Touchdown Times: October 24, 2013

A publication of THE DAILY ILLINI Thursday, October 24, 2013

TouchdownTimes

Show Student ID or $2 Roundtrip

Defensive defects and deficiencies

Turn to Page 4

Youth, poor tackling, inability to get off

blocks preventing success for Illini ‘D’

Thursday, October 24, 2013 THE DAILY ILLINI | www.DailyIllini.com2

FAT SANDWICH SUPPORTS

502 E John St.

(217)-FAT-5035

TWITTERTWITTER

TWITTERTWITTER

TWITTERTWITTERTWITTERTWITTERTWITTERTWITTERTWITTERTWITTERTWITTER

TWITTERTWITTER

TWITTERTWITTER


TWITTERTWITTER

TWITTERTWITTER


TWITTERTWITTER

TWITTERTWITTER


Catch up with the D.I 24/7 on

TWITTER@dailyillini

LOL!

tweet!

Michigan State

PassingConnor Cook

PassingNathan Scheelhaase

RushingJeremy LangfordNick Hill

RushingJosh FergusonDonovonn Young

ReceivingRyan LankfordMartize Barr Josh Ferguson

DefenseDenicos AllenKurtis DrummondMax BulloughDarqueze DennardTaiwan Jones

DefenseJonathan Brown Mason MonheimEaton SpenceEarnest Thomas IIIAustin Teitsma

C-A-INT 103-181-2

C-A-INT 115-175-4

Yards 1,030

Yards 1,546

TD9

TD12

TD1 13

Long 46

Long 72

Long 72 3053

Carries11942

Carries5666

Catches142023

Tackles4343423130

Tackles66 47 31 5032

Sacks20100

Sacks2 1 0 0 0

TFL5.52

6.523

TFL7.5 4.5 02

2.5

INT 01020

INT 0 0 0 0 0

Yards551219

Yards335281

Yards286206346

Avg4.65.2

Avg6.0 4.3

TD71

TD2 3

OffenseNathan Scheelhaase 2 QB

Josh Ferguson 6 RBRyan Lankford 12 WR

Martize Barr 7 WRSteve Hull 9 WRJon Davis 3 TE

Simon Cvijanovic 68 LTMichael Heitz 74 LG

Alex Hill 52 CTed Karras 69 RGCorey Lewis 70 RT

DefenseTim Kynard 59 DEJake Howe 95 NT

Austin Teitsma 44 DTHouston Bates 55 LEO

Jonathan Brown 45 WLBMason Monheim 43 MLB

Mike Svetina 34 STARJaylen Dunlap 28 CBEarnest Thomas 9 SS

Zane Petty 21 FSEaton Spence 27 CB

OffenseConnor Cook 18 QB

Jeremy Langford 33 RBTrevon Pendleton 37 FB

Josiah Price 82 TEBennie Fowler 13 WRTony Lippett 14 WR

MacGarrett Kings Jr. 3 WRJack Conklin 74 LT

Blake Treadwell 64 LGJack Allen 66 C

Dan France 59 RGFou Fonoti 51 RT

DefenseShilique Calhoun 89 DE

Tyler Hoover 91 DTMicajah Reynolds 60 NT

Marcus Rush 44 DE Taiwan Jones 34 STAR

Max Bullough 40 LBDenicos Allen 28 LBTrae Waynes 15 CBIsaiah Lewis 9 SS

Kurtis Drummond 27 FSDarqueze Dennard 31 CB

ReceivingMacGarrett Kings Jr.Bennie Fowler Tony Lippett

TD330

Long 463720

Catches251817

Yards287238183

Illinois

THE DAILY ILLINI | www.DailyIllini.com Thursday, October 24, 20133

BY STEPHEN BOURBONSTAFF WRITER

A week after facing the nation’s sixth-best defense, the Illinois football team (3-3, 0-2 Big Ten) faces an even tougher challenge this Saturday.

When Michigan State (6-1, 3-0) visits Champaign, the Spartans will bring the country’s best overall defense — allowing just 228.0 yards per game.

Facing the daunting task of the Spartans’ defense, offensive coordinator Bill Cubit wasn’t fazed by the challenge.

“I said, ‘If you don’t like challenges, just stay in the locker room. Don’t even bother coming out,’” he said. “For us, it’s a big chal-lenge, and we’ve got to meet that challenge. Those guys on the other side, they want to stay No. 1. They don’t want to drop down.”

While this will be a tough challenge for the upstart Illini offense, facing stingy defenses is nothing new this season. The Illini faced Wisconsin last Saturday, who

owns the sixth-best defense in the coun-try, as well as the eighth-best defense in Cincinnati.

Illinois had success against both teams on the offensive side of the ball, scoring 45 and 32 points on Cincinnati and Wisconsin, respectively.

One of the most explosive playmakers on the Michigan State defense is sophomore Shilique Calhoun. The 6-foot-4 defensive end leads the team with 6.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and 15 quarterback hurries.

In addition, Calhoun recorded three defensive touchdowns in the Spartans’ first two games this season. In the season opener against Western Michigan, he returned a fumble 16 yards for a score, and he notched another scoop-and-score the following week to go along with an interception returned 56 yards for a touchdown.

“They’re really strong up front. They’re relentless,” Cubit said. “Every time I turn on the tape, they’re taking a sack-fumble back or an interception back for a touch-down. They’re just relentless.”

The Illini are spending this week try-ing to get healthy after having a few play-ers get nicked up in the Wisconsin game.

STAR Eric Finney is expected to play this weekend after sustaining a shoulder injury in practice last week and missing the Wis-consin game.

The news isn’t as good for the starting kick and punt returners for Illinois. V’Angelo Bentley, who is fourth in the nation in kick return average, injured his foot during the Wisconsin game and was in a walking boot after the game. Wide receiver and fellow returner Miles Osei left last Saturday’s game with a concussion after multiple players said he wasn’t acting like himself on the sidelines.

“He didn’t look right and wasn’t speak-ing all together,” head coach Tim Beckman said. “I really credit the players on that one for coming up to us.”

If neither are available to play, Martize Barr, Darius Mosely and Caleb Day will compete this week for the two spots as punt returners. Ryan Lankford will also vie for the two kick returner spots.

This is the first matchup against Michi-gan State since 2010, when the Spartans took home a 26-6 victory in East Lansing, Mich.

Stephen can be reached at [email protected] and @steve_bourbon.

Illini face nation’s top defense in SpartansMSU presents toughest challenge yet for o!ense

JARRAD HENDERSON MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun (89) chases down Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld (7) for a sack during the third quarter at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., on Oct. 12. Michigan State won 42-28.

“They’re really strong up front. They’re relentless. Every time I turn on the tape, they’re taking a sack-fumble back or an interception back for a touchdown. They’re just relentless.”BILL CUBITOFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

THE DAILY ILLINI | www.DailyIllini.com Thursday, October 24, 20135


Y ou can’t make anyone grow up faster. Of the 11 starters on the Illinois defense, only senior linebacker Jonathan Brown and junior cornerback Earnest Thomas III had started more than half a season’s worth of games com-ing into 2013.

Everyone knew the defense would be young. They’ve known it since January. But what could they do about it?

In a major power conference, a young defense often means a bad defense. Tim Banks’ unit has been one of the worst in the nation in numerous defensive statistical categories.

Banks said after Saturday’s loss, when Illinois gave up 56 points and 478 total yards, that the players needed to play better, but the coaches also needed to coach better.

Although Banks is thinking about coaching better, frustrated fans of the program might be thinking about better coaches. Head coach Tim Beckman did what he felt he had to do last year after a dismal season offensively — he fired offensive coordinators Chris Beatty and Billy Gonzales.

But the difference was last year’s offense had experience and several veteran leaders, two things this year’s defense has little of.

“Inexperience is starting to show it’s ugly face,” said Brown, one of only two senior starters on defense. “It’s one thing to have a lot of young guys that can play. It’s another thing to have a lot of seniors that can make the plays.”

Banks has been successful as a defensive coordinator. At Cincin-nati (where he was co-defensive coordinator in 2010 and 2011), his defenses improved drastically in the two years he coached there. In Banks’ final season in Cincinnati, the Bearcats defense ranked 20th nationally in scoring defense, sixth in rush defense, second in sacks and ninth in forced turnovers.

The 2011 defense was also anchored by four senior and five junior starters. Illinois’ 2013 defense has a fair number of academic upperclassmen. But there’s no replacement for on-field experience.

“It always starts with the kids,” Banks said. “It’s our job to put them in the positions; it’s their job to go out and execute. I had really good kids, a little bit older kids, at Cincinnati.”

The Illini don’t compare themselves with other teams. They don’t pay much attention to what’s going on outside Champaign. But junior defensive lineman Austin Teitsma said they do com-pare themselves with past Illinois defenses — most notably the 2011 Illini defense.

Those Illini ranked seventh in the nation in total defense. They featured four future NFL starters (and possibly a fifth in Brown). They gave up more than 30 points only twice all season.

So if the 2011 Illini defense is what the 2013 Illini aspire to be, what did the 2011 defensive line do that the 2013 one isn’t doing?

“Tackling,” Teitsma said. “That’s it.”Washington revealed Illinois’ biggest problem, and Nebraska

and Wisconsin have exploited it: tackling — or, more appropri-

ately, the lack thereof.Illinois is youngest in the secondary, and it shows. Thomas is

the only one who started more than two games back there for the Illini last season, and everyone else seems to be snatching at air. When sophomore cornerback V’Angelo Bentley went down with an undisclosed left leg injury against Wisconsin, a young group might have gotten younger.

“We’re not having busted coverages for the most part,” Banks said. “We’ve had some here and there, but it wasn’t that we didn’t know where we needed to be, it’s just that we weren’t able to get where we needed to be.”

It comes down to executing, and the Illini haven’t executed.Beckman wasn’t happy with the performance of his corner-

backs last week. No one on defense “graded out.” In other words, no one played up to the expectations the coaching staff demands.

It’s easy to point at the cornerbacks, but the defensive line has been invisible most of the season. Beckman admitted that the line might be the most difficult part of any defense to build. Big, skilled athletes don’t come along too often.

Banks isn’t using that as an excuse.“If you don’t inherit them, you’ve got to develop them,” Banks

said. “You’ve got to find a way. And it does take time. I mean it really does, but once you got it, you’ve got your program right where you need it.”

When asked which unit on defense he was happy with at the midway point in the season, Banks didn’t point to any one group. Everyone has had ups, and everyone has had downs.

He and Beckman have seen improvement, often small, but improvement nonetheless. Is he happy with the progress? No.

“We’re never happy as coaches. We want it to be right now,” Banks said. “To say that they’re makings strides is accurate. I think our guys are getting better; I think they’re getting more confident.

“It’s just a work in progress. I wish I could tell you something different, but it’s not. It’s a work in progress.”

How long it will remain a work in progress is the question. Despite a promising 3-1 start, it’s likely this year will become just another year in the rebuilding process. For the defense, that means rebuilding back toward 2011.

Brown knows. He was there. He was the younger guy on that squad. He’s been in his teammates’ shoes.

Does he feel pressure as the senior leader of the defense? He doesn’t see it as pressure.

“I see it as an opportunity each day to just lay the foundation for the future,” Brown said. “If it doesn’t happen this year, I know that this group of guys will mature and they’ll be a good team.”

Sean can be reached at [email protected] and @sean_hammond.

BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINIWisconsins' Melvin Gordon runs for a touchdown during Illinois' game against No. 25 Wisconsin at Memorial Stadium, on Saturday. Wisconsin scored 56 points and racked up 478 total yards against Illinois.

ILLINI DEFENSE CAN’T KEEP UP

BY SEAN HAMMONDSENIOR WRITER

“When you don’t win, you’ve got to look yourself in the mirror and figure out how to help the kids, because you’re all in it together. Coach talks about family, and we are a family. I’m not saying, ‘Hey, my kids can’t play.’ Shoot, I’ve got to coach them better.” — Tim Banks, Illinois defensive

coordinator, following a 56-32 loss to Wisconsin on Saturday.

“Guys need to grow up.” — Houston Bates, Illinois LEO after the loss to Wisconsin.


BY MICHAEL WONSOVERSTAFF WRITER

Matchups to watchIllinois’ offense faces top-ranked defense

Bill Cubit vs. Pat Narduzzi

Nathan Scheelhasse vs. Darqueze Dennard

Illinois defense vs. Jeremy Langford

Saturday’s game may come down to this matchup of coordina-tors. Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit is going to make the calls for an Illini team that ranks 48th in the country in total offense and 36th in the nation in points per game at 35.3. Narduzzi, in his seventh year as the defensive coordinator of Michigan State, heads a Spartans squad that ranks first in the FBS in total defense, allowing 228 yards per game. Cubit may have to reach in his bag of tricks for the Illini to score on the stifling Michigan State defense, which shut out Purdue in its last game.

Scheelhaase is in the midst of a career season, as he ranks 31st in the FBS in passing yards per game (267.7) and is tied for 35th in passing touchdowns (12). Scheelhaase also ranks 14th in the country and second in the Big Ten in passing efficiency at 158.0. Scheelhaase will have to throw toward the best cornerback he’s faced yet in MSU’s Darqueze Dennard. Dennard, a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches last season, has eight career interceptions and leads a defense that ranks first in the country in opponent’s passing efficiency at 88.41. Scheelhaase has yet to throw a touchdown against a Big Ten opponent this season, and it doesn’t get any easier with Dennard in the secondary.

Langord has thrived this season once finally getting the chance to show what he can do. The junior running back, who played primarily on special teams during his first two seasons in East Lansing, has rushed for 551 yards this season to go along with eight total touchdowns. Langford rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns against Indiana and followed it up with 131 rushing yards against Purdue last week. Illinois’ defense has struggled against the run this season, ranking 106th in the FBS in rush-ing yards allowed per game at 211. Last time out Wisconsin ran all over Illinois, rushing for 289 yards and six scores. Jonathan Brown and company will have to bottle up Langford for Illinois to have a chance in this one.

MICHAEL BOJDA THE DAILY ILLINI

Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit has had success this season but faces his biggest challenge yet in the nation’s top defense.

JULIA NAGY THE STATE NEWS

Michigan State senior cornerback Darqueze Dennard (31) was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season and could make Nathan Scheelhaase’s life difficult on Saturday.

FOLAKE OSIBODU THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois’ defense has struggled to stop the run so far this season, especially in Big Ten play. It won’t get any easier this weekend against Jeremy Langford.


Michigan State running back Jeremy Langford has rushed for 240 yards in the last two games and provides another challenge for a poor Illini run defense.

BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois’ Nathan Scheelhaase is having the best year of his career so far but has struggled in Big Ten play, failing to throw a touchdown.


Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi leads the nation’s top defense into Champaign on Saturday.

Eliot SillSports editor

23-9 19-10 30-21 23-9 23-20 17-14

Michigan State

at Illinois

38-35 35-28 56-49 38-35 35-21 42-35

No. 10Texas Tech

atNo. 17

Oklahoma

No. 12 UCLAat

No. 2 Oregon

48-26 42-24 49-37 48-26 48-17 49-27

No. 20 South Carolina

vs.No. 5 Missouri

31-28 31-20 44-27 31-28 24-17 35-17

Boise Stateat

BYU

34-28 42-37 31-28 34-28 24-10 45-42

Sean HammondSenior writer

Stephen BourbonStaff writer

Torrence SorrellAssistant sports

editor

Erik PradoOn-air reporter

Michael WonsoverVideographer

OUR PICKSTHE DAILY ILLINI | www.DailyIllini.com Thursday, October 24, 2013

7

forARTS &

ENTERTAINMENT

EveryFriday

yournumber! O

SOURCESaturday, Oct. 26Standings

LEGENDS

MICHIGAN STATE

NEBRASKA

MICHIGAN

IOWA

MINNESOTA

NORTHWESTERN

LEADERS

OHIO STATE

WISCONSIN

PENN STATE

INDIANA

ILLINOIS

PURDUE

CONF

3-0

2-0

2-1

1-2

1-2

0-3

CONF

3-0

3-1

1-1

1-2

0-2

0-3

OVR

6-1

5-1

6-1

4-3

5-2

4-3

OVR

7-0

5-2

4-2

3-4

3-3

1-6

(26-9) (26-9) (26-9) (27-8) (22-12) (27-8)

Northwestern @ Iowa11 a.m. | Big Ten Network

No. 25 Nebraska @ Minnesota11 a.m. | ESPN

Michigan State @ Illinois2:30 p.m. | ABC

Penn State @ No. 4 Ohio State7 p.m. | ABC

OUR MUSIC LIBRARY IS

12,000 SONGS. THEY WOULD COST $11,800 ON ITUNES.

THIS EQUALS 15,038

TACOS FROM TACO BELL.

LISTEN TO THE FACTS.

OUR MUSIC LIBRARY IS

12,000 SONGS. THEY WOULD COST $11,800 ON ITUNES.

THIS EQUALS 15,038

TACOS FROM TACO BELL.

LISTEN TO THE FACTS.

Win 1 of 5 $100 VISA Gift Cards**

Open your new checking account today at the Illini Union and get entered to win 1 of 5 $100 VISA Gift Cards. A better checking account, without all the fees and hassles from a Big Bank.

Find out more and get started today at uiecu.org/student.*Free 2 GB Illini USB while supplies last for anyone opening an I-Checking account at the Illini Union UIECU

Branch. **All I-Checking accounts opened at the Illini Union between August 1, 2013 and September 30, 2013 will be entered to win one of !ve $100 VISA gift cards. Odds of winning are dependent on number of eligible entries. Accounts must be in good standing at time of drawing. Drawing will occur in October 2013 and winners will be noti!ed via phone or email. UIECU reserves the right to reject any checking application, other restrictions may apply. UIECU reserves the right to modify or discontinue this promotion without notice.

Free 2 GB USB* For First 100 New Student Accounts


The Illinois football season, for a while at least, was pleasant. Through four games, the Illini had played above their

anticipated capabilities, led by a resurgent Nathan Scheelhaase.

And now here we are. It’s more like home for Illinois fans, in all the worst ways.

At the halfway point now, we’ve seen the good and bad of the Illinois football team. Let’s break it down in another quarterly report.

QuarterbacksNathan Scheelhaase’s limitations have

come to light in the past two games: His arm isn’t very strong, his footwork in the pocket resembles a drumroll, his running has become a crutch. But let’s not overreact to a couple of bad games against a couple of good teams.

Aaron Bailey has been brought along more and more and brings a genuine excite-ment into the game when he comes in.

Grade: B-

Running backsJosh Ferguson has made defenders look

really weak by taking them on and making them into supporting actors in his Oscar-nominated highlight fi lm.

Donovonn Young has continued to improve, running effectively in limited action. The running game has gone away as Illinois has gotten behind. It’d be best to stick it out a little longer with on the ground.

Grade: B+

Wide receiversRyan Lankford hasn’t been the lightning

bolt he was in the season’s early games. Martize Barr has cooled off from his hot start. Miles Osei is concussed. Illinois needs this group to frustrate secondaries with its variety instead of make them feel like they can cover receivers of all sorts of skill sets. The tight ends have been mitigated as well.

Grade: C-

Offensive lineThey haven’t been very noticeable late-

ly, and that’s good. A killer penalty against Ted Karras cost Illinois big on its fi rst drive against Wisconsin. A penalty like that has a butterfl y effect on the rest of the game. It’s all about being solid for the O-line, and the guys up front have been fairly solid.

Grade: B

Defensive lineThis unit has done a terrible job the last

two weeks against good rushing attacks of Nebraska and Wisconsin. On each of Mel-vin Gordon’s three touchdowns, not a single tackle was missed, but rather the Wisconsin blocking so profi ciently eliminated Illinois defenders that Gordon need not have shed a single defender.

Austin Teitsma, Jake Howe, Houston Bates and Tim Kynard have all been bullied. Illinois has just fi ve sacks this season.

Grade: F

LinebackersJonathan Brown’s crew is steady, and

they are trying. They pretty much have to be in the right place when the running back breaks through the trenches, otherwise it’s a big gain for the opposition. As bad as the defensive line is playing, the linebackers are probably the ones who are better for it.

Grade: C+

Defensive backsTeams have run all over Illinois lately, but

the door’s open on the pass as well. Illinois has been unable to defend opposing receiv-ers and this group has just one interception. With V’Angelo Bentley now hurt, things are looking as bad as they have all season.

This unit’s struggles were veiled by victo-ry. Now that two losses have brought Illinois fans back to reality, it’s unfortunate to have to forecast no improvement in the second-ary this season, which is discouraging when

your head coach and defensive coordinator were defensive backs in their day.

Grade: F

Special teamsZalewski’s been better, and though the

return game suffered two injuries Saturday, I’m interested to see what Lankford can do with the role. The punt returns have fallen off, but we know the players Illinois has back there are capable and dynamic.

Grade: B+

OverallIt’s been back to earth for Illinois fans

these last couple games, but you have to keep in mind who Illinois is losing to. There’s no shame in getting run on by the Nebraskas and Wisconsins of the Big Ten. There’s nothing right now that says these last two games have been any worse than what Illinois showed itself to be capable of in the season’s early going. But the good vibes are gone, and the cold reality is here.

They beat who they should have, and lost to who they should have. Any further-reach-ing conclusions are, for the time being, not entirely fair.

Grade: CSemester grade: B

Eliot is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @EliotTweet.

Quarterly report: Illinois falling back to mediocrityELIOT SILL

Sports editor

Touchdown Times: October 24, 2013

Documents

Transcript of Touchdown Times: October 24, 2013