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CHAMPAIGN - Regardless of the health of Northern Illinois head coach Jerry Kill today, the job remains the same for the Illini football team.
On defense, the Illini?s challenge is tracking down easily the best 1-2 running threat the Illini have faced so far.
Elusive quarterback Chandler Harnish ran for 178 yards last week in a victory over North Dakota, and tailback Chad Spann added 140.
On offense, Illinois expects most opponents to load players near the line of scrimmage, gambling that they can take away Illini tailback Mikel Leshoure, who has topped 100 yards twice. In doing so, teams are willing to find out if redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase can move the Illini offense through the air.
As far as Scheelhaase is concerned, it?s an invitation he relishes. And one he anticipates seeing often.
"Yeah, I don?t see why people wouldn?t do that," he said. "With what Mikel and Jason (Ford) are able to do, it?s kind of a habit when you play Illinois, they put a lot of guys in the box. As a quarterback, that?s something you like to see. You?ll have a lot of one-on-ones, our receiver against their defensive back.
"It?s something I look forward to. I promise you, every game our running game is going to be good. It?s something a defense has to prepare for."
Last week, in the 35-3 victory over Southern Illinois, Scheelhaase proved he can throw the ball efficiently (14-for-18) and can throw it deep, as he did on both of his touchdown passes - 54 yards to A.J. Jenkins and 33 yards to tight end Justin Lattimore.
"I think it?s real important that we were able to complete those passes," he said. "When we get those opportunities to make plays down field, we have to hit them. We did a great job of that last week, and it has to continue.
"The more teams try to stop our running backs, the more it should free up our receivers."
Though Scheelhaase grew up in Kansas City, he watched Northern Illinois on television and thinks of the Huskies as a team with a reputation for pulling upsets.
"They always had those night games and they still do," he said. "They were always one of those teams from the (Mid-American Conference) that would upset someone and get into a bowl game year in and year out.
"If you know college football, especially in the Midwest, you know they have been a high-caliber team that has beaten teams who are even higher caliber. We know they will give us their toughest shot. They always do against a Big Ten team, especially when it?s a team from their state."
Kill with Huskies Kill traveled with the team to Champaign on Friday after spending most of the week in the hospital. He was admitted last Saturday after the victory over North Dakota.
He underwent surgery Sept. 3 for an undisclosed reason then experienced dehydration. His condition was upgraded through the week and his staff said his physical condition and his spirits were on the upswing.
Kill was discharged Thursday night from Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and spent the night at his home in DeKalb.
Kill participated in the team?s walkthrough in DeKalb on Friday prior to boarding a bus for Champaign.
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PUB: The Pantagraph
PUB DATE: 20100918
Section: Sports
EDITION: Main
QRKPAGE: 1
PAGE SLUG: B7
XMLFILE: 54266265.txt
DOC NAME: B07 0918 ILLINI NIU ADV
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