Will Illini be fine in '09?

For highlights of the UI's loss to Ohio State, click here.

 

While Illinois still has plenty to play for today, including a bowl bid, we wonder what the team will be like in 2009. Here is a breakdown in four critical areas, courtesy beat writer Bob Asmussen:

Schedule

In the Big Ten, Iowa and Wisconsin go away and Michigan State and Purdue return.

In the nonconference, Illinois will again play Missouri and a I-AA team (Illinos State replacing Eastern Illinois). Instead of Western Michigan and Louisiana-Lafayette, the Illini have Fresno State and an as-yet-unannounced pairing against Cincinnati.

Missouri loses quarterback Chase Daniel, tight end Chase Coffman and a pack of other starters.

"Missouri will not be as good as this year's Missouri," said Phil Steele, who publishes a series of comprehensive preseason football magazines.

Steele points to similar graduation losses at Fresno State. Most of Cincinnati's offense returns, but the team takes a major hit on defense, losing 10 starters.

"Naturally, substituting a BCS conference team for a MAC team, this game is a little harder," Steele said. "But Western Michigan was pretty difficult this year."

2009 SCHEDULE

Sept. 5 vs. Missouri (St. Louis)

Sept. 12 vs. Illinois State

Sept. 19 Open

Sept. 26 at Ohio State

Oct. 3 vs. Penn State

Oct. 10 vs. Michigan State

Oct. 17 at Indiana

Oct. 24 at Purdue

Oct. 31 vs. Michigan

Nov. 7 at Minnesota

Nov. 14 vs. Northwestern

Nov. 21 vs. Fresno State

Nov. 28 at Cincinnati&

& = projected game not yet announced

 

Coaching

Two week ago in Detroit, Illlinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley met with Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips about the school's head coaching job. As soon as Syracuse fired Greg Robinson, one of the those mentioned as a possible replacement was Locksley.

Locksley won't talk about the positions, wisely focusing all of his attention on today's game against Northwestern. But in the past, Locksley has never hidden his desire to be a head coach.

Will Clemson make him an offer? Is Syracuse a good fit? Like any head coaching candidate, Locksley would want to make sure the support is there from the administration, that the facilities are competitive within the conference and that there would be enough money to hire a top staff. No question Clemson would be a great job. Not as sure about Syracuse.

If Locksley gets a head coaching position, be it at Clemson, Syracuse or elsewhere, it will shake up the Illinois staff. The good news for Ron Zook is he has a possible replacement already on the staff, second-year assistant Kurt Beathard.

Bottom line, nothing has happened with the staff and won't until after today's game.

ILLINOIS STAFF

Head coach Ron Zook

Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley

Running backs Reggie Mitchell

Co-defensive coordinator Dan Disch

Co-defensive coordinator Curt Mallory

Outside receivers Kurt Beathard

Inside receivers Jim Pry

Defensive line Tom Sims

Offensive line Eric Wolford

Special teams Mike Woodford

 

Recruits

The Illinois class will grow from the current 16 commitments, with the final number hitting at least the low 20s.

While Ron Zook tells all freshman to prepare to play in their first year. The reality is that the farther you are away from the ball, the easier it is to play early.

Check out the need areas for the Illini: linebacker, secondary, receiver, defensive end. The top recruits fit into those need areas, starting with receivers Terry Hawthorne and Kraig Appleton.

At defensive end, Morgan Park's Craig Drummond and Cincinnati's Tank Carradine will ease the loss of Derek Walker and Will Davis.

"Both Drummond and Carradine are impact players that should help the Illini out tremendously up front," said Jeremy Crabtree, national recruiting expert for Rivals.com.

The lone linebacker in the class so far is Floridian Darryl Lee. But he will likely get some help before the class signs in February.

2009 COMMITMENTS

Kraig Appleton East St. Louis

Lendell Buckner Chicago Leo

Tank Carradine Cincinnati Taft

Andrew Carter Tallahassee (Fla.) Leon

Craig Drummond Chicago Morgan Park

Jake Feldmeyer Centerville (Ohio)

Greg Fuller Thornton

Terry Hawthorne East St. Louis

Leon Hill Chicago Leo

Steve Hull Cincinnati Sycamore

Tommie Hopkins East St. Louis

Steve Hull Cincinnati Sycamore

Darryl Lee St. Augustine (Fla.)

Nathan Scheelhaase Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst

Hugh Thornton Oberlin (Ohio)

Joelil Thrash Washington (D.C.) H.D. Woodson

 

Players

Seventeen seniors will be gone, with the biggest hit on the offensive line (Eric Block, Xavier Fulton, Ryan McDonald) and defensive end (Will Davis, Derek Walker). The team will also miss defensive tackle David Lindquist, linebacker Rodney Pittman and receiver Will Judson. And, of course, linebacker Brit Miller.

One other defender is unlikely to return, with junior cornerback Vontae Davis projected among the top 10 picks in April's NFL draft. He will be the school's second consecutive first-rounder. That hasn't happened at Illinois since 1991-92.

The offensive line losses will be offset by the early use of Corey Lewis and Jeff Allen. They will likely fill the two tackle spots, leaving only Block's left guard position open.

Returning quarterback Juice Williams will have more weapons available to him. Arrelious Benn gets help from Florida transfer Jarred Fayson and Jack Ramsey.

The running backs will be a year older and Mikel Leshoure will be recovered from a broken jaw.

"When you talk about the guys we've got coming back, we've got just about everybody coming back in some key positions," Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley said. "The big concern will be the depth up front in the offensive line, which is why the reps Corey Lewis and Jeff Allen are getting are going to be that much more valuable to us offensively.

"We have the potential to continue to progress forward with this offense. The big thing's going to come down to the quarterback play and us taking care of the football."

2007 SENIORS

Eric Block OL

Matt Brandabur K

Sam Carson LB

Will Davis DE

Jack Eastman WR

Xavier Fulton OL

Conor Gillen LB

Will Judson WR

David Lindquist DT

Ryan McDonald OL

Brit Miller LB

Mike Nabolotny OL

Tyler Pacha RB

Rodney Pittman LB

Tom Sullivan TE

Derek Walker DE

Bryson Whalen DL

Comments

Add a Comment