Zook: 'We're not where we need to be yet'

CHAMPAIGN – It doesn't take a genius to realize the mood wasn't very good Sunday at the Illinois football office.

A day after the team's 27-20 loss to Minnesota, Ron Zook saw unhappy players and coaches.

"It's a feeling of hurt," Zook said. "The guys that I've seen are upset. It's like you tell them, and I've said this from Day 1, 'Fellas, we're not where we need to be yet. When you are, you win the games you're supposed to win.' "

The numbers might indicate an Illinois victory.

"Any time you have 550 yards of offense and you hold a pretty good offense to 312, you really should win," Zook said. "But we didn't and now we've got to go back and (the Illini) have to understand why we didn't."

Changing chart. Saturday's loss knocked off some of the team's goals. Zook's solution? New goals.

"We've got to readjust our goals," Zook said. "Any time you set your goals, you set them high. We're not completely done with them, but obviously a couple of them, we've got to do some work on."

Improved play. Lost in the upset loss to Minnesota was the performance of Martez Wilson. The sophomore linebacker led the Illini with 13 tackles.

"I thought he played much better," Zook said. "He was still not 100 percent where you'd like him."

Wilson is tied for 41st nationally with 8.67 tackles per game. Teammate Brit Miller, who had eight stops on Saturday, is 14th at 10.17.

Looking ahead. Zook is 1-2 against Indiana during his Illinois tenure. The Hoosiers visit Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

"It's going to be a game just like (Saturday)," Zook said. "This is a football team that will come in here and they'll play like the freaking Indianapolis Colts. Our guys have got to understand that. We've got to make our guys understand that."

Big numbers. With his 503 yards Saturday, Illinois quarterback Juice Williams moved to fourth in the nation in total offense. He is 13th in passing yards, 21st in passing efficiency and 61st in rushing.

Williams has three 300-yard passing games this season and has two of the top four passing games in school history. The last Illini to have at least three 300-yard games in one season was Jon Beutjer in 2002.

Despite the big game, Williams did not repeat as Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. The award went to Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark, who threw for 244 yards and a touchdown and ran for two scores in a blowout win against Wisconsin.

Kickoff woes. Two kickoffs out of bounds did not please Zook, with both setting up the Minnesota offense at their 40. Zook said he doesn't know what to do about the problem.

"You got any suggestions for me?" Zook said.

Michael Cklamovski kicked off for the Illini in 2007 with few problems. Zook talked to him after the Michigan game and told him the job was his against Minnesota. Then, the ball went out of bounds twice.

"I made the decision to leave him in there," Zook said. "Of course, in the second half, he kicked pretty well."

Aches, pains. Safety Bo Flowers has a strained hamstring but should be available for the Indiana game. Linebacker Ian Thomas will return to practice after missing Saturday's game with a sprained knee.

Review

Every game has a defining moment when the outcome is established. Here is the play from Saturday's Illinois-Minnesota game:

THE SITUATION

Minnesota leads 14-6 late in the third quarter, but the Illini are driving. A pair of long passes to Arrelious Benn moves the ball from the Illinois 14 to the Minnesota 33. On a first-down pass, Juice Williams finds freshman A.J. Jenkins near the Illinois sideline for another 28 yards. The Illini quickly move to the line for the first-down play from the 5.

THE PLAY

Williams is stopped for no gain. On second down, he takes the ball again and gets close to the end zone. Ruled down on the field, replay shows the call to be correct and the Illini face third and about 1 foot. Williams looks for a hole in the middle of the line but is stuffed. Down eight, the Illini decide to try again on fourth down. Williams fakes the ball to freshman tailback Jason Ford, who flies over the line and into the end zone with a group of tacklers trying to stop him. Williams keeps it and runs to his right.

THE RESULT

Williams evades the initial tackler, then moves toward the end zone. He is grabbed by Minnesota's Steve Davis while falling to the turf. Williams reaches the ball over the goalline and the official calls it a TD. But the referee quickly blows his whistle to allow for a review. And the booth official decides that Williams was down before the ball crossed the goalline. Minnesota takes over inside its own 1.

THE OUTCOME

The Illini are able to stop the Gophers on the following drive and take over at the Minnesota 45. But they aren't able to move the ball and punt it back to the Gophers. Minnesota scores a touchdown on its next drive and later on a fumble return after a hard hit on Juice Williams. The quarterback throws two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, but a late interception ends the Illini hopes for overtime.

THE RECORD (3-3)

Missouri 52 Illinois 42

Illinois 47 Eastern Illinois 21

Illinois 20 La.-Lafayette 17

Penn State 38 Illinois 24

Illinois 45 Michigan 20

Minnesota 27 Illinois 20

Saturday vs. Indiana, 7 p.m.

Oct. 25 at Wisc., 11 a.m.

Nov. 1 vs. Iowa, TBA

Nov. 8 vs. W. Mich.<@>, 11 a.m.

Nov. 15 vs. Ohio State, TBA

Nov. 22 at N'western, TBA

@ – at Detroit

Preview

Illinois tries to rebound from a disappointing loss with a home game against Indiana. A quick read on the Hoosiers:

LAST GAME

Desperate for a win, Iowa routed Indiana 45-9 at Bloomington. Iowa had a pair of running backs, Jewel Hampton and Shonn Greene, top 100 yards. Hampton scored three touchdowns. The Hawkeyes also got effective play from quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Indiana's offense struggled, with coach Bill Lynch trying both Kellen Lewis and Ben Chappell. It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Hoosiers, who ended a long bowl-less streak last season.

WHO TO WATCH

A month ago, we would have told you Lewis. But he hasn't been as good this season as in the past. So, we'll go with Ray Fisher, who is coming off a five-catch day against the Hawkeyes. The junior will need to have a big game against the Illini if the Hoosiers want to stay close.

WHERE TO WATCH

For the first time since the Louisiana-Lafayette game, the Illini are back on the Big Ten Network. There could be many more on the way, with Illinois games against Wisconsin, Iowa and Northwestern a possibility for the BTN.

REASON TO WATCH

For Illinois fans, there's a pretty good chance your team is going to win. It is Indiana, a school Illini fans despise ... in basketball. Night games are always fun and this is likely the only one at Memorial Stadium this season. Right now, the forecast looks perfect, with temperatures in the 60s at kickoff.

BY THE NUMBERS

In its football history, no Big Ten team has been as easy on the Illini as Indiana. Illinois has more wins against the Hoosiers (42) than any other school. And the best record percentagewise. Indiana did win the last time it played in Champaign, knocking off Ron Zook's team 34-32.

THE RECORD (2-4)

Indiana 31 W. Kentucky 13

Indiana 45 Murray State 3

Ball State 42 Indiana 20

Michigan St. 42 Indiana 29

Minnesota 16 Indiana 7

Iowa 45 Indiana 9

Saturday at Illinois, 11 a.m.

Oct. 25 at Purdue

Nov. 1 vs. Northwestern

Nov. 8 vs. Michigan

Nov. 15 at Wisconsin

Nov. 22 vs. Iowa

 

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