Big Ten 2010 // Illinois' Greatest Strength: The Backfield
by Graham Filler on Mar 30, 2010 10:30 PM CDT
in Illinois
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PrintWhen I wrote a variation of this article last year, I heaped praise on the Illini's highly recruited and monster-truck sized wide receivers whom I called the "best in the Big Ten." Extenuating circumstances made my article pretty useless (read: no offensive cohesion or a player to get those WR's the ball).
This year, the Illini's backfield looks like a strength, featuring steady handed Jason Ford and Mikel LeShoure, a troubled but talented young man with experience and freaky physical talent. Could their success go unnoticed due to overall Illinois mediocrity? Yes. But tackling either will still be a challenge whether their on a bowl-bound or moribund Illini team.
Mikel LeShoure
Law Buck compared him to John Clay, but I see more of a Beanie Wells here. We'll call him LS, as in: You bought the Luxury Sedan because it looks great, but it's also got a great motor and some fun toys. LS, 6' and 230 lbs, fit fine in the zone-read offense by punishing safeties, cutting quickly to avoid tacklers, and effectively catching passes on wheel routes. His highlight tape shows a powerful runner who falls forward and possesses that coveted "other gear."
The way he runs, the confident way he jump cuts or bowls over safeties, you would have thought LeShoure's star would have been a bit brighter in 2009 and 2010. This lack of recognition seems to be his own doing. A quick Google search leads us to terms like "had to battle out of the doghouse" and "broke jaw in altercation with teammate." But after an early suspension in 2009, LeShoure did in fact battle onto the scene, running for almost 800 yards and earning Big Ten Honorable Mention honors.
Jason Ford
Another freak athlete, Ford is listed at 235 but apparently ran something 4.4ish in high school. Though his explosiveness isn't as pronounced as LeShoure's, it will not hurt the Illini to have another experience back. Two years ago, Ford destroyed Indiana for 172 yards and accumulated 97 carries last year, third on the team.
I would write more about Jason Ford, but he's never really broke out the way I expected him to. Was he hamstrung by defenses stacking the line and disrespecting Juice's throwing? Probably. Is he as talented as LS? Probably not. But with the move to a pro form style offense sure to ruffle lockerroom feathers and confuse some newbies, it helps to know that the two men in charge of rushing the football have years of experience under their belts, not to mention loads of physical talent.
This week...
MONDAY: Spring Field Guide
TUESDAY: Illinois' Achilles Heel - The Coaching
WEDNESDAY: Illinois' Greatest Strength
THURSDAY: MVP Profile
FRIDAY: Keeping the Enemy Close - Rival Blogger Interview
***
More Big Ten 2010...
Indiana | Michigan
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To me, Illini's greatest strength is its backfield
and its greatest weakness is its offensive line.
That’s never a good combination…
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 31, 2010 12:51 PM CDT reply actions
At a casual glance
It might seem like the two would cancel each other to create an average rushing attack.
Naturally, we know better. A weak push up front means nonexistent lanes, tight holes, and capped ends. It doesn’t matter how good your back is if he’s being asked to run into a granite wall.
The Rivalry, Esq.
The quintessential Big Ten smoking room.
by Jonathan Franz on Mar 31, 2010 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Think Wisconsin's offensive line in 2008.
When Andy Kemp and Kraig Urbik went down, and Evridge the horrible QB mix of 2008 melted down, Wisconsin collapsed. There’s a REASON they were 3-3 six weeks into the season. The loss to Michigan was inexcusable, the loss to Ohio State was entirely the defense’s fault (along with A.E.). The offensive line was a revolving door, making the QB situation even worse, because a bad/injury-plagued offensive line makes it even more likely that the QB will be forced to make a bad read or take a horrible sack.
Overall, if you can’t run the ball in the Big Ten, and your defense doesn’t step up, you look like last year’s Illinois and Indiana teams. Did either team really, I mean, REALLY establish their running games in conference play, aside from Illinois against Michigan?
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 31, 2010 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions
Are you speaking
of the greatest comeback in Michigan Stadium history?
Wisconsin’s O Line should be good this year, right? They look like a strong team in the Big Ten.
Wow
LeShoure’s highlight reel displays excellent receiving ability, ability to find the cutback lane, as well as top-end speed. Too bad he plays for the Zooker.
Leave it to a team like the 2009 Michigan squad to make Illinois look competent. That was the worst game of the season, IMO. LeShoure ran all over us, and Juice had a record passing game. Yeeesh.
Since he is in the mold of Mendenhall (also about 230), perhaps he can follow suit by playing on a lackluster team, then getting drafted to one of the best run franchises in the NFL.
Perhaps Michigan could lose to Illinois again and make my week?
Or fire RR, or play defense, or avoid getting shelled by teams named Penn State, or avoid playing Iowa entirely, or play Minnesota again…
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Apr 1, 2010 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions
???
Things that make your week:
Meech losing to Illinois (ok, you’re a Michigan hater, that I can understand)
Meech firing RR (jury’s out on this one)
Meech playing D (that is something I think we can both enjoy)
Meech NOT getting shelled by PSU (Wait, a Meech fan? Or maybe you just hate PSU… Or maybe you just like good football.)
Meech NOT playing Iowa (??? We almost beat Iowa!)
Meech playing Minnesota again (now nobody wants to see that…)
I don’t understand.
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