BW,

Jack had a very good camp and deserved an award, but I ran out. I probably could have given up one of the rookie awards and created something for Jack. He's still got more time to win one of the coveted Bobbys.

ILLINIDMD,

I think the fact that Martez Wilson is back, Terry Hawthorne and Tavon Wilson are a year older and Vic Koenning is running it should create a chance for improvement.
There are obvious questions across the board.
What I think the defense will be is more disruptive. More sacks and turnovers. Maybe not fewer points and yards.

Scott,

There are a couple of parts to the answer. First, coaches are reluctant to say they've got a "go-to back" because what if that player gets hurt? Also, you want to tell the other players that it's by-committee to keep their competitiveness going. If they think the deal is done, human nature is to cut the effort.
Second (or is that third), Jason Ford has been running very, very well. So, to me, it's a two-back deal with Justin Green capable of breaking off a long gain or two.

Charley,

That one is easy: Roll him to his right and find a wide-open receiver about 12 yards down the field. In stride. That's a play Illinois has to make work against the Tigers. And it's a play that can cause Missouri trouble all day if executed properly.

Allen,

The school has said it will handle Will Ebner's case internally. That's going to be the response from most schools. The circumstances don't look good and given the sensitivity to DUI charges across college campuses, I could see him being benched for a game or two.
The question is who makes the decision? The football coach will have one idea and the school president will have another.

Jerry,

I would start with the sports information office. That number is 217-333-1391.

I know they have a limited number of media guides and I'm not sure if they are for sale.

If you have any trouble, email me and I will make sure you get a program from the game: asmussen@news-gazette.com

Robert,

I think Jonathan Brown has a chance to play early at linebacker. Houston Bates is also in the mix.
At safety, I think Earnest Thomas is going to get a chance. And Fritz Rock seemed to be getting more quality time during the final days of Camp Rantoul.

Though we're not at practice this week, I'm pretty sure they are working on Missouri. There is no way for me to know that, but I can't believe they wouldn't take the extra time. Sometimes, Ron Zook talks in riddles to throw the opponent off. I'm guessing that's the case here.

Jim,

Petrino is definitely in the press box and I think Jeff Brohm will be on the field.

I'm not sure about the defense, but I have a feeling that Coach Koenning will be on the field. That seems to be his nature. He wants to know how his guys are feeling. I will ask today.

Shawshank Ed,

1. Thumbs up. Dude inherited a mess and is trying. Plus, he loves sports.
2. My wife, who I love very, very much, won't likely see this. So, I'll say Julie Bowen from "Modern Family." Or Betty White.
3. C'mon, if I don't answer "me" there is something seriously wrong. (Plus, that's the correct answer). And thanks for the kind words about the paper.

Dave C.,

The people who will be voting are the athletic directors. There will be major input from Jim Delany and help from the Big Ten staff. But the call falls on the ADs. To me, balance and rivalries are first and second on the list, with geography third. The teams, for the most part, are flying to games. What's an extra hour?

Steve,

Sorry about the oversight. It's complicated. You would say talent is the start of it, but it goes beyond that. I think lack of confidence leads to penalties. I think some of the responsibility falls to the coaches. And, with the celebration and late hit penalties, you have to blame the players.
I think Vic Koenning and Paul Petrino have established a need for discipline. They pounded it into the players during Camp Rantoul and it will continue throughout the season. Will it mean fewer penalties? It should. But there is also a redshirt freshman at quarterback and some young guys on both sides of the line.
Ron Turner's teams, if I remember correctly, were often among the least penalized teams in the Big Ten. I think I'd want to be somewhere in the middle. Because you want your guys going up to the line without going over it.

Curt,

Ron Guenther was the offensive line coach at Boston College in the early 1970s and later coached at North Central College. At North Central, where he was associate head coach, his teams were 23-12-2, according to his bio. He also was a high school coach.

BigToe,

Great research. I haven't asked him about the USFL, but I will in the future. I thought the league was interesting and made a stupid decision when it sued the NFL. A lot of great players were in the USFL. I'm sure he has some fun stories.

Tim,

Like Charles Barkley, I misquoted myself. Just kidding.

You are right that losing seasons are a costly mess. What I should have written was that firing coaches is a last resort, but sometimes necessary to clean up a costly mess.

Nothing yet on the season tickets. The numbers probably won't be available until the week of the home opener.

Vernon,

The offensive line looked pretty good throughout Camp Rantoul. There are still some questions, like the guard opposite Randall Hunt. And depth is a major issue.

Jarred Fayson had a quiet but effective camp. I think he will have a good season. Not 90 catches, but maybe in the 40s or 50s. He is considered an important part of the rotation.

MB,

He was at practice the first week, but didn't want to be interviewed. He is awaiting an opportunity to play pro football, maybe in the CFL. Hopefully, we will find out something soon.

Jack,

There seems to be a reluctance to schedule down at Illinois. Is that wrong? At this point, probably.

The key to any sustained success for the Illinois program is getting to repeated bowls. That won't be as likely when the nonconference schedule is top heavy, like it was in 2009.

Of course, the 2011 schedule should be good for Illinois, with all of the games at home. But that hasn't been the case often enough.

You make a lot of good points.

Remember, you can only count one non-Division I-A win toward a bowl. That cost Kansas State a postseason berth in 2009.

Al,

It's in a holding pattern, though my guess is that he won't likely return to the team. Ron Zook is hoping to get him back, but it won't be easy. More likely, Walt transfers to another school and tries to play this season.
I think you are right that the secondary is a concern. And losing a player like Aikens, if that's the case, doesn't help any. He played in 2009 and would have been a contributor in 2010.

Mike,

I took the time to watch the special teams, specifically the returners, in the final week and they did look good. Terry Hawthorne has good returning skills. So does Jack Ramsey.
I think the return numbers will go up. Maybe in a big way. There are plenty of starters on the special teams.

Stan,

I think getting rid of the negativity has been a big part of the preparation. You won't hear the coaches ripping into the players too much publicly. But you are right, it doesn't take a lot to get the bad vibe going again. The coaches and the team leaders need to stop it. Of course, winning takes care of everything.

Matt,

You've made a good point. The question is how durable Corey Liuget is and how quickly the young guys like Akeem Spence are able to make an impact. I think you will get your answer when Ohio State comes to town.

Ken,

Pennsylvania has been an area Illinois recruited in the past. I'm not sure how much the new staff will go there. It's all about connections. These guys seem to have different places available to them. In the Pittsburgh area, Illinois isn't going to get many or any guys that Penn State or Pitt wants.

Dennis,

I think if you are Illinois football, you have to start with Chicago area and work out from there. Sure, there are a lot of schools that hit the city and it is overrecruited. But it is in the state. It has to be priority one. Then, you draw a circle from C-U that hits Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, etc. That's next. And you look to places you've had success in the past, like Florida.

Dave C.,

Nathan seems effective on rollouts. He'll get better at it as time goes on. Nathan was very unhappy about the turnovers during Saturday's scrimmage. He's the kind of kid who will work at until it isn't a problem anymore.