USC May Find Illinois Is Willing to Fight On : After a Summer to Remember, Mike White and the Illini Don’t Want a Fall to Forget

It may be a matter of perspective, but Champaign, Ill., apparently wasn’t a sleepy college town this summer.

The Illinois football team provided headlines regularly.

Some samples:

--A starting linebacker spent his weekends in jail.

--The starting quarterback dropped out of school.

--Coach Mike White invited only 80 players to the team’s opening practice in August, leaving about two dozen others wondering what they were supposed to do.

White wouldn’t say why those players weren’t invited back. What he did say was: “The 80 players that are here have shown us the kind of attitude and work ethic we need to have. There is a certain criteria you have to meet. That’s why some are here and some aren’t.”

Earlier, White had reshuffled his coaching staff after firing his longtime assistant, defensive coordinator Max McCartney.

That sort of thing isn’t unusual for White, who fired his entire coaching staff for a day when he was at California. Artie Gigantino, now USC’s defensive coordinator, was one of those coaches unemployed for 24 hours.

Some people who know White say that he just wanted to shake up his team. Others theorize that he is apparently cracking down because of the attitudes and academic standing of some of his players.

Illinois will open the season against USC Saturday at the Coliseum, but despite the summer activity, the Illini aren’t necessarily a team in turmoil.

Of four regulars who were temporarily left off the team, only center Mike Scully is still gone; in his case, because of academic difficulties.

Wide receiver Stephen Pierce, linebacker Jay Lynch and cornerback African Grant are with the team again, although only Pierce is a starter.

White is not even putting up with any scuffling in practice. Linebacker Sam Ellsworth and defensive end Mike Piel were penalized for fighting by losing their starting jobs in last Saturday’s opener against Louisville. They played, though, in the 23-0 rout of Howard Schnellenberger’s team.

Jeff Markland, a converted tight end from Pierce College, who is now an inside linebacker, had a forgettable summer.

He was involved in a fraternity fracas last March and was charged with assault. So he spent six consecutive summer weekends in jail, working during the week at a Boy Scout camp near Champaign.

Markland was a member of a Pierce team that had a 10-0 record in 1984. At 6 feet 3 inches and 246 pounds, he is considered one of the best athletes on the team.

While Markland was occupied on weekends, quarterback Jim Bennett was reportedly struggling in summer school. He had been regarded as heir apparent to Jack Trudeau, Illinois’ career passing leader.

Bennett eventually left school, however, turning the quarterback job over to Shane Lamb, a senior from Encinitas San Dieguito High and Mira Costa College.

Lamb, 6-3, 215, took his first snap for Illinois against Louisville and played well. He completed 13 of 24 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.

Since White became Illinois’ coach in 1980, he has stocked his roster with California players, mainly junior college transfers. This season, 11 Californians are on Illinois’ two-deep roster.

Illinois was ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams last year and had such name players as Trudeau, All-American wide receiver David Williams and fullback Thomas Rooks, but the team was a major disappointment.

The Illini lost to USC in the season opener at Champaign, 20-10, then had an uneven season, finishing at 6-5-1 and losing to Army in the Peach Bowl game.

Illinois has been generally picked to finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten this season. A veteran defensive unit is the strength of the team, but there are question marks in the offensive line, which has three first-year starters, and the running backs are regarded as average. Lamb, a big quarterback who runs the option occasionally, did well against Louisville but now must play USC, Nebraska and Ohio State on successive weekends.

USC Coach Ted Tollner said that when teams have disappointing seasons, as Illinois--and USC--did in 1985, there usually are re-evaluations.

“They want to be more physical on defense and run more on offense, not relying completely on ball control passes as they did last year,” Tollner said. “While they’re trying to make the run a more integral part of their offense, we’re doing the same thing with the passing game.”

So each team has altered its offensive philosophy slightly.

There is statistical proof that Illinois is more effective when it stresses the running game. During White’s tenure, the Illini have a 28-3-2 record when they rushed more than they passed, and a 12-24 mark when the ratio was reversed.

Trojan Notes

Ted Tollner said that his players are eager to play a game. The Trojans are in reasonably good health, and the only injured players who are doubtful for Illinois are tight end Paul Green, freshman safety Mark Carrier, linebacker Jack Dade and defensive tackle Anthony Ervin. . . . Tollner has changed some assignments in his offensive line. Bruce Parks, the starting center, is now the weak-side tackle, replacing John Guerrero, who is out for the season with a knee injury. John Katnik, a transfer from Fullerton College, is the starting center, although Parks is still available for duty at that position. Parks, weak-side guard Brent Parkinson and Katnik are all first-time starters. . . . As a unit, the starting USC defensive line is more inexperienced with freshman Tim Ryan and and sophomore Deryl Henderson at tackles and redshirt freshman Dan Owens at nose guard.

WHITE AT ILLINOIS

COACHING RECORD

Year Record Finish 1980 3-7-1 Sixth-Tied 1981 7-4-0 Third-Tied 1982 7-5-0 Third-Tied 1983 10-2-0 First 1984 7-4-0 Second-Tied 1985 6-5-1 Third Total 40-27-2 .597