Illini have options, questions

Ordinarily, Mike Tisdale would be listed as "Exhibit A" in any attempt to forecast Illinois' fortunes this winter.

But because the 7-foot-1 freshman center weighs just 220 pounds (despite ingesting 6,000 calories daily), let's call him "Exhibit I."

Or, to take into account those occasions when he unfurls his massive wingspan, let's change it to "Exhibit T."

From the moment Exhibit T committed to Illinois on Dec. 30, 2005, coach Bruce Weber planned for the slender Riverton High School product to redshirt his freshman year.

But then Tisdale showed up this fall and, on many practice days, proved to be among the top three players on the team.

"We had one scrimmage with officials, and he had 19 points and 8 rebounds," Weber said. "He was the second-leading scorer and the leading rebounder. So what do you do?"

Well, you forget about redshirting him.

But then Tisdale needed just 12 minutes to foul out of Wednesday's exhibition opener against Division II Quincy. Now what do you do?

That's the thin line between upside and downside that Weber's riding with Exhibit T.

And freshman forward Mike Davis.

And freshman forward Bill Cole.

And freshman guard Demetri McCamey.

And freshman guard Jeffrey Jordan.

And junior-college transfer Rodney Alexander.

And … well, you get the idea.

Barring injuries, Weber has 15 players at his disposal going into Illinois' Nov. 11 opener against Northeastern.

Senior center Shaun Pruitt, the preseason all-Big Ten selection, might be the only one about whom Weber knows what he's getting.

"That's been the most difficult thing," Weber said. "Every week, maybe not every week, every two or three days, we have somebody kind of rise up.

"I talked a lot (last Saturday) about consistency. That's going to be our emphasis. Who's going to be consistent?"

That's what makes this preseason stretch, for the first time in Weber's tenure, so crucial to the Illini. Especially because there won't be time to change any minds once the Illini leave Nov. 14 to play four games in six days in Hawaii.

"You're trying to put your team together, but at the same time we have some decisions to make on redshirting," Weber said. "We also have a big decision: Who's going to be in the top eight or nine guys?"

Weber started the weeding-out process with Sunday's Orange and Blue scrimmage, when Alexander shone with 5-for-9 shooting from 3-point range. It continued with the 21-point exhibition win over Quincy, when the coach sat out Pruitt and junior Calvin Brock and hardly played senior Brian Randle in order to sort out his new guys.

He'll pay close attention to today's 11 a.m. intrasquad scrimmage at Glenbrook North High School, then draw his final conclusions from Tuesday's exhibition game against Division II Kentucky Wesleyan.

"The problem is we do have depth, we do have competition," Weber said. "I'm not sure we have people stepping up consistently so that you would say, 'You know, if Rodney played like that every day like he did on Sunday, it's a no-brainer.'

"But there are other days Bill Cole and Mike Davis are better than Rodney in practice. That's the problem we have right now."

Some of the Illini veterans have their favorites among the new guys.

Pruitt touted Davis, another skinny freshman initially expected to redshirt, even before he threw down 2 huge dunks in a team-high 13-point, 9-rebound effort against Quincy.

"Mike Davis is going to be nice," Pruitt said. "He's been hitting down jump shots. He was shooting shots off the dribble, too. He's 6-9 and doing that as a freshman? If he works on his ballhandling and his jump shot gets better and he gets stronger, it's going to be … man."

While a handful of freshmen and Alexander must play important roles this year, Illinois likely will fly only as high as its returnees allow.

That requires offensive stability from junior point guard Chester Frazier, the all-Big Ten defender who started practice in terrific shape but sprained his left thumb last Saturday to knock himself out of all preseason play.

"Chester is Chester," Weber said. "Tough. Hard-nosed. Can run. He loves to play, loves to compete. I think it will help having Demetri, having Jeffrey. It will give him competition, but also maybe ease the pressure."

That requires consistent shooting and honest defense from junior shooters Trent Meacham and Steve Holdren, the walk-ons from Champaign Centennial High School who'll play most of the minutes at shooting guard.

Meacham, who hit 35 3-pointers as a spot starter last year while Holdren sat out his transfer year, gets first call.

"We need him to be a 40 percent 3-point shooter," Weber said of Meacham. "That's going to be important. If we could get him and Steve around there, I think that would suffice for us to be successful."

And, last but not least, that requires a healthy campaign from fifth-year senior Randle. Though he hyperextended his left knee in Wednesday's exhibition, that's not supposed to cost him any time.

Sitting together last Sunday, Pruitt candidly suggested Randle could be an all-Big Ten pick this year. Randle just wants to know how it feels to click for a full season.

"I'm confident," Randle said. "I feel great. I haven't felt this good in a long time."

For Weber, a healthy Randle would make the freshman roller-coaster blues much easier to take.

"Physically, athletically, the whole thing, he's at a whole 'nother level than our other guys," Weber said. "Even if he's not making 3-point shots at a high percentage, he still can do so many other things that other people can't do."

Illinois at a glance

Coach: Bruce Weber (112-28, fifth year at Illinois; 215-82, 10th year overall)

2006-07 record: 23-12 (9-7 Big Ten, tied for fourth); lost to Virginia Tech in NCAA Tournament's first round

Starters returning/lost: 3/2

Projected starters

• PF Brian Randle* 6-8 220 Sr. He's healthy, happy, explosive as ever and ready to enjoy his fifth and final season.

• SF Rodney Alexander 6-7 225 Jr. The junior-college transfer and Benton Harbor, Mich., native plays like a right-handed Randle.

• C Shaun Pruitt* 6-10 255 Sr. Big news: the preseason all-Big Ten pick has learned to pass out of double-teams.

• PG Chester Frazier* 6-2 185 Jr. All-Big Ten defender worked hard on his shooting (36 percent last year) in off-season.

• SG Trent Meacham 6-2 195 Jr. Weber wants two things from the Champaign native: 40 percent 3-point shooting, solid defense.

*Returning starter

Reserves

• PG Demetri McCamey 6-3 205 Fr. Could be starter before it's over, but work ethic doesn't always align with his considerable talent.

• SG Steve Holdren 6-5 200 Jr. Unbelievable shooter, but there's no cartilage in his knees and his defense is questionable.

• C Mike Tisdale 7-1 215 Fr. Weber thought he'd redshirt for sure, but he's too good of a shooter and passer.

• F Mike Davis 6-9 195 Fr. Another "sure redshirt" has unveiled incredible hops and decent jumper; tons of potential here.

• PF Bill Cole 6-9 210 Fr. Skinny but skilled Illini legacy could benefit from redshirt, but team might need him now.

• SF Calvin Brock 6-5 200 Jr. Lots of energy, but his slow-to-mature skills keep him from being best choice at the "2" or "3."

• C Brian Carlwell 6-11 265 So. Still shedding weight gained after car accident; coaches want him to get serious about his craft.

• PG Jeffrey Jordan 6-1 185 Fr. Not just Michael's son; the walk-on has earned time as a defensive nuisance while learning to run the show.

• PF Richard Semrau 6-9 235 r-Fr. Hasn't completely recovered from last year's chest surgery; currently behind all the true freshmen.

• SG Chris Hicks 6-2 195 Sr. Popular third-year walk-on provides light-hearted attitude and a name for Orange Krush to chat.

• PF C.J. Jackson 6-8 275 So. Now a football player first, but he'll join the team after the likely bowl game.

• SG Jamar Smith 6-3 185 Jr. Some say he's the team's best player in practice, but he's redshirting as part of felony DUI penance.

Fighting Illini schedule

Tuesday, KENTUCKY WESLEYAN (exhibition) 8 p.m. (BTN)

Nov. 11, NORTHEASTERN 1 p.m. (ESPN 360)

Nov. 16, at Hawaii Midnight

At Maui Invitational:

Nov. 19, vs. Arizona State 10:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Nov. 20, vs. Duke/Princeton 3 or 8:30 p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN)

Nov. 21, vs. Chaminade/Marquette/LSU/Okla St. TBA

Nov. 28, at Maryland (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Dec. 1, WEBER STATE 4 p.m. (BTN)

Dec. 8, vs. Arizona (at United Center) 11 a.m. (ESPN)

Dec. 17, WESTERN CAROLINA 7 p.m. (BTN)

Dec. 20, MIAMI (OHIO) 6 p.m. (BTN)

Dec. 22, vs. Missouri (at St. Louis) 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Dec. 28, LOYOLA (MD) 8 p.m. (BTN)

Dec. 30, TENNESSEE STATE 3 p.m. (BTN)

Jan. 3, OHIO STATE* 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Jan. 6, PENN STATE* 1 p.m. (BTN)

Jan. 10, at Wisconsin* 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)

Jan. 13, at Indiana* 12 or 3:30 p.m. (Channel 2)

Jan. 16, MICHIGAN* 8 p.m. (BTN)

Jan. 19, at Purdue* 1 p.m. (ESPN)

Jan. 22, at Ohio State* 8 p.m. (BTN)

Jan. 27, NORTHWESTERN* 7 p.m. (BTN)

Jan. 30, at Michigan State* 8 p.m. (BTN)

Feb. 2, PURDUE* 2:30 p.m. (BTN)

Feb. 7, INDIANA* 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)

Feb. 12, at Minnesota* 8 p.m. (BTN)

Feb. 16, at Penn State* 6 p.m. (BTN)

Feb. 20, WISCONSIN* 8 p.m. (BTN)

Feb. 23-24, at Michigan* TBA

March 1-2, at Iowa* TBA

March 4-5-6, MICHIGAN STATE* TBA

March 8, MINNESOTA* 12 p.m. (BTN)

March 13-16, Big Ten tournament (at Indianapolis) TBA

*Big Ten Conference games