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From the Daily Illini "the Independent Student Newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1861"
Malik Turner had a career game against Minnesota last season.
He caught 11 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown. Those 11 receptions remain a career-high for the junior, but those numbers are not the first thing he remembers when he thinks back on that game.
“I only remember losing,” he said.
The Illini fell to the Gophers 32-23 last November, and Turner has not forgotten. He’ll get his shot at payback this weekend when the Gophers come to Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
While most of his team has seen this Minnesota (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) team before, head coach Lovie Smith said he has been impressed with them.
“They play good football; defensively they play hard,” Smith said. “That is the first thing you notice, is how hard a team plays. They do. They don’t do a lot of different things, but what they do do, they do well. Offensively, it is a combination of some of the offenses we have played before.”
After a two-week road stint, the Illini (2-5, 1-3 Big Ten) return to Champaign after a bad loss to Michigan at the Big House. The Michigan defense shut down quarterback Jeff George Jr. in his first career start.
George only completed four passes out of 15 attempts and threw for one touchdown in the game. Turner caught two of the passes and the touchdown from George. Smith said that George’s play was expected, but if George is called on to start the game against Minnesota, Smith thinks he will have a better performance.
“I think traditionally yes, you get (a better second start),” Smith said. “You have to have a first game, but you can only prepare them only so far. But when you get out in the game you learn an awful lot about how life is under center.”
Smith has not revealed who will start Saturday, but he said during Monday’s press conference that his staff had a good idea of which quarterbacks he would have available on Saturday.
http://dailyillini.com/sports/2016/10/27/illinois-football-prepares-homecoming-opponent-minnesota/
Both Minnesota and Illinois will be without starting Linebackers in the 1st Half of Saturday's game. Both as a result of targeting calls. Lynn for Minnesota and Tre Watson for the Illini.
Malik Turner had a career game against Minnesota last season.
He caught 11 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown. Those 11 receptions remain a career-high for the junior, but those numbers are not the first thing he remembers when he thinks back on that game.
“I only remember losing,” he said.
The Illini fell to the Gophers 32-23 last November, and Turner has not forgotten. He’ll get his shot at payback this weekend when the Gophers come to Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
While most of his team has seen this Minnesota (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) team before, head coach Lovie Smith said he has been impressed with them.
“They play good football; defensively they play hard,” Smith said. “That is the first thing you notice, is how hard a team plays. They do. They don’t do a lot of different things, but what they do do, they do well. Offensively, it is a combination of some of the offenses we have played before.”
After a two-week road stint, the Illini (2-5, 1-3 Big Ten) return to Champaign after a bad loss to Michigan at the Big House. The Michigan defense shut down quarterback Jeff George Jr. in his first career start.
George only completed four passes out of 15 attempts and threw for one touchdown in the game. Turner caught two of the passes and the touchdown from George. Smith said that George’s play was expected, but if George is called on to start the game against Minnesota, Smith thinks he will have a better performance.
“I think traditionally yes, you get (a better second start),” Smith said. “You have to have a first game, but you can only prepare them only so far. But when you get out in the game you learn an awful lot about how life is under center.”
Smith has not revealed who will start Saturday, but he said during Monday’s press conference that his staff had a good idea of which quarterbacks he would have available on Saturday.
http://dailyillini.com/sports/2016/10/27/illinois-football-prepares-homecoming-opponent-minnesota/
Both Minnesota and Illinois will be without starting Linebackers in the 1st Half of Saturday's game. Both as a result of targeting calls. Lynn for Minnesota and Tre Watson for the Illini.