GAME FOUR OPENING KICK Friday, Sept
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FOOTBALL GAME NOTES FIGHTINGILLINI.COM @IlliniFootball @IlliniFootball IlliniAthletics facebook.com/IlliniFootball #ILLINI @IlliniAthletics @IlliniAthletics facebook.com/IlliniAthletics GAME FOUR OPENING KICK Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 // 8 p.m. CT kick // FS1 • Friday Night Lights: The Fighting Illini will play under the lights Friday night when #10/9 Penn State comes to Memorial Stadium to open Big Ten play. Kick is set for 8:05 p.m. CT on Fox Sports 1. Champaign, Ill. // Memorial Stadium (60,670) • Hall of Fame Weekend: Members of the 2018 Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame, including linebacker Dana Howard and running back Jim Grabowski, will be honored at the game. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m. at State Farm Center. • Lovie Ball: Takeways have long been a staple of Lovie Smith defenses. That continues this year as the Illini lead the Big Ten and rank in the top 15 nationally in least turnovers (1, 7th), turnover margin (+1.67, 9th), and most turnovers gained (7, 13th). ILLINOIS (2-1) #10/9 PENN STATE (3-0) » Illinois has forced a turnover in 17 straight games and has at least two in every game this season. The last time the Illini did not have at least one takeaway was 11/12/16 at Wisconsin. TELEVISION BROADCAST | Big Ten Network » Illinois is one of just 14 teams in FBS and is the only team in the Big Ten without an interception thrown. » Justin Kutcher (PBP), Petros Papadakis (analysis) & The Illini defensive line has a knack for batting down throws with nine passes defended in the first three DeMarco Murray (analysis) + Kevin Patterson (pro- • The Wall: games. Sophomore DE Bobby Roundtree leads the nation in PDs by a defensive lineman (4), while sophomore ducer) & Renardo Lowe (director) DT Jamal Woods is tied for second nationally (3). Junior DT Tymir Oliver has two passes defended on the year. • Be Like Mike: Sophomore RB Mike Epstein had 113 rushing yards and one touchdown on 19 carries against USF, RADIO BROADCAST | Fighting Illini Sports Network his second straight 100-yard game and third of his career. » Brian Barnhart (PBP), Martin O’Donnell (analysis), Jason Davis (sidelines) & Steve Kelly (Pre/HT/Post) » It was the first time an Illini rushed for over 100 yards in back-to-back games since 2013 when Josh Ferguson went for 115 and 110 against Purdue (11/23/13) and Northwestern (11/30/13), respectively. » The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, Sirius/XM83 satellite radio & FightingIllini. » Epstein’s 7.17 yards per carry ranks 14th nationally and second in the Big Ten com in both English and Mandarin Chinese. » Epstein’s three runs of 30+ yards is tied for sixth most in FBs. • Chase McLongkick: Senior K Chase McLaughlin was 4-for-4 on field goals against USF, including a long of 53. GAMEDAY LINKS He has hit a 50+ yard field goal in each of the last three games, becoming the first player in Illinois history to so. Gameday Information: FightingIllini.com/gameday » His three 50+ yard field goals this season is tied for the most in the nation (Wyatt Bryan, Colorado State), and is more than the rest of the Big Ten kickers combined (1 – Minnesota’s Emmit Carpenter). TICKET INFORMATION » McLaughlin has four career 50+ field goals, tied for most in Illini history with Dan Beaver and Jason Reda. Tickets are available for Friday’s game against Penn State starting at $35 through FightingIllini.com. A Coca- » His six 40+ yard field goals this season leads FBS, ahead of Bryan (5) and Utah State’s Dominik Eberle (5). Cola 4-pack also is available – four tickets for $69 total. » He’s also a weapon on kickoffs, ranking 9th in the nation in touchback percentage (16-of-18, .889). • AJ to M.J.: Graduate transfer QB AJ Bush Jr. led the Illini to victory over Kent State in the season-opener but was sidelined with an injury early in the second quarter against WIU. Enter true freshman M.J. Rivers II. Rivers came ILLINOIS SCOREBOARD on in relief for Bush and threw two second-quarter touchdowns passes to give the Illini the lead, then managed Sept. 1 .....Kent State ........................W, 31-24 the game in the second half finishing with 105 yards passing, 36 yards rushing and zero turnovers in his first Sept. 8 .....Western Illinois ....................W, 34-14 collegiate action. Rivers got the start in game three against USF with Bush still hobbled with injury. Sept. 15 ....vs. South Florida (Soldier Field)........L, 19-25 Sept. 21 ....#10/9 Penn State (HOF Weekend) . 8 pm (FS1) • Rivers in Select Company: Against USF last week quarterback M.J. Rivers II became the fifth Illinois true Oct. 6 ......at Rutgers ............................TBD freshman to start a game at QB in program history, joining Cam Thomas (2017, 2G), Aaron Bailey (2013, 1G), Oct. 13 .....Purdue (Homecoming) . 2:30/3 pm (TV TBD) Isiah “Juice” Williams (2006, 9G) and Kurt Kittner (1998, 5G). In two games this season, Rivers has thrown for Oct. 20 .....at Wisconsin ................11 am (TV TBD) 273 yards and two touchdowns while completing 64.4 percent of his passes. Oct. 27 .....at Maryland . .TBD Nov. 3 ......Minnesota (Dads Day) ...................TBD • Fresh Starts: The first three games have seen the Illini play 16 true freshmen, including five that have earned Nov. 10 .....at Nebraska ...........................TBD starts – TE Daniel Barker, DB Sydney Brown, DB Jartavius Martin, QB M.J. Rivers II, DB Delano Ware. Nov. 17 .....Iowa.................................TBD Nov. 24 .....at Northwestern ........................TBD • Boys of Summer: The Illini are 27-5 in Aug./Sept. home games dating back to the start of 2007. Dec. 1 ......Big Ten Championship Game..............TBD • Fear the Beard: Illinois is 2-1 in games Lovie Smith coached with his signature white beard. All times Central … rankings AP/Coaches poll on week of game FRIDAY’S PROMOTIONS WHERE TO FIND... PENN STATE SCOREBOARD Notes 1-10 Sept. 1 .....Appalachian State ..............W, 45-38 (OT) • Hall of Fame Weekend – Members of 2017 Illini HOF class honored SID Contact Info 2 Sept. 8 .....at Pittsburgh . W, 51-6 Media Information 2 Sept. 15 ....Kent State ........................W, 63-10 • Coca-Cola Family 4-Pack Tickets – Four tickets for $69 Sept. 21 ....at Illinois . 8 pm (FS1) Pronunciation Guide 15 Sept. 29 ....Ohio State ...................6:30 pm (ABC) • Foundation Weekend – UI Foundation’s 83rd Annual meeting Key Player Quick Facts 16 Oct. 13 .....Michigan State...............2:30/3 pm (TBA) • Tailgating at Grange Grove – 5-8 pm (DJ Vanic, Interactive games, Updated Rosters 17-18 Oct. 20 .....at Indiana . TBA (ABC/ESPN) Roster Breakdown 19 Oct. 27 .....Iowa............................TBA (TBA) food trucks and live music) The Last Time 20 Nov. 3 ......at Michigan . TBA (TBA) • Illini Walk – 5:45 pm through Grange Grove Performance Center Info 21 Nov. 10 .....Wisconsin........................TBA (TBA) Game Summaries 22 Nov. 17 .....at Rutgers .......................TBA (TBA) Player Bios 23-37 Nov. 24 .....Maryland ........................TBA (TBA) Season Stats 38-43 1 // FIGHTINGILLINI.COM // @ILLINIFOOTBALL // #ILLINI 2018 ILLINOIS FOOTBALL // GAME NOTES ILLINOIS WEEKLY MEDIA SCHEDULE // PENN STATE GAME 17 MONDAY 18 TUESDAY 19 WEDNESDAY 20 THURSDAY 21 FRIDAY 22 SATURDAY 23 SUNDAY Smith Press Conference Post-practice availability No availability No availability GAME DAY No availability No availability (1 pm, Press Box, L8) - Players who weren’t at Illinois vs. USF Monday availability. at Soldier Field Coordinators and Select (approx. 9:30 am) (2:30 pm CT, BTN) Players Available (1:15-2 pm, Press Box, L8) Smith B1G Teleconference Postgame player/coach (12:04 pm) availability • NFL Experience: Lovie Smith’s Illini staff has 60 seasons of combined NFL head and assistant coach experience, MEDIA INFORMATION the most in college football for the third consecutive year, easily outpacing second-place LSU’s total of 48. MONDAY’S SELECTED PLAYERS • Leading the Way: Illinois announced three season captains voted by the team prior to the season: OL Nick Illini coordinators and players will be available on Monday Allegretti (OFF), LB Del’Shawn Phillips (DEF) and LB Dele Harding (ST). A fourth captain is voted on each game at about 1:15 pm following head coach Lovie Smith’s to join the three season captains. For the first three games they have been QB AJ Bursh Jr. (Kent State), TE Austin press conference on the 8th floor of the Memorial Stadium Roberts (WIU), and LB Jake Hansen (USF). Press Box. The players this week are RB Mike Epstein, OL • Youth Movement, Part Two: For the second straight year, Illinois is putting one of the youngest teams in the Kendrick Green and LB Del’Shawn Phillips. nation on the field (roster breakdown as of Sept. 6, 2018). » 2018 class breakdown: 8 seniors, 16 juniors, 38 sophomores, 39 freshmen (32 true-frosh, 7 RS frosh) POST-PRACTICE INTERVIEWS » The 8 seniors and 24 total upperclassmen are both the fewest in the nation The first 25 minutes of practice are open to the media on Tuesday this week (8-8:25 a.m.). Interviews will take » With 77 underclassmen – 38 sophomores and 39 freshmen (32 true and 7 RS) – out of 101 players, the place after practice at about 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Media Illini roster has the highest percentage of underclassman in the nation – 76.2 percent are asked to wait in the Varsity Room outside the SE » 38 out of the 101 players on the roster are newcomers corner of the stadium (if practice is on the grass practice » Only three Illini have as many as 15 career starts – Nick Allegretti 27, Stanley Green 17, Mike Dudek 16.