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ST. LOUIS – The first time.

You try to put on a brave face. You tell everybody, "I've got this."

And maybe you do. No way to know for sure until the opening drive. And beyond.

Today at the Edward Jones Dome is Nathan Scheelhaase's first time as a starting college quarterback. He's been prepared for this moment by supportive parents. Dad and Mom, Nate and LouAnn, always have been at his side. When he went off to college at Illinois, so did they, moving to Champaign-Urbana.

He's been trained by a Kansas City coaching legend, Tony Severino. "Coach Sev" will be in the stands for today's game, a rare fan appearance for the Rockhurst High School icon.

Counting Mike Locksley, who helped recruit Scheelhaase before taking over at New Mexico, Scheelhaase is on his third quarterback coach at Illinois. First, Kurt Beathard and now Jeff Brohm have given him plenty of instructions.

None of them will be on the field for Scheelhaase's first time. They won't take a snap, throw a pass or scramble for yards. Mom, Dad, Coach Sev, Locksley, Beathard and Brohm can't help him when Aldon Smith gets close. Or a Missouri defensive back jumps in the way of a pass.

It's on him.

All quarterbacks have a first time. At Illinois, Millikin, Notre Dame. Everywhere. Some look like they've been doing it their entire lives. Others look like they've never taken a snap. Most fall somewhere in between.

During the past two decades, Illinois first-time starting quarterbacks have had different levels of success, teamwise and personally.

The last 16 first-time starters have gone 4-12, thrown for a combined 2,535 yards and had 24 passes intercepted. They've thrown 16 touchdown passes and completed 52 percent of their attempts. They've beaten the good (Jeff Kinney at Ohio State) and the not so good (Jon Beutjer against Arkansas State). All 12 losses came against BCS teams, including 10 against the Big Ten.

Only one of the 16 (Scott Weaver in 1993) made his debut against the Tigers. Until today.

"This is a moment in my life that I've waited for for so long," Scheelhaase said.

Familiar space

The Edward Jones Dome isn't new to Scheelhaase. In 2007, as a junior at Rockhurst, he led the Hawklets to a state championship in the building. That adds to his confidence.

"I say it can't hurt," Scheelhaase said. "I think it's nice to be able to say, 'I've been in that stadium. I've had success.' "

Scheelhaase kept his week as routine as possible. Went to class, practiced, watched film, did his homework. He thought about the game but didn't dwell on it.

Today at the stadium, the routines will continue. He'll hang out in the locker room with his teammates, listening to music. Calming music.

"I just got a pair of $19 headphones," Scheelhaase said. "I'll probably listen to Christian worship music. Real relaxing. Gets you real relaxed before anything you do. Not anything too wild or anything too different."

He prays before the game. Actually, throughout the week.

"I'm just thankful," Scheelhaase said.

"No matter what, your path is always going to be different than what you expect it to be."

In high school, Scheelhaase said, he wasn't the type to get sick before the game. Just a few butterflies.

He expects Missouri to test his nerves early and often. Blitzes here, stunts there.

"I say, 'Throw it all at me,' " Scheelhaase said. "I'm excited about our game plan. I'm not so much worried about what they're going to do and the things they can do. We've got things we've built up all spring and fall camp to get ready for the whole wash of things."

Bounce back

Not quite 20 years ago, Jason Verduzco started his first game for Illinois against Arizona. He remembers it like it was yesterday.

Verduzco had some advantages over Scheelhaase, who redshirted in 2009 and never has taken a college snap. As a redshirt freshman in 1989, Verduzco helped save the Illini in a win against Ohio State after Jeff George got hurt. The man who currently stands fourth on the school's career passing list had 26 attempts before his first start.

"It's always easy for someone to come in off the sideline," Verduzco said. "You're just thrown into it. You go with the flow. And you don't think as much."

Once he got on the field in Tucson, the past snaps didn't seem to help.

For the first play of the game, Illinois coach John Mackovic called a short pass to John Wright. The idea, Verduzco said, was to get his confidence going early. It was a pass he had thrown 100 times in practice, always on the money.

"It was a real easy play," Verduzco said. "I took one step and threw it to them.

"When I actually took one step back and threw, I bounced it to the receiver. I had no idea how that happened. It was definitely not a confidence-building play."

Though it didn't work, it created a tension relief for Verduzco, who was 25 of 38 the rest of the game for 255 yards and a touchdown.

"I had to kind of regroup," Verduzco said. "I was so nervous. And I was trying so hard to shield that, to push it down, to not let Coach Mac or my team or anybody know.

"(Wright) brought the football back to me in the huddle and said, 'What was that?' It was not the best start. It happens."

Now living in the Kansas City area, Verduzco saw Scheelhaase play in high school. And he'll root for him today against Missouri.

"I've heard he's a great kid and he works his butt off," Verduzco said. "He's kind of earned his spot, which is great. I'm sure he'll do well."

Verduzco has some advice:

"Just play within your role. His only role is to get the ball to the playmakers. You don't have to make plays. It takes all that anxiety off of him."

Verduzco also wants to remind Scheelhaase that it will get easier. In his next game, Verduzco helped Illinois beat eventual national champion Colorado.

"You learn how to deal with the preparation and anxiety," Verduzco said. "You get more wise and mature."

Verduzco had to follow NFL No. 1 draft pick George as the Illinois starting quarterback. Scheelhaase is following the school's career total offense leader, Juice Williams.

"I totally accepted that as a challenge," Verduzco said. "That was fun."

Dustin Ward had a similar challenge before his first start, replacing injured Kurt Kittner in the final game of the 2000 season. Ward, now the offensive coordinator at DePauw, had a solid game in a blowout loss to Northwestern.

"I remember it being very cold," Ward said. "They won the Big Ten that day. They got a piece of the crown."

Normally, the first hit will take the edge off for a starting quarterback. Ward got more than his share.

"I got bounced around a few times that day," Ward said.

Ward said Scheelhaase has to trust the offense and his coaches. And don't try to do more than he's capable.

"Have fun out there," Ward said.