2011 Illinois Fighting Illini College Football Expert Predictions, Picks, Vegas Odds and Schedule – Illinois NCAA Football Preview: Entering his seventh season as head coach of the Fighting Illini, Ron Zook has experienced a wide range of results during his tenure. He has guided Illinois to a BCS bowl, and he has spent time near the bottom of the Big Ten standings. Last season, the Illini finished with a 7-6 record, but they did knock off Baylor in their bowl game. Along the way, Zook has managed to assemble impressive recruiting classes, but the talent has never been able to come together on the field and win a conference title. If that is going to change in 2011-12, Zook is going to have to defy the odds.
The good news for the Fighting Illini is that 14 starters return this year, including seven on the offensive side of the ball. Unfortunately, running back Mikel LeShoure is not one of them. LeShoure finished with the fifth-most yards in the nation last season and was the top running back in the Big Ten. Replacing the centerpiece of an offense is never easy, but Illinois does have a weapon capable of at least coming close to filling LeShoure’s shoes.
Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase is back under center, and he is coming off a more than respectable freshman campaign. Although not a polished passer by any means, Scheelhaase managed 17 touchdowns compared to just eight interceptions. On the ground, he topped the 100-yard mark on four occasions. He is a dual-threat quarterback in every sense of the word, and he has all the tools to be the next “Juice” Williams. For those that don’t remember, Williams was the architect of an upset of No. 1 Ohio State in 2007 – the same season that the Illini made the Rose Bowl.
While Scheelhaase will be charged with taking over the offense, running backs Jason Ford and Bud Golden will be stepping in for LeShoure. Ford is bruising goal line back, while Golden is more of a home run hitter. Neither player is capable of putting up the numbers that LeShoure amassed, but together, they should be able to produce solid results for Illinois this season. Regardless of who is carrying the ball, senior fullback Zach Becker will be paving the way. He is arguably the best lead blocker in the conference.
The offensive line is returning four of its five starters as well on a unit that put up solid run blocking numbers last season. Granted, LeShoure had a lot to do with those numbers, but the big guys up front are experienced nonetheless. Pass blocking could be an issue once again, but with a running QB like Scheelhaase, sacks and holding penalties are bound to happen.
Other offensive weapons to watch include wide receiver A.J. Jenkins and kicker Derek Dimke. Jenkins emerged as a deep threat last season, and he should only improve as Scheelhaase gets more comfortable as a passer. Meanwhile, Dimke was one of the best kickers in the nation last season and a luxury for a rush-heavy offense that could have trouble finishing off drivers at times.
Although six starters are back on defense, the Illini are missing their three leading sack artists from a year ago. Illinois finished last season as one of the more opportunistic defensive units, and a strong pass rush was one of the major factors. Missing some key components up front, the Illini could struggle to duplicate their solid numbers from a year ago. The Big Ten features plenty of big offensive lines, and Illinois could end up getting pushed around at times.
Looking at the schedule, the Illini should have plenty of winnable ball games. A road game against the Nittany Lions could be a problem, and home games against the Buckeyes, Badgers and Wolverines could expose the front four of Illinois. In the end, games against Penn State and Northwestern will ultimately determine whether or not the Illini are contenders or simply mediocre.
If the defense was returning a few more studs, the Fighting Illini would have a realistic shot at contending for the crown in the Leaders Division. As it is, Illinois will probably lose one of the two fifty-fifty games on the schedule. The Illini will take a step in the right direction in 2011-12, but a Big Ten title or a BCS bowl is still going to be out of reach.
2011 Illinois Fighting Illini College Football Predictions: 8-4 Record
Preseason 2011 Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Football Odds:
Odds to Win 2012 BCS Championship: NA/Off the Board
Odds to Win 2011 Big Ten Champonship: +2000
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2011 Illinois Fighting Illini College Football Schedule
Sat, Sep 3 Arkansas State 3:30 pm —
Sat, Sep 10 South Dakota State 12:00 pm —
Sat, Sep 17 Arizona State 7:00 pm —
Sat, Sep 24 Western Michigan TBA —
Sat, Oct 1 Northwestern 12:00 pm —
Sat, Oct 8 at Indiana TBA —
Sat, Oct 15 Ohio State TBA —
Sat, Oct 22 at Purdue 12:00 pm —
Sat, Oct 29 at Penn State TBA —
Sat, Nov 12 Michigan TBA —
Sat, Nov 19 Wisconsin TBA —
Sat, Nov 26 at Minnesota TBA —
Check out NSAwins.com’s official 2011 Big Ten Football Picks, Odds and Preview article.
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