Of the University of Illinois’ 44,000 enrolled students, almost 5,000 of them are from China.
And while none of them are on the football team, as a result of nearly 12 percent of the school’s population consisting of Chinese students, Illinois is the first NCAA school to broadcast their football games in Mandarin.
The Mandarin broadcast can be heard both locally around campus as well in China, and the international population has no doubt helped make the University of Illinois football program more popular worldwide.
But the international growth by no means has sacrificed the football team’s local popularity.
The past five years have been arguably the best five years in Fighting Illini recruiting history.
They have signed more than six top-20 national recruits from 2010 to 2014 and just this past season, they signed the No. 2 and No. 7 prospects from the state of Illinois.
Freshman running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn is a testament to the increased recruiting success of the program. He was the top running back prospect from the state of Tennessee this past spring. And since arriving on campus, he has been extremely productive, leading the team in both carries and yards, all while sharing time with senior Josh Ferguson.
One of the major reasons for the Illini’s recruiting success is a result of their recent performances in important games.
In their Big Ten opener, the Fighting Illini defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers in thrilling fashion. Down 13-0 entering the fourth quarter and later trailing 13-7 with less than a minute remaining, junior quarterback Wes Lunt orchestrated a six-play, 72-yard drive culminating in senior Geronimo Allison’s one-yard touchdown reception with 10 seconds remaining.
Comebacks have actually become common for Illinois. It has seven fourth-quarter comebacks in the past two years and Lunt has been an integral part of almost all of them as well. On the season, he has almost 1,500 yards, nine touchdowns, and just two interceptions.
Lunt has relied heavily on the aforementioned Allison, who in his final season in Champaign has been the most effective receiver in the Big Ten conference hailing in 40 catches for 600 yards.
On the defensive end, Illinois is much improved as well. The Fighting Illini are one of the few teams in the NCAA with co-defensive coordinators. In the offseason they hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears coach Mike Phair to help repair a defense that was the worst in the Big Ten last season.
Phair and co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks have done just that, as the Fighting Illini are one of the best teams in the country on third down. They hold opponents to a mere 22 percent third-down conversion rate and, six games into the season, have forced almost as many defensive three-and-outs as they did in the entirety of last year.
The Fighting Illini secondary, led by safety Taylor Barton, is also one of the best units in the country at forcing turnovers. In six games, they have forced seven interceptions. Barton alone has three interceptions, which is one of the highest individual totals in the NCAA and more than 30 teams. As most Badgers fans know all too well, redshirt senior quarterback Joel Stave is turnover prone, so turnovers will be a determining factor as it pertains to who will win next Saturday when the two teams square off.
One of the most overlooked aspects of football is special teams, but the Fighting Illini sport one of the best special teams groups in the entire country. They are one of five teams in the NCAA who have blocked three kicks this season, two punts and one field goal. Both punts were returned for touchdowns.
Senior Drew Meyer has yet to have a punt blocked this season, but if any team can generate points via special teams, the Fighting Illini have proven they are more than capable.
The combination of both dominant third-down play coupled with impactful special teams could be a major factor next week. If the Badgers perform on third down and are fundamentally sound on special teams, they likely will play spoiler to all the Fighting Illini alumni in town for Illinois’ homecoming.
