Despite early woes, freshman stays on target in 2nd half

Illinois’ Jacob Charest (12) lines up to throw a pass during the game against Northwestern at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. A week after beating Iowa, the Wildcats pounced on Illinois’ chance at earning a spot in a bowl game, beating the Illini 21-16.
Wesley Fane The Daily Illini

The Illini football team built expectations heading into its game against Northwestern on Saturday.

Jacob Charest was expected to take the reins from an injured Juice Williams after putting up 185 yards on 10-of-19 passing and one touchdown to lead the Illini to victory against Minnesota.

With Williams’ status questionable before the game, head coach Ron Zook said Charest was “pretty sure” he would start.

“It’s a lot different knowing you’re going to be a starter,” Zook said. “It’s a lot different than, all week long, you’re coming off the bench.”

In his first career start, Charest didn’t come out with the accuracy and soft passes that defined his game against Minnesota.

But he didn’t think this week was any different.

“You still have to prepare the same way if you’re starting or not starting. You definitely want to come in there ready to go,” Charest said. “I came out, a couple of throws I missed I definitely should’ve hit.”

But that explosive start just didn’t happen, as the redshirt freshman started off the game completing just 5 of 14 passes for 34 yards in the first half.

The subpar first half culminated in an interception in the waning minutes for the first half. The turnover led to Northwestern’s first touchdown of the game.

“I just stared him down,” Charest said. “He was open, there was a hole, I just stared him down too long.”

Charest’s rhythm eventually came after he was removed in favor of junior Eddie McGee to start the second half.

Upon reentering the game, Charest engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, rushing for one and throwing for one, but wasn’t able to come up with the game winner.

The Matthews, N.C.-native threw a pass that looked like a completion to a diving Jarred Fayson with just under a minute remaining, but it was called an interception after Northwestern’s Sherrick McManis plucked the ball from Fayson’s hands.

Eller’s seen better days

Illinois kicker Matt Eller was 15-20 in 2008 but missed his sixth field goal out of his last seven attempts on Saturday. He is 4 for 11 on the season.

Zook replaced Eller after the miss with fellow sophomore and kickoff-taker Derek Dimke.

“(Matt is) in a batter’s slump,” Zook said. “Instead of hitting home runs, he’s hitting foul balls. He’s still hitting it well. I just felt that at that time, more for Matt’s sake, I just felt like we needed to go with Derek and get Derek an opportunity.”

Zook stressed that Eller’s career isn’t over.

“He’s still a good kicker, and he’ll be fine. We’ve just got to work him through this,” Zook said. “Obviously, if he doesn’t get it through the big metal poles it’s a big thing, but what’s going wrong is not a major thing.”

Injury report

For the second straight week, receiver Arrelious Benn took a shot to the head in the fourth quarter.

He suffered the injury when he was tackled after making a five-yard reception.

“He got dinged in the head again,” Zook said. “We’ll get him a better helmet.”

Benn did not return to the game.

Zook also said Williams was about 80 percent healthy and is expected to play in Cincinnati on Nov. 28.