2008 Fighting Illini Football Preview: Can the D Carry the Team?

The University of Illinois football team is in an interesting position entering 2008.

The team exceeded expectations by a mile in 2007, finishing tied for second in the Big Ten and earning a trip to the Rose Bowl.

However, the key pieces of that Rose Bowl team are long gone.  Leading rushing Rashard Mendenhall is in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and linebacker/team captain J Leman has graduated and moved on.

But unlike in 2002, when the team went into disarray after playing in the Sugar Bowl, this team is more prepared for their future.  That team was led by senior stars Kurt Kittner and Brandon Lloyd, who were recruiting gems of former coach Ron Turner.

Unfortunately for the Illini, Turner was not a master recruiter.  After the gems in Kittner and Lloyd, others bolted, Turner and the Illini were left in shambles, and Illinois was the laughingstock of the Big Ten for the next six years.

But after the Ron Zook hiring three years ago, the image of the Illini changed, and that will become apparent to fans in 2008.

While stars/fan favorites Mendenhall and Leman are gone, Zook's recruiting has set the team up to succeed for the long haul.

With top recruits wide receiver Arrelious Benn and defensive end/linebacker Martez Wilson getting a full year under their belts and flashing signs of brilliance during their freshman seasons, expect big things out of them this season.

Additionally, the team has a proven defensive star in cornerback Vontae Davis, younger brother of San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis.  Vontae proved to be a shutdown corner last season.  Look for him to be a legitimate All-American performer in '08.

As far as losing Leman, your team's leading tackler is never easy to replace, but senior linebacker Brit Miller has been improving every year.  If he's able to take over as the team's leader on the defensive side of the ball, the team shouldn't lose any ground.

Regardless of the team's defensive success, one thing's for sure—the success or failure of the team rests squarely on the shoulders of junior quarterback Juice Williams.  Williams was the fan-appointed savior of the team when he came on and took his lumps during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

But at the same time, Williams has shown flashes of being the superstar Illini fans have envisioned for so long.  If Williams can take the team on his shoulders and play like the quarterback he has the potential to be, another trip to the Rose Bowl could be in store.

The 2008 schedule is a brutal one for the Illini—three of their first five games are tough road contests against legitimate National Championship contenders (Missouri, Penn State, Michigan).  The team also travels to Camp Randall for a road contest against Wisconsin later in the season.

If the team can go 2-2 in those four games, they still have a chance in the Big Ten—but that's a big if.  They have Ohio State at home, and you can rest assured the Buckeyes will have revenge on their minds after Illinois ruined their perfect season in Columbus last season.

2008 will be an interesting season for the Illini.  They proved in 2007 they could compete with the top teams in the Big Ten by defeating Wisconsin, Penn State, and Ohio State, and nearly missing out on a win over Michigan.  They were also perhaps a Juice Williams injury away from handing Missouri their first loss in week one.