Football

The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics announced the
Illinois football schedule for the 2011 season. There will be eight home games for the first time in school history. The Illini have five consecutive home games at the start of the season. They host Arkansas State, South Dakota State, Arizona State and Western Michigan in the non-conference and Penn State in the Big Ten opener.

There was no last-second commitment from a prized recruit and no surprises on signing day Wednesday for the Illinois football team.

The comparisons are inevitable — they almost always are when one brother precedes another on an athletic team, especially when one brother has had great success and recognition. Junior college transfer Trulon Henry, though, wants to make a name for himself at Illinois as his younger half-brother, Arrelious ‘Rejus’ Benn, moves on to the NFL after three years at Illinois.

Vic Koenning had what many coaches dream of – a job as defensive coordinator at his alma mater.

But after a year coaching at Kansas State, one in which his family couldn’t live with him due to an inability to sell their previous house, Koenning decided it was time to move on.

For much of the remainder of the season, the Illini offense stumbled and sputtered while the defense ranked at the bottom of the Big Ten in nearly every significant category. The Illini finished 3-9 on the season, which included a five-game losing streak in which they lost every game by double digits.

Four Illinois assistant football coaches were let go Friday afternoon, head coach Ron Zook announced.

Highlighting the dismissals is offensive coordinator Mike Schultz, who just completed his first year at Illinois. Quarterbacks coach Kurt Beathard, wide receivers coach Jim Pry and special teams coordinator Mike Woodford were also not retained.

Nebraska’s Suh a game-wrecking Heisman finalist

LINCOLN, Neb. — Ndamukong Suh turned the last big game of the college football regular season into his own personal Heisman Trophy statement.

After not playing in the team’s season finale against Fresno State, sophomore wide receiver A.J. Jenkins and sophomore tight end Hubie Graham have reportedly left the Illinois football team, and sophomore wide receiver Cordale Scott has gone home, according to the Champaign News-Gazette’s Web site, IlliniHQ.com.

As the Illinois football team moves on from its 3-9 football season, all eyes will be on junior wide receiver Arrelious Benn, who will decide in the offseason whether to forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft.