Illini ready for Wolverines; Williams to remain starter

Erica Magda

The Illini will try to rebound from losing their first Big Ten game last week and drop the No. 24 Wolverines from the ranks of the conference unbeatens Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd.

"As everyone knows it doesn't get any easier in the Big Ten," head coach Ron Zook said. "I think one of the things our football team still has to know is we have to be able to come back after a victory and come back after when things don't go so well."

Michigan comes to Memorial Stadium for the first time since the 2004 season and is riding a five-game winning streak against Illinois.

"We're looking forward to the stadium being packed and rocking," Zook added. "It will be fun to see that."

After substituting backup quarterback Eddie McGee following Juice Williams' fumble in last weekend's loss to Iowa, Zook is sticking with Williams.

"Juice is our starting quarterback," Zook said. "I also think there is a good chance you're going to see Eddie come in there.

"If Eddie prepares the way we need for Eddie to prepare then there is a chance, if need be, we can use him," he added.

Williams was nine of 15 last weekend for 98 yards but failed to lead the Illini offense into the end zone. McGee finished three of five for 52 yards but threw a costly interception late in the fourth quarter deep in Hawkeye territory.

After dropping its first two games of the year against Appalachian State and Oregon, Lloyd Carr's team is playing the way most football pundits believed it could. Behind the workhorse Mike Hart, the Wolverines have won five straight games and sit atop the conference standings. After last week's victory against Purdue, Michigan broke back into the Associated Press Top 25.

"There's no question they're a great football team coming in here," Zook said. "It will be a great challenge our guys are looking forward to."

Hart's 154 rushing yards a game is leading the conference.

"What a challenge," linebacker J Leman said.

"That's their strength," he added. "That doesn't mean they can't throw the ball, because they can, but I think they want to give the ball to Mike Hart and get behind that big offensive line of his and move the ball."

Injury update

Fullback Russ Weil and receivers Kyle Hudson and Arrelious Benn were dinged up during the Iowa game, but Zook expects all three to be fine for this weekend.

"We're very, very healthy," Zook said. "It's a completely different Sunday and Monday in terms of injury-wise and energy level-wise."

Hudson left the game with a headache after a helmet-to-helmet hit. Weil missed time after injuring his ankle and Benn re-aggravated his shoulder but retuned to action and finished the game with a career-high 87 receiving yards.