Moderator: Welcome back to another chat. We've got a bunch of great questions, so I'm going to get to them quickly.

Mark, Catlin, Il: Bob,

Do you know if anyone is televising the Western Michigan game?

Moderator: Mark,

I just got off the phone with both Western Michigan and the MAC office. The game will definitely be televised, but the question at this point is where. ESPN Regional, which used to carry Big Ten games, is one option.

But with the regional appeal and a Big Ten team involved, the game could move up the ESPN food chain. It could be an ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN Classic game. The latter two are more likely, but you can never tell with the folks in Bristol.

The MAC hopes to hear any day now what ESPN has decided and said all options are open. The network for the game will be known for sure by Oct. 27.

I'd say there is a very good chance you will be able to see the game in C-U. The MAC has promised to call when a decision has been made.

It helps that Western Michigan is playing so well. The Broncos have lost only once and should be a contender for their division title.

Tom, Northfield, IL: Bob,

Have you seen any statistics as to whether the new timing rules are affecting the length of the games?

Moderator: Tom,

I haven't seen any studies yet. That will come at the end of the season. But the games sure feel shorter. But through six games, Illinois is averaging 73 plays per game on offense, after averaging 70 in 2007.

Like all the rules, there needs to be tweaking. It bugs me that teams are able to run huge chunks of time off the clock in the final minutes. But it's up to their opponents to make stops and conserve timeouts. I do think schools are getting better at the latter.

Grady, Saint Joseph, IL: Bob, Several folks have brought up the question of why the towel waving plan didn't work so well last Saturday at the stadium. My question is...Did the fans at Penn State and at U.S. Cellular field have to pay $7 for their towels? I have absolutely no problem with the idea of raising money for Coaches vs. Cancer, but has the $7 price tag for a Zook Zone towel kept folks from buying towels? Why not just give 62,870 towels away one time? I guarantee we would have seen a "sea of orange" waving their free towels!

Moderator: Grady,

Like you, I believe strongly in donating money to worthy causes like Coaches Vs. Cancer. And I understand the idea of having fans pay for the towels to raise that money.

But it would make more sense to me to give the towels away and maybe ask for donations on the way in and out of the stadium. They might actually raise more money than the $1 per towel they were going to raise. Some might throw in a $10 or a $20. Hit up the luxury suites and they might get even more.

I think most places that try to do the towels give them away. The Pittsburgh Steelers started this long ago with the "Terrible Towel." I'm guessing somebody donated the money to make that happen.

Waving towels looks cool. The folks at Penn State were really into it.

Tyler, Royal, Ill: How can two players from the Champaign-urbana area, Mikel Leshoure and Zach Becker be good enough to play for the Illini as freshman, not redshirt freshmen, but true freshmen and not be good enough to be picked by your newspaper as Player of The Year last year? Would you like to re-do that selection now?

Moderator: Tyler,

The N-G Players of the Year are picked based on what they did in high school, not their college potential. Caleb Pratt won last year's award. And the runner-up was Tuscola's John Wienke.

Mikel was our POY as a junior, but didn't have as good a year as a senior. Zach Becker was a very good player on a loaded high school team. On a team as good as St. Joseph-Ogden, it's hard to pick only one from so many good players.

So, back to the question, we don't want to redo the selection. Pratt was the right pick in 2007.

Jim, Urbana, IL: Is this the worst collection of Big 10 teams that you have seen since you have covered Illinois football?

After seeing the first half of the season, guess the order of finish for the top 5 teams in the Big Ten standings.

Moderator: Jim,

This isn't the worst collection of Big Ten teams I've covered. That distinction belongs to the 1992 season, when just three Big Ten teams were bowl eligible. Michigan tied three times, Ohio State lost twice and Illinois was the third team in a bowl with a 6-4-1 record.

Here's my guess:

1. Penn State

2. Ohio State

3. Michigan State

4. Minnesota

5. Illinois

Bob, Normal, IL: Here is U of Minn schedule for the rest of the year:

@ Purdue

Northwestern

Michigan

@ Wisconsin

Iowa

We outgained them by twice as many yards. With the exception of maybe @ Wisky, they should be favored in all of their remaining games. So if they can run the table, we can knock out OSU and PSU runs the table to play in a major BCS game, does that mean Minn could be in the Rose bowl? Please tell me my logic is flawed. There is no way this team is even close to being in that BCS game with the cupcake schedule they played, is there?

Moderator: Bob,

Minnesota gets a huge schedule break not having to play Penn State and Michigan State. I think you've found a really interesting possibility.

If Penn State runs the table, as you suggest, then the Rose Bowl will have one of the first two choices from the at-large pool. If it's 11-1 Minnesota or 10-2 Ohio State, then I think the Rose Bowl takes the Buckeyes. If Ohio State loses to both Penn State and Illinois, as you have suggested, then Minnesota would likely get the call, if it climbs high enough in the BCS standings. Given its low ranking now and with no great teams left to play, that's going to be hard.

Michigan State is another team you have to consider. The Spartans play both Ohio State and Penn State.

Minnesota has an outside shot at a Rose Bowl berth, but there is a possibility.

Craig, Champaign, Illinois: Bob

Can you tell me what the rule is on offensive line formation? It seems that the tackles for the Illini line up very deep in relation to the center and I was wondering how they get by with it.

PS - We got to get the Braves back into postseason

Moderator: Craig,

I'll ask any referees out there if they know the rule. Teams seem to line up all sorts of ways. The key is where the player is in relation to the ball. I assume that if you line up behind the ball at tackle or guard and you aren't moving presnap, then you're OK. I will get to the bottom of this.

And you're right, the Braves need fixing. I was spoiled for 14 years, now I really miss October.

Jim, Bloomington, IL: Per the chat board someone stated "I was at the game and was just curious if ESPN showed the footage of Brit Miller pushing the Minnesota coach on the sideline and having both of them restrained?" Do you have any knowledge about this or inside information?

Thanks

Moderator: Jim,

I watched a replay of the game early Sunday morning and didn't notice any coverage of the incident.

I haven't heard anything about it from the inside. I will continue to ask.

Kraemer, Paris, IL: I noticed on more than one occasion Saturday that Jeff Cumberland was lined up wide with a 5'8" or 5’10” CB covering him one-on-one. Only one time did the OC try to take advantage of this, and it was in the middle of the field. Why didn’t they run the fade to the end zone once they got in the red zone to try and exploit this size differential?

Moderator: Kraemer,

The return of Jeff Cumberland into the flow of the offense is an ongoing process. Sure, it makes sense to throw the ball to Jeff when he is covered by a small corner. And he did catch two passes. It's hard for me to be critical of Mike Locksley when his quarterback had 503 yards of total offense. He knows the team didn't perform well when it was close to the end zone, both going in and coming out.

I do like the fade at the goal line and I think John Mackovic did it best when Illinois got close. Throw the ball on third and fourth down. The opponents won't know what hit them.

Kyle, Champaign, IL: So Eddie McGee got arrested? Do you guys know anything about these things on all the forums? If true, are we in big trouble if Juice is injured?

Moderator: Kyle,

Eddie definitely got arrested early Sunday morning and was released on his own recognizance. His next appearance, according to our ace police reporter Steve Bauer, is scheduled for Thursday.

No action has been taken by the football program, which is continuing to gather facts. Ron Zook needs to find out what happened before he makes a decision and will presume innocence, like we all should.

Anthony, Champaign, Il: Bob,'

Do you know anymore about the Eddie McGee incident?

Moderator: Anthony,

I will try to get more information about Eddie McGee after tonight's practice. Ron Zook had his press conference earlier today and is generally off limits on Tuesday night.

bernard, charleston, il: This teams strength is offense, not defense, and certainly not special teams. Don't you think it questionable taking the ball out of Juice's hands on 4th and 1 from the 35 or so in the first quarter, in favor of a long field goal attempt by a freshman?

Moderator: Bernard,

You're right and wrong no matter what you do. Coaches love getting early points and a 45-yard field goal isn't unreasonable. Matt Eller has hit two from longer than 45 this season. His misses before Saturday had all been inside 40.

Given how the team performed near the goalline later in the game, maybe the field goal was the smart thing. Ron Zook said he thought the kick was good when it left Eller's foot.

Gregg, Pittsburgh, Pa: Bob -

Which recruiting class has the best Illini career -

06 - Juice, Uh Ho, Asamoah, Vontae, Cumberland, Duvalt, etc.

07 - Benn, Martez, Dufrene, etc.

08 - Jenkins, Scott, Ford, LeShore, Liuget, Graham, Charest, Allen, Pocic, etc.

09 - Hawthorne, Scheelhasse, Golden and ?

Also, any update on Patrick Nixon?

Moderator: Gregg,

Great question. Though the '08 class has had some good moments, I think it's too early to make that call.

I'd have to go with the '06 class. Without Juice Williams on campus, Illinois doesn't likely get many of the other players, especially Arrelious Benn. Vontae Davis is going to be a high pick in the 2009 NFL draft and Asamoah is very underrated.

Moderator: Thanks again for all the great questions. I'm going to wrap it up for the day.

Talk to you again next Tuesday. And don't forget to read Paul Klee's basketball chat on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.