IL coach Lovie Smith greets IL wide receiver Malik Turner (11) after Turner’s touchdown reception during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Murray State on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
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For Illinois, the school has entered the era of Lovie Smith.
The Fighting Illini defense looked a bit like the Chicago Bears defense of the mid 2000’s, although this time the opponent was lowly Murray State of the FCS.
Moments later, Dawuane Smoot pressured Racers quarterback KD Humphries, who threw a ball into heavy coverage that was intercepted by Taylor Barton.
Lovie Smith pauses before taking the field for his first game as coach at IL.
IL crushed the Racers’ run game, limiting Murray State to -10 yards on 26 carries.
“Excited about the gameday atmosphere I’m sure we’re going to have here”, Smith said.
Julian Hylton’s interception set up the Illini for its first touchdown, a 5-yard pass from Wes Lunt to Malik Turner, as IL cruised past the Murray State Racers 52-3 before 48,644 at Memorial Stadium.
Foster, who helped the Knights defeat the Danville Vikings in the IHSA Class 6A quarterfinals in 2011, came into season-opener with 78 career rushing yards for IL. Starting quarterback Wes Lunt was pulled in the third quarter, as was starting running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. Tim Beckman was sacked just before the 2015 season opener, and Smith replaced the man who took over for Beckman, Bill Cubit.
“I talked a lot about takeaways, ” Smith said.
“We’re going to enjoy wins, period, no matter who it’s against”, Smith said. “But we realize it’s one, and tomorrow we’ll be right back at it”.
True, the opponent was Murray State, an FCS team that has fewer scholarships and was paid $350,000 just to give IL a fairly easy opponent for the opener.
“His footwork was very bad back there”. But even with 287 rushing yards, IL never really opened the holes in the Murray State defense Smith has said he wants to see for starting tailback Ke’Shawn Vaughn. The Racers finished with 165 yards of total offense, while IL finished with 515 yards of total offense. And tougher opposition is on the way in North Carolina and Western Michigan before the Big Ten opener against Nebraska. The redshirt junior later reversed course.
But running back Kendrick Foster, who almost abandoned the program in the offseason, has a new mission, too.
“I was just so thankful”. “With the trials and tribulations I’ve been through since I got here, I wanted to show what Peoria produces”.
On Saturday afternoon, it only took two offensive plays by Murray State for Smith’s master plan to come true.
On the second play, Julian Hylton intercepted quarterback KD Humphries to give the ball to IL deep in Murray State territory.
On the Racers’ next series, Humphries was picked off again, this time by Taylor Barton at the IL 32. On the first play of the ensuing Illini possession, Lunt hit Turner for a 68-yard score – the longest touchdown pass of Lunt’s career.
“There were quite a few emotions yeah”, says Smith. And the younger Nickerson looked the part Saturday.
Transfer middle linebacker Hardy Nickerson led the defense with 11 tackles in his first game for the Illini. Smith declined to talk about it in detail but said “it’s not a long-term injury”.
MURRAY STATE: The Racers open their home schedule against Missouri State on Saturday.
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Saturday could serve as the best opening slate of college football games ever but for the Illinois Figthing Illini, their season kicks off against Murray State. The Tar Heels handled the Illini last season in Chapel Hill, 48-14.
