Spartans 2009 Game 6 Preview: Illinois

SpartyMSU is starting our early look at each Spartan Game...and how the Spartans will march to 12-1 in 2009.

Illinois
Oct. 10, Noon EST : in Champaign

Champaign…whats keen about Champaign…?  Via an unscientific poll of the “Big Ten Bloggers”…  The highlight, and most positive of the comments:  “ If you come to Champaign for a road trip, I will personally take you to Skateland for Lazer Tag. It's the most fun you can have with a fog machine and blacklight.”

OK...We're sticking with the choice to visit Madison as a road trip. Was hoping the Illini Great “Toki Wartooth” would give us reasons to visit, guess not…Chambana is OUT  for a road trip!



So, on to the discussion of Football…

After the Rose Bowl/OSU thumping season of 2007, I thought the Zookers would set the world on fire again in 2008, this was not the case, it seems 2008 was a bit of underachievement for everyone on the team.

For 2009, Ron Zook ushers the Spartans  in for a Homecoming game. Juice Williams is back, along with Arrelious Ben.  One thing that jumps out is that the Spartans will be playing  the Fighting Zookers after two consecutive tough weeks: 9/26 at Ohio State, and 10/3 home against JoePa, then the Spartans on  10/10.

There is a good chance they will be tired and banged up. It's doubtful they can win all three, chances are they'll lose all three. 

Now, just as Illinois are coming off two tough games, the Spartans are coming off an always emotional game and probable home win against the Wolverines. So, the stage is set for a possible trap game for the Spartans.  But with a clear coaching edge of Dantonio vs. Zooker the Spartans will pull it out.

The Fighting Illini: Juice Williams and Benn return are back for their final season together. In 2008 Juice Williams was the biggest part of a tandem “O” for the Illini, passing for 3,173 yrds and leading rusher with 923yrds. Arrelious Benn had 1,055 receiving yards..    



It just doesn’t make any sense for a team’s QB to be relied on for so much. If he is the offensive weapon, air and ground attack you're in deep Do-Do. The more you ask of him, the more mistakes are going to happen. He needs a TEAM, maybe that’s why inconsistency crept into the Illini vocabulary last year.



The Zookers do  have good receivers. With Benn, Jarred Fayson, Jeff Cumberland , and Michael Hoomanawanui  (say that one 5 times fast) , even the backup QB Eddie McGee might fill in for WR a little. All will be on the receiving end of Juice’s tosses, and unless he gets better pass protection from the Line up front, the results will be the same. Disappointing…not another Rose Bowl return trip.

The O Line seems to consist of: RT Cory Lewis or Ryan Palmer  (recovering from a broken foot), RG Randall Hunt, Center Eric Block, LG Jon Asamoah, and LT Jeff Allen (Soph).   Xavier Fulton gone to the NFL, is no help. So filling in for leadership are seniors  Block and Asamoah.

Last year there was very little pass rush protection, and Juice was sacked over twice per game on average, for 32 times total.  These guys will be better than last year, these guys are big, the smallest is the center Block at 290lbs. They will be able to give Juice more time, but how much more is a question…



With the game plan and focus of the Offense being on Juice. I imagine the pressure will come all day long. Get to juice, stop the Offense. The Spartan “D” line has improved, more than the Illini “O” Line.  In Last years game, wait…we didn’t play Illinois last year. So, I’ve got zot to compare. So, I go with my instinct.

As for the Illinois “D”.. Lots of Drama over the “off Season”



From the Zooker in June: "It doesn't look good for Jerry Brown," Zook said. "There's a pretty good chance he won't be here. He is the only one with serious academic problems. As for Josh Brent, I'll comment later. I hope he can come back, but I have to sit down with [athletic director Ron] Guenther when his situation is more clarified."  As of mid July, Josh was out of jail and on the projected Roster for the First game as DT.

Martez Wilson, is a Jr. LB who was stabbed in a bar (Fubar) altercation, but seems to be healing. DT Sirod Williams tore his ACL in 2008 but should also be at 100% to start the season.

On top of the drama and injury recovery,  they lost seven starters on this side of the ball.



The D Line is revamped now, losing three starters at  (2) DE positions and one DT position. Retuning are DUI DT Brent , DE James, added to the mix is DE Pilcher, DT Liuget. Sirod Williams  is coming back from injuries. Should be interesting, not an unskilled group, just new. Sirod and Brent will be the leaders up front. Like the “O” line, a question mark.

At LB, Wilson (73 tackles in 11 games) is moved to Mike, and Ellington is weak side (eight  tackles in 12 games last year), Ian Thomas strong side (4 tackles in 9 games last year). Can you see where this is headed? If Wilson can keep it up, and become a Super Star savior of the universe like J. Leman, then they might be ok...if not, they struggle as a group. Inexperience at LB.



The secondary lost Vontae Davis to the NFL and the Miami Dolphins.  With Vontae they had six interceptions last year, and two of those were his. Only two of the six interceptions return for the 2009 season. Hicks caught one, and so did Hardeman. Hardeman had a season ending injury last fall, and is recovering from surgery that required the vertebrae in his neck to be fused.  Before the 2008 season, Hardeman was recovering from a leg injury. I hope this young man is careful this year.

Just to pile on, CB Miami Thomas is now recovering from having his knee scoped. 

The secondary is depleted, and suspect with inexperience and injury. I see the ability to put up big pass plays and high scores on Illinois.

Bottom line summary on Illinois: Juice is loose…Stop Juice this year, and you stop the Fighting Illini from fighting anymore. Don’t stop juice, you've got yourself a shootout and could very well be on the losing end of a talented QB and receiver corps.

But, due to the fact that Zook’s team comes in sore and tired, with youth and inexperience on “D”, the Spartans beat the Illini during their Homecoming in a close one. Have to modify the earlier prediction though, added more points for both.

Spartans    37
Illinios    31

Sparty ON !!!!