Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Illinois hopes to build on big win

Offense showed some life in upset of Michigan

MINNEAPOLIS -- The supposedly high-performance offenses at Illinois and Minnesota spent most of the first seven weeks of the season stuck in the shop, sputtering and struggling to get going.

Until last week.

The Illini rushed for 377 yards in a 38-13 victory over Michigan. The Gophers racked up 505 yards of total offense in a 42-34 win over Michigan State.

Now they're both looking to show that was no fluke.

The Gophers (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) can become bowl eligible with a win over Illinois (2-6, 1-5), where coach Ron Zook is on the hot seat.

"I hope it will carry over from Saturday. I want it to carry over from Saturday," Zook said. "That's what we have to do. We have to go forward. Take the rearview mirror off and go forward. We're still out there and we have a ways to go. We have to build on Saturday."

The decisive victory over the Wolverines snapped a five-game losing streak in which the Illini averaged just 11.8 points per game. Senior quarterback Juice Williams was benched during the skid, but rebounded against Michigan with 220 total yards to become just the second Illini quarterback in the modern era to beat Michigan twice in his career.

"I allowed the plays to come to me instead of being so aggressive," Williams said. "I think that's something playmakers do sometimes -- try to do too much and be too aggressive out there."

Adam Weber certainly knows how that feels. The Gophers managed just seven total points in two straight losses to Penn State and Ohio State, and Weber has struggled all season to get the hang of a new throwing motion and a new offensive system.

Minnesota's career leader in passing yardage went three straight weeks without a touchdown pass and hasn't looked like the player who has surged to the top of the school's passing charts in less than three seasons.

Last weekend, he was back to his old self. Weber threw for a career-high 416 yards and five touchdowns, never missing a beat without star receiver Eric Decker, who is out for the season with a foot injury.

"Last year, we struggled to produce on offense when he was out," Weber said. "We knew that this was a critical game for the team and for our season and what we want to do when it comes to a bowl game. It was the start to a three-game home stretch, and we knew we had to come out with a lot of fire, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of focus and really put together a game that we could watch on tape and be proud of."

Now the Gophers are in position to qualify for a second straight bowl game, something that didn't look so sure after they were outscored 58-7 combined in two straight losses to the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes.

It all starts with Weber, who has shown a gritty resolve and remarkable sense of optimism during such a trying season.

"I think that's the biggest thing about Adam, is he's got tremendous belief in himself, his abilities as a quarterback," Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said. "It certainly showed the other night."

Two teams. Two quarterbacks. Two rebounds.

Too late?

Earlier this season, Williams called it a "nightmare" when the Illini got off to such a slow start. For a player who began his career with such promise, it's been a steady decline since he led the team to the Rose Bowl two years ago.

Against the Wolverines, he finally started to show flashes of the old Juice.

"I saw some things I hadn't seen him to do this year," Zook said.

Ditto for Weber, who hit receivers in stride and exhibited a command of the offense that hasn't been there for most of the season.

"It felt good, especially with how the season's been going," Weber said. "It's been an up-and-down, frustrating season. But I keep it in perspective and realize it's one game. It was a very fun game, one of those game where everything seemed to be going right. But now it's on to the next one."