Moderator: Welcome back to another chat. We've got oodles of questions, so I'm going to get right to them.

Brian, Urbana, IL: Is Leshoure injured?

Watching the game, it seemed like he was limping some at times

Moderator: Brian,

I don't think injured is the right word. Sore, the kind you get after playing three-fourths of a season at running back, is the right word. He had a sprained ankle a few weeks back and I think that recovery process is constant. He will look like a different guy when he gets some time off after Saturday.

Troy, Urbana, IL: Bob,

why is there hostility between the UI and Minnesota staffs?

Obviously Brewster is a proud alum, and its no secret he wanted the job.

But it seems like he is enjoying being at Minnesota

Moderator: Troy,

I think Coach Brewster is enjoying his time at Minnesota, but there is starting to be some heat on him there.

I think the hostility is from a couple of sources. First, there's a feeling from the Illinois players and coaches that the Minnesota players go a bit too far in terms of being physical. Of course, it's a violent game, but nobody wants to see hits taken after the whistle. That is part of the concern.

And I think there's some resentment toward Minnesota about the way Clint Brewster's recruitment was handled. He was going to sign with Illinois, then when his dad got the job at Minnesota, he signed with the Gophers. I think the Illinois coaches would have been fine with that had the Brewsters said that right away. But they hesitated, which cost Illinois a chance to immediately start recruiting another quarterback. There's a gap in the Illinois quarterback lineup between the fourth-year guys and the second-year guy. That could have been prevented had the Brewster situation gone differently. Clint ended up leaving Minnesota anyway. I'm not sure if that would have happened had he come to Illinois. We'll never know.

Tim, Urbana, IL: after this weekend who is the team to beat in the Big 10?

Who is the leader for the Rose Bowl right now?

Moderator: Tim,

Iowa and Ohio State control their own destiny. With the Hawkeyes going to Columbus and Ricky Stanzi out for the regular season, I think it's very likely Ohio State goes to the Rose Bowl. How weird will it be if the Buckeyes reach the Rose Bowl with their only league loss coming against Purdue? Very.

Gregg, Pittsburgh, Pa: How is Martez Wilson's recovery coming along?

Moderator: Gregg,

Very well. Martez is at every practice and seems to helping the young guys. The other day, I saw him after practice with his arm around one of the young offensive lineman. That's a great sign for Illinois. From what I understand, he will make a full recovery and be on the field at Camp Rantoul. I think his activity in the spring will be limited.

Peter, St. Louis, MO: Bob,

Please tell me you had a chance to listen to some of the Big Ten Network's broadcast (On DVR perhaps) from Minneapolis Saturday. It was without a doubt the worst telecast I’ve ever listened to in my entire life. By a landslide. These guys were worse than high school amateur announcers I’ve listened to. They were calling players by the wrong name, saying Chris Small made tackles for Illinois, claiming Rejus had no catches when he clearly did, and the list of blunders is truly endless. The Big Ten Network should be ashamed, that was miserable.

Moderator: Peter,

I heard a lot about from emails and from staff members. Marcus Jackson texted me during the game about how bad it was.

This was not the Big Ten's A team. Or B team. Or C team.

I've got a suggestion for the network: Get Dave Revsine out of the studio on Saturday and have him do a game. He does that during basketball season. He's really good. Let Mike Hall handle the studio.

I've given the network the benefit of the doubt until now. But it has to improve the level of its work or people are going to start tuning out.

Shamous, Waukegan, IL: Bob:

What's your take on the current debate between readers and Loren Tate? Should the majority of the blame for the current state of Illinois football fall on Ron Guenther. Although Tate will never say a bad word about his friend, football is the crown jewel of a Big Ten athletic department and his record speaks for itself. I also think Tate’s point about the facilities is on the Southside of campus is moot. What Big Ten football program hasn’t benefitted from a major renovation during Guenther’s tenure? Illinois was one of the last!

Moderator: Shamous,

First thing you must say about Loren is that he is a columnist. So, his job is to share his opinion. You can agree or disagree with him. That's the beauty of a free press.

Second thing you must say about Loren is that he is outworking almost every other 78-year-old in the country.

Third thing you must say about Loren is he sticks to his ideas, right or wrong.

We have debated the merits of a football playoff for years. He thinks he's right that there won't be one. I think he's wrong.

Loren doesn't blame Ron Guenther for the current state of the football program. That's his right.

I'm a bit more in the middle on this one. I think Ron Guenther loves Illinois football and wants nothing more than for it to succeed. There's no question about that. But he hasn't always helped his team with scheduling, the Missouri series being a particular problem in recent years.

Ron Guenther has hired two football coaches. It didn't work for the first one and the jury is still out on Ron Zook. I don't think Ron Guenther wants to have to hire a third football coach and I'm not sure he should be given the opportunity. He won't be at Illinois for another decade. So, if a coaching change is needed in football, it should be up to his replacement.

I think the recent wins for Illinois makes it easy to justify Ron Zook's return. I expect him back next season.

Marcus, Monument, CO: Bob,

Do you see Benn leaving early with the average season he has had?

Marcus

Moderator: Marcus,

As much as I would like to write stories about Arrelious Benn for another year, I think he is leaving after this season.

Wade, Wheaton, IL: Hey Bob,

Any reason why we dont line Benn up in the backfield other than just on the goal line. We are almost essentially running Benn in a wildcat like formation. In my eyes the play has been fantastic on the goal line and I'm wondering why its not be at least considered at other times.

Moderator: Wade,

Good question. Mike Locksley used Benn as a runner more in the middle of the field. I'm not sure why that hasn't happened as much this season. Injury could be part of it. Arrelious has never been totally healthy.

The play that Justin Green scored on against Minnesota is the play that is normally run by Benn. But he had been dinged a player or two earlier and was on the sidelines. I thought it was interesting that Justin Green was the next guy in for that play.

mike, calumet city, il: How did zook explain the clock managemnent at the end of the first half? He should be fired based on that alone...

Moderator: Mike,

He wasn't really asked to explain it. That's our fault for not getting to the question, but there were a bunch of other things to talk about and a small window. Juice Williams' injury, Jacob Charest's play, Clay Nurse, Jason Ford and Terry Hawthorne dominated the talk.

I'll ask about it next time I get a chance, which will be after Wednesday's practice.

Jim, Paxton, Ill: What recent (last 50 years) football coach has done better than Coach Zook at Illinois and stayed around?

Moderator: Jim,

There isn't anybody to compare him to. He is 15 games under .500 at Illinois. Mike White was above .500 and forced to resign. John Mackovic was 14 games above .500 and went to Texas. Lou Tepper was 6 games under .500 and forced out. Ron Turner was 17 games under .500 and forced out. Illinois has not been kind to its football head coaches, other than Mackovic.

Ryan, Springfield, Il: Anything exciting or unusual planned for the banquet weekend?

Moderator: Ryan,

I know that a bunch of the top recruits are coming to campus for their official visits, including Corey Cooper.

Dave C., Champaign, IL.: What do you think of Cincinnati? I wasn't impressed watching Uconn almost beat them at home Sat. I checked their record and they really haven't played too tough of a schedule. They've yet to play the 2 best teams in the Big East, West Va. and Pitt. I assumed we wouldn't have a chance playing a top 5 team at home but if we keep winning the turn over battle and don't make the dumb penalties I can see us winning that game.Overrated?

Moderator: Dave C.,

Unfortunately, I didn't get back in time to see the Cincinnati-UConn game. I will get to watch Friday's game against West Virginia. And I saw Cincinnati play Rutgers and South Florida earlier in the season.

I think it's a very, very good team. But I don't think it's a team that should play for the national title. Before the season, I thought Cincinnati would be a more difficult game for Illinois than Missouri. That's probably still true. Illinois can win, but it will have to play error-free and maybe get a bad day from the Bearcats.

James, Greenville, SC: Bob,

Thanks for the chats! it seems like you usually give an honest and fair answer to the questions. I've been very happy with the wins the last two weeks. Style points do not matter right now. I am on the bandwagon for a new coach still. I think Zook is cementing his position for another season. I can't be one of those fans that hopes for losses to spite their coach. I hope we win out and make a bowl(although highly unlikely). My problem with the coaching is that they still make first year coaching mistakes. They do not learn from their goofs. Time management, kicking formations, and soft defense continue to plague this program. I hate to say it, but I do not see it improving under this staff. These types of continued mistakes will not consistently keep us in the upper half of the conference. They will cost Illinois a couple of games every year. If Zook does keep his job(and he does seem like a good guy, but that doesn't win games), do you think he can win consistently? Have you seen the coaching improvements that I've been unable to see? Thanks again. Go Illini!

Moderator: James,

Without being in the meetings and watching film with these guys, it's impossible to accurately evaluate what they are doing and how well they are doing it.

Can Illinois consistently win with Ron Zook? After the 2007, I would have definitely said yes. I'm not as sure now.

I think the defensive line played well against Minnesota, so there is improvement there. I have heard good things from outsiders about both of Illinois' new line coaches.

I have always said that I think this group would benefit from some sort of a bench coach. A Don Zimmer to Joe Torre. Bring back an old coach, put him on the staff and have him in charge of timeouts and what penalties to accept/decline. Somebody like Mike White or John Mackovic, who wouldn't be a threat to the current guys.

I think college football is an extremely difficult game to coach. You need the players to do the right thing. There are so many things that can go wrong on a given play.

Think about it from the Minnesota angle. Somehow, Adam Weber threw a perfect pass to Terry Hawthorne. Who's fault is that? The coach called the play, but the quarterback didn't execute properly.

Marcus, Monument, CO: Bob,

Any new news on CJ's recruitment. Is it true that he is looking at other options.

Marcus

Moderator: Marcus,

I think he has opened up his recruitment some. I am going to be talking to his coach later in the week about All-State. He is in the running for Player of the Year in the state. He has had a huge impact on a state quarterfinalist.

If I get any new information on C.J., I will pass it along immediately. I certainly think Illinois is still in strong contention for him.

fan of the flyboys, cloud, in the sky: flyover on saturday??

Moderator: fan,

I hope so. They are very cool.

Craig, Chambana, Il: Bob - Thanks for the chats

When you make your selections for the All BigTen team do you take into consideration what a player does in the non-conference or do you just focus on conference play?

Moderator: Craig,

I think you have to consider the entire season. I think what a player does in the conference is more important because, basically, everybody plays some version of the same teams. But if a player had a big day out of conference, that should be part of his resume.

It's going to be difficult to pick players at several spots.

Jack, Clinton, Illinois: Bob, I have asked about this before but I have give this a little more thought. It seems to me that it is just wrong on so many levels for the local media not to be allowed to cover practice. Illinois is the state university. The only real conduit between the alumni,fans citizens and taxpayers of this state and the team is the press.Lets not forget it is our team. The people that are here now are caretakers of the program and quite frankly employees. They are highly paid employees I might add. This includes the A.D. I would like to see a change in this backward thinking policy.The rest of the world are trying to get information out quicker than ever before and we are trying to supress the news.We are working on a twenty-four news cycle. I would think that a pool reporter maybe chosen from a different media outlet every week would be better than the current system.This is only if the powers that be are concerned about something being leaked to another team or something they are trying to hide?I don't even know? Do you have any thoughts on this Bob? Please explain the reasoning and would a pool reporter system work? It sounds absurd for football but it seems to me it would at least be better than what we have now. Thanks

Moderator: Jack,

Any kind of access would be good. I agree with you that a pool reporter system might make some sense. But I'm not sure any of the media outlets involved would agree to it.

You made a great point about the press being a conduit to the team. I'd suggest you send along your concerns to Ron Zook/Ron Guenther.

Ron Zook's biggest concern, of course, is doing what is right for his team. I don't blame him for that. I think everyone understands the idea that coaches don't want to give the opponent an edge.

Practices being opened weren't an issue at Illinois before the Internet. But the ease of spreading the information is what worries the coaches the most.

River City, Peoria, IL: Any new news on Prater? There is some noise going around that the top Florida boys we are after are really considering the Illini still, any news on them?

Thanks in advance!

And I agree, flyovers are the best!

Moderator: River City,

I will be talking to Kyle early next week at his high school. I haven't talked to him directly since the summer. So, until I get information from him, I won't speculate too much.

I will also check into the Florida recruits ASAP.

joe, chicago, il: speaking of clock management, i dont get how illinois can constantly screw that up - zook is on a headset talking to how many guys? even if he doesnt know when to call a timeout, is there noone yelling in the headset offering advice? how can a staff of so many guys mess that up?

Moderator: Joe,

I would like to get my own headset and hear what's going on during the games. I'm assuming there is some yelling. But clock management falls on the head coach. Now, should somebody be warning him when the clock is running down? Absolutely. What we don't know is how the coaches operate in those situations. But you would think the ultimate goal is to get it right, no matter who speaks up.

Al Ryle, Champaign, Il.: Do the two wins help Illinois retain the committed players ca't hurt

Ian, W. Orange, Nj: A recruiting service says that the two wins have gone a long way. Can you give a good example or two?

Moderator: Al and Ian,

To keep the current players on board and to help with future recruits, Illinois had to win. For two reasons. First, to show the recruits that Ron Guenther's announcement of Ron Zook's return was real. And second, to allow the recruits to see that the coaches have a plan and that it can work.

If Illinois had finished 1-11, it would have been very difficult to convince talented players that the coaches knew what they were doing. That is less of a problem for Illinois now.

Jake, Shelbyville, Il: Bob,

Thanks as usual for the good job you do and the chats. Okay so after all of the hype from everyone about the football team this past summer what will all of you do for an encore next summer? Will you be a little more cautious with what you say before the season starts?

Moderator: Jake,

Ding, ding, ding. You win the prize for the best advice ever. I think everything that is written and said about the Illinois program going into the 2010 season will be done so with caution. Because I don't think there will be a lot of faith in the Illinois program. Are there good pieces to write about? Of course, starting with Terry Hawthorne and moving on from there. But the overall tone will be much lower key than before 2009.

If I'm allowed to vote again in the AP poll, I can't imagine a scenario where I would put Illinois in my preseason Top 25. And I don't see the school getting many, if any votes.

tom, bloomington, IL: With two wins in a row is Zook's job safe for next year? I'd venture to say yes at least in Guenther's mind even though the fan base may not be entirely sold on the idea.

Are you optimitstic about next year? I asked Loren and Jim that question during their chat and was surprised to see they are not. I thought given the progress of Charest, Leshoure, Hawethorn, Aikens, etc. they would be at least a little more optimistic. The schedule is still very tough though.

Moderator: Tom,

Illinois will have some good players back next season, including the ones you mentioned. But the schedule again starts with Missouri, which seems to have Illinois' number.

Illinois follows that with games against Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois. Both are having great years and I think the Huskies will view Illinois as beatable.

In the league, Illinois has a nasty road schedule, going to Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Northwestern. Plus, there's a December trip to Fresno State.

All of that might explain Loren and Jim's answer. I'll want to see what the team does in the first month. It will be interesting.

LO, Kalamazoo, MI: Bob, Thanks for the chats. Though I would love to see Rejus around another year, I feel that he will be long gone because next year is an uncapped year in the NFL in terms of players salaries. Basically a 2nd or 3rd round pick next year could be making as much as a 1st rounder in the past. You never know what Jerry Jones or Daniel Snyder will do.

Anyhow, what is the coaching staff doing about the taunting penalties? Though another player got into the grill of Jack Ramsey after the play on Saturday, the damage was already done.

Thanks again.

Moderator: LO,

Ron Zook was asked about that today and he said the coaches preach to the players about maintaining their cool. Other than the penalty on Chris Duvalt, Illinois was limited in its conduct troubles. It was actually Jack Ramsey who tried to get Chris Duvalt to move away. I thought that was impressive for a young guy.

Kevin, Liberty, IL: Hi Bob,

Is Paul ok today after last night? As an Illini and Steelers fan, it was sure fun to see Rashard run wild again!

Moderator: Kevin,

I think Paul handled the Broncos loss well. He's at work today, so that's a good sign. He had to know they weren't going to go 15-1.

Rashard Mendenhall looked great on the field. And he was very, very impressive in a long interview with ESPN after the game. I think he's going to get a lot of positive attention in the next few years.

LO, Kalamazoo, MI: I stand corrected.

Moderator: LO,

No reason to apologize. I make a mistake at least every five minutes.

David, Savoy, IL: About our punt team. We have now had a punt blocked in 2 straight games. I wonder what the strategy is to have #90 and #92 in the blocking wall in front of the punter. I see that wall just stand there and let the blockers come to them. Wouldn't be better if they went to meet the oncoming rushers to gain that extra time for the punter. I also don't see how we could ever run a fake out of this personel package. These guys wouldn't be my first pick at making an open field tackle after a punt either. I would like to see McGee, Ford, Leshoure in the wall and make the opposition worry a little more about a fake than they currently do.

Moderator: David,

I think the idea with the big guys is to make it difficult for the rushers to get through. But you make good points. And I think opponents will figure out a way around the current system. They always do.

W. Spearman, Yujma, Arizona: Even though things are looking up with

the 2 wins, there still have been no

recruiting success for several weeks.

Do you contemplate anything relatively

soon for football.

Moderator: W.,

I think you will see some movement in December, probably after the banquet. If you check back to recent years, Illinois usually gets a handful of commitments in mid-December.

Jim, St. Louis area, Mis-ery: Bob:

Thanks for the chats and THANKS for staying objective in the face of a very emotional football season. It's time to throw the NCAA 2010 in the toilet! Suggestion for the coaches...It appears that our football success in a game is greatly enhanced if we get out in the lead early. Why not take the ball and trust our offense, because our defense is average at best. There is hope for the future.....Hawthorne, Green, Nurse,and Charest or Scheelhasse. I do think Scheelhasse will best utilize our group of receivers and have a great career at Illinois. We need to close the gap on recruiting and assess those coaches that aren't contributing.

Moderator: Jim,

Here's my one-word thought on deferring: stupid. Why would you ever do it? Win the toss and take the ball. Period. Is it nice to have the ball to start the second half? Yes, if you are leading. But you know the score at the start of the game.

Jed, Berwyn, IL: Hi bob, I just have a quick question that someone asked in the comments to Mr. Tate's article defending his open letter. Has "coach Guenther" actually coached anywhere to merit the title?

Moderator: Jed,

Ron Guenther was an assistant coach at Boston College and North Central College. He was also a high school coach in the Chicago area.

Jake, Shelbyville, Il: Bob,

Where do the Illini stand in the conference in regard to number of penalties per game, penalty yardage per game? Do the players receive any type of penalty from the coaching staff after getting so many stupid and repetitive penalties this year?

Moderator: Jake,

I love stat questions, so thanks.

Illinois is last in the Big Ten with 62.2 yards of penalties per game. Iowa is the least penalized with 34 yards per game.

There are internal punishments for all sorts of things, so I assume penalties are on the list. But I'm not sure what they make the players do.

Dennis, McHenry, Illinois: Do you feel Illinois will be able to hold onto their recruits, and will they be able to add others. Seems like they are in on a few good ones still.

Moderator: Dennis,

I think the last two wins for Illinois will help the school maintain its recruits and add players. Illinois will go down to the wire on some good players, both in the state and outside.

Rick, Wilmette, IL: Have you seen the new trophy that the Illini and Wildcats will be battling over this weekend or is it being kept hidden until the end of the game?

Moderator: Rick,

I haven't seen it yet, but a photo is expected soon. We will give you a look ASAP.

I've been told it will be on the sidelines during the game.

Ryan, Decatur, IL: It was good to see Justin Green get another TD this week. I've always wanted to see him used more and more in the offense, even if its as a receiver or a returner.

But on a totally different topic. Do you think Hawthorne should surpass Hicks on the depth chart (this is assuming I call Tavon Wilson the #1 corner). Hawthorne at least in the last 2 weeks has proven that he's a gamer, and Hicks's game has declined since last year (probably since last year Vontae was covering the tougher guys). So why not give hawthorne the start, especially if he's on a hot streak?

Moderator: Ryan,

Though the depth chart doesn't indicate it, Terry Hawthorne is the starter and has been the past two games. I don't know why they haven't changed that. And you're right, Hawthorne deserves the promotion.

Derek Walker, Seattle, OR: Where do we stand with our current commitments? I know Corey Cooper has been looking around but what about the others?

Moderator: Derek,

From what I understand, the nine players currently committed are still considered future Illini. Of course, we all have the right to change our minds. Corey Cooper and CJ Fiedorowicz seem to be the most likely to look around. Cooper's coach has said he will sign with Illinois. I will get more information on CJ.

Robert, Chicago, il: Bob,

Ramsey has looked impressive with his route running in his limited playing time, is he the clear cut 3rd receiver from now on? Not to pile on Zook but any way he can be the bigger man and totally apologize to the Mendenhall family, its kind of sad that Zook/Mendenhall aren't on talking terms IMO.

Moderator: Robert,

Jack Ramsey is getting a bigger role each week. He has very good hands and seems to catch everything thrown his way. He's going to have a chance to be an important player for Illinois the next three seasons.

I think the Mendenhall/Zook issues have been resolved some. To what extent, I don't know. But if you are Illinois, you certainly want the future All-Pro saying nice things about his college.

Charley, Bellingham, WA: Bob -

Do you think the Illini has a better selection of passing quarterbacks (and receivers) than Iowa? It seems like, as group, Illinois has more potential personnel-wise than Iowa's QBs/receivers next year.

If so, will that be the main selling point to CJ to come to Illinois? If not, how would you convince CJ to come to Illinois as TE?

Moderator: Charley,

That's a very good point. I'm not a big fan of Ricky Stanzi, who gets a lot of credit for a guy who threw five picks against Indiana.

I think Illinois has gained some ground with CJ the last two weeks. No question.

BananaShampoo, Urbana, Illinois: If Charest plays a great game against Northwestern and Illinois comes out with a big win, what are the chances that he stays in as starter at QB even if Juice comes back healthy next week? Would Zook want to go with the senior leader or see if the young buck can take us to the promised land (and at least get him some more experience before next season)?

Moderator: Banana,

I'm going to assume that Jacob will be the starter. If he plays well, I think there is a good chance he stays in the lineup against Cincinnati. But, Juice Williams will have two weeks to recover (Illinois is off Nov. 21), so I think both guys will play. Illinois wants Cincinnati and Fresno State to prepare for both quarterbacks.

Ted, Palatine, IL: Saturday, you said "More than the win, I think the way the team is playing now helps Ron Zook's cause." Can you explain?

What I saw on Saturday was more of the same with poor clock management and discipline breakdowns leading to 12-man penalties and celebration penalties.

The fact that we won was the only good thing that came out of that game. The "way we played" on Saturday was more of what we've done all year as far as I can see.

Moderator: Ted,

What I meant was that Illinois scored on the first drive, took a sizable early lead, got a defensive touchdown, didn't panic when the starting quarterback went out, etc.

You're right that there were some bad moments. But bottom line for Illinois against Minnesota was to win by any margin. Certainly, it would have been better had Illinois maintained a 21-point lead. But I think the way the offense bounced back after Minnesota closed within three was a good sign for the staff and for the team.

Lucas Neill, Melbourne, Australia: Bob,

what is your opinion with regards to hope for the future of this program? some say it's a lost cause regardless of what happens the rest of this season.

also, to this point, who would you put as your most improved Illini player this year and biggest disappointment?

Moderator: Lucas,

I think the Illinois program can be consistently successful. It starts with recruiting, but there must also be a development standpoint. Maybe that's been the area that has been neglected in the haste to get players on the field. The best thing that happened at Illinois this season, in my opinion, was that Nathan Scheelhaase's redshirt wasn't burned. You'll see what I mean in 2013.

Most improved Illini is Clay Nurse, who wasn't a factor in 2008. Most disappointing: Jarred Fayson.

Jake, Shelbyville, Il: Bob,

Any chance the NCAA does away with the celebration penalty or at least modify's it some? These are still kids playing the game and they need to be able to celebrate some but I know it would be a problem monitoring the situation. We can thank the NFL for leading the way with the celebration issue

Moderator: Jake,

I sure hope so. I hate it. I think you have to let the guys have fun. To me, as long as it isn't taunting the opponent, it should be OK. I saw a Nebraska defensive back get penalized for tossing the ball in the air the other night after a game-saving interception. That's ridiculous. Too many games are being decided by overzealous officials. And remember, we love the officials. The rules are the problem.

Big Jim, Memphis, TN: Why spend millions for a stadium upgrade and destroy it all with schedule impossible. Last minute adding of Western Michigan, Cinci, Fresno when most schools are 5 years out. Maybe a few less drinks with the big money people and spending some time as AD would help. Next year we get a repeat of this year's schedule. Missouri, Northern IL, Cinci,Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan State and its 1 and 5 all over again, maybe 0-6. No matter what happens after that, the attitudes will be the same as this year. I blame RG's scheduling for most of this mess.

Add two or three teams like the rest of the conference has on their schedules and we may not be Rose Bowl bound, but we can at least compare to the rest of the Big Ten. I looked at 117 1A schedules, only 3 were as insane as the Illini. 2011 is the first chance the for the schedule to get real, unless RG screws that up too.

Moderator: Big Jim,

Thanks for the great research. One BCS team on the nonconference schedule is enough for Illinois.

Steven, Kansas City, MO: Hey Bob. I understand that Ford had a better week of practice than Leshoure, and that's why he got more of the load in the backfield against the Gophers. Sure, it worked out okay since Jason had a solid game, but that explanation doesn't work for me. Mikel had clearly, at least in my eyes and yours, separated himself as the #1. Unless there was an off-the-field issue or something completely insubordinate, unsportsmanlike, etc., in practice, I don't accept the fact that he had his touches decrease. Your thoughts? Thanks.

Moderator: Steven,

I really don't think there was anything in practice, other than Mikel being a bit banged up. He still got on the field for 10 carries and they threw to him once for nine yards. My guess is there will be more carries for Leshoure against Northwestern and beyond.

jjohnson, Tucson, AZ: Bob -- it was a pleasure to attend these last two games, and my question has an obvious opinion in it: how much of the problems of the season relate to the fact that the OL has 3 freshman/sophomores starting (and pretty much the same for the DL), and does that relate to the fact that all of a sudden Juice, who could not hit the barn side through seven games, has had two of his most accurate games? Charest really does look like the real thing, but I am happy for Juice that he is playing well

Moderator: jjohnson,

Glad that you had a good time and got to see the game. The new stadium at Minnesota is very nice.

Certainly, the offensive line hasn't played the way the coaches had hoped. There has been some juggling and I think they have the lineup in there now that works the best. Juice has looked more comfortable in the past two games and I'm guessing the play of the line had a lot to do with that.

You're right about Charest. He is playing well. Illinois is going to have an intersting spring at quarterback.

J-Ran, Champaign, IL: Bob, I love these chats. At 6-3 right now, do you see Northern Illinois getting a bowl bid? I only see the game at Central Michigan as the remaining loss on the schedule (although at Ohio is never easy for NIU for some reason). Do the Huskies have to go to the MAC title game to get an invite? Resume looks good other than the loss to Toledo. Eight-point loss at Wisconsin, win at Purdue, three-point loss to a talented Idaho team. Thoughts?

Moderator: J-Ran,

I think Northern Illinois deserves a bid right now, but it isn't on one bowl projection that I saw. I think that will change. What will help NIU as much as anything is the lack of bowl eligible teams in the MAC. Of course, winning the MAC title will clinch a bid, so I'd suggest that to Jerry Kill.

GJP, Bolingbrook, Illinois: Bob,

What's the situation with Cordale Scott? Obviously the general response would be that he must not be as good as the other options or he would be on the field more. But what specifically is the issue - hands, route running, grasp of the offense, etc.? Thanks.

Moderator: GJP,

I'm going to try to get an accurate answer for you today from Jim Pry, the receivers coach. He is very honest about stuff like that. Send me an email to asmussen@news-gazette.com and I will get back to you with an answer.

Dr. Phil, Orland Park, IL: Bob, here are a few questions. How in the heck are the Illini four point favorites against NW? That team plays with a lot of heart and limits their mistakes and penalities.

Next, should not Santella realize he must shorten his stride in crucial kick situations? Do not the coaches teach him to do this? I do not think he has learned one thing during his tenure at Illnois, since he continues to get punts blocked on a regular basis, e.g. Ohio State last year and Michigan earlier this year. Finally, why is not Justin Green or Chris Duvalt returning kick-offs? I see Green has been playing up as one of the blockers. That makes no sense. Are they not faster than Benn and Pollard? Thanks again for your Illini coverage and insight.

Moderator: Dr. Phil,

The game is basically being called even, so the four points are for home field.

Ron Zook pointed at the snapper and blocking on the two blocked punts. It is his forte, so he must know what he's talking about. But I think the coaches need to widen the margin for error with the punters.

I'd like to see Justin Green on kickoffs. He is certainly the fastest guy on the team. I'm not sure why he is one of the blockers. Maybe some opponent will accidentally kick it to him. That would be a mistake.

Jimmy, Dallas, TX: Bob, consensus seems to be that Zook is now safe for next season. What changes do you see on the coaching staff side? Will we go to a single defensive coordinator? Is Schultz also safe now with the offensive explosion in the last 2 games?

Moderator: Jimmy,

Great question. I know that Ron Zook will push to keep everybody. But it might not be his call.

I think you will have to wait to see what happens in the final three games before changes are decided.

The single defensive coordinator is always an option, but I don't think that is what Ron Zook will want to do.

George, Wheaton, IL: My questions relate to clock management. When the Illini run the two minute drill in practice, who calls the timeouts? Is it Zook or Schultz? If Zook is giving advice on offense, defense and special teams during the game, why can't he ask an assistant to help him maximize clock management. This is basic game strategy, and should be practiced and understood both in practice and during the game. Right?

Moderator: George,

It's possible that Ron Zook tries to keep too many balls in the air during the game. That's probably tempting for all head coaches. I think the timeouts are on him. Schultz isn't on the field, so he can't call them.

I think you are right about having an assistant help with clock management. Generally, I think Ron Zook is conservative about it, trying to save timeouts. Sometimes, that's a huge mistake.

Dave, Chicago, IL: Was Juice a yard or two further back in the shotgun this week against MN? It seemed to me that he backed up a yard or two giving him more time? Also, do you think that Cumberland should have been moved to DE? It seems like Will Davis moved to LB and Britt Miller moved to FB...I can't see a pro team putting up with Cumberland's inconsistent hands at TE, and yet he has all the measurables?

Moderator: Dave,

On Jeff Cumberland, I think he will get a chance in the NFL first as a tight end. He should spend the offseason catching 1,000 passes a day. You're right, the NFL won't put up with drops.

You are the second person that said something about a deeper drop for Juice. I didn't notice it, but I will take another look at the tape. I'm not sure why Illinois would have done that.

Stan, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Since the 2nd half of Michigan, has there been a difference in play calling or a change in the overall game plan? I can't figure out how the team spontaneously figured it out.

Moderator: Stan,

I don't think there has been a significant change, just better execution. I think the coaches might find the answer if they look long and hard during the offseason. But there is no obvious explanation.

Jimmy, Bloomington, IL: Lets be optimistic. Illinois is young. Almost too young. There is alot of young guys right now learning how to deal with adversity. Could be in a long run a good thing right?....How many starters does Illinois lose after this year? 3 including Benn?

Moderator: Jimmy,

It kind of depends on how you count it. If Jacob Charest starts the final three games, is he a returning starter? Tough call.

On offense, returns six players I would consider starters. On defense, there will nine starters back, plus Martez Wilson and Miami Thomas.

Moderator: Thanks for all of the great questions. I'm going to call it a day.

Don't forget about the postgame chat on Saturday, starting at about 4 or so.