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GOING FOR 2
Illini made strides, but Zook needs improvement in win column
November 21, 2006
BY
HERB GOULD Staff Reporter
CHAMPAIGN -- No more excuses.
Nobody wants to hear them. Ron Zook not only knows that, he's tired of saying he knows that.
When Illinois straps on its shoulder pads next year, the only area where improvement will be measured is in wins and losses.
''We weren't hired to get close,'' Zook said Monday, summing up another lost season. ''We were hired to win games and take this program where it's supposed to be. We'll be a better team next year. There's no doubt in my mind.''
The Illini can point to some strides this fall. They finished second in the Big Ten in rushing behind Michigan with 188.8 yards per game -- their best average since 1978. They held opponents to 310.2 yards of total offense per game, down from 469.3 a year ago.
The only stat that really matters, though, is Illinois' dismal 2-10 record -- which is basically no different than last year's 2-9 mark.
If there's another two-fer in Champaign next fall, athletic director Ron Guenther will have an open rebellion on his hands.
The messiness was especially painful in turnover margin and net punting. Illinois ranks 117th in the nation, out of 119 Division I-A teams, in both categories. The Illini's passing offense, which ranks 101st, also was barely airborne.
There are some encouraging signs for 2007. Illinois will return nine starters on each side of the ball, though some of them will have to work to keep their jobs.
The offense, led by freshman quarterback Juice Williams and sophomore tailback Rashard Mendenhall, has a long way to go. But returning nine players from a respectable defense is encouraging.
''It's going in the right direction,'' said middle linebacker J Leman, who picked up his second Big Ten player of the week award Monday. ''We're excited about it. We have a chance to be the best defense in the Big Ten, and that's not just talk. We can be that good.''
Well, maybe not that good. But good enough to win some games.
The key issue on offense will be the continuing development of Williams, who oozes big-time potential. The true freshman from Chicago Vocational learned under fire, starting the last nine games after seeing significant action in the first three.
Williams, who turned down an offer from Ohio State, is the face of Illinois football -- and the key to Zook's turnaround hopes.
Williams is also a big reason the Illini have received an oral commitment from Arrelious Benn, a standout recruit from Washington, D.C., who's one of the top two wide receivers in the nation. The combination of Williams and Benn could help start the recruiting snowball rolling for Zook, who's in the hunt for more hot prospects, including Simeon defensive end Martez Wilson and Hubbard running back Robert Hughes.
The way Williams finished is a concern. He passed for less than 100 yards in Illinois' last three games, completing 20 of 64 passes for 237 yards and no touchdowns in that stretch.
''Who was struggling?'' Zook said. ''Was it Juice struggling, or some other guys? I know everybody looks at his completion percentage. Sometimes that number is [misleading]. If you go back and leave the drops out, you feel pretty good. You say, 'Boy, this guy's pretty good for a guy that's 18 years old coming out of high school.'''
Dropped passes were a seasonlong source of frustration for Zook and the Illini. Benn, who will enroll at Illinois in January so he can participate in spring practice, and Anthony Morris, a four-star wide receiver from Thornton, will be given a chance to show they can hold on to the ball.
Williams also should benefit from an offseason in which he'll work on his mechanics and developing his all-around game.
No question, the highlight of the season was Illinois' 23-20 victory at Michigan State in Williams' second career start. Thanks to their improved defense, the Illini also were surprisingly competitive in losses at Penn State (26-12) and Wisconsin (30-24) and in a tough 17-10 home loss to top-ranked Ohio State.
But Illinois' inability to muster its best effort in its most winnable games raises the question of Zook's ability to coach capable recruits once he lands them, which was a big complaint when he was at Florida.
Going into the season, home games against Syracuse, Indiana and Ohio shaped up as great opportunities in which the playing field was level from a talent standpoint. Illinois blew them all.
By the end of the season, the Illini, despite their troubles, were favored by the oddsmakers at home against Purdue and at Northwestern. They imploded in those games, too.
Is the problem youth? Inexperience? Lack of talent? Trying too hard? Coaching? Who knows?
Here's one thing Zook knows: ''No one cares.''
Why Illinois lost in 2006 is not the issue. The question is whether those losses will help Illinois win in 2007.
Because everybody in Champaign knows one thing: It's time to win.
