EARLY BIRD 2008 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
RELEASED DECEMBER 2007
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
OFFENSE - 8
------RETURNING STARTERS------
DEFENSE - 6
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
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.

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.

RB Rashard Mendenhall
 
DB Vontae Davis
 
* 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.
 
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 .. ..
 
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 ..
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.

 

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