Memory Lane: UI beats Ohio State in '83

 

 

EACH WEEK, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK BACK AT A MEMORABLE MOMENT IN ILLINI HISTORY, THANKS TO THE WORDS OF LOREN TATE AND THE MEMORIES OF JIM TURPIN.

This week: A look back at the UI's win against Ohio State during the magical run to the Rose Bowl in 1983

UI 17,  Ohio State 13

Oct. 15, 1983

CHAMPAIGN — When Illinois received the last chance against Ohio State Saturday, quarterback Jack Trudeau moved toward the huddle with mixed emotions.

He was puzzled by Ohio State's decision not to try a field goal on 4th-and-4 at the UI 19-yard line with 1:48 left, thankful that the defense had held firm at the 17, and hopeful he could move Illinois into field goal range.

"A tie keeps us one full game ahead of the Big Ten's best team," coach Mike White had reminded a day earlier. So, trailing 13-10 and having been dominated throughout the second half by OSU's massive bruisers, the UI brain trust was thinking in terms of a wind-assisted field goal.

The five-play series unfolded so suddenly, so shockingly that it took everyone's breath away, including the Buckeyes'. Turnover-troubled Illinois, which hadn't generated an offensive touchdown in the game (Dave Edwards scored on a 49-yard interception return), travled 83 yards in 27 seconds.

SO IF THE 17-13 victory stands as a tribute to the defense, left black and blue from blockbuster Keith Byars' 168-yard performance, the precision 2-minute offense that White brought from the NFL deserves a share of the limelight.

This 2-minute operation was a total mystery to the bungling, confused Illini team before White arrived. Most memorable were the wasted timeouts and sideline indecision in narrow losses to Navy (13-12) and Iowa (13-7) in 1979. But that was another era, forgotten in the din of a windy Saturday that, in those riotous concluding minutes, tested 60-year-old Memorial Stadium to its foundation.

In that sudden, decisive strike, these Illini covered 83 yards and changed the course of Illinois football. And regardless of what the polls may indicate, the Illini, not Michigan, are the favorites in the Rose Bowl race because Michigan has yet to face the other Big Ten powers, Iowa and Ohio State, and must play Illinois at Illinois.

PLAY ONE: Trudeau is blessed with the excellent trait of not permitting mistakes to bother him.

"No, I didn't even think about those two interceptions," he said. "I knew what had to be done and I concentrated on that."

He picked Argenta-Oreana's seldom used Scott Golden, the third wide receiver in Illinois' special passing formation and a senior with just seven catches in the first five games. Jack sent him deeper than usual on a previously-unused sideline pattern for a 24-yard gain.

White, who sent in the play, said: "We had been taking the underneath routes. On this one, we moved up to the next level."

PLAY TWO: Identical with play one, good for 22 yards.

"They meant to bump Golden and throw him off his rout, but he avoided the cornerback and found a hole in front of the 2-deep zone near the sideline. I figured it would work again if they played the same defense. If they changed, someone else should be open. They didn't change and there was Golden again."

PLAY THREE: Trudeau figured it was time to go to his tight end, Tim Brewster, but the Buckeyes had similar ideas. Looking around, Trudeau saw Golden, who wasn't even supposed to be in a pattern, break into the clear again but his pass deflected off Golden's hands.

"Scott was so shocked to see the ball coming toward him again that I don't think he was prepared for it," said Trudeau.

PLAY FOUR: Trudeau scanned the field for a receiver when he realized that the Buckeyes' containment had broken down.

"When it opened up, I had an angle to the right sideline and I ran as far as I could. I thought I could get us  in field goal territory."

Trudeau gained 16 yards before Rowland Tatum banged him out of bounds, placing the ball on the OSU 21 and allowing Illinois to hold onto its two timeouts.

The timeouts were critical to the game strategy because if Illinois had used another timeout, Trudeau would not have gambled on the upcoming run. Also, if Ohio State had led by six instead of three, the Buckeye defense could have played more conservatively at the 21. The Buckeyes, you see, were desperate with the realization that a tie would kill their Rose Bowl hopes as surly as a loss.

PLAY FIVE: White called for a fullback draw but, at the line of scrimmage, Trudeau caught the movement of the OSU safety and anticipated the impending blitz. His audible call was "38 toss," a simple sweep with Thomas Rooks carrying.

"The best place to call a play is at the line of scrimmage," said Trudeau, "because you can see what the defense is doing. That's the strength of our 2-minute offense and we work on it a lot. We can call almost every play in our repertoire with a huddle.

"I figured the sweep was a safe call and would avoid their blitz," said Trudeau. "We were running to the short (right) side of the field, and I figured if Rooks didn't get out of bounds, I'd call our second timeout. I was still thinking field goal when I realized he was in the end zone."

Said Rooks: "When I looked at the Ohio State Defense, I was hoping Jack would call '28 Tom' and he did. I was immediately open to the outside and I got great blocking from Jim Juriga and the others. I want to thank them. The execution was great. The only defender I saw was No. 12 (Garcia Lane) and I cut back inside him.

"IT WAS A GREAT feeling, a great victory. We had been frustrated by the fumbles and interceptions, but Coach White has us prepared for them. He said that in a hard-hitting game like this, there were bound to be mistakes and we shouldn't let the ups and downs discourage us."

Reflecting on the play, Trudeau said: "You may recall that Rooks ran (21 yards) for a touchdown last year in a similar situation against Ohio State. We caught them in a blitz and Mike Martin 'ran off' a defender who was in man-to-man coverage, and Thomas ran it in. This play worked somewhat the same way."

With that burst, Rooks set off the wildest hometown celebration in nearly two decades. The huge crowd had almost come to accept the inevitability of another hard-fought loss to OSU when Illinois erupted 83 yards with only Trudeau, Golden and Rooks touching the football.

IT WAS THE FIRST win over OSU since 1967 (by the same 17-12 score) and it made heroes of Dave Edwards (two interceptions), Don Thorp (11 tackles) and those gritty defenders who remain the heart and soul of the UI Rose Bowl quest.

"It was the most wonderful victory of my life," said middle linebacker Mike Weingrad, a Columbus (Ohio) native. "I've never been involved in anything like it. Ohio State plays tough football and I'm proud to be on a team that defeated them. The Buckeyes don't give you anything. You have to take it from them.

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