Thanks MAC..gl to you this week too bro.
Zook backs QB Williams over McGee
Illini face tough task vs. No. 24 Michigan
<DL class=byline>By Terry Bannon | Tribune staff reporter <DD>9:15 PM CDT, October 14, 2007
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</NOSCRIPT></DD></DL>Illinois coach Ron Zook didn't change his mind after watching film of Saturday's loss at Iowa: He's sticking with Juice Williams as his starting quarterback.
He's also moving forward with Plan B, the possibility of getting backup Eddie McGee playing time earlier in games, not waiting for Williams to get hurt or make a big mistake.
"It's something we've talked about, but there are also some things Eddie has to do," Zook said.
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"People see the good things Eddie does. You also have to look at the situation, what we do as a football team best, and which guy can do that well."
It will be a busy week in the coaches' office as the Illini (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) prepare for Saturday's 7 p.m. visit from resurgent Michigan (5-2, 3-0), which will bring a five-game winning streak to Champaign. The game will be carried nationally by WLS-Ch. 7.
The Wolverines are back in the Top 25 at No. 24 in the Associated Press media poll, though they remain unranked in the USA Today coaches voting.
Illinois, No. 18 in the AP rankings last week, fell out of both polls after Saturday's 10-6 loss at Iowa, where the Illini's failure to score a touchdown has thrown the quarterback issue back on the table.
Though the passing game has been a problem all season, Zook likes the way Williams directs the running game, which means getting the ball efficiently to Rashard Mendenhall on pitchouts. With McGee, that hasn't always gone smoothly. Williams has also run 69 times for 319 yards.
"In our opinion, Juice gives us the best opportunity to win," Zook said. "For the most part, [except for] one pass and the fumble, he played a pretty good game [at Iowa]."
For the second time in three games, Zook benched Williams after a mistake, this time a fumble. McGee moved the Illini into position to win late in the game but then threw an interception at the goal line that he could have easily thrown away.
McGee finished 3-for-5 for 52 yards. But coaches can't ignore a perfect 83-yard touchdown pass to Joe Morgan that was wiped out by a penalty.
Against Penn State, Zook benched Williams after one too many incompletions. McGee came in and came through with a 53-yard run that helped clinch the upset win.
McGee has replaced Williams twice because of injury. After Williams hurt his left knee against Wisconsin, McGee came in and ran 5 yards for a touchdown that provided the winning points.
In the season opener against Missouri, McGee entered the game in the second quarter after Williams suffered an eye injury. He completed 17 of 31 for 257 yards with two interceptions and one TD pass. One of the interceptions was in the end zone in the final minutes as Missouri wrapped up a 40-34 victory. McGee also lost a fumble while running for an apparent touchdown.
"He has to take better care of the ball," Zook said.
For the season, McGee is 22 of 42 for 342 yards with one TD pass and three interceptions. Williams has completed 76 of 137 for 716 yards with five TD passes and five interceptions.
Williams' sore knee might have been an issue at Iowa, and one question is whether Michigan will defend Illinois the way the Hawkeyes did. They shut down the option as the game wore on.
"Juice had early success running," offensive coordinator Mike Locksley said. "He didn't come into the game 100 percent. I think they were going to make it a game our quarterbacks would have to win.
"It falls on me to have both of those guys prepared. They didn't make the plays they needed for us to win the game."
Patience with young quarterbacks is a coaching virtue, one Zook and Locksley know all about.
"We don't want our quarterbacks to have to look over their shoulder," Locksley said. "We don't want it to be an issue for us."
Extra points
Zook said if
Kyle Hudson had not already left the game after taking a helmet-to-helmet blow, he would have been in the game at the "Z" receiver position when a penalty wiped out McGee's touchdown pass to Morgan that would have given Illinois a 13-10 lead. Hudson's replacement,
Jacob Willis, lined up on the line of scrimmage instead of off it, causing the penalty. Zook said game film showed it was a correct call. ... Zook said Hudson (headache), fullback
Russ Weil (ankle) and receiver
Arrelious Benn (shoulder) should be ready for Michigan.