Answers to several key Illini questions

Each of the last five winters, Illinois' football players spent the holidays wherever and however they pleased.

No classes to attend. No games to play. Certainly no all-expenses-paid trips to Disneyland to take.

Funny how one little national-best turnaround can revolutionize one's holiday plans.

After arriving in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday night, the Illini's first full day of Rose Bowl preparation revolves around their 4 p.m. visit to Disneyland.

Coincidentally enough, the amusement park's current theme is "Year of a Million Dreams," which certainly describes Illinois' 2007 season.

As the countdown to the Rose Bowl continues, here are some thoughts about this year, next year and beyond for the Illini in this edition of "10 Questions."

Q. Are the oddsmakers wrong to make Illinois a 2-touchdown underdog?

A. Not necessarily.

If the odds didn't list Southern California as a 13- to 14-point favorite, then the money would be far too heavy on the Trojans.

But don't expect the actual game to be so lopsided. Jeff Sagarin's Predictor ratings suggest the Trojans are 8 points better than the Illini on a neutral field.

That sounds about right, while also allowing for the possibility USC won't be able to figure out how to stop Juice Williams and Rashard Mendenhall.

Q. If you could offer USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkasian one tip about Illinois' defense, what would it be?

A. Don't be afraid to throw deep, especially over the middle.

Though Illini senior safeties Kevin Mitchell and Justin Harrison are blessed with 70 career starts between them and always make receivers pay for catching the ball in front of them, they displayed an alarming tendency during the regular season to get beat long.

Q. What's another big obstacle facing Illinois as it tries to deliver its first Rose Bowl win since 1964?

A. Let's let Illini line coach Eric Wolford handle this one.

Here's his response when asked to compare USC's defensive line, which features senior all-American tackle Sedrick Ellis, to others he's seen.

"Basically, anyone in the NFL," Wolford said. "They've got a great group up front. They're all Sport Editions. They're fast, they're quick, they're gap-sound, they know what they're doing, they're great pass rushers. They're very well coached. It ought to be a great challenge for us."

Q. Where might Illinois look better in the Rose Bowl than it did in the regular season?

A. Watch for an improved passing game, even if the results aren't quite as dramatic as the Ohio State game.

Juice Williams gains confidence with each practice. Arrelious Benn's shoulder has benefited from five weeks without contact.

Jeff Cumberland, who moved from tight end to split end in the latter half of the year, has used the extra practices to hone his craft.

Q. Is Ron Zook going to pull a John Mackovic and leave Illinois for greener pastures?

A. Zook and Mackovic couldn't be more different. Mackovic preferred expensive wines. Zook, on the rare occasions he drinks, sticks with Natural Light.

As long as Zook can afford a top-notch boat for water skiing (he can) and believes he has what he needs to to win a national championship (he says he does), he'll be at Illinois.

Q. What are the chances Rashard Mendenhall returns to Illinois for his senior year?

A. Barring a severe knee injury in the Rose Bowl or a dramatic change of heart shortly thereafter, the Big Ten's 2007 Offensive Player of the Year will be in the NFL next season.

The scouts love what they've seen on the field. They'll go crazy when they see Mendenhall work out, and Illinois' coaches will get a lot of recruiting mileage out of the school's first first-round draft pick since Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rice went 2-3 in 1996.

Q. Illinois loses five senior starters, including its top four tacklers, and valuable nickel back Justin Sanders from this year's defense. Who'll fill those holes next year?

A. Here's where Ron Zook's recruiting really takes effect.

Look for freshman Martez Wilson to take over at weak-side linebacker for graduating senior Antonio Steele.

Incoming junior-college stud Donsey Hardeman will take over one of the safety spots. Travon Bellamy, who was scheduled to start at corner before missing the year with a surgically repaired shoulder, could take the other spot.

Freshman Josh Brent, nicknamed "Mongo" by his teammates, will battle junior Sirod Williams to fill Chris Norwell's shoes at defensive tackle.

As for J Leman's middle linebacker job, strong-side linebacker Brit Miller could shift inside. Or veteran backup Sam Carson (Downers Grove South), who knows the defense at least as well as Leman, could be rewarded for his patience.

Q. On a team filled with unsung heroes, can you pick just one?

A. How about junior defensive tackle David Lindquist?

Coming out of Highland Park High School, Lindquist had exactly one scholarship offer: Eastern Illinois.

But Lindquist decided his 6-foot-3, 250-pound body had to give the Big Ten a shot.

After two years as a walk-on, Lindquist earned a scholarship. This year, now at 285 pounds, he earned a starting job and deserved at least honorable mention all-Big Ten honors.

Lindquist racked up 44 tackles, the most on the defensive line, with 4½ sacks.

Q. How much longer will offensive coordinator Mike Locksley be at Illinois?

A. If the Illini do as well as they expect in 2008, then Locksley will be grabbed by a top-40 program before Illinois plays in its next bowl.

Locksley has the smarts to be a top head coach, he clearly has the recruiting chops, and he has the ability to be blunt and charismatic in the same breath.

Q. Can Illinois be in the race for the BCS national championship game next year?

A. To a man, the Illini coaches believe they'll be better next year. But they also understand things don't always work out as well as they did this season.

The 2008 schedule looks remarkably similar to that of 2007. There are the same Big Ten opponents, just in the opposite locales. That means trips to Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin -- none of which will be easy.

The same opener with Missouri in St. Louis. Eastern Illinois and Louisiana-Lafayette come to renovated Memorial Stadium in September, but the last non-conference game remains open.

The Illini could finish 11-1 … or they could go 7-5.

But, hey, it's the journey and not the destination, right?

That's easy to answer when you're preparing for the 94th Rose Bowl.