Tag: mikel leshoure

A.J. Jenkins: Illini MVP, Big 10 Best WR

A.J. Jenkins: Illini MVP, Big 10 Best WR
Earlier this college football season, University of Illinois senior wide receiver A.J. Jenkins made some comments that proclaimed himself the best wide receiver in the Big Ten. He has since backed off from those remarks, and now maintains a more standard, PR-friendly, humble and some could say vanilla manner in his on-the-record comments to the... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
October 8, 2011 at 3:51 pm • 

Illini Nip Cats on Final Play: Now Chicago's True Big Ten Team?

Illini Nip Cats on Final Play: Now Chicago's True Big Ten Team?
It was a week where one school’s marketing slogan became a motivational rallying cry for the other school in the state. Northwestern has been promoting themselves as “Chicago’s Big Ten Team” for a season and half, and today Illinois made stated pretty loudly how they felt about it. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase scored a 1-yard touchdown... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
October 2, 2011 at 1:43 am • 

#22 Illinois vs. Northwestern: Brutally Honest Game Preview

#22 Illinois vs. Northwestern: Brutally Honest Game Preview
Big Ten conference play begins with the annual in-state rivalry game between the Northwestern Wildcats and Illinois Fighting Illini. It does feel a little weird not having this game played on the last week of the season, when all the other intrastate, intra-region bloodfeud games are held.  But last year it was such a special... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
September 30, 2011 at 3:53 pm • 
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Donovonn Young Continues Illini RB #5 Tradition

Donovonn Young Continues Illini RB #5 Tradition
Given the recent tradition/memories of the last two players to wear the famed #5 in Champaign: Mikel Leshoure (a Detroit Lions rookie who will miss the season with an injury) and the Pittsburgh Steelers Rashard Mendenhall (who’s developed into a Pro Bowl, 1,000 yard rusher style NFL back) it’s easy to see why the jersey... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
September 29, 2011 at 3:34 pm • 

Troy Pollard, Jay Prosch Shore Up Illini Running Back Situation

Troy Pollard, Jay Prosch Shore Up Illini Running Back Situation
    While Illinois’ rushing offense has remained dominant, the Illini are doing it by committee this year rather then relaying on one dominant runner like they did in 2007 (Rashard Mendenhall) and 2010 (Mikel Leshoure). Four different Illini have over 200 rushing yards on the season, and all four have scored at least one... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
September 29, 2011 at 2:41 pm • 

Illini vs. #18/22 Arizona State: Brutally Honest Game Preview

Illini vs. #18/22 Arizona State: Brutally Honest Game Preview
I understand why Illinois isn’t nationally ranked, but not even a single vote? Seriously, I know that was a FCS team the Illini dismantled, but not a vote in either poll? They lead the nation in third-down efficiency, converting 21-of-29 (.724) third downs during the first two weeks- That’s a very important stat! They can... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
September 15, 2011 at 4:28 pm • 
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Illinois Fighting Ilini Season Preview: Offense

Last year the Illinois Fighting Illini got a bowl win for the first time since 1999, a 38-14 drubbing of Baylor in Houston that kind of resembled their last bowl win, a 63-21 destruction of Virginia. The offense got very hot down the stretch last season, so hot that the unit set new records for... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
August 24, 2011 at 10:14 am • 

Jason Ford Needs to be Illini Football BMOC

When Rashard Mendenhall left the Illinois Fighting Illini with a year of eligibility left in 2007, for the NFL Draft, Illinois suffered the next year. Aside from that whole “planes cannot take down a building” tweets of idiocy and the sponsorship pullout that followed, things have gone pretty well for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mendenhall.... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
August 10, 2011 at 8:58 pm • 

#38 Illinois Fighting Illini: College Football 77 in 77

If there’s one thing I know in life, it’s that Illinois college football never ever conforms to your expectations. No one saw their two BcS appearances coming (2001, 2007); and since they followed both seasons up with sub .500 choking, both these bowl appearances are now looked upon as fluky. Whenever Illinois has been predicted... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
July 27, 2011 at 5:05 pm • 
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Illini Need Ryan Lankford, Darius Millines to Step Up at WR

Illinois Fighting Illini WR Ryan Lankford was the team’s most improved player this spring. And if these trends continue, he could become Illinois’ third option. A.J. Jenkins, who had 746 yards and 7 TDs last season, made the Biletnikoff watch list; he’s the #1. Darius Millines, who had a big catch in the Texas Bowl... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
July 27, 2011 at 9:51 am •