Sept. 3, 2006

Recap |  Final Stats |  Notes

Quoting Illinois Head Coach Ron Zook...

...on the overall performance today...
"I was impressed with the way we came out today. We said our offensive line would be improved this year and that we'd have to run the ball better, and I think we did that today. Obviously, we'll have to get a whole lot better for next week."

...on how Juice Williams did in his first game...
"He made some mistakes that we will correct this week in practice. He's a freshman, so every snap he takes he'll get better and better. The only way he'll get better is to play."

...on how the freshmen performed...
"They came out today and played hard. They had a look in their eyes that showed they weren't scared. They look up to the seniors, and listen and respect them. They don't play scared, and they don't play like freshmen."

...on the defense...
"I thought we came out with a lot of intensity. Eastern only had 20 plays in the first half, and only about three big plays. On their second touchdown, Alan Ball played that pass as well as you could play it. He's just got to win that battle next time. So the first half was good. I didn't think we came out with that same intensity though in the second half."

...on Vontae Davis...
"I joked with (offensive coordinator Mike) Locksley early this week that we had better get a couple of scores for Vontae. Great corners take chances, and that's what you're gonna get with a young guy like Vontae. You can tell he's a very talented player. They picked on him those two consecutive plays early. But he learned and got better and later got the interception on the fade route in the end zone.

...on next week's game...
"Rutgers had a big win today over North Carolina. We need to make a lot of improvements this week at practice to get ready for them."

Quoting Illinois Players--

QB Tim Brasic...

...on the team's performance...
"Of course we are happy with the result, but we always could be sharper. We need to make plays on third down to score touchdowns and we did that tonight."

...on the knowledge of the offense compared to last year...
"When I was coming to the line last year I was making sure I knew what receivers were my first and second options on that play. Now I am thinking more about what the defense is showing me and determining where we can exploit their weaknesses."

Quoting QB Juice Williams...
"Coach told me to focus on the play you are doing, not the crowd or the score. When I am out there I am focused and not worrying about making mistakes because I have been taught what to do, and in practice we do so many reps that I know what the coaches want me to do with the ball."

RB Pierre Thomas...

...on opening up the season...
"It felt great. I was so anxious to get out there and start playing, especially with the new guys. It was great to see the team flying around having fun. We really came out here and played a good game; it just feels good to have a victory under our belt."

...on Eastern Illinois' defense...
"Their defense played a heck of a game. We knew we couldn't take them for granted. Their offense was on point giving our defense a run for their money, so we knew as an offense we needed to keep pushing their defense, and the outcome was a success."

LB Brit Miller...

...on his first career interception...
"It feels great and just shows how working hard in the summer really pays off. We work on that route every day, and it just happened to show up. The quarterback had to throw the ball because J Leman was breathing down his neck and the ball came right to me."

...on the crowd...
"The crowd was great showing up for the first game; they were rowdy and ready for some football just like we were. They showed their support all throughout the week, and it just feels great to know that you have a crowd behind you at all times."

Quoting Eastern Illinois Acting Head Coach Mark Hutson...

...on the loss of Clint Sellers on the game's first play...
"Whenever you have a team captain and one of the relievers--especially on the defensive side--go down on an opening kickoff, it certainly makes everyone think on the sideline. We will wait and see what our medical staff and our training staff will have to say about him. It's early in the evaluation process and we should know something by mid-week."

...on how the game transpired...
"Well, it was self-inflicted wounds on offense and turnovers. Defensively, we couldn't get the three and outs there. Both sides of the ball work together. With our kicking game, there were some bright spots and we will build from there, especially trying to match the speed of Illinois in the kicking area. There were a lot of positives tonight in all three phases, and we will build off that- especially against a Big Ten team. There were also a lot of negatives. For us its an age-old thing- our biggest improvement comes from Game 1 to Game 2, and that's what we look to do. We look to correct what wasn't right out there today and we look to build on the positives there and move forward to next week's game."

...on if switching quarterbacks was planned in advance...
"Absolutely. During the week and previous weeks we talked about that, should the situation dictate it in the fourth quarter of the game. When it got to where it wasn't in hand, we did give Cole Stinson some reps too get him into the ballgame."

...on Head Coach Bob Spoo...
"Well, I think Coach Spoo not being here, certainly he's a guy that we look to for leadership, but I think by inspiration and this being the Illini and Coach Spoo not being here--I certainly saw a lot of emotions, saw a lot of great effort out there tonight."

Quoting Eastern Illinois Players--

WR Micah Rucker...

...on playing the first game of the season...
"I think we were running the ball well, but we ended up with some miscues. We were putting some good drives together, but in the end, we just weren't making that next play. When they got that interception, that was a key play and we just lost our momentum."

...on playing without Coach Spoo...
"It was tough. Coach Spoo is such a big part of the heart of this team. He shows the entire character of the football team. We just wanted to come out hard for him. The team did play hard, and unfortunately, it didn't work out for us."

...on losing Sellers in the first play...
"It was tough. In the opening kickoff of the game, we wanted to come out and set a statement, and we did that. We came down and made a big hit and a great play. Then to see a man on the field can bring the spirit down. But we have great players and coaches on this team, and we just had to step up and show what we can do."

...on the talent comparison between teams...
"I think the talent was very comparable. They weren't overpowering in one position. They just had a ton of depth and a big offensive line. The game just kept rolling and there was always someone fresh coming out."

...on the difference in rushing statistics...
"We came in here wanting to establish the run. But at the same time, you need to go with something that works and ultimately will put points on the board. We've got an offense that if the pass doesn't work, we can run the ball and vice versa."

Quoting DB Tristan Burge...

...on losing Sellers...
"It was kind of disappointing so early on, but we needed to rally to get back in the game. I felt the defense needed to step it up for him. I would like to think that missing him didn't make a difference, but our play showed that something was missing out there. Our intensity level was low and we just didn't show up after he went down."

...on the talent comparison...
"They're a very talented team. They were very physical and pounded the rock. They've got three great running backs, and we just wanted to come out and try to show them that we could run with them."

...on the 2nd half apparent fumble...
"We try not to think about what might have been in that situation but that's something we call sudden change, we just needed to step up defensively and try to make a change, and that didn't happen."