Inside Illinois sports

Michael Jordan's son Jeff, who had been expected to play a solid role as a junior at Illinois next season, has decided to leave the basketball program to concentrate on his academics, the school announced Wednesday.
``I loved playing for the Fighting Illini and appreciate the support I was given by my teammates, coaches and the great fans here,'' Jordan said. ``But I have come to the point where I'm ready to focus on life after basketball. I will concentrate on earning my degree from the University of Illinois and the opportunities that await upon graduating.''
Jordan, who was given a scholarship last semester after being a walk-on, had been expected to inherit the defense-perimeter role held by Chester Frazier, who finished his career this spring. Whether as a starter or a key reserve, he figured to play a lot of minutes and be a leader for a promising that will add four freshmen to a nucleus that will return four other juniors.
 Jordan averaged 8.4 minutes as a sophomore after playing 5.3 minutes as a freshman. He had 58 points, 42 assists and 24 rebounds in his 59-game Illinois career.
``Jeff was an invaluable member of our team the past two seasons and I thank him for his contribution to our program,'' coach Bruce Weber said. ``He brought great work ethic to the gym and pushed himself, as well as his teammates, each and every day to improve. We will miss him, but we fully support the decision he has made. When the game of basketball has been a top priority throughout your life, it is very difficult to transition away from playing. I know Jeff has given this much thought. He is an outstanding, mature young man who will be successful in whatever areas he pursues in the future.''

ENDIT

For decades, coaches have told me, ``The schedule can be friend. Or your enemy.'' The sports landscape is littered with teams whose hopes were dashed by unfriendly schedules. And that's what I see when I look at Illinois' 2009 football schedule.
Some of it--the choice and timing of nonconference opponents--is Illinois' doing. Some of it is the bizarre way the Big Ten comes up with its schedules, which makes me think they must be generated by an old Commodore VIC-20 down in the basement of the home office in Park Ridge.
But here's the point: When I asked Juice Williams about the schedule, he showed a lot of knowledge and maturity. It ought to be very encouraging to Illini fans who wonder about opening with four major-college opponents (Missouri, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State) that were a combined 40-13 last year, finishing with two dangerous nonconference games (Cincinnati and Fresno State) and playing a string of tricky middle games in between (at Indiana, at Purdue, Michigan, at MInnesota, Northwestern).
`You can't base your schedule on what you saw last year,'' the senior quarterback said. ``We were in the Rose Bowl two years ago. What did we do last year? Going off last year's hype is good to talk about. You can make all these predictions and assumptions.
``But once you put the pads on in a new season, it's two totally different things. Whether its the No. 1 team in the country, or the last team in the country, we're gonna go out there and hit you hard. We're going to be efficient on offense, and come out and try to do our thing.''
Good for Juice. We may look back at this schedule next December and say: Bad idea. But the players need to tune that out and go play, and from the sound of their quarterback, that's what they intend to do.

You may recall that Illinois and Northwestern have agreed to bury the hatchet--well, the Sweet Sioux tomahawk. Their politically incorrect trophy will be replaced by a new trophy, and Illinois is seeking the input of supporters from both schools on the decision.
Suggestions are being taken at www.fightingillini.com/trophyvote .

Here's mine: I would call the trophy ``the Governor's Till.'' It would be a treasure chest with a hand dipping in and clutching doubloons--a tribute to our many notorious state leaders from both sides of the aisle who have run afoul of the law.
But since that's not going to happen, I suggest you visit the website and make your own suggestions, or vote for one of the four ideas at the site. The Land of Lincoln  Trophy and President's Trophy both look like good choices.
Suggestions will be accepted until April 15. Sorry for not posting this sooner, but that darned Final Four was occupying my time.

Here's an announcement from the University of Illinois explaining the process. . .


``Illinois and Northwestern Working Together to Establish New Football Series
Trophy
The University of Illinois and Northwestern University are collaborating to
establish a new trophy for the winner of the football game between the two
institutions. The Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Trophy, which went to the winner of
the Illinois-Northwestern football game from 1945-2008, was retired
following the 2008 contest and both schools have agreed to play for a new
trophy beginning in 2009.
``Northwestern and Illinois are looking at a very unique opportunity to
establish a traditional series trophy that will last for generations,'' said
Illinois Director of Athletics Ron Guenther. ``As the only two Big Ten
institutions in the state of Illinois, our game attracts a great amount of
attention, which only adds to the pageantry of the trophy. We're hopeful our
players, coaches and fans will continue to view this game as a very special
tradition in college football.''
Both institutions are asking their fans for feedback on the new trophy by
participating in an online poll on each of the school's athletics web sites.
Four possible ideas, along with the opportunity to offer an alternative,
will be provided until April 15. The schools expect to announce the new
trophy around each of their spring football games on April 25.

Four possible suggestions for the new series trophy include the following:
* The Land of Lincoln Trophy - A replica of Lincoln's stove pipe
hat mounted on a piece of White Oak (Illinois' state tree).
* President's Trophy - Recognizing the four presidents associated
with the state of Illinois - Lincoln, Grant, Reagan and Obama.
* The Popcorn Bowl, named after the Illinois state snack.
* Graham-Grange Fire Bell (original series trophy started in
1941 was a fire bell) named after two of the greatest players at each school, Otto Graham of Northwestern and Red Grange of Illinois.

The website for fans to vote is:  www.fightingillini.com/trophyvote ''

Illinois men's basketball assistant coach Jerrance Howard, said he turned aside a preliminary inquiry from Kentucky about possibly joining the Wildcats staff.
``I'm an Illini for life,'' Howard said on the Talking Illini program at Talkzone.com.
Howard, who has been on Bruce Weber's staff for two seasons, is off to a strong start as a recruiter. He had been an administrative assistant under Billy Gilllispie at Kentucky when he was hired by Weber. A Peoria native, he played at Illinois in 2001-04.

PORTLAND, Ore.--Now what?
During the darkest moments of Illinois' 76-72 loss to Western Kentucky, Bruce Weber was trying to catch the attention of the referees, so they could better absorb his looks that could kill. Behind him, his staff sat slumped over in their chairs, looking like they'd spent too much time pondering their 401-k's.
Things always look better than they are when you win. And worse than they are when you lose.
The future isn't nearly as grim as the Internet banshees would have you believe. But there is much work to be done if Illinois is going to regain its perch as one of the nation's premier basketball programs.
As I told you before the post-season began, it's all about the sophomores. Seniors Trent Meacham and Calvin Brock did themselves proud, leaving it all on the floor in their final appearances. If Chester Frazier had not been sidelined by an injured right hand, he would have done the same.
And what did that add up to? After being down 17 points, Illinois needed a miracle comeback to make the final score respectable.
Frazier would have made a little difference. More defense and leadership might have helped. But Western Kentucky was the better team in every way as it bounced Illinois from the NCAA tournament. You had to admire the way the Hilltoppers play the game.
Frazier or not, what really hurt was the way Illinois' sophomore core was exposed. Center Mike Tisdale was in over his 7-foot-1 head, going scoreless in 19 foul-prone minutes. And guard Demetri McCamey was skittery, too, going 0 for 5 from three-point range and committing four turnovers.
The 235-pound Tisdale needs to spend as much time with a knife and fork as he does in the gym this off-season to reach his goal of 260 pounds. McCamey, on the other hand, needs to listen to Weber's advice to drop a couple of pounds and increase his stamina.
If Tisdale and McCamey work at it, they and Mike Davis, Illinois' other sophomore starter, have a chance to accomplish a lot as juniors and seniors.
People are questioning whether Tisdale and McCamey have the mental makeup to take the next step and become tough competitors. They'll have a better chance of doing that with more strength and stamina. Even Illini heroes Brian Cook and Deron Williams needed time to mature.
It's easy to overlook now, amid the gloom and doom of the Western Kentucky disaster. But Weber did an excellent job of rebuilding a team that went from 16-19 last to 24-10 this year--with a group of gritty seniors and unpolished sophomores.
``It was a good year,'' Weber said through his Hilltopper disappointment. ``You feel sad for Chester. But Calvin came through. Trent played like he never thought he would dream of playing
``The other guys have to learn. We learned something after last year. Now we have to learn something after this year. We set a goal of getting 24 wins and getting in the NCAA, and that's what we did. Next year, we have to shoot a little higehr. But you're going to have to work harder to get there.''
This isn't all about the players, either. Weber knows he needs to do a better job of going to his bench. And next year, he'll have the bodies to do that.
We'll take Weber's word for it that Alex Legion, the ballyhooed transfer from Kentucky, didn't figure things out quickly enough, but some of that's on the coaches. An effective Legion would have been a big help against the Hilltoppers' three-point barrage.
Four excellent recruits also are coming in: Guards D.J. Richardson, Brandon Paul and Joseoph Bertrand, plus forward Tyler Griffey. This class, ranked 10th in the nation by ESPN, should give Weber the best depth he's had at Illinois.
Despite the Western Kentucky debacle, Weber remains a top-notch coach. And now that he's making strides in recruiting, Illinois has a chance to keep moving up in the world. If Weber keeps pushing his players--and himself.

Chester Frazier will miss Illinois' game tonight against Michigan, and is highly unlikely to play at all this weekend if Illinois advances in the Big Ten tournament, team spokesman Kent Brown said Friday.
But there is still a chance the senior guard, who is on the All-Big Ten defensive team, could play in the NCAA tournament despite growing speculation about his injured right hand, Brown said.
Frazier underwent ``minor surgery on Thursday because it gave him the best chance to return next week,'' Brown said Friday. ``Beyond that, I can't comment because of patient confidentiality rules.''
Frazier apparently broke a bone in his hand, or a finger. Sources also said a pin, or pins, were inserted during the surgery, but that could not be confirmed.
Brown disputed reports that Frazier's college career is over, even though solid sources have indicated that is the case.

Defensive co-coordinator Dan Disch is turning down an offer to become defensive coordinator at South Florida. A longtime Jacksonville, Fla., high school coach before he joined Ron Zook's staff at Florida, Disch told Zook Wednesday morning that he wants to remain at Illinois.
``Dan was offered the job, but he is staying,'' Illini spokeswoman Cassie Arner said. ``When somebody offers you a coordinator position, you have to listen. But this shows how loyal Dan is to the program. He loves his players here, and his family really likes living here.''
When Zook offered the defensive coordinator job to Penn State assistant Larry Johnson in January, that raised eyebrows about the status of Disch and fellow co-coordinator Curt Mallory, who was a finalist for the head-coaching job at Miami of Ohio. But sources say Disch and Mallory understood that there was no chance to lure Johnson without the coordinator post, and that Johnson's East Coast recruiting and defensive-line background would have been great additions.
Barring any more shockers, Zook's staff is set for 2009, with three new assistants: Offensive coordinator Mike Schultz (from TCU), offensive line coach Joe Gilbert (from Houston) and defensive line coach Keith Gilmore (from Cincinnati).
Schultz replaces Mike Locksley, who is New Mexico's new head coach; Gilbert moves in for Eric Wolford, who took a lucrative offer from South Carolina, and Gilmore replaces Tom Sims, who was fired.

By Herb Gould

Head of the class: Already loaded at wide receiver, Illinois got even better there with the signing of Terry Hawthorne.

Caught up with Juice Williams at the basketball game Saturday, and he's enthusiastic about Illinois' new offensive coordinator, Mike Schultz, who ran a high-octane offense at TCU.
``It's a good step. I don't think we'll miss a beat,'' the Illinois quarterback said. ``I see him as a competitive guy who wants to be great. It gives you confidence, knowing that he knows what he's talking about. It'll be the same type of offense, with a few wrinkles.''

Cincinnati assistant Keith Gilmore, who was first identified in this space last Thursday, has agreed to become Illinois' new defensive line coach coach Ron Zook announced Tuesday.
Gilmore, who was the Bearcats' assistant head coach as well as their defensive line coach, brings recruiting ties to Washington, D.C., where he coached at Howard University; Michigan, where he coached at several schools, and Ohio.
A 1981 graduate of Wayne State in Detroit, Gilmore moved from Central Michigan to Cincinnati in 2007 with head coach Brian Kelly, who guided the Bearcats to the Big East title this season and a trip to the Orange Bowl. Cincinnati finished 31st in the nation in total defense (321.9 yards a game), 19th in run defense (115) and led the Big East in sacks (2.86).
In 2006, Gilmore's only season at Central Michigan, two defensive linemen earned all-league honors. In 2002-05, Gilmore was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Howard University. He also was the defensive line coach for the Bison, who led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in total defense in 2004 and 2005.
In 1998-2001, Gilmore was the special teams coordinator and coached the defensive line and running backs at Norfolk State. He began his coaching career at Wayne State in 1985. He also was an assistant at Michigan State (1988), Northern Michigan (1989-90), Grand Valley State (1991-93), Wayne State (1994), and Eastern Michigan (1995-97).