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Game Thread Game Ten: #1 tOSU 17, Illinois 10 (11/4/06)

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Dispatch

Breakthrough looming?
Illinois slowly showing new signs of life under Zook
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Shawn Mitchell
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
20061101-Pc-B3-0800.jpg
CAROLYN KASTNER ASSOCIATED PRESS Ron Zook?s enthusiasm and energy have invigorated the Illinois sideline, but the positive approach hasn?t produced many positive results on the field.
Fireronzook.com is still in operation. The Web site, dedicated to the ousting of coach Ron Zook from Florida, caused a minor stir when it debuted before Zook had even coached a game in Gainesville
In fact, what is described as a "classic thong underpant" emblazoned with the fireronzook.com logo is still available on the Web site.
Why anyone would want a revealing undergarment ? "made in the U.S.A.," mind you ? that trumpets the firing of a coach who was indeed fired almost two years ago is puzzling.
More puzzling is that the person who created the site has yet to sell it to a fed-up Illinois fan.
Zook went 23-14 in three tumultuous years at Florida. He was hired by the Illini in December 2004 to help reverse the fortunes of a program that went 1-11 in 2003 and 3-8 in 2004 under Ron Turner. That has yet to happen.
Illinois bumbled its way to a 2-9 record last season and was winless in the Big Ten. This season, the tradition-laden program that has produced legends such as Dick Butkus and Red Grange is 2-7 overall and 1-4 in the Big Ten. Illinois, which has had five straight losing seasons since winning a share of the conference title in 2001, might have bottomed out in October when it lost to Ohio University at home.
But Zook, a native of Loudonville, has not lost faith. He is a noted workaholic who is constantly on the move. His enthusiasm is infectious, and his excitement over the prospect of facing No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday is genuine.
"How many times in your life do you have an opportunity to play a football team the caliber of Ohio State?" he said. "It?s an opportunity for us to go out and see exactly where we?re at."
The Illini are nowhere near where they want to be, but there are encouraging signs of improvement. A talented group of underclassmen, led by freshman quarterback Juice Williams, has caused seven starters from last season to lose their spots.
The defense, which ranked 115 th out of 117 Division I-A teams last season, has become the team?s strength. After allowing 39.5 points per game last season, Illinois is seventh in the Big Ten in scoring defense (26.1 points).
More encouraging was the way the Illini played in the first half Saturday, jumping out to 21-3 second-quarter lead at Wisconsin before losing 30-24.
"We?re coming along as a football team," junior safety Kevin Mitchell said. "We can be dangerous."
Mitchell?s optimism is a sign that Zook?s zeal has begun to rub off on his players. Although the coach has a reputation as a standout recruiter, he said building character among his players is paramount in turning things around.
"When I took the job, the thing I was concerned about most was attitude," said Zook, who coached defensive backs at Ohio State from 1988 to 1990. "Winning is a habit, and unfortunately, so is losing. To get that habit changed, you?ve got to change attitudes.
"We?ve got to change it by bringing in a whole bunch of new attitudes and by continuing to pound the things that we believe into the guys that were already here. It?s going to happen. We just have to stay the course."
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Don't stumble, trip[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BY JIM NAVEAU - Nov. 1, 2006[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COLUMBUS ? If you could distill Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel?s message to his team these last few weeks down to its roots, it would be: Don?t stumble, don?t trip.
So, maybe it was appropriate that an OSU professor who helps oversee the condition of the often-replaced Ohio Stadium turf preceded Tressel to the lectern at his weekly news conference on Tuesday.
No. 1 Ohio State (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) plays at Illinois (2-7, 1-4 Big Ten) on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ESPN 2), then travels to Northwestern on Nov. 11 before returning to Ohio Stadium on Nov. 18 to face No. 2 Michigan.
The Buckeyes are playing on their third field of the season against Michigan.
Workers began installing replacement sod at Ohio Stadium on Tuesday. That surface took the place of a new field that was put down after the Penn State game on Sept. 23, but quickly started to look just as worn and tattered as the one in place at the beginning of the season.
Dr. John Street, an associate professor in Ohio State?s Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, attributed the field problems to a combination of too much rain, too little sunshine and requiring a tarp on the field for too many days after the first replacement field was installed.
?It has probably been the worst October on record as far as getting grass to grow and getting grass to recover and for seeds to germinate,? he said.
The Columbus area received 6.5 inches of rain last month and average temperatures were 10 degrees cooler than the average for October, Street said.
Tressel was careful to praise the hard work of the grounds crew and there have been no times when either Ohio State players or visiting players have been noticeably tripped up by the turf.
The stumbles that most concern Tressel would be those of the upset variety. Illinois is the fifth in a string of six consecutive opponents with losing records the Buckeyes will face before the Michigan game.
Tressel called Illinois ?a good football team,? but cited only a pair of losses to Wisconsin and Penn State as evidence.
The Illini do have at least one good player, freshman quarterback Isiah ?Juice? Williams, who Ohio State tried to recruit. ?He had a good arm, great athletic ability and looked like a guy who was going to be good,? Tressel said.
Williams has started the last five games. Illinois is 1-4 in that stretch. But Williams led Illinois to a 23-20 win over Michigan State and it was up 21-3 on No. 17 Wisconsin before losing 30-24 last Saturday.
Williams has completed only 42 percent of his passes and has thrown one more touchdown pass (9) than interceptions (8). But he has big play capabilities as a runner (364 yards on 116 carries) and throwing the ball (seven TD passes of 30 yards or more).
Notes:
INJURY UPDATE: Defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, who missed last Saturday?s game against Minnesota because of a concussion, is still questionable for Saturday?s game, Tressel said.
Offensive tackle Alex Boone also is questionable. Tressel would not say what might keep Boone on the sideline.
Wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez (head injury) and running back Maurice Wells (shoulder injury) ?will play for sure unless something happens in practice,? Tressel said.
Freshman receiver Ray Small will not play because a concussion he suffered after a big hit by Minnesota cornerback Dominic Jones last Saturday.
Small was down on the field after the hit, but he has recovered to the point that Tressel could make a joke about the play on Tuesday.
Ohio State gives out a Jack Tatum Hit of the Week most weeks to the player judged to have delivered the biggest hit of the week.
?We didn?t have a Jack Tatum Hit of The Week. They might have had one,? Tressel said.
NO CAMPAIGNING: Tressel said there will not be a high-powered campaign by Ohio State to try to get the Heisman Trophy for quarterback Troy Smith.
?As I?ve mentioned all fall, what I?ve enjoyed about the evolution of the major awards is they?ve started to go to the teams who are doing the most as a team. So, no, I don?t think we?ll be doing that (campaigning),? he said.
HOLD ON: Much-heralded freshman running back Chris Wells has lost three fumbles this season. When Tressel was asked what advice he had for Wells to correct this problem, he said, ?Tell him to hold on tighter.?
?It has to be the most important thing in the world at that moment to hand the ball to the official. If that?s the most important thing in the world, then maybe you have a chance to do it,? he said.[/FONT]
 
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osugrad21;649409; said:
Dispatch

Breakthrough looming?
Illinois slowly showing new signs of life under Zook
Click to expand...
The "Breakthrough looming?" headline is hysterical, because this sounds like the same thing that was run in Florida papers every Sunday-after for each year that Zook was there.

There was a good prediction for this game posted over at EDSBS (a Florida-fan blog, so they know a thing or two about the Zooker):

http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/?p=2761

The most dangerous game for exactly two quarters this coming week will be Illinois versus Ohio State, because the Illini will take the field, go up by at least ten points, and convince every gullible soul in eye?s reach that they are about to pull the upset of the century against Ohio State. (Century only 6 years old?really all that great a statement??ed. )

Then they will attempt to run out the clock, play a soft zone, and surrender no less than thirty points to Ohio State in a soul-crushing defeat involving two or three strategy decisions of such dubious judgment that Ray Goff will fall from his sofa at home. Which is precisely what we would have told Wisconsin fans when they fell behind 24-10 to the Illini: you?ve got them right where you want them, boys.

zookskiing.jpg

Well-developed triceps. The brain, not so much.

It?s astonishing how little a coach can learn about game management and strategy despite having years of ineffective performances by his units as evidence. Then again, perhaps he?s just three or four plays away from winning, or sees improvement. Or maybe he just needs his players. Or this is just ?noise in the system.?

Ohio State fans, just remember: a ten point deficit at the half is ideal, as it all but guarantees a win against the Illini. Nature triumphs nurture again, at least when the waterskiing wonder of Champaign-Urbana?s flexing his guns in a vain attempt to stop the opposition from gouging his defense in the fourth.
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CFN.com

Ohio State (9-0) at Illinois (2-7) 3:30 PM EST ESPN2 Saturday November 4th
Why to Watch: The nation's No. 1 team has two more tune-ups before the showdown with Michigan, and if there's going to be a stunning collapse, it'll come this week in Champaign and not against Northwestern. On a 16-game winning streak, Ohio State is a machine that's getting stronger and stronger allowing just 17 points over the last three games and beating everyone by an average of almost 30 points per game. Illinois might be on a four-game losing streak and might only have one win over a D-I team, Michigan State in a late shocker, but this is a dangerous team with chances to win in each of the last four games, but losing each in the fourth quarter. Obviously, a win over the Buckeyes would do wonders for Ron Zook's young team and would shock the world. This team is just quirky enough to pull it off it everything goes the right way.
Why Ohio State Might Win: To have any prayer of making this a game, Illinois has to be better than perfect. It can't screw up, and it needs to force, and take advantage of, several Ohio State mistakes. Unfortunately for the Illini, that's not going to happen. Illinois doesn't do the little things well with an awful punting game, too many turnovers, and just enough missed plays game in and game out to keep from turning the momentum in its direction. On the flip side, Ohio State is doing everything well. The offense and defense are obviously good, but the Buckeyes are also seventh in the nation in turnover margin, solid at not committing too many penalties, and converting 51% of third down chances.
Why Illinois Might Win: Juice Williams. The freshman quarterback drove Wisconsin nuts last week with his mobility buying him time against the Badger pass rush and he ran extremely well keeping things moving early on with his legs. Yeah, he only converted 13 of 29 passes, but he just missed on a few big throws and there were some dropped passes. He's just enough of a wild-card against the aggressive Buckeye defense that if he's on, Illinois might be able to keep this closer than expected.
Who to Watch: Everyone has handed Troy Smith the Heisman and sort of turned off any thought about the debate, and for good reason. He's been even better than he's getting credit for with no interceptions in his last five games and only two on the year, both coming against Penn State with 22 touchdown passes. He's starting to use his mobility more and more over the last few weeks, but he hasn't had to run with all the time he's getting to throw. If Illinois isn't generating any pass rush, Smith will go ballistic.
What Will Happen: Illinois will keep it close early to get everyone all excited, and then reality, and the Ohio State offense, will kick in. The Buckeyes will dominate the second half on the way to the win.
CFN Prediction: Ohio State 34 ... Illinois 10 .. Line: Ohio State -27.5
Must See Rating: (5 skip the birth of your first born - 1 Running with Scissors) ... 2.5
Click to expand...
 
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Did CFN write their material for this week last week?

Why to Watch: The nation's No. 1 team has two more tune-ups before the showdown with Michigan, and if there's going to be a stunning collapse, it'll come this week in Champaign and not against Northwestern. On a 16-game winning streak, Ohio State is a machine that's getting stronger and stronger allowing just 17 points over the last three games and beating everyone by an average of almost 30 points per game. Illinois might be on a four-game losing streak and might only have one win over a D-I team, Michigan State in a late shocker, but this is a dangerous team with chances to win in each of the last four games, but losing each in the fourth quarter. Obviously, a win over the Buckeyes would do wonders for Ron Zook's young team and would shock the world. This team is just quirky enough to pull it off it everything goes the right way.
Click to expand...

Wrong. That's 17 points over the last four games, with an average game score of 40 - 4 (161 - 17 / 4); that's over 35 points a game, not 'almost 30.'
 
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Dryden;649582; said:
Did CFN write their material for this week last week?



Wrong. That's 17 points over the last four games, with an average game score of 40 - 4 (161 - 17 / 4); that's over 35 points a game, not 'almost 30.'
Click to expand...

HEY - HEY - HEY!!

BB73 is the official fact-checker of the World Wide Web. Let's not go overstepping our bounds here!
 
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DaddyBigBucks;649585; said:
HEY - HEY - HEY!!

BB73 is the official fact-checker of the World Wide Web. Let's not go overstepping our bounds here!
Click to expand...
Well, BB73's been slacking off lately, so I figured I'd handle this one.

I mean, people are asking questions about stats and records and he sometimes doesn't even answer for an hour or two ... or *gasp* even a whole day! :(
 
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Any chance Tressel pulls Smith after the first quarter? I see no reason to play him longer than that, if the Buckeyes have the lead.

Although, maybe he ought not mess with his recipe for success.
 
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Dryden;649593; said:
Well, BB73's been slacking off lately, so I figured I'd handle this one.

I mean, people are asking questions about stats and records and he sometimes doesn't even answer for an hour or two ... or *gasp* even a whole day! :(
Click to expand...

It's been less than an hour since you posted this. :biggrin:

On the 'beating everyone by almost 30 points', I took that to mean for all games.

Hey - it's a big web, so all other fact-checkers are welcome.

And I don't correct everything. I've let the two 'Donny' Nickey's that I've seen this week go by. OK, not anymore, but I didn't quote them. :wink2:
 
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I think someone needs to get their head checked if they predict Illinois will score double digits. Everything about this game spells total domination by Ohio St. A heavy mistake-prone team(and quarterback) going against a team that is one of the best at taking care of the ball and causing turnovers. The only way Illinois will be able to do anything on offense is if they capitilize on every broken play.

Ohio St.: 52
Illinois: 3

I know predicting OSU to score 50+ with Tressel at the helm is almost insanity but this game favors Ohio St. in nearly every way imaginable. Plus, we're playing on turf instead of that crappy field in Ohio Stadium which will cater to our speed.
 
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