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EARLY
BIRD 2008 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
RELEASED DECEMBER 2007 |
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ILLINOIS
FIGHTING ILLINI |
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OFFENSE
- 8 |
------RETURNING
STARTERS------ |
DEFENSE
- 6 |
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KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Russ Weil-FB, Jacob Willis-WR, Martin O'Donnell-OG,
Akim Millington-OT, Jason Reda-K |
DEFENSE:
Chris
Norwell-DT, Antonio Steele-LB, J Leman-LB,
Justin Harrison-SS, Kevin Mitchell-FS, Justin
Sanders-FS |
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Running
Back / Receiver |
Big Ten Offensive
Player of The Year Rashard Mendenhall
is good enough now to play on
Sundays. Whether he stays or
not will certainly affect their
preseason rankings. Sophomore
WR Arrelious Benn is a gem in
Zook’s recent strong recruiting
classes. |
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Linebacker
/ Safety |
Gone are
the team's top two tacklers
from their respective LB spots,
including team captain J Leman.
The nation's 77th ranked pass
defense will have to improve,
and with two new faces at the
safety position, the Illini
have their work cut out if they
are to again earn BCS respect. |
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RB
Rashard Mendenhall |
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DB
Vontae Davis |
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*
DEPTH CHARTS were only designed as a simplistic
gauge for listing players that departed and
players that received the most playing experience
(consistent starters). NationalChamps.net
recognizes the importance of missing personnel
data not listed such as redshirts, transfers,
injuries, incoming recruits, back ups and
alternates. Their coverage will begin with
our full 2008 Preseason Preview due out this
coming spring. |
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ILLINOIS
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Juice
Williams-Jr |
Eddie
McGee-So |
FB |
Rahkeem
Smith-Jr |
.. |
RB |
Rashard
Mendenhall-Sr |
Daniel
Dufrene-Jr |
WR |
Brian
Gamble-So |
Will
Judson-Sr |
WR |
Arrelious
Benn-So |
DaJuan
Warren-Sr |
WR |
Kyle
Hudson-Sr |
Joe
Morgan-Jr |
TE |
Michael
Hoomanawanui-Jr |
Jeff
Cumberland-Jr |
OT |
Xavier
Fulton-Sr |
.. |
OG |
.. |
.. |
C |
Ryan
McDonald-Sr |
.. |
OG |
Jon
Asamoah-Jr |
.. |
OT |
.. |
.. |
K |
.. |
.. |
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ILLINOIS
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Doug
Pilcher-Jr |
Derek
Walker-Sr |
DT |
Sirod
Williams-Sr |
Josh
Brent-So |
DT |
David
Lindquist-Sr |
.. |
DE |
Will
Davis-Sr |
Jerry
Brown-So |
LB |
Martez
Wilson-So |
.. |
LB |
Sam
Carson-Sr |
.. |
LB |
Brit
Miller-Sr |
Rodney
Pittman-Sr |
CB |
Vontae
Davis-Jr |
Marcus
Thomas-So |
CB |
Dere
Hicks-Jr |
.. |
SS |
Bo
Flowers-So |
.. |
FS |
.. |
.. |
P |
Anthony
Santella-So |
.. |
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QUICK
ANALYSIS |
Illinois
transformed from a two-win program to a
tough nine-win program by applying the basics
- how to block people and run well with
the football. The rushing attack is not
just built on the legs of RB Rashard Mendenhall
and his 1500+ yards. As the 2007 season
progressed, QB Isiah "Juice" Williams
became a household name in Champaign by
scrambling for yards of his own. His success
would reach a pinnacle in the big win at
Columbus, beating the then-undefeated Ohio
State team for the first time since 2001.
Illinois amazingly/convincingly ate up the
final eight minutes of the fourth quarter
on the legs of Williams. A coach has to
have the right QB to run the spread offense,
and coach Ron Zook has found one and knows
how to shape his offense to optimize Juice’s
(and the team’s) production. Even
when Williams stumbles, young Eddie McGee
is there to pick up the slack. However,
for Illinois to take another step forward,
they will have to teach their QBs how to
throw the ball after ranking near the bottom
of the country (114th) in passing. Ostensibly,
the emphasis put on recruiting by Zook and
his staff is beginning to pay dividends.
Underclassmen such as Arrelious Benn, Vontae
Davis and Juice Williams will all continue
to play huge roles in the rise of this program.
The Illini took home three major individual
Big Ten post-season awards - Zook won the
Coach of The Year, Mendenhall took Offensive
POY, and Arrelious Benn is the Freshman
POY. They are all back. This will make Illinois
a team to reckon with, especially come August
when the first preseason polls emerge. Some
areas of concern will need to be addressed,
however, in the off-season, including the
replacement of two key players on the OL.
The defense has some big holes at LB and
safety, and Illinois is likely to be on
the cusp and left off of many initial top
ten lists. How they perform in the Rose
Bowl (versus juggernaut USC) is going to
go a long way in determining whether this
team has what it takes to be mentioned amongst
the nation's elite come late summer, but
they will be a feared foe, regardless.
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ILLINOIS
2008 SCHEDULE
8-30
Missouri @St.
Louis, MO
9-6 EASTERN ILLINOIS
9-13 LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
9-27 at Penn State
10-4 at Michigan
10-11 MINNESOTA
10-18 INDIANA
10-25 at Wisconsin
11-1 IOWA
11-15 OHIO STATE
11-22 at Northwestern
TBA 1 non-conference opponent
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