The November 20th football game between Illinois and Northwestern next year will most likely be played in Chicago at Wrigley Field.

“It would be great national exposure and a neat thing for both sides,” said Zook, who visited Chicago on Tuesday. “Wrigley Field transcends the whole country.”

Northwestern officials, buoyed by the success of the NHL’s Winter Classic, have been trying for more than a year to make a Wrigley Field game a reality.

On Jan. 17, NU athletic director Jim Phillips said: “Within the next month or so, we’ll decide if it’s something that can work. There are a lot of moving parts.”

Bottom line, officials involved are confident the game will become a reality. But at least two hurdles remain: revenue sharing (between the Big Ten and the Cubs) and the fact if Northwestern moves a 2010 game to Wrigley, it will have just five at Ryan Field.

Phillips will meet Wednesday with Cubs President Crane Kenney in an effort to get the game closer to fruition. For a 2010 game, Northwestern probably needs to nail down details by the end of March.

Check out the graphic with the potential field orientation, and the full article from the Chicago Tribune.

Fighting Illini Fans:

Saturday was a great day for Illini Nation!

Thank you so much for the amazing atmosphere you created at the Assembly Hall. You started the day by creating one of the loudest and most energized scenes in the history of ESPN College GameDay. Digger Phelps and Rece Davis both singled out the Orange Krush for creating an electric environment for the national television audience. Our students, band, cheerleaders and Illinettes deserve special recognition for making Illinois look outstanding during the broadcast. I can’t thank you enough.

We followed it up with an incredible packed house in the big win over Michigan State. That was the loudest I remember hearing the Assembly Hall in years. There is no doubt that the home court advantage played a huge role in our win.

We have three very important home games remaining on our schedule in Ohio State, Minnesota and Wisconsin. I hope you can continue to make The Hall the best home court advantage in the Big Ten as we head down the stretch.

Go Illini!

Bruce Weber

Congratulations to the Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball team on their recent win against Michigan State!

We decided to whip out this classic for your enjoyment:

“Edit all you want, you’re still runnin’!”

Coach Zook is beginning to build his coaching team for next year.

University of Illinois head football coach Ron Zook announced the hiring of former UNLV running backs coach DeAndre Smith as the newest member of the Illini coaching staff. Smith, a St. Louis native, has tutored six 1,000-yard rushers in his 11 years of collegiate coaching.

Illini hire new running backs coach

Hopefully this will help the team play well next year!

Junior receiver Arrelious Benn has announced that he will be leaving Illinois to enter the NFL draft.

“With the support of Coach (Ron) Zook and my mom, I am ready to pursue my lifelong dream of playing in the NFL,” Benn said. “I also plan to finish college and earn my degree from the University of Illinois.

“I know the hard work is just beginning, and I as I begin this new adventure, I will always be proud to represent the Fighting Illini.”

Benn was troubled with injuries and difficulties this year, but still led the team with 38 catches.

We wish him the best of luck!

Illinois’ Benn to enter NFL draft – ESPN

The Fighting Illini football team will play their last game of the season this Saturday at Memorial Stadium against Fresno State. This year has had it’s ups and downs; mostly downs with the Illini ’s current record of 3-8. It hasn’t looked good for the Illini all season. From that first kickoff in St. Louis, it seemed like they never really had it under control. They were expected to be a great team, and Big Ten contender with Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn in their prime. What happened? Nobody really knows. It has been a disappointing season to say the least, and this Saturday it is all going to come to an end.

That said, I want to encourage all of you to attend this Saturday’s finale: all of you students, all of you alumni, and all of you Fighting Illini fans. You say we aren’t going to a bowl anyway, so why does this game matter? You say that you have to stay home and study for finals. You say that it’s going to be freezing cold and you’d rather stay in your nice warm bed. You’ll find any excuse not to come and watch your team lose again. But I say no. There is no excuse. This is senior day. The team deserves our attendance.The least you can do is give up three hours of your life to come out and support your team. They may be bad, but they are still our team.

Do It For The Seniors

Fifteen Illini seniors will be honored at the game. This will be the last game they ever play in an Illinois uniform. Over the past four years, we’ve been through a lot with these guys, and through it all, they’ve stayed strong and given it all they’ve had. Let’s support them one last time on Saturday. Here’s to you seniors!

Jon Asamoah, OL
Eric Block, OL
Michael Cklamovski, PK
Jeff Cumberland, WR
Daniel Dufrene, RB
Chris Duvalt, WR
Donsay Hardeman, DB
Dere Hicks, DB
Michael Hoomanawanui, TE
Antonio James, DL
Doug Pilcher, DL
Rahkeem Smith, DL
Juice Williams, QB
Sirod Williams, DL
Kyle Yelton, P

Do It For Juice

One senior in particular, has taken a lot of heat over the past couple of years. Mr. Juice Williams is one of those players that you either love or hate. He has his good days, and his bad days. There is a lot that one can say about our senior quarterback, but let’s just let the numbers speak for themselves. Even if you hate Juice, or think that he shouldn’t be starting on Saturday, you can’t ignore that he:

• Already holds the Illinois total offense records for a career (10,327) and season (3,892)
• Ranks fifth in total offense in Big Ten history
• Already holds the Illinois QB rushing records for a career (2,501), season (755) and game (174)
• Ranks third in school history in passing yardage (7,826)
• Is the Illinois career leader in starts by a quarterback with 43
• Needs 45 rushing yards to move up to sixth on the Illinois career rushing list
• Needs three touchdown passes to move to second on the UI list for career scoring strikes

So one last time, let’s give Juice the applause that he deserves. He, along with the rest of the team, have come in day after day and given it their all. Despite the weather forecast, let’s give them all we’ve got on Saturday. I’m expecting a sea of orange, and the loudest stands of the season. They deserve it.

Let’s do it for the orange and blue!

Illinois vs. Fresno St. // Dec. 5 // 11:30am

• Live Audio | GameTracker | TV: BTN | Radio
• Fan Guide | Parking Map | Gameday Info
• BUY TICKETS TO THIS GAME

Go Illini!

This week’s Illini Football game will be Friday (not Saturday!) at 11:00 am. You can catch it on ABC. So sit back, grab some leftover turkey, and take a break from Black Friday shopping or decorating the house with some good ‘ole fashioned Thanksgiving football.

And don’t forget to vote for Ron Zook as Coach of the Year.

The Illini and Northwestern will be battling today for the ownership of the first Land of Lincoln Trophy. The two schools have been fighting for a rivalry trophy since 1945 with the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Trophy. Last year was the final year for that award, and with Northwestern’s victory, they have claimed permenant ownership of the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Trophy (even though the Illini have a better series record).

The new trophy idea was the result of an online vote by Northwestern and Illinois fans this past spring. “Land of Lincoln” edged three other finalists: President’s Trophy (named after the state’s four presidents), Popcorn Bowl (named after the Illinois state snack) and the Graham-Grange Fire Bell (named after two of the greatest players at each school).

Once the name was determined, an artist was chosen to design a stove-top hat, a signature apparel item of President Abraham Lincoln. The man who designed the trophy was Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Dick Locher, an editorial cartoonist for the Chicago Tribune as well as the artist who helped bring the Dick Tracy cartoon strip to life.

The trpohy resembles the hat worn by Lincoln while delivering the Gettysburg Address. It, along with a walnut base, weighs 28.5 pounds. The trophy will reside in the press box for the first half of Saturday’s game and then on the field for the second half.

When asked about the trophy, Coach Zook said “You want it every year, but you’re right. This is the first time that I have not seen it. I’ve seen pictures, but I have not seen it. I’ve seen pictures and heard talk about it. It’s shaped like Abraham Lincoln’s hat. No question, we’d like to bring it home.”

Illinois vs. Northwestern // Nov. 14 // 11am

• Live Audio | GameTracker | TV: ESPN Classic | Radio
• Fan Guide | Parking Map | Gameday Info
• BUY TICKETS TO THIS GAME

Let’s bring it home. Go Illini!

Northwestern, Illinois Set to Play for First Land of Lincoln Trophy – FightingIllini.com

Tonight is the first regular season game for the Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball Team. They battle Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville at 7:00pm at Assembly Hall. It’s time to rise up…

Go Illini!

The 1-6 Illinois will take on the 5-3 Michigan Wolverines this Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The game begins at 2:30pm and will be broadcast on ABC.

The Illini will be using their two quarterback rotation, as used last week, with Juice Williams and Jacob Charest. This game has been looked at as a must-win for the Illini and especially for Coach Zook, but can they really do it? The following is an excerpt from a letter by the News-Gazette’s Loren Tate to Coach Ron Zook:

Dear Coach Zook,

Here’s the best deal you’ll get this week. Beat Michigan on Saturday and all is forgiven. OK, maybe not all, but a long overdue triumph would certainly take pressure off you and your boss.

This is the stadium, remember, that was dedicated with a 39-14 defeat of the Wolverines. Red Grange ran wild. It was here that the Illini upset Tommy Harmon & Co., 7-0, in 1936. It was on this snow-covered field that Tommy O’Connell passed to Rex Smith for a 7-0 win in the UI’s last undefeated season of 1951. There is history in this series, but it is long-ago history. Now, all these decades later, we look back on a single home win – 16-6 in 1983 – in the last 51 years.

Imagine how a victory would uplift your athletes and your fans. And imagine what it would do for your guy, Coach Guenther. In what might be described as psychological transference, the heat has switched from you to the athletic director. By coming out publicly for you in the midst of a nine-game losing streak against I-A teams, he has taken a position opposed by more than 90 percent of Illini Nation.

If this tailspin isn’t turned, at some point you’ll be able to take your millions and go to the next stop in your quasi-military career. It’ll be your 12th station since 1980. You’re accustomed to it. But Ron Guenther LIVES HERE. This is his home. He was a teammate of Dick Butkus and Jim Grabowski, the Illini MVP in 1966, the director who cleaned up the mess left by Neale Stoner, the visionary who changed the look of the south campus and renovated Memorial Stadium. He succeeded Ray Eliot and Dike Eddleman as Mr. Illini.

But now, after announcing his determination to retain you another year, his legacy is changing. He is the center target on the dartboard. Irate fans are firing up Internet Web sites while planning all manner of insults from bumper stickers to paper bags with punched eyeholes.

…

There is only one good answer. Turn this losing stampede, Coach Zook. Give Illini Nation a week to smile. This is becoming much too grim.

Regards, Loren

This letter has come under much heat from fans on both sides of the fence sharing their opinions. What do you think? I think that we as fans need to continue to support our team. It may not be pretty, and it may not be fun, but that’s what makes this game interesting. For those of you who don’t want to go to the game (because you think we will lose), I encourage you to think differently. Let’s give them this one more chance.

I guess we’ll see what happens on Saturday. According to Red Grange (or the the Twitter account established by his statue), the Illini have pulled out the stops for the Wolverines: http://www.twitpic.com/na8xl

Illinois vs. Michigan // Oct. 31 // 2:30pm

• Live Audio | GameTracker | TV: ABC (Coverage Map) | Radio
• Fan Guide | Parking Map | Gameday Info

Go Illini, beat Michigan!

Tate: An open letter to Coach Zook – IlliniHQ.com   
Game 8: Illinois (1-6, 0-5) vs. Michigan (5-3, 1-3) – FightingIllini.com