2008 Illinois Football Preview - Offense

In 2007 the Fighting Illini offense gained over 3,300 rushing yards and almost 2,200 yards through the air. The offense lost wide receiver Jacob Willis and starting offensive lineman Akim Millington and Martin O'Donnell to graduation while junior running back Rashard Mendenhall left school early for the NFL. While losing Mendenhall and his 2,000 all purpose yards may seem like a daunting task, Juice Williams and a crop of talented wide receivers look up to the challenge.

Offensive Line

The offensive line is headlined by converted defensive tackle now left tackle Xavier Fulton. Fulton enters his second year as the starter and should really excel from day one. Lining up at left guard will most likely be 5th year senior Eric Block. Block is one of the last Ron Turner recruits and while not as strong as the man he is replacing, Martin O'Donnell, Block is more agile. Look for offensive coordinator Mike Locksley to "pull block" a lot more with Eric than he did the previous few years with O'Donnell.

Returning at center is senior Ryan McDonald. McDonald brings plenty of experience and will be looked upon to bring Eric Block along. To McDonald's right is returning junior guard Jon Asamoah. Asamoah is a force and is on track for a career playing on Sunday.

Starting at right tackle will be redshirt sophomore Ryan Palmer. While this is his first year starting, Palmer played in 11 games last year replacing the often injured Akim Millington. If Palmer gets injured look for heralded freshman Graham Pocic or Craig Wilson to step up in his place. Many of you might recognize Craig Wilson as the giant black guy who was sitting on our kitchen table on Unofficial.

The offensive line has a few question marks however McDonald, Fulton, and Asamoah are good enough to compensate for any early mistakes. This year's line also has the potential to be much more mobile and you should see more runs to the outside and a few more screens.

Position rating: B

Wide Receiver and Tight End

The Illini lose senior Jacob Willis and junior Kyle Hudson (MLB Draft) however they return what may be one of the most deep and talented receiving corps in Illini history.Quarterback Juice William's top two targets will be converted tight end Jeff Cumberland and uber/ultra/mythical/demi-god slot receiver Arrelious Benn.

Look for Cumberland to have a break out year after a strong second half in which he seemed to finally look comfortable with the wide receiver position. After dislocating his shoulder, Benn played his entire freshman year with a shoulder harness which limited him physically, not this year. Benn will be reeking havoc upon defenses from both the slot and outside receiver positions. Also look for him to lineup in the backfield and catch both pitches and swing passes from Juice Williams.

The rest of the receiver core is a collection of talented albeit inexperienced players. Look for Chris James, who is returning from injury, to have a big year catching balls over the middle. Converted defensive back Chris Duvalt came out of nowhere in spring ball and seemed to catch everything thrown his way.

Freshman Jack Ramsey and Cordalle Scott will both look to make an impact and push their upperclassmen teammates.

Position rating: B+

Running Back and Fullback

With the loss of Rashard Mendenhall the Illini will most likely turn to a running back by committee. While last year's back-up Daniel Dufrene showed flashes of greatness, he simply isn't the every down back that Mendenhall was.

Dufrene will be joined by sophomore Troy Pollard and freshmen Mikel Leshoure and Jason Ford. Pollard started his collegiate career off very well last year, 6 yards a carry average, until he suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss the season. All reports seem to indicate he is 100% and should again contribute as a change of pace back.

Freshmen Mikel Leshoure and Jason Ford will be looked upon to pound the ball as they are the only backs that have the size needed to wear down defenses. Look for them to enter the game late in the second and fourth quarters as offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will look to wear down opposing defenses.

One loss not to be overlooked is that of fullback Russ Weil. Weil did a great job not only blocking for Mendenhall but also pass blocking for Williams. Sophomore Rahkeem Smith is bigger and more athletic than Russ Weil however what Weil lacked in physical tools he more than made up for in veteran moxy.

Position rating: B-

Quarterback

Juice Williams and Eddie McGee made great strides last year and will once again be counted upon as the Illini signal callers. Williams improved his completion percentage from 39% to 57% while also executing one of the nation's most efficient running attacks. While Williams loses running mate Rashard Mendenhall, he gains a vastly improved receiving corps. Reports from camp so far tell of a mature Williams who has found a better sense of touch on his passes and accuracy on out routes. Look for Williams' completion percentage to be above 65% this upcoming season.

Back-up extraordinaire Eddie McGee will continue to push Williams and will look to fill in if Williams is injured or ineffective. Freshman Jacob Charest will most likely be redshirted however his future seems to be very bright with reports that the football jumps out of his hand.

Position rating: B+

Overall the offense should be more explosive than 2007 as well as more diversified. Teams will no longer be able to stack eight in the box which should make life easier on the backs. The two most important players on offense are left tackle Xavier Fulton and wide receiver Arrelious Benn. Without Fulton the Illini would need to keep a tight end on the line to block and without the Benn the Illini offense becomes much more manageable. With them healthy the Illini offense should be one of the most dangerous in the Big Ten.