1796.33263 . K616 2004:spring J MX-* .• && # • • £ IT > M -u K r ^ Aa. Kelvin Hayden, Sr., WR • Led the team in receiving with 592 yards • Ranked sixth in Big Ten in receptions • NJCAA National Offensive Player of the Year in 2002 University of Illinois Library at E.B. Halsey, So., RB Urbana-Champaign • Became the first true-freshman running back in school history to top the 100-yard mark in his first collegiate game Matt Maddox, Sr., OL • Recorded 1,285 all-purpose yards in • Named to the 2003 Freshman rookie season All-America team by Rivals.com • Ranked fourth in the Big Ten in and collegefootballnews.com all-purpose yards, third in kick r eturn • Started all 12 games as a iviatt Maddox average and 10th in redshirt-freshman at right rushing as a freshman guard in 2003 • Was in on every offensive snap, totaling 64 knockdowns Duke Preston, Sr., C • Two-year starter at center • Helped lead school record-setting offense in 2002 • Anchors four returning starters on offensive line 2004 ILLINOIS SPRING FOOTBALL PROSPECTUS fv., 2004 SCHEDULE ILLINOIS 2004 DATE OPPONENT SITE FOOTBALL QUICK FACTS Sept. 4 Florida A&M Champaign, III. Head Coach: Ron Turner Sept. 11 UCLA Champaign, III. 18 Western Michigan Champaign, III. Alma Mater: Pacific, '77 Sept. Sept. 25 Purdue Champaign, III. Record at Illinois: 32^9 Oct. 2 at Wisconsin Madison, Wis. Record overall: 39-53 Oct. 9 at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. Seasons at Illinois: Eighth season Oct. 16 Michigan Champaign, III. Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Line: Oct. 23 at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn Harry Hiestand Oct. 30 Iowa Champaign, III. East Stroudsburg, '83 Alma Mater: Nov. 6 Indiana Champaign, III. Seasons at Illinois: Eighth season Nov. 20 at Northwestern Evanston, III. Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers: Mike Mallory Alma Mater: Michigan, '85 UNIVERSITY 2004 PRACTICE Seasons at Illinois: Fourth season Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs: QUICK FACTS SCHEDULE Dan Roushar Location: Champaign-Urbana March 15 ... .Practice #1 3 50 p.m. Alma Mater: Northern Illinois, '85 Founded: 1867 March 17 ... .Practice #2 3 50 p.m. Seasons at Illinois: Second season Enrollment: 38,000 March 18 ... .Practice #3 3 50 p.m. Wide Receivers/Recruiting: Robert Jackson Colors: Orange & Blue March 20-27 .Spring Break Alma Mater: Northern Illinois, 74 Nickname: Fighting lllini March 30 . .Practice #4 3 50 p.m. Seasons at Illinois: Sixth season Conference: Big Ten Aprill Practice #5 3 :50 p.m. Ends/Special Teams: Tight Greg McMahon President: James J. Stukel April 2 Practice #6 3 :50 p.m. Eastern Illinois, '83 Alma Mater: Chancellor: Nancy Cantor April 3 Practice #7 ..2 p.m. Illinois: 13th season Seasons at Director of Athletics: Ron Guenther April 5 Practice #8 3 :50 p.m. Quarterbacks: Dan O Dell Alma Mater: Illinois, '67 April 7 Practice #9 3 :50 p.m. Alma Mater: San Jose State, '98 Stadium: Memorial Stadium April 8 Practice #10 3 :50 p.m. Seasons at Illinois: Fourth season Capacity: 69,249 April 10 Practice #11 ...6 p.m. Secondary: Scott Shafer Surface: Astro Play April 12 Practice #12 3 :50 p.m. Alma Mater: Baldwin-Wallace, '90 April 14 Practice #13 3 :50 p.m. Seasons at Illinois: First season April 15 Practice #14 3 :50 p.m. Linebackers: Tommy Thigpen April 17 Spring Game ...1 p.m. Alma Mater: North Carolina, '94 Seasons at Illinois: Second season Defensive Line: Donnie Thompson Alma Mater: UConn, 75 Seasons at Illinois: Fourth season ATHLETIC PUBLIC RELATIONS Graduate Assistants: Robbie Long (defense), Sports Information Director Kent Brown Ronnie O'Dell (offense), Brian Hodges Associate Director/Football Contact Cassie Arner (operations) Dick Barnes, Derrick Burson, Mike Koon, Terry Neutz- Strength Coach: Jim Zielinski Assistant Directors Director of Football Operations: Lloyd Richards Hayden, Michelle Warner Director of Sports Medicine: John Quinn Interns Derek Neal, Travis Steiner, Kevin Walsh Equipment Manager: Trent Chesnut Office Manager Marsha Goldenstein Video Coordinator: Steve Cramer Office Phone (217) 333-1391 2003 Record: 1-TL 0-8 Big Ten (11th) Number Offensive Formation: Pro-style Arner Phone Number (217) 244-3886 Defensive Formation: Multiple 4-3 Office Fax Number (217) 333-5540 Letterwinners returning/lost: 38/20 Website www.fightingillini.com Offensive letterwinners ret./lost: 18/6 Email [email protected] Defensive letterwinners ret./lost: 18/11 Special Teams letterwinners ret./lost: 2/3 Mailing Address Bielfeldt Athletic Administration Building Starters returning/lost: 16/6 1700 South Fourth Street Offensive starters ret./lost: 9/2 Champaign, Illinois 61820 Defensive starters ret./lost: 7/4 Office Phone: (217) 333-1400 Mailing Address: Memorial Stadium 1402 South First Street ififwinf.fightingilliiii.com Northeast Tower Champaign, IL 61820 2004 ILLINOIS SPRING FOOTBALL PROSPECTUS 2004 SPRING FOOTBALL NOTES OFFENSIVE LIME BATTLES five games of the season in 2003 with a sea- return as starters from a year ago, but will be One of the most anticipated battles this son-ending back injury. In 2002, he led the challenged by both experience and youth. spring will be for the five starting positions on Big Ten in passing yardage. O'Brien had a Sinclair led the team a year ago with 129 total the offensive line, despite the departure of career game in the season opener against tackles at the middle linebacker position and only one starter from last season. Coaches will Missouri, registering a career-high nine tack- was named honorable mention All-Big Ten, be watching the development and emergence les, eight solo, and three tackles for loss. but will also be in the mix on the outside. He of what is touted to be the best recruiting Three days later in a practice drill he tore his will be challenged inside by senior Mike class of offensive linemen in school history. In ACL and had season-ending surgery. Gawelek and redshirt-freshman Joe Mele. 2003, the Illini signed five linemen who all Gawelek has seen action in 32 career games, have a chance to compete for a spot in this COORDINATING EFFORTS while Mele will be making his first collegiate season's lineup. This season's coaching staff features a pair of appearance this fall, but was impressive with Returning starters to the line are guards new coordinators in Mike Mallory on the defensive and special teams scout team player Matt Maddox and Bryan Koch, as well as offense and Dan Roushar on the defense. of the year awards from the coaches. center Duke Preston and right tackle Bucky Both have previous coordinating experience. At the one of the outside positions, Babcock. Mallory, who has been on staff for three Mason returns along with junior Josh Tischer. Maddox, a sophomore, earned freshman seasons, moves from linebackers coach to run- Mason had 90 tackles, three for loss in 2003, All-America honors from Rivals.com and col- ning the defensive side of the ball. He spent while Tischer played in eight games register- legefootballnews.com last season for his solid four seasons as the coordinator at Northern ing 14 total stops. The graduation of Winston performance at right guard. The other guard Illinois and three at Rhode Island. Roushar Taylor leaves an opening at the other spot, position was held by Koch until a neck injury has had experience in that role on the offen- which could be filled with Sinclair, sopho- sidelined him for the final five games of the sive side of the ball at Northern Illinois, Ball more Cyrus Garrett or redshirt-freshman J season. His replacement, utility lineman Dave State and Butler. Leman. Garrett saw limited time in five Hilderbrand, will also have the chance to earn Turner, who calls the offensive plays on games with thtee tackles. a spot in the lineup. Battling for both guard game day, will use Roushar in a complemen- positions will be Parade All-American Martin tary role with organizational and motivational EARLY BIRD O'Donnell. O'Donnell redshirted the 2003 duties. True-freshman running back Brock Bolen season, but was one of the most highly The Illini also added former Northern joins the Illinois football team for spring prac- recruited players in the state in 2002. Illinois defensive coordinator Scott Shafer to tice after graduating early from high school Preston looks to become a three-year the staff, who will take control of the second- and enrolling on college classes in January. starter at center for the Illini, after helping ary. During his time at NIU, he tutored eight Bolen is looking to get a jump start on learn- lead the group to school-record total offense All-MAC players in the secondary and his ing the Ron Turner pro-style offense, one that numbers in 2002. Last season, he registered units ranked first in the conference in inter- heavily involves running backs. Bolen was one 71 knockdowns and allowed only six pressures ceptions for two straight seasons. of Illinois' most highly touted recruits, a Top- on the quarterback all season. Challenging the 100 pick by the Chicago Sun Times. He center position will be junior Kyle SOPHOMORE RUNNING BACKS rushed for 2,087 yards and scored 40 touch- Schnettgoecke and redshirt-freshman Ben What was youth last season is now experience downs as a senior, which earned him the No. Amundsen. at tailback. They are one-year older and one- 1 national ranking at fullback by recruiting Senior Bucky Babcock heads into his year wiser as the Mini's trio of true-freshmen analyst Tom Lemming. He will be challenging fourth season as a starter, but only second at running backs from a year ago return to junior Jason Davis and redshirt-freshman tackle after spending his first two years in the become a highlight on offense.