Aug. 30, 2007

Time really moves quickly, and proof of that is that this year will be my sixth year as "Voice of the Illini" for football and basketball. It has been a wonderful ride so far, and I consider it an honor and a privilege to bring you the action each week on our statewide radio network. Plus, I get to see every game, something I could not do as a child and young adult, even though I grew up only five miles from Memorial Stadium and the Assembly Hall.

In fact, it was in 2002 that I made my debut as the new play-by-play announcer for my favorite team, and the opponent that day was Missouri, in the Dome in St.Louis. The Illini were coming off the Sugar Bowl season of 2001 and hopes were high for a successful 2002 season. Missouri was trying to rebuild with a new coach and the Tigers were underdogs in the game. We all remember what happened. Mizzou unveiled an athletic young quarterback named Brad Smith and the Tigers pulled the upset in the shadow of the Arch.

Now the shoe is on the other foot. Mizzou is coming off a bowl season and is picked by many to win the Big 12 North, while the Illini have the newer coach and are in the process of rebuilding the program. The Fighting Illini have an athletic young quarterback in Juice Williams and an exciting new receiver in Arrelious Benn, as well as a lot of starters back on a defense that was vastly improved last year.

Which begs the question: can Illinois turn the table on Missouri and pull off an upset over a team that might win 10 or 11 games this year?. We won't know the answer until late Saturday afternoon, but here are some things to watch for this weekend.

First of all...how good can the Illini defense be?. I think that may be the overlooked part of the Illini team early in the year. Everyone has been focused on the questions to be answered about the offense, but the defense could be the story of the first month. I think Ron Zook is getting closer to getting what he wants at all positions on the field--experienced players that get most of the reps, with younger guys that can learn "on the job" without being thrown in the fire as true freshmen. Doug Pilcher, Derek Walker, David Lindquist and Chris Norwell have all logged big minutes in the trenches, and they can help the younger guys like Josh Brent and D'Angelo McCray to grow into their jobs on the line. Those freshman are talented athletes, but need time to adjust to the speed of the college game.

The linebackers are solid. J. Leman led the Big Ten in tackles last year and should have another monster season this year. On either side are Antonio Steele and Britt Miller, and those three should comprise one of the better linebacking corps in the Big Ten. Plus, Martez Wilson is waiting in the wings.

The secondary is led by a sophomore, Vontae Davis, who is going to make a lot of money in the NFL some day. He made a huge difference last year, and I think will be a "lockdown" corner again this year. Justin Sanders, Chris Duvalt, Dere Hicks, Travon Bellamy, Justin Harrison and Kevin Mitchell are all part of a deep and athletic secondary that should get their fair share of interceptions this year.

Secondly...has Juice improved from last year? The coaches all tell me that Juice is lightyears ahead of where he was one year ago, and now he has some added firepower to work with. Arrelious Benn is going to be a problem for any secondary he sees, and over time will force double coverage, which should open things up for guys like Kyle Hudson, Will Judson, DaJuan Warren, Jacob Willis and tight end Jeff Cumberland. Plus Rashard Mendenhall is the featured tailback this year, and over the last two seasons has shown us flashes of his breakaway speed. All of these added weapons should lift the offensive burden from Juice Williams, and I think that will allow him to have a solid season.

Finally, will special teams be better? They HAVE to be. Everyone from Ron Zook on down knows it, and I think they will be better. More athletes in key spots on kickoff and punt coverage will be a help, and while everyone was focused on punting stats last year, the bigger story to me was the lack of field position that cost the Illini over and over again in 2006. A three-way battle at the punting spot this summer and fall among Kyle Yelton, Jared Bosch and Anthony Santella has made all three of them better. Also, placekicker Jason Reda has been solid in camp this fall, and I expect a great senior year from him.

So lets get those Tigers and Leathernecks and the "Orange" of Syracuse.....!!!

That is it for now. I will talk to you next month...and GO ILLINI!!!!

Brian Barnhart
Voice of the Illini