Willhite's scouting reports: Illinois, NU, Notre Dame
Here's a look at Saturday's scouting reports for three college games on Saturday:
Louisiana-Lafayette (0-1) at Illinois (1-1)
When: 11 a.m. at Memorial Stadium
TV: BTN
Radio: WIND 560-AM
Series: First meeting.
Coaches: Rickey Bustle (26-45, seventh year at Louisiana-Lafayette); Ron Zook (14-24, fourth year at Illinois; 37-38 overall)
Players to watch: Senior RB Tyrell Fenroy is just 9 yards away from breaking longtime NFLer Brian Mitchell's school record for career yards. Fenroy (3,327 yards) is shooting to become the seventh runner in NCAA annals to post four 1,000-yard seasons - an exclusive club invented by Tony Dorsett that includes Ron Dayne and (gulp) Cedric Benson. Senior QB Michael Desormeaux owns 2,115 career passing yards, 1,954 career rushing yards and a 4.0 GPA over his last two semesters.
Illinois QB Juice Williams ranks sixth in the nation in total yardage (379.5 ypg) after setting personal bests in passing (451 yards) and rushing (174 yards) in the last two weeks, but the Illini need to establish their running backs as teams will soon try to take Juice away. OLB Martez Wilson showed improvement from Gane 1 to Game 2 - and he liked it when he heard the crowd go "OOOOOHH!" when he popped an EIU ballcarrier last week.
The skinny: Yes, it's early, but the NCAA stats say the Ragin' Cajuns rank dead-last nationally in rush defense while the Illini are just 17 spots higher at No. 101. In other words, expect these teams to burn up the turf with their ground games. Lafayette's option scheme bears some similarities to Illinois', so the Illini should know how to slow down Fenroy and Desormeaux. However, as Ron Zook has said after both games this year, it's all about making the tackle once you get to the right place and limiting big plays. If they do that, then the Illini should beat the 25.5-point spread.
Southern Illinois (1-0) at Northwestern (2-0)
When: 11:03 a.m. at Ryan Field
TV: BTN
Radio: WGN 720-AM, WNUR 89.3-FM
Series: First meeting.
Coaches: Dale Lennon (1-0 at SIU; 103-33 in 12th year overall); Pat Fitzgerald (12-14, third year at Northwestern).
Players to watch: SIU senior running back Larry Warner might be even smaller than his listed height of 5-foot-5, but trying to tackle him is like catching a fly with your bare hands. He rushed 19 times for 151 yards and a TD in the Salukis' 37-31 opening win over Hampton. Oh, he also returned a kick 95 yards for another score. ILB Brandin Jordan (8 tackles) and S Mike McElroy (2 INTs) stand out in the Salukis' swarming 3-4 defense, while P Scott Ravenesi, a Glenbard North graduate, received preseason all-Missouri Valley recognition.
Northwestern senior RB Tyrell Sutton remains the Big Ten's active career leader in rushing (3,206 yards) while ranking behind Purdue's Kory Sheets and Wisconsin's P.J. Hill in total touchdowns (32). Sutton has scored a TD in five straight games. QB C.J. Bacher has thrown just 1 interception in 66 attempts this year, which has allowed him to run his record to 6-1 in games where he throws fewer than 2 picks. Keep an eye on CB Sherrick McManis, who'll do battle with 6-foot-4, 213-pound WR Damian Sherman. He caught 2 TD passes last week.
The skinny: By now, Southern Illinois' reputation should ensure no one in Wildcats purple assumes this will be a breeze against a Football Championship Subdivision team. The Salukis, of course, won at Indiana in 2006 and Northern Illinois last year, so they have no problem with breaking a team's heart on their home field. SIU ranks No. 13 in the FCS coaches poll. Northwestern expects SIU to be the non-conference foe that plays the fastest and with the most reckless abandon. The Wildcats will try to wear down the Salukis' smallish 3-4 defense - and an improvement in their lackluster third-down conversion rate will aid that cause.
Michigan (1-1) at Notre Dame (1-0)
When: 2:43 p.m. at Notre Dame Stadium
TV: Channel 5
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Series: Michigan leads 20-14-1.
Coaches: Rich Rodriguez (1-1 at Michigan; 61-27 in eighth FBS year overall); Charlie Weis (23-15, fourth year at Notre Dame)
Players to watch: Since Michigan ranks last in the Big Ten in every offensive category, expect Rich Rodriguez to continue playing musical quarterbacks with Steven Threet and Nick Sheridan. The key for the Wolverines might be finding a go-to runner. Sam McGuffie rushed 17 times for 74 yards last week against Miami (Ohio). DE Brandon Graham leads the league's best rushing defense with 5.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks.
For Notre Dame, ILB Maurice Crum will make his 39th career start. He's due to crack the list of the Irish's top ten career tackles soon. QB Jimmy Clausen clicked on 21 of 34 passes for 237 yards and 3 scores last week, but he also tossed 2 picks. WR Michael Floyd, one of five true freshmen to play last week against San Diego State, became the first freshman in Notre Dame history to score a touchdown in a season opener _ not to mention the first freshman to provide the team's first TD in a season.
The skinny: Michigan has won the last two games in this titanic tussle of a rivalry. If the Wolverines' defense can approximate their pace over the last six quarters - when they've allowed just 3 field goals to Utah and Miami (Ohio) - then their winning streak should roll on. Notre Dame's offense didn't impress much in last week's narrow opening win over San Diego State. Perhaps the Irish saved enough stuff for Michigan to put them over the top. If the Wolverines lose, it will be their second consecutive 1-2 start. Such bad back-to-back starts haven't happened in Ann Arbor since 1951-52.