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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – On the field, the Illinois coach was losing his ninth consecutive game against a Division I-A opponent and moving with one loss of being eliminated from bowl consideration for the fourth time in five seasons.

In the press box at halftime, Ron Zook was being given another year by his athletic director, Ron Guenther.

Zook said he appreciates the support.

"I'm not worried about me," Zook said. "I'm worried about this football team. They're going to do what they're going to do. It's the profession.

"Ron Guenther, I'm not saying this because he said that, I've said this since the day I've walked on this campus: he's the best thing about this job. He understands. On the same token, I understand he has a job to do as well."

During a brief press conference, Guenther said:

"The question that has come up and continues to come up is and continues to come up: Is there a change in Champaign? The reason the BTN (Big Ten Network) got it is because Glen Mason and I are going to have dinner next week. I said, 'Let's put one thing to rest. There will be some changes, but there won't be a change on the top.' There's a great deal of frustration, obviously, with the program at the moment. That's all I've got to say."

Guenther said the program will continue to be evaluated.

"I think it was really unfair to start jumping, at the end of the fifth year, on the guy," Guenther said. "That's what I wanted to put aside. We're going to sit down and evaluate certainly. But there is no decision at the top."

Several Illinois players were asked after the game about Guenther's promise to retain Zook. There were all supportive of their coach.

"It definitely gives the guys something to play for," quarterback Jacob Charest said. "Coach has done a great job here. We're having a little down season."

"He just tries to keep the team motivated, keep us going," linebacker Nate Bussey said. "He hasn't seemed down. Coach Zook is the type of guy that tries to keep us up."

The last Illinois win against a I-A team came nine weeks into the 2008 season, with Matt Eller kicking a late field goal to beat Iowa. Since that game, the Illini have lost to Western Michigan, Ohio State, Northwestern, Missouri, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue. Only the Western Michigan game was decided by less than 10 points.

Until Saturday, the Illini hadn't score the first points in any game against a I-A team this season. The 7-0 lead in the first quarter lasted 1:56.

Illinois hasn't been able to put any early offensive pressure on teams. Take away the win against Illinois State, and the Illini have been outscored 87-20.

Purdue, which had the Big Ten's No. 2 passing offense going into the game, dominated the first half with the run. The Boilermakers gained 171 rushing yards in the first half, 35 more than they had been averaging per game this season.

"I didn't think they could (run) either," Illinois co-defensive coordinator Dan Disch said. "We pride ourselves on trying to be good versus the run."

STORY OF THE GAME

Ron Zook will be back next year. No matter what. That's the word from Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther, who held a 52-second press conference to answer questions about the future of his football coach. Saturday's loss to Purdue dropped Zook to 19-36 overall at Illinois and 10-27 in Big Ten games.

NUMBERS GAME
3
That's how many catches the Illinois tight ends had Saturday on one drive, almost half as many as they had in the first six games (seven). Credit redshirt freshman Jacob Charest, who found Michael Hoomanawanui twice and Hubie Graham once on the same second-quarter drive. Graham had a career-long 31-yard grab.

WHAT IT MEANS

If the Illini lose to Michigan, they are out of the bowl business for the second consecutive season. That will make it 12 times in 15 seasons that the Illini have stayed home for the holidays. When league rivals Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc., are going consistently, it puts Illinois at a huge disadvantage in terms of development.

WHAT'S NEXT

A Halloween afternoon game against an angry Michigan team. Don't think Rich Rodriguez won't spend the weekend reminding his team about last season's loss to Illinois at Ann Arbor, when Juice Williams set the Michigan Stadium record for total offense. Is it just us, or does that feel like a decade ago?