Illini will try to go bowling

CHAMPAIGN -- When it suits his purpose, as it occasionally does, Ron Zook likes to be vague.

How many scholarships does he have to give out in a particular recruiting class?

He always says he's not sure, even when he knows that you know that he knows the number as surely as he knows his age.

How many wins might his team manage in a given season?

Though he readily will agree wins and losses are all that matters, Zook will never offer a specific number or even a potential range.

Instead, progress always is being made. But on the same token (another classic Zookism), there's always "a long, long way to go."

But on a recent muggy Friday night in central Illinois, perhaps due to the cumulative effects of a fortnight at Camp Rantoul, Zook cast aside ambiguity momentarily and answered the only true question Illinois fans have as their favorites embark upon Year 3 of his ambitious rebuilding project.

You must read carefully to be rewarded, but Zook eventually gets to the heart of this query: Can Illinois play in a bowl game this year?

"I don't (talk about it). I don't think that's something we need to talk about," he said. "Obviously these players have talked about it and we've made reference to it.

"But on the same token, we've gotta, we've gotta … Are we good enough? Yeah. But we have to go do it. And it still comes down to, like I said before, last year we got to a point where we felt like we could win. Now we have to take the next step. And the next step is to win."

There you have it.

After five years of wandering in the wilderness, of losing almost every time a Big Ten opponent lined up on the other sideline, Illinois finally has the goods not to turn in its equipment after the Northwestern season-ender.

How does this become possible after back-to-back 2-win seasons?

•The Illini boast 16 returning starters (19 if you include special teams) from a squad that took Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State to the wire.

Moreover, in Zook's eyes, his crew could have threatened to play in a bowl last year if they hadn't committed 35 turnovers. That was more than all 118 other Bowl Subdivision teams except Army.

"If we don't turn the ball over, we win three or four more games," Zook said. "We win three or four more games, who knows where the conference goes or what happens?"

•There are several future pros sprinkled throughout the lineup, particularly on defense.

That's where senior middle linebacker J Leman, the nation's No. 3 tackler in 2006, shepherds an aggressive flock that features cornerback Vontae Davis, defensive tackle Chris Norwell and defensive end Derek Walker.

"We've done the work," Leman said. "Now it's time to go win. That's what matters."

•They have several members of their Top 20 recruiting class -- including insta-star Arrelious Benn -- at virtually every skill position who are prepared to do damage as soon as next Saturday's opener with Missouri.

"I want the ball in my hands," Benn said. "Every day (offensive coordinator Mike Locksley) comes to me with something new, as far as me coming out of the backfield. Screens. I may even have a halfback pass.

"I'm not going to be in one specific position. I'm going to be on the outside, the inside, the backfield. I may even get some direct snaps."

All of those items are definitely good things.

But the Illini also have a schedule that features four preseason top-20 teams and three other opponents that played in bowls last year.

They have three unproven punters battling for the right to try to improve what was the nation's next-to-worst net punting unit in 2006.

Last but not least, they have a sophomore quarterback whose ceiling rivals that of the Sears Tower -- but whose mistakes would make a weaker individual cower in the fiery Zook's presence.

Juice Williams, who set Illinois' career rushing record for quarterbacks (576 yards) in his true freshman year but completed just 39.5 percent of his passes, remains a work in progress.

He clicked on just 50 percent of his passes in two primary scrimmages this fall -- and that while facing the second-string defense. All 4 of his touchdown passes came after being given the ball at the defense's 20-yard line.

In fairness, though, offensive coordinator Mike Locksley wanted Williams to focus on staying in the pocket and didn't allow him to scramble.

"There's still some things I want to clean up and still some things I want to perfect," Williams said as Camp Rantoul closed. "I'm not looking forward to getting hit at all, but I'm looking forward to being able to make plays with my feet when things aren't going so well in the passing game for me right off the top."

Zook, ever mindful that his team will improve at the same pace Williams improves, reverts to vague mode when assessing his quarterback. As generally as possible, Zook likes to offset morsels of expectations with chunks of flattery.

"You want perfection out of him," Zook said after Williams produced 5 touchdowns (2 for the defense and then 3 for the offense) in Illinois' second intrasquad scrimmage.

"I thought he did an awful lot of good things. I think you can tell, he just has a grasp of the offense now and control of what's going on. He's in control of what he's doing."

And of where Illinois might or might not be going.

Illinois

Coach: Ron Zook (third year at Illinois, 4-19; five years overall, 27-33)

2006 record: 2-10, 1-7 (tied for 10th); Last bowl: 2002 Sugar

All-Big Ten candidates: RB Rashard Mendenhall, WR Arrelious Benn, DE Derek Walker, DT Chris Norwell, MLB J Leman, CB Vontae Davis, K Jason Reda.

The Illini will go to a bowl if … Juice Williams completes at least 50 percent of his passes while still scrambling for 400-plus yards … and the Illini post their first positive turnover margin since 2001.

BCS finish the last five years: (2006 listed first*) 100th, 88th, 96th, 102nd, 62nd.

*Ratings (courtesy CollegeBCS.com) are pre-bowls.

-- Lindsey Willhite

Illinois schedule

Sept. 1 vs. Missouri (at St. Louis) 2:30 p.m. ESPN2

Best year to resume this rivalry? Tigers pegged to win Big 12 North

Sept. 8 WESTERN ILLINOIS 6 p.m. Big Ten Network

Div. I Championship Subdivision Leathernecks went 5-6 last fall

Sept. 15 at Syracuse 11 a.m. ESPNU

Orange won in Champaign last Sept. 16 but lost six of final seven games

Sept. 22 at Indiana* TBA TBA

Believe it or not, Illinois hasn't won its Big Ten opener since 1993

Sept. 29 PENN STATE* TBA TBA

Potential statement game since Illini battled to the wire last year

Oct. 6 WISCONSIN* TBA TBA

First of three games against preseason Top 10 teams

Oct. 13 At Iowa* TBA TBA

Hawkeyes have won last four years by 21.5 points per game

Oct. 20 MICHIGAN* 7 p.m. ABC 7/ESPN/ESPN2

Most intense night game since still-controversial 2000 loss to U-M

Oct. 27 BALL STATE 11 a.m. ESPN/ESPN2/BTN

Homecoming battle will test Illinois' secondary

Nov. 3 at Minnesota* 7 p.m. BTN

Zook and Gophers boss/Illini alum Tim Brewster could build nice rivalry

Nov. 10 at Ohio State* TBA TBA

Illini learned last year they could hang with Buckeyes … at least at home

Nov. 17 NORTHWESTERN* TBA TBA

Wildcats have owned Sweet Sioux Tomahawk four years running

Illinois projected starters

*Returning starter

Offense

QB: Juice Williams* (6-2, 223, So.) RB: Rashard Mendenhall (5-11, 224, Jr.) SE: Jacob Willis* (5-11, 182, Sr.) FL: Kyle Hudson* (5-11, 166, Jr.) Slot: Arrelious Benn (6-2, 215, Fr.) TE: Jeff Cumberland* (6-5, 244, So.) LT: Xavier Fulton (6-5, 280, Jr.) LG: Martin O'Donnell* (6-5, 305, Sr.) C: Ryan McDonald* (6-5, 293, Jr.) RG: Jon Asamoah (6-5, 300, So.) RT: Akim Millington* (6-6, 313, Sr.)

Defense

DE: Derek Walker* (6-4, 276, Jr.) DT: Chris Norwell* (6-6, 303, Sr.) DT: David Lindquist (6-3, 276, Jr.) DE: Doug Pilcher* (6-5, 265, So.) SLB: Brit Miller* (6-1, 251, Jr.) MLB: J Leman* (6-3, 243, Sr.) WLB: Antonio Steele* (6-2, 218, Sr.) LCB: Dere Hicks (5-10, 181, So.) RCB: Vontae Davis* (6-0, 205, So.) SS: Kevin Mitchell* (6-0, 209, Sr.) FS: Justin Harrison* (5-10, 207, Sr.)

Specialists

PK: Jason Reda* (6-1, 204, Sr.) P: Anthony Santella (6-2, 180, r-Fr.), OR Jared Bosch (6-1, 219, So.), OR Kyle Yelton* (6-0, 191, So.) LS: Kyle Knezetic* (6-0, 205, Sr.) KR: Chris Duvalt (5-11, 171, So.) And Jacob Willis (5-11, 182, Sr.) PR: Will Judson (5-8, 160, Jr.)