Despite its record, Illinois is a real threat

It was a little more than a year ago that the Gophers were in Illinois, celebrating becoming a bowl-eligible team.

Quarterback Adam Weber remembers it, the raucous Gophers locker room, in the moments following the 27-20 victory over the Fighting Illini. The singing, joking. Listening to coach Tim Brewster ask, "Why not us, why not now?"

"It was probably one of the greatest memories I'll have as a Gopher," Weber said this week, as his team was preparing to try for a familiar goal: becoming bowl-eligible against Illinois.

"That locker room? Even during the game, you felt it was one of those getting-over-the-hill type games for us," Weber said. And now, today. This time the Illini will be making their first appearance in TCF Bank Stadium.

Illinois is not bowl-bound, barring an unlikely five-game winning streak to end the regular season. Indeed, until last week's 38-13 whipping of Michigan, Illinois was one of the most underachieving teams in the nation. But with one explosive, 500-plus-yard game, Illinois has proven it can be a dangerous foe. And for the Gophers (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) to win their sixth game and fourth in the conference, they'll have to flash back to more than just that locker room celebration.

That day in Champaign, the Gophers limited the Illini big plays early, and Minnesota won despite giving up 550 yards of offense. But the Gophers countered that yardage with big plays of their own. The Gophers recorded five sacks, had an interception and forced two fumbles. Linebacker Simoni Lawrence returned one of those fumbles for a key second-half touchdown.

It probably was Tim Brewster's biggest victory as a head coach until last week's 42-34 triumph over Michigan State. A repeat against the Illini won't be easy.

Given the talent on the Illinois offense, it's been difficult to understand the team's troubles this season. But, against Michigan, Illinois put it all together while avoiding the costly mistake. The result?

• 38 points, the first time the Illini have scored more than 20 in a Big Ten game.

• 14 plays of 11 yards or longer. Ten of those were running plays, seven of which went for 22 yards or more.

"I don't think their record is indicative at all of the type of talent that they have," Brewster said.

Against Michigan, quarterback Juice Williams -- under fire often and even benched at one point this season -- was effective both passing and rushing, with runs of 27, 14, 28, 23 and 11 yards. Running backs Jason Ford and Mikel Leshoure had TD runs of 79 and 70 yards, respectively, in a second half in which Illinois rushed for more than 300 yards.

No secret that the key to beating Illinois is stopping big plays.

The Gophers defense has been a gritty bunch this season. On the field a lot in losses at Penn State and Ohio State, the Gophers held the Nittany Lions to 20 points and Ohio State to only seven in the first half. Against Michigan State last week, the Gophers held the Spartans to 10 first-half rushing yards.

But the Gophers have allowed too many big plays. MSU turned two broken coverages into big plays, one for a touchdown, and Minnesota allowed an 84-yard end-around for a score by Keyshawn Martin.

"We have got to eliminate the big play," said Gophers middle linebacker Lee Campbell, who is second in the Big Ten and fourth in the nation with 96 total tackles. "If we can do that, I feel we can be one of the best defenses in the country. But those big plays, they're hurting us."

Illinois' spread offense won't make it easy. Defending against the spread requires strong efforts from everyone, particularly the ends and linebackers. It requires sure open-field tackles -- a miss and a play could become explosive -- and a disciplined approach. The fact that Williams is such a running threat only makes it more difficult.

"You have got to be option sound," co-defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. "Basically they're running the option."

Said Brewster: "I think discipline is the key term. Eleven guys playing discipline alignment, assignment football. That's the key to success."