Illinitalk

Congratulations to Coach Ron Zook and the Illini! They notched the first Illini win at Penn State on a beautiful Homecoming Day in Happy Valley.

Although Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions have fallen out of the rankings this season after tough losses at Alabama and Iowa that banged up their defense, beating Penn State still sounds pretty good. (Especially after the consistent disappointment of last season.) A 20-point win on the road at a traditional powerhouse can be considered a statement win. The Illini can legitimately claim to be the most improved team in the conference.

The Illini had plenty of highlights, but the problems on special teams could (and probably should) have caused a different outcome.

• For returner Jack Ramsey, one mistake (the dropped opening kickoff that fortunately was recovered by Nate Bussey) led to another (fumbled punt #1) which led to another (fumbled punt #2). It's painful to ask your D to stand up again -- in the red zone -- after they've successfully forced a punt.
  
• When you have one of the top punters in the game, the least you can do is showcase his skills by successfully downing the ball where he places it. Anthony Santella has been fantastic this season, and his first punt of the game was placed perfectly just outside the goal line. But his teammates let it slip through their hands and in to the end zone.
• Again, with a fantastic kicking game, the rest of the guys on the field need to cover the returner up a bit better. The Nittany Lions had solid returns, and were often just a tackle away from breaking open a big play.
  

But beyond those miscues, the Illini played very, very well. The defense kept Penn State in check, allowing just one big play. Compared to last year, the defense has perhaps improved the most of any of the units on the field.

• Nate Bussey earned a spot on the ESPN Impact Play of the Week ballot and a College Football Final helmet sticker with his pick-6 in the second quarter. That play did shift momentum, despite the quick answer from Penn State. Oh, and he had 8 tackles, as well as covering up the first Illini fumble of the day.
  
• The defense held Penn State to a field goal in the red zone not once but twice, after punt fumbles.
  
• Evan Royster, likely on his way to becoming the all-time leading rusher for Penn State, was held to just 35 yards for the game.
  
• Penn State converted just 2 of 14 3rd downs, and a 4th-and-1 attempt (early in the game when it still mattered) failed, as well. In fact, they had just 7 1st downs for the entire game.
• Constant pressure on freshman QB Rob Bolden contributed to a long day with just 8 of 21 passing and 2 sacks.

To be fair, early in the game the tackles didn't look as solid as they had against other teams. And Justin Green did get beat by Penn State's top receiver on the only big play of the day. And to be honest, you can't ask for much more.

The offense kept the ball moving with solid, sustained drives.

• The Illini rushed for 282 yards on the day, led by Mikel LeShoure with 119 yards on 27 carries. He did a great job of driving the pile forward for extra yards. Jason Ford and Troy Pollard also had some great carries. The O-line did a great job opening holes and blocking.
  
• Scheelhaase passed for 151 yards, going 15 of 19 on short, easy underneath passes. Including the pass to A.J. Jenkins that he took to the end zone for the first TD of the game. Again, the O-line did a good job providing the protection he needed to make those short, quick passes.
• The option -- both QB keepers and pitches -- looked pretty good. There were a few risky passes, but overall the Illini offense seems to be coming together.
  
• Long, sustained drives wore out the Penn State defense, and limited the opportunities Santella had to show off his skills.
• Ford's touchdown pass showed us a bit of Paul Petrino's creativity. This season should be entertaining.

I would like to see Scheelhaase stop trying to go over the top for extra yards at the end of runs. It looks cool, but it also increases his chances of injury.

And despite the issues on special teams, the Illini kicking game is fantastic. Derek Dimke was 4 for 4 on field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder that just had the distance needed.

Next week at Michigan State will be very tough, but the Illini have continued to improve, and they should be able to put up a fight in East Lansing. But, for now, what a great confidence-builder this game was.

Go Illini!

Labels: Anthony Santella, Derek Dimke, Illini football, Mikel Leshoure, Nate Bussey, Nathan Scheelhaase

The Illini men's gymnastics team is nationally competitive. I don't know what Coach Justin Spring was up to today, but let's hope he was at Memorial Stadium -- or at least watching the football game. Apparently Nathan Scheelhaase was trying out for a spot on Spring's team today.

I love watching the gymnasts twist and flip through the air. But I have to be honest. Watching Scheelhaase fly through the air made me nervous. I like the QB's commitment to getting the first Illini touchdown going up and over the defender, but Scheelhaase did that a couple more times in an effort to get a few more yards. And unless he knows how to land and fall (like gymnasts do), he's risking serious injury on football field. Nathan, hurling your body through the air looks cool on the highlights, but it's a long season, and we'd prefer you be able to play the whole time.

Aside from Scheelhaase's acrobatics, the Illini had plenty of other moments that made fans nervous:

• Injury: Illini O-lineman Hugh Thornton suffered a strained neck in the third quarter of the game. He was on the field for several minutes while his neck was immobilized before being carted off to the field and then sent to the hospital. Fortunately the injury wasn't as serious as it could have been.
  
• Defense: The Illini defense has improved immensely over last year, but they still allowed NIU plenty of big plays. The Huskies moved the ball efficiently on their scoring drives and competed in time of possession. This group has plenty to work on during the off week, since Big Ten opponents, especially at the beginning of the conference schedule, will be more difficult to contain than NIU QB Chandler Harnish and RB Chad Spann.
• Passing: Scheelhaase can run they ball. But his passing leaves plenty of room for improvement. He did complete 8 of 16 passes against the Huskies, but that accounted for just 70 yards. To allow Leshoure, Ford and himself room to run against Big Ten defenses, Scheelhaase needs to develop a legitimate passing game. He can make impressive plays (as he proved last week against SIU), but he needs to develop consistency.
• Third down conversions: The Illini were just 5 for 14 on third downs against NIU. With teams like Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State coming up, this will be a critical area for improvement.

However, both games against in-state "directionals" showed potential strengths for the Illini as they head into a tough Big Ten schedule.

• Kicking: Derek Dimke has been solid on kickoffs, field goals and PATs. And punter Anthony Santella has also done well, starting the day ranked 2nd in the nation. After a couple years of wince-inducing special teams play, it's great to have a reliable kicking game.
• Ground game: Mikel Leshoure continues to prove himself as the heart of the Illini running game, with another 100+ yard game. With Jason Ford alongside, the Illini have a stellar RB package. Add the ability of Scheelhaase to run the option, and it's no wonder that the Illini get most of their yards on the ground. Great fakes and pitches made the option especially effective against NIU.
  
• Tackles for loss: Although the Huskies broke free for big plays, the Illini defense continues to do a great job of stopping the ball behind the line of scrimmage. They started the day leading the Big Ten in this category. And basic tackling looks much, much better than it did just a couple years ago.

The Illini needed the wins against SIU and NIU before they head into the Big Ten season. Their conference schedule has a brutal start, with Ohio State coming to Champaign in two weeks, followed by trips to Happy Valley and East Lansing.

Go Illini!

Labels: Anthony Santella, Derek Dimke, Illini football, Jason Ford, Mikel Leshoure, Nathan Scheelhaase

For the past couple years, the Illini special teams have been...an adventure. Will 2009 bring improvements?

Coach Zook seems to think there's promise. After two years, punter Anthony Santella will be on scholarship. Punting has not been an Illini strength, but the former soccer player has a positive mindset going into the season. The fan not-so-favorite rugby-style punt could still be used, but Santella's been working on his hang time on regular punts, as well.

Last year the Illini relied on freshman placekickers. This year, as sophomores, Matt Eller and Derek Dimke are set to platoon kicking duties. Eller will take care of field goals and extra points, while Dimke will have kickoff responsibilities. In 2008, Eller set an Illini freshman record with 84 points. He was 15 of 20 on field goals, but once Dimke started handling kickoffs halfway through the season, Eller was 7 of 8.

In the return game, sound decision-making will be key to improve over last year. To make a strong statement in the Big Ten, the miscues and mistakes from 2008 need to become distant memories.

As for coverage and field position, the Illini left plenty of room for improvement from 2008. The speed and strength of this squad should mean that starters don't have to take up the special teams slack like they did last year.

The Big Ten will see plenty of challenging games. The Illini offense should be up for anything, as long as the defense can get them out on the field. But special teams will be critical for success. And it would be nice to see this segment of the team truly become something special.

Go Illini!

Labels: Anthony Santella, Derek Dimke, Illini football, Matt Eller