College Football: Week 1 Watchlist - ILLINOIS v MISSOURI

Illinois Vs. Missouri

Wow! There is no better way to kick off the new college football season than with two highly touted National Championship contenders. Sure there’s 11,12, or 13 more games left after this, but the winners confidence will be higher than partiers at an
Amsterdam pot fest. You don’t win the season in this one game, but you do set the foundation. These two teams who battled at the start of last year in an epic Missouri 40-34 win will go to war again and not disappoint, behind the leadership of General Daniels and General Juice. The Surgeon general called with a warning and said don’t miss this game.



Keys for Illinois

It all starts with the man behind center, Juice Williams. We all know he is a gifted athlete who can take off at any time for a touchdown, but can he consistently make good decisions in the passing game. He ran for 755 yds and threw for only 1,743 yds ranking 109th in the nation. With Rashard Mendenhall leaving to the NFL draft after his junior year Juice is going to need to step his passing game up to continue off of last years success. Williams has a cannon for an arm, but the knack is his decision making. The good thing is that he can improve and reports show he is progressing, reading defenses and getting the ball out quicker. The Tigers will pack the box to stop the run so he will have favorably match ups with his receivers. He needs to find the man to man coverage and exploit it if the Fighting Illini are going to win.

As much as Juice needs to become more of a passer, this is still a running team averaging 256.8 yards a game last year. Replacing Mendenhall will be tough, but someone has to do it and that someone is Daniel Dufrene. Dufrene showed flashes of stardom in spot duty last year and will look to help the Illinois lead the Big Ten in rushing for a third consecutive year. Dufrene has the potential to be very good but will need showcase is talents in this game. I saw his highlight tape and this (6-0, 240 lbs) freshman is big and fast. I know it was high school, but he was leaving DB’s who had an angle on him in the dust. LeShoure and Dufrene need to make people forget about Mendenhall right away or the Illini will start off 0-1.
The ingredients for a good receiver tandem is to have a deep threat for the home run ball and a possession receiver to go across the middle and make those tough yardage catches. The Illini have the peanut butter in Arrelious Benn (last years Big Ten freshman of the year) A great player and deep threat with good speed and hands and the Jelly in 6-5 247 lbs. Jeff Cumberland, the big target who can “go get it” for those tough third down plays. Put those two players with the leadership and sure hands of the bread of this group senior Kyle Hudson and you got a great receiver sandwich. Throw in a side salad of TE Michael Hoomanawanui and you got a great meal with some Juice. If they can get open and make plays after the catch they will take tremendous pressure off Juice and win this game.
The Defense for the Illinois will be one of the best in the Big Ten and it all starts up front with the experience and tenacity of the four starting seniors. End Will Davis will need to continue to cause quarterback nightmares. The key to this game will be up front and this unit getting pressure on Daniels and forcing him into a scrambling QB. Daniels two years ago didn’t have as much success because he tucked the ball and ran too much. Missouri has a new left tackle and that match up will has to be exploited. If Daniels has time he will pick apart this secondary other than whomever All American corner Vantae Davis is guarding.
The linebacker core is the weak point of this defense and will need to show some testicular fortitude and show the Tigers they can make plays and tackle.
Vantae Davis is a stud, ball hawk, shutdown corner, cover man, whatever name you have for a star cornerback he is just that. Davis is solid and will hold down his side in one on one coverage. So it is up to CB Dere Hicks and new Safeties Garret Edwards and Bo flowers to not get picked apart. This will be a challenge and measuring stick for the Illinois secondary going against one of the best passers in Daniels. This will test the young Illini secondary and that is why it is so key for the front seven to get pressure. If the defense can force a few turnovers and limit the Tigers offense to less than 28 points they will win this game.

Keys for the Tigers

The Tigers will go as far as QB Chase Daniels takes them, if he can continue off of last years stellar numbers, 4,306 passing yards and 33 TD with a 68.2 completion percentage they will be fine. The key for Daniels will be the continuation of scaling down his running. With a new center and (blindside) left tackle position being filled this year he will need composure and pocket presence to step up and get the ball to his playmakers. If Daniels’ line can give him time he will put the ball on a dime. If he reverts to his old ways of tucking the ball and running they will not win.
Good teams have game breaking players and Missouri has a hell of a player in Jeremy Maclin. How good is he? If he was a fruit he’d be a star fruit, 2,776 all purpose yards last year, the most by a freshman in NCAA history. The Illini know him very well as he returned a punt for a touchdown against them in his first colligate football game. The Tigers need to get the ball in his hands and let him “do what he do” if they want to win this game.
Jimmy Jackson the Tigers running back doesn’t need to put up huge numbers but he does need to bring a balance to this offense. With defenses keying on Daniels and Maclin, Jackson has a chance to surprise people with his swift moves and quickness. The key to this offense will be getting a consistent running game to balance this offense. If Jackson can average over 4 yards a carry they will put up huge numbers.
This Missouri defense will have there hands full keeping Juice Williams contained, but 9 of 11 starters returning will make it easier. The ends of Missouri have to be mentally focused and stay in their lanes, if they crash inside and don’t to cover the bootleg it will be a long day, they need to stay outside and funnel him into the big boys in the middle.
The Linebacker group is one of the most experienced in the Big Ten led by standout Sean Weatherspoon. Brock Christopher is the man to watch as he is most likely going to play most of the game in a QB spy. He needs to be aware of Juice and help the D-line contain him.
William Moore the All-American free safety is good, real good and anchors this secondary which returns both its starting cornerbacks. The Illini have a speed and size and will be a tough match up for this secondary. The key is to keep the receivers in front of them and take away the big plays. Moore has great instincts and will be critical in this game. I look forward to watching CB Castine Bridges go head to head with tall Illini receiver Jeff Cumberland.

This will be a tough, well coached, well played game and the team with the biggest plays and fewest mistakes will win.

Prediction
Missouri Illinois
30 27