The Juice Is Loose

The Juice Is Loose

Football is alive and well in Champaign Illinois. The Fighting Illini rocked the number five and heavily favored Wisconsin Badgers Saturday 31-26. Last week, the upstart Illini smashed Penn State who was then ranked 21st and this week, Juice Williams and co. handle Wisconsin, snapping their 14 game winning streak, solidifying this Illinois squad as a true contender in the wacky Big-Ten.

Juice Williams is becoming a household name, but is just one of the weapons in Champaign this year. Rashard Mendenhall has been turning heads and Saturday’s performance was heroic. Mendenhall carried Illinois late and was unstoppable throughout the game. Mendenhall ended with 160 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while also adding four receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown--he was doing it all for Illinois. Williams chipped in for another 92 rushing yards and the one-two punch were just too much for Wisconsin. Illinois is off to a 5-1 start and are 3-0 in the Big-Ten for the first time since 1990.

Ron Zook has done a terrific job recruiting and is reshaping this program week by week, season by season. But more importantly, Zook is empowering his young team to do great things and they are responding. Zook was run out of Florida after three winning seasons and this resurrection in Champaign stems from the reemergence of Zook.

Zook challenged Mendenhall before the season to be the leader of the high-octane Illinois offense and he has responded every week. “I said, 'Rashard, if you have the kind of year we think you’re capable of having, and if you do the things the coaches are trying to get you to do, we have a chance to be pretty special,'” Zook stated.

Mendenhall is listening to his coaches and is having a monster year. The junior ranks fifth in the nation with 772 yards and 10 touchdowns with a whopping, 6.8 yards per carry. “With a team like us, Mendenhall said, “We haven’t had too much success like this. (Now) we know we can play with anybody.”

Wisconsin was led by P.J. Hill who had the Badgers within five points late in the fourth quarter, but quarterback Tyler Donovan and the Badger offense would sputter for the better part of the game and would never get any closer. Donavan threw two interceptions in Illinois territory and P.J. Hill and the rushing attack were also stifled. The big back was held under 30 yards in the first half and ended with just 83 yards on 21 carries.

From My Note Pad

•    Super freshmen, Arrelious Benn injured his right shoulder midway through Saturday’s victory. Illinois said that he would be further evaluated this week and should not miss significant action. Benn did have five receptions for 51 yards.
•    Eddie McGee played a significant role for the second straight week. McGee filled in for Williams late and had a big, five-yard touchdown.
•    Wisconsin was hurt by six penalties for 45 yards, compared to only three penalties for Illinois.
•    Illinois out gained Wisconsin 289-127 on the ground led by Mendenhall and Williams.
•    Donovan did have 392 passing yards with two touchdowns. However, his two very big interceptions proved too much for the Badgers to overcome.

Michigan’s Hart Inks Himself in All-Time Record Book

Mike Hart surpassed Anthony Thomas as Michigan’s all-time leading rusher. In the process, he helped guide Michigan past in-state rival, Eastern Michigan. Hart ran wild and he capped his historic game off with two long touchdown runs that helped propel the Michigan offense.

Hart need just 33 yards to break Thomas’ record of 4,472-yards rushing, and he did it on Michigan’s second series. Hart was loudly cheered by the Michigan faithful and was embraced by coach Lloyd Carr and his teammates as he came to the side line. "It was weird because you're still focused on the game," Hart said. "We didn't have the game in hand."

Hart ended the game with 215 yards and three touchdowns and helped the Wolverines to their fourth straight victory. Hart now ranks first in the nation in rushing with 997 yards and his 4,655 career rushing yards make him the nation’s active leader.

Thomas, who now plays for the Buffalo Bills, told the Associated Press that he was happy for Hart. “Records are made to be broken and he’s got a chance to put it out there pretty far because they give him the ball a lot.” Hart’s sixth straight 100-yard game to start a season is also another Michigan record. Jamie Morris previously set the record in 1987.

Michigan is at the midway point of its season, and has tests in the next two weeks against very good Purdue and Illinois squads. Illinois is coming off an impressive win against Wisconsin and Purdue was beaten by Ohio State Saturday.  

Chad Henne was 17-of-26 for 195 yards with a TD, but had two big interceptions against the Eagles. Adrian Arrington had six catches for a career-high 102 yards and a score, playing in place of standout Mario Manningham, who was not in uniform Saturday. Carr would not comment on why Manningham didn't play, but said he would be ready to go against the Boilermakers.

From My Note Pad

•    Henne needs to find his rhythm and until he does, Michigan will rely on Hart and the run game.
•    Let's see how Manningham responds this week against Purdue after essentially, being suspended Saturday.
•    Michigan out-gained Eastern Michigan, 459-304, but had two turnovers that kept the Eagles in the game.
•    Michigan again hurt themselves on special teams with missed and blocked field goals. The Wolverines also had too many penalties--seven to be exact for 65 yards. Eastern Michigan had just two penalties for 19 yards.
•    Hart had 200-yards rushing for the fifth time in his storied Michigan career. Hart is also the Michigan leader in 200-yard games.
•    Eastern Michigan used the spread offense at times that again rattled Michigan. Andy Schmitt went 15-of-28 for 108 yards and an interception, but had nine rushes for 41 yard.