Juice, Charest to split time again

Watch highlights from Saturday's loss here.

CHAMPAIGN – You will see Jacob Charest on the field for Illinois against Michigan. And you will see Juice Williams on the field against Michigan.

Which one will start? That's the unknown for coach Ron Zook going into the week of practice.

"It's early to decide that," Zook said Sunday. "I think we still need Juice to help us too. I don't know what exactly role Juice is going to be in. But there have been a lot of teams that have had two-quarterback systems. Is that the ideal thing? Probably not. But I've been involved with it before. That's probably what we're leaning to at this point in time."

Charest, playing for the first time in his college career, hit 4 of 8 passes at Purdue for 52 yards. He led one long drive late in the first half, moving the Illini to the 2. He was replaced by Williams on the drive.

Zook said Charest played well enough to earn more time.

"For his first college experience, I thought he did some nice things," Zook said. "When things were going on all around him, he was looking downfield, kept his eyes downfield, and got rid of the ball quickly. I think we just continue to expand on his package."

Zook said he doesn't feel like he needs to use only one quarterback.

"If we get later on in the week and we feel maybe that's the best way for us to do it, then we can do that," Zook said.

Zook said he doesn't know how the time will be split. Those decisions will be made later in the week.

Williams, the school's career total offense leader, hit 9 of 18 passes for 77 yards and an interception. He ran 14 times for 38 yards and moved into sixth on the Big Ten's career total offense list.

Running hard. Illinois sophomore tailback Mikel Leshoure finished Saturday's game with 122 yards on 15 carries. He now leads the team in rushing with 285 yards, averaging 6.5 yards per carry.

"I don't think there's any question that Mikel's beginning to separate himself a little bit there," Zook said. "I thought he did extremely well. We know he can receive the ball."

Leshoure is still bothered by an ankle injury, Zook said.

"The good thing about him is he can run, he can catch, he can protect," Zook said. "He's a smart guy."

Team player. It was another modest day for receiver Arrelious Benn, who had three catches for 16 yards and one carry for 3.

Zook said Benn continues to play with a sore ankle, an injury suffered in the opening game against Missouri. He also has a shoulder injury.

"He's a tough guy," Zook said. "Obviously, he's doing everything he can to help this football team win."

Zook said he isn't worried about getting a bigger workload for Benn. Nor is Benn.

"I'm more concerned about winning right now than I am worried about who gets the touches," Zook said. "What we're trying to do is do the things that we feel are going to help us be successful. Obviously, we've got to keep trying, we've got to keep changing."

Staying flexible. Though he spent Saturday's game at receiver, Eddie McGee isn't done as a quarterback.

"I think anything's possible right now," Zook said. "I have not given up on Eddie as a quarterback by any stretch of imagination. He's done an awful lot of good things and he's taken a lot of snaps around here. Eddie is a guy I'd like to have on the field. I'll be quite honest, I was worried about Eddie's confidence."

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