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

At the heart of the Fighting Illini defense, the linebackers have consistently been on top of their opponents. Their tackling has been solid, and they have done a good job of getting into the backfield for negative yards.

Here's a bit of background on the starting LB group:
Senior Nate Bussey, from the Washington D.C. area, went to high school with former Illini and current NFL players Vontae Davis and Arrelious Benn. A high school QB, Bussey converted to safety and then to OLB during the spring of 2009. So far this season, he's racked up 19 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss and two hard back-to-back hits on Mizzou's T.J. Moe (you may remember the second one, which made Moe lose his helmet).

Ian Thomas, a redshirt junior from Berwyn Heights, Md., finished last season as the team leader in tackles, and ranked 10th in the Big Ten. That was after stepping in at MLB after Martez Wilson was hurt. On a personal note, he also helped care for his mother after she suffered a brain aneurism. Thomas is off to a strong start this season, playing opposite Bussey and tied for second in tackles on the team to date with 24 (4 for loss) and a fumble recovery.

Chicago Simeon standout Martez Wilson, has recovered from the herniated disc in his neck that kept him out of all but the opening game last season and earned him a medical redshirt. That makes him a junior in eligibility this year. Expectations for Wilson are high, and he's set lofty personal goals, as well. He's come a long way since he first took over at MLB during the spring of 2009. And so far he leads the Illini with 25 tackles, 3 of those for a loss.

A couple others in the LB rotation include senior and junior college transfer Aaron Gress from California and redshirt sophomore Justin Staples from Ohio. Staples as 10 tackles, including a sack, and Gress has 3 tackles.

This group has been hitting hard. Keep it up, guys!
Go Illini!

Labels: Ian Thomas, Illini football, Martez Wilson, Nate Bussey