Zook wants Illini to focus on improving passing game
With ony four weeks remaining in the regular season, the passing game can still improve, said Illinois football coach Ron Zook on Tuesday.
The Illini rank last in the Big Ten Conference and No. 114 nationally with 146.8 yards per game. Starting quarterback Juice Williams and backup Eddie McGee are expected to play when Illinois (5-3 overall, 3-2 in the Big Ten) hosts Ball State (5-3 overall, 3-2 in the Mid-American Conference) in the homecoming game Saturday (11 a.m., Big Ten Network).
"I think it's going to improve,'' Zook said. "This football program is in constant improvement and building. It's under construction. We all want to be where it's going to be.''
Illinois' best passing performance came in the first game, when McGee came off the bench for his first college action and threw for 257 yards in a 40-34 loss to Missouri. The Illini finished with 316 yards passing against the Tigers.
The Illini averaged 122.6 yards passing over the last seven games. Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks 10th nationally with 230.1 yards rushing per game, but the Illini managed just 137 yards rushing in a loss to Iowa and another 137 yards in another loss to Michigan.
"Any time you can run the ball as effectively as they do on everybody, the passing game, the play-action game, is what creates big plays for you,'' Ball State coach Brady Hoke said. "I don't know why there is criticism when you've got an offense that's played pretty dag gone well all year.''
BACK IN UNIFORM: Freshman receiver Brian Gamble was back in practice after serving a suspension during the Michigan game. Gamble plus freshmen Mark Jackson and Daryle Ballew were ticketed for underage consumption of alcohol at 2 a.m. Thursday.
While Jackson and Ballew are redshirting this season, Gamble missed his second game this season because of suspension. The first disciplinary action came when he "had trouble finding the classroom,'' Zook said.
"He better get it,'' Zook said. "This program is going to be around here long after I'm gone and everybody else. We need everybody, but we need everybody to do it the right way.''
INJURY REPORT: Junior defensive end Derek Walker (sore foot) and sophomore tight end Michael Hoomanawanui (sore back) were listed day-to-day. Hoomanawanui strained his back during pregame warmups Saturday.
"I saw him going in with the trainer right toward the end of warmups,'' Zook said. "I didn't know if somebody ran into him. He said he did it walking back to the huddle. It's a freak thing. Even with the MRI, it's not an exact thing that happened.''
ETC.: Satellite parking for the final two home games is available at Gregory and University in Champaign. Parking is free, and the round-trip bus ride is $1 per person. . .
Zook's weekly radio show at 7 p.m. Thursday will be held at Jillian's, 1201 S. Neil, Champaign. . .
John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com. For more coverage, read Illini Talk blog at www.sj-r.com <http://www.sj-r.com> and www.pjstar.com <http://www.pjstar.com> .