see plenty of action. Miles Osei, who has fully converted from quarterback, will see his share of passes as well, and Steve Hull, providing that he can stay healthy, should also serve a prominent role in the offense. As far as tight ends go, Cubit vows that he will use them much more than in past seasons, and there are quite a few players to choose from. Evan Wilson and Jon Davis will be utilized a great deal, as will Trevor Kanteman, who transfers in from Pierce College in California, having sat out the entire season due to an injury. Sophomore Matt LaCosse, who has an NFL body, looks to make some noise, as will Tim Clary, who was the star of last season's spring game. Between this cast of characters and the running backs, Scheelhaase (or whoever) should have no trouble finding someone to pass the football to.
The offensive line was a major concern last season, and even though a lot of players return from last season, the position is still a question and work in progress. Corey Lewis returns after multiple knee surgeries at one of the tackle positions, and some other mainstays, including Michael Heitz, Ted Karras and Simon Cvijanovic. Alex Hill will begin the year at center, but injuries could move some people around before all is said and done. Earlier this week in practice, Karras hurt himself and was seen on crutches after the session. Never one to expound on injuries, Beckman naturally was non-committal on Karras' injury and status as game week approaches. If Karras is out for any length of time, that could deal a huge blow to an already thin (no pun intended) O-Line. Joe Spencer will fill in for Karras during his absence, but other players such as junior college transfer Dallas Hinkhouse, Jesse Chadwell and Pat Flavin still need to build some additional muscle in order to be effective at this level.
Yes, numerous challenges await this Illini team as the season opener gets closer, but with Beckman, he is still taking it one day at a time, one game at a time. Next week, I will get defensive and talk about the other side of the ball for the Illini, who have some challenges of their own to work through.
Monday, August 12, 2013
The Dawn Of A New Season
August is a month that wears many hats. For some, it signals the end of summer for parents and the eventual return to school of their kids, while others that still have baseball teams in the playoff race (sorry White Sox and Cubs fans), envision dreams of their clubs getting to the World Series. But for many, August is the beginning of the football season on all levels, from youth leagues to the NFL. The Fighting Illini began practice on Monday in preparation for the upcoming season, and for second year coach Tim Beckman, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. The roster is markedly different than it was last year, as it has been overhauled to include 33 new players, either as incoming freshmen or junior college transfers. There are also four new coaches on the staff, including Bill Cubit, who takes over as offensive coordinator and brings to the position a lot of experience, having been a head coach at Western Michigan for the past seven seasons. Cubit, who was hand-picked by Beckman, will take sole responsibility of the play calling duties on offense, a much different approach than it was last year when the duties were handled by Chris Beatty and Billy Gonzales, both whom were not retained. Beckman is in a tough situation this season, having not a lot of depth at many positions, and losing quite a few players to the NFL last season, especially on defense. Tim Kynard is the lone returnee on the defensive line, and will anchor that unit by bringing along quite a few players that have limited or no experience. A couple sophomores that played extensively last season as freshmen, Mike Svetina and Mason Monheim, are now considered seasoned veterans, and will lead the linebacking corps along with senior Jonathan Brown, who was named a preseason player to watch on the Butkus Award list. With the defense having a lot of questions coming off a season that saw the Illini give up a ton of points, there is room for much improvement.
On the offensive side of the ball, redshirt senior Nathan Scheelhaase returns for his fifth and final season at quarterback, but he will have some competition as Reilly O'Toole and true freshman Aaron Bailey are second and third on the depth chart, respectively. Transfer Wes Lunt, who played last season and started as a freshman at Oklahoma State, left Stillwater last season and due to Cowboys coach Mike Gundy limiting Lunt to transfer anywhere he wanted, basically okayed Louisville and Illinois as the destinations for Lunt to transfer to. From nearby Rochester, Lunt always wanted to play for the Illini, but several factors detoured him from Champaign to Oklahoma State, but that is a topic for another day. The Illini begin training camp at the former Chanute Air Force Base this week, and over the course of the next couple of weeks, I will preview each of the units leading up to the season opener on August 31st against the Salukis of Southern Illinois. Camp Rantoul practices are open to the public, and can be viewed at www.fightingillini.com.
Summer is a slow time on the basketball front, but the recruiting news seems to be ongoing year-round. The hot commodity these days is big man Cliff Alexander from Chicago Curie, who apparently still has the Illini on his final list. Alexander would be a huge coup for Coach John Groce, and could very well be the domino that leads a lot of others to fall downstate. Groce has made major strides on the recruiting front since arriving in Champaign, and is trying to build the Illinois program back up from where it sagged in the last couple seasons under former coach Bruce Weber. The schedule, which is still being finalized for the 2013-14 season, will hopefully be released in the next few weeks.
The last few seasons have been some of the best for the Fighting Illini women's track team, but those days may be coming to an end as coach Tonja Buford-Bailey made the decision to leave Illinois and take the associate head coach at the University of Texas. When that news surfaced, immediate concerns were realized about the Illini's star Ashley Spencer, who was recruited by Bailey to Illinois. Sure enough, Spencer and Morolake Akinosun have decided to join Bailey at Texas, and their departure will significantly hamper the program, at least for the next couple for years. Having known Tonja for many years, I wish her nothing but the best in her new position.
Summer is a slow time on the basketball front, but the recruiting news seems to be ongoing year-round. The hot commodity these days is big man Cliff Alexander from Chicago Curie, who apparently still has the Illini on his final list. Alexander would be a huge coup for Coach John Groce, and could very well be the domino that leads a lot of others to fall downstate. Groce has made major strides on the recruiting front since arriving in Champaign, and is trying to build the Illinois program back up from where it sagged in the last couple seasons under former coach Bruce Weber. The schedule, which is still being finalized for the 2013-14 season, will hopefully be released in the next few weeks.
The last few seasons have been some of the best for the Fighting Illini women's track team, but those days may be coming to an end as coach Tonja Buford-Bailey made the decision to leave Illinois and take the associate head coach at the University of Texas. When that news surfaced, immediate concerns were realized about the Illini's star Ashley Spencer, who was recruited by Bailey to Illinois. Sure enough, Spencer and Morolake Akinosun have decided to join Bailey at Texas, and their departure will significantly hamper the program, at least for the next couple for years. Having known Tonja for many years, I wish her nothing but the best in her new position.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Illini Year in Review - That's A Wrap!
Now that summer is officially upon us, it is time to bid adieu to the sports season at the University of Illinois for the 2012-13 season. It was a season of change, and also one of a lot of ups and downs. The fall season didn't go as well as one would have hoped, with the football team leading that downfall with a 2-10 record. The speculation that first year coach Tim Beckman is on the hot seat quickly surfaced, and a major overhaul of the coaching staff was undertaken. The major change on the staff was the hiring of Bill Cubit from Western Michigan to lead the offense. Cubit comes to Illinois with a lot of credentials, and they seem to already be paying dividends with the adding of quarterback Wes Lunt, who transferred from Oklahoma State this past week. Lunt earned the starting job for the Cowboys in his freshman year, but due to assistant coach Todd Monken leaving for Southern Mississsippi, caused Lunt to reconsider his future. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy restricted Lunt's available schools that he could transfer to, and it basically came down to the Illini and Louisville. Lunt must sit out this coming year, but will have three years of eligibility starting in 2014. Beckman all of a sudden has a stable of quarterbacks to choose from, with potential starter Nathan Scheelhaase competing with backup Reilly O'Toole and incoming freshman Aaron Bailey for playing time. Beckman needs to have a better season in 2013 than his first season in Champaign, and even though the schedule doesn't favor success, the future all of a sudden got a little brighter. It's a good problem to have.
Coming off of a runner-up finish in the 2011 national championship, Illinois volleyball looked to be on the rise, but losing a lot of players from that team did not bode well for Kevin Hambly in 2012 as they finished 14-16 overall and missed the NCAA tournament a year after making their magical run. However, things do look more promising for the volleyball team, as they have some talent coming in to complement the returning players, who will have a year of experience under their belt. Could happy times return to Champaign? We shall see.
The Illini women's soccer team had a roller coaster season, finishing 10-9-4, which was good enough for an NCAA Tournament appearance. Led by coach Janet Rayfield, the Illini advanced to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament and will look to build on the momentum that they closed this past season on.
The winter sports season seemed to go quite a bit better for Illinois sports teams, as both the men's and women's basketball teams began the climb from obscurity with new coaches at the helm. For the men's team, new coach John Groce led the Illini back to the NCAA tournament with a 23-13 record, and thrilled fans with several exciting wins during the season, including the infamous upset of #1 Indiana on a last second shot by Tyler Griffey. The Illini will look markedly different next season, losing seniors D. J. Richardson, Brandon Paul and Griffey, while Mike Shaw, Myke Henry and Ibby Djimde transferred out of the program. Groce has brought excitement and fun back to the Illini program, and with a cast of newcomers set to begin their Illini careers, success is closer than one thinks.
On the women's side, new coach Matt Bollant revamped a program that was run into the ground by former coach Jolette Law, and even though the season didn't culminate in a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, a 19-14 record and a deep run in the WNIT gave Illini Nation hope that the women's program could once become relevant sooner than later. With a good recruiting class coming in, and a couple of transfers set to become eligible, that might not be far off.
The spring sports season was one that can be summed up in one word: successful. The Illini baseball team led the charge by finishing the season 35-20 and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where they were ousted by a good Georgia Tech team. The Illini had several players that were drafted in the first year draft, and a few of those have already began their professional careers. Coach Dan Hartleb seemed to have everything clicking for the Illini, and although he will have to reload next season, the future seems bright for the program.
As far as the men's golf team goes, success is an understatement for what they did this season. All Mike Small's team did was make a deep run in the tournament and finish national runner-up to eventual champion Alabama. It is rather unheard of for a northern school to achieve the level of success that the Illini had, but Small proved that Illinois can be named among those schools that have the opportunity to play golf year round. Also, with a stable of former players on the PGA Tour, that success doesn't appear to be scaling back anytime soon.
Illinois track and field has been successful in the past several years, but there comes along an exceptional athlete only sporadically. That athlete in the here and now is Ashley Spencer, who now has back-to-back 400M NCAA titles to her credit. That Spencer is only a sophomore is incredible in itself, and she still has two more years at Illinois to earn some more hardware. Like Andrew Riley on the men's side a year earlier, the Olympics beckon for Spencer in the not too near distant future.
Coach Terri Sullivan's Illinois women's softball team may have not had the most successful season in the history of the program, but they made the end to the season one to remember. The Illini finished the season 22-27, but won 10 out of their last 11 games to capture the #6 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Bigger and brighter things are on the horizon for Sullivan and the softball team, and building on this momentum certainly will not hurt.
Before too awfully long, the annual Big Ten Football Media Days will be upon us in Chicago, which officially signals the start of the next sports season, and we do this all over again. Until then, enjoy the summer!
Coming off of a runner-up finish in the 2011 national championship, Illinois volleyball looked to be on the rise, but losing a lot of players from that team did not bode well for Kevin Hambly in 2012 as they finished 14-16 overall and missed the NCAA tournament a year after making their magical run. However, things do look more promising for the volleyball team, as they have some talent coming in to complement the returning players, who will have a year of experience under their belt. Could happy times return to Champaign? We shall see.
The Illini women's soccer team had a roller coaster season, finishing 10-9-4, which was good enough for an NCAA Tournament appearance. Led by coach Janet Rayfield, the Illini advanced to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament and will look to build on the momentum that they closed this past season on.
The winter sports season seemed to go quite a bit better for Illinois sports teams, as both the men's and women's basketball teams began the climb from obscurity with new coaches at the helm. For the men's team, new coach John Groce led the Illini back to the NCAA tournament with a 23-13 record, and thrilled fans with several exciting wins during the season, including the infamous upset of #1 Indiana on a last second shot by Tyler Griffey. The Illini will look markedly different next season, losing seniors D. J. Richardson, Brandon Paul and Griffey, while Mike Shaw, Myke Henry and Ibby Djimde transferred out of the program. Groce has brought excitement and fun back to the Illini program, and with a cast of newcomers set to begin their Illini careers, success is closer than one thinks.
On the women's side, new coach Matt Bollant revamped a program that was run into the ground by former coach Jolette Law, and even though the season didn't culminate in a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, a 19-14 record and a deep run in the WNIT gave Illini Nation hope that the women's program could once become relevant sooner than later. With a good recruiting class coming in, and a couple of transfers set to become eligible, that might not be far off.
The spring sports season was one that can be summed up in one word: successful. The Illini baseball team led the charge by finishing the season 35-20 and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where they were ousted by a good Georgia Tech team. The Illini had several players that were drafted in the first year draft, and a few of those have already began their professional careers. Coach Dan Hartleb seemed to have everything clicking for the Illini, and although he will have to reload next season, the future seems bright for the program.
As far as the men's golf team goes, success is an understatement for what they did this season. All Mike Small's team did was make a deep run in the tournament and finish national runner-up to eventual champion Alabama. It is rather unheard of for a northern school to achieve the level of success that the Illini had, but Small proved that Illinois can be named among those schools that have the opportunity to play golf year round. Also, with a stable of former players on the PGA Tour, that success doesn't appear to be scaling back anytime soon.
Illinois track and field has been successful in the past several years, but there comes along an exceptional athlete only sporadically. That athlete in the here and now is Ashley Spencer, who now has back-to-back 400M NCAA titles to her credit. That Spencer is only a sophomore is incredible in itself, and she still has two more years at Illinois to earn some more hardware. Like Andrew Riley on the men's side a year earlier, the Olympics beckon for Spencer in the not too near distant future.
Coach Terri Sullivan's Illinois women's softball team may have not had the most successful season in the history of the program, but they made the end to the season one to remember. The Illini finished the season 22-27, but won 10 out of their last 11 games to capture the #6 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Bigger and brighter things are on the horizon for Sullivan and the softball team, and building on this momentum certainly will not hurt.
Before too awfully long, the annual Big Ten Football Media Days will be upon us in Chicago, which officially signals the start of the next sports season, and we do this all over again. Until then, enjoy the summer!
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