Five Illini Named Midseason All-Americans

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini - 6-1 and ranked No. 18 in the latest AP top 25 and 20th in the Coaches Poll - are off to the program's best start since 1953, and members of the Illinois program are being recognized nationally as media outlets across the country have begun to release their midseason All-America teams.

Three Illini earned midseason All-America nods from The Athletic, making the Orange and Blue one of five programs nationally – along with Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State – to have three players recognized on the list.

In all, five different Illini earned nine nods from The Athletic, Sporting News, and Associated Press, including Gabe Jacas who earned a pair of Midseason Freshman All-America accolades from The Athletic and On3.

Chase Brown
Brown enters the Illini's idle week as the national leader in rushing yards (1,059) and all-purpose yards (1,166). Brown is the first running back in the country to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark this season, and has rushed for 100-plus yards in a program-record eight straight games dating back to last year's finale. He tied the Illinois program record by reaching 1,000 yards in just his seventh game of the season, and has jumped all the way from 25th to sixth on the Illini's career rushing list, while becoming just the third rusher in program history to record multiple 1,000-yard seasons. In addition to his NCAA-leading rushing and all-purpose yardage totals, Brown also ranks first in the country in runs of 10+ yards (33) and yards after contact (619).

• Associated Press Midseason All-American (First Team)
• The Athletic Midseason All-American (First Team)
• Sporting News Midseason All-American (First Team)

Gabe Jacas
Jacas has burst onto the scene as a true freshman for the Fighting Illini defensive unit. He is tied for the team lead with four sacks through his first seven collegiate games, and ranks seventh overall on the team with 22 total tackles. In addition, Jacas has tallied three quarterback hurries on the season. Jacas' four sacks are tied for the most in the country by a freshman entering Week 8.

• The Athletic Midseason Freshman All-American
• On3 Midseason True Freshman All-American

Jartavius Martin
Martin's senior leadership has made him a cornerstone of the Illini defense's success through the first seven games of the season. He ranks No. 11 nationally in passes defended (1.5 per game), and recorded at least one pass break-up in each of the team's first six contests. Martin ranks second on the team in total tackles (33.0), and has tallied 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, and a pair of interceptions to add to the Illini's NCAA-leading total of 12. Overall the Illini defense ranks first in scoring defense (8.9 ppg) and total defense (221.0 yards per game). The Illini secondary ranks first in the nation in passes intercepted, first in passing efficiency defense (75.36), and second in passing yards allowed (143.1 yards per game).

• Sporting News Midseason All-America (First Team)

Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton
Newton, a sophomore defensive tackle, anchors the Illini from the defensive front with a team-high 37 total tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. Newton's play as the No. 3-graded interior defensive lineman in the nation (according to PFF), has helped the Illini defense to the nation's No. 1 ranking in scoring (8.9 points per game) and total defense (221.0 yards per game). The Illini defensive front has also held opponents to just 77.9 rushing yards per game (4th in the NCAA), despite facing run-heavy attacks in victories over Big Ten foes Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota.

• Associated Press Midseason All-American (First Team)
• The Athletic Midseason All-America (Second Team)

Devon Witherspoon
Witherspoon has been an integral part of the Illini's remarkable secondary play this season, leading the nation in passes defended (1.7 per game) entering Week 8, and pacing the Illini with 11 pass breakups on the year. Witherspoon has a 30.8 percent reception percentage against, the third-best mark in the country and best in the Big Ten among cornerbacks, according to PFF. He is the eighth-highest graded CB in the nation and has the third-best coverage grade in the country, while anchoring an Illini secondary that ranks first in the nation in passes intercepted, first in passing efficiency defense (75.36), and second in passing yards allowed (143.1 yards per game).

• The Athletic Midseason All-America (Second Team)

"Chase Brown of Illinois is having a monster season, but the name recognition isn’t there to be in the Heisman mix." Pete Fiutak,

Indiana - 12
Iowa - 23
Purdue - 25
Michigan - 26
Michigan St - 31
Ohio St - 32
Illinois - 33
Penn St - 46
Rutgers - 50
Wisconsin - 55
Maryland - 56
Northwestern - 70
Nebraska - 108
Minnesota - 109

Projects 11-9 Big Ten record and 8-2 (probably 8-3 when you add Baylor/VA) non-conference.

Contrast this with T-Rank that has us at #15 and sharing the Big Ten with Indiana with a 13-7 record.

Before you get too upset, this Illinois team is pretty impossible to project based on objective metrics. I'd expect the human voters to split the difference between these two models and start us around #24.

He's an above the rim player again.

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How are we not gushing about this 3* freshman? Just watched the recording of the Minny game and he jumps off the screen with big plays. Some are plays that won't show up in the stats but it's stuff like running guys down from behind, flushing the qb into someone else for the sack, making big hits, etc. For a freshman to do all this and only be a 3*, I'm stunned by the rating system that he's a 3*. I wouldn't expect a 5* freshman LB to make this much impact.

Big time news for the Illini...

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Also covering this live on my twitter @JackLarson2003

The following game times have been updated on the Illinois Men’s Basketball schedule:

Dec. 2 at Maryland – 8 p.m. CT (BTN)

Dec. 22 vs. Missouri – 8 p.m. CT (TBA)

Jan. 28 at Wisconsin – 2 p.m. CT (FOX)

Link: Updated schedule

I have a parking pass lot 31, $50 or best offer!
GO ILLINI

With a bye week coming up !

Doug, DELETE this thread AP poll at # 18m works for me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Illinois / college football questions do you have?

Just decommited? Doug did you hear anything about this?

Tank Wright has done and continues to get the players physically ready to play with strength, endurance and athleticism. He does not get enough credit but he has done an incredible job! Love what he has done with these guys!!!

Long-time football fan, no X's and O's knowledge. Here's why we're good from my perspective.
Offense:

1. Chase Brown is just ridiculously good at RB. I've seen bigger, faster, and/or more explosive RBs but he makes the most out of every inch of space he's given. He reads his blocks, slips through the hole, and explodes in open space. He basically gets about 2 yards/carry more than he should on all kinds of runs. So that makes the running game very hard to stop.
2. DeVito makes good decisions and has mid-range accuracy. We don't have the game-breaking talent at WR but there's enough there that IW can be a go-to guy and the other WRs can get open enough. TDV can get you 7 yards in the air when you have to get it. He will steal a few 1st downs with his legs. He avoids INTs and sacks by being decisive and making good reads. The scheme and play-calling help him because he usually doesn't have to work too hard to get to the right decision.
3. BB knows how to develop offensive linemen. If it's his coaching superpower then it's a good one to have. He knows how 300+ lb men move, I suppose.
4. Lunney is a mastermind. Guys get open because multiple plays run out of the same looks, there is motion and misdirection, and he generally calls plays that are appropriate for the situation. Goal-to-go plays could use a little work but generally the play-calling is all about keeping the chains moving. The tempo of the offense is such that he forces the defense into a call and can then read and adjust the play as needed. So you are very rarely trapped in a play with no chance of success. You can still hold the ball a long time but every so often you go fast and steal a play while the defense isn't ready. It's a schematic advantage and our offensive players seem very comfortable with it.

Defense:

1. Dominating talent at key positions. Elite CB and DL play. Witherspoon is a shut down corner and the Newton/Randolph tandem create a lot of havoc. The LB corps isn't amazing so we will give up some big runs here and there but the DL helps them a ton. We can get away with more guys in the box because the back end can survive 1-on-1 matchups.
2. Ryan Walters is just a savant at defensive play calling. The stuff he dials up is very often disruptive. Steal a play or two every drive and get a TFL and that makes it very hard for the opponent to sustain long drives.
3. Very few guys just standing around covering air. The scheme is effective and guys do their jobs. College football is very big on misdirection but we hardly ever get fooled because nobody is freelancing. Guys trust the system and don't just chase the action of the play. That discipline means that a lot of the cute misdirection plays end up in TFLs.

Special Teams/Game Management:

1. I actually think our lack of a long-range FG kicker helps our game management. We go for it more on 4th down which is the right thing to do anyway. The key is that we know we're doing it in advance and use 3rd down to set up 4th down sometimes.
2. We aren't desperate so we don't gamble on special teams. Just do the basics and let the offense and defense win the games.
3. The team is confident enough to perform in clutch situations. I can't think of a single back-breaking FG miss. The Indiana game was lost on special teams but the punting issues have been fixed.

College football isn't that complicated. We're just insanely well-coached this year and there's enough talent to make that pay off. 6-1 doesn't really tell the story of our success because we are flat-out dominating most of these games in terms of yardage gained vs. allowed. Second-order wins are off the charts. The Indiana game was more of a fluke loss than any of the 6 wins were unlikely. If we can maintain this level of play we will finish 10-2. I do think the more talented teams in the country will be able to negate some of these advantages just based on the talent differential. So I wouldn't expect to beat a top-10 team, but you can do pretty darn well beating everyone else and just being opportunistic against the very best competition.

I explicitly said that it was pointless to do this but it's mid-October and I am compelled to try. Here's what I think our rotation looks like this year:

PG: Clark (20), Epps (20)
SG: Shannon (32), Clark (4), Epps (4)
SF: Melendez (20), Rodgers (20)
PF: Mayer (24), Goode (12), Melendez (4)
C: Hawkins (28), Dainja (8), Mayer (4)

Total Minutes: Shannon (32), Mayer (28), Hawkins (28), Melendez (24), Clark (24), Epps (24), Rodgers (20), Goode (12), Dainja (8)
Lieb and Harris on the bench.

• I'm forecasting an even split between Clark and Epps because of what Doug has been reporting. I don't think we really go 5-wing so I always have one of them at the PG spot.
• Shannon is the "star" so he gets the most minutes. Nobody is a Trent Frazier this year playing 35-40 mpg.
• I think RJ is the starter but Rodgers is right on his heels. Good competition there and if you want SF minutes on this team you will need to be productive.
• The 5 spot is the real enigma here. It may change dramatically based on matchups. I do think Hawkins gets a chance to lock that spot down. Dainja is an enigma but if he delivers his role could really expand. Otherwise I think we see more lineups with Mayer at the 5 or maybe even Lieb gets to contribute.
• I think Goode is important to this team but I don't know who we takes minutes from unless we have a wing at the 5 spot.