Arrelious Benn News

After another disappointing football season, Coach Zook has been making big changes in his team.

Some of the logic works. Some of it is open to debate. Even though athletic director Ron Guenther believes it's safer and more efficient to patch up Illinois' football troubles by bringing in a wagonload of new assistant coaches than starting all over, this approach is still filled with risks.

As we get ready to say good-bye to the college football season, I thought it would be great fun to look back at my preseason predictions to see how I fared.

Fourth-ranked Cincinnati went back to Central Michigan to get its next coach. The school announced the hiring of Butch Jones on Wednesday to replace Brian Kelly, who came from Central Michigan three years ago and built the Bearcats program into national prominence before leaving for Notre Dame last Thursday.

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Illinois wide receiver Arrelious Benn announced Wednesday his intentions to forego his senior season and enter the 2010 NFL Draft.

Illinois wide receiver Arrelious Benn will forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft, a source close to the program has told SI.com. Benn is expected to announce his decision in a Wednesday afternoon press conference.

While Paul Petrino introduced himself as the new offensive coordinator at Illinois on Monday, he ran through a list of his philosophies, including an emphasis on running the ball, using a pro-style offense and maybe most important to Illinois' success, putting the ball in the hands of their most talented players.

Brian Kelly was introduced as the new coach at Notre Dame on Friday and said his dream job includes challenges that must be addressed to bring national championships back to the Fighting Irish.

Illinois fired almost half of Ron Zook's staff Friday but said the fifth-year head coach will keep his job in spite of a 3-9 season - the second-straight losing year for the Illini.

Maybe Ron Zook was right. Maybe Illini football fans would have warmed to the school's first-ever home December football game if certain ingredients were in place.

Before the season started, I wrote an article about whether or not Ron Zook should be on the hot seat.A Now, there is no need for debate, the answer is obvious.

Illinois guard Jon Asamoah has seen his stock in the NFL draft skyrocket this season, with some projecting him as high as the first round.

Safety Garrett Edwards said coach Ron Zook wouldn't have to do much motivating despite Illinois playing without bowl hopes of any kind and against an unranked, mid-major opponent.

Matchup: Illini vs. Fresno St. 12/05/2009 When Illinois runs Running backs Jason Ford and Mikel Leshoure were injured at Cincinnati but are expected to be able to play, although Ford might have to wear a pad on his right elbow.

Playing in their 5th time zone this year, Pat Hill's Bulldogs will finish the regular season Saturday in Big Ten country.

Illinois senior quarterback Juice Williams freely admits he has his critics. “I'm not the Tom Brady of college football,” Williams said Tuesday, four days before his last college game.

There was a time when a University of Cincinnati football fan would do backflips down Clifton Avenue at the thought of a Big Ten team coming to play at Nippert Stadium.

Mikel Leshore is the leading rusher with 536 yards and three touchdowns on 88 carries.

When Illinois runs - The Illini have continued to split the carries, even when it appeared that Mikel Leshoure had earned a bigger role.