Guenther Feels Right at Home With Illinois

Illinois doesn’t land many recruits from Southern California. But linebacker Eric Guenther of Westlake High was an easy target.

“I always wanted to go there,” he said. “Ever since I was 5, I dreamed of playing for the Illini.”

Why?

Clue No. 1 is found in the Illinois athletic department directory. Ronald Guenther, Eric’s uncle, is the athletic director.

Clue No. 2 is Eric’s father’s longtime employment with an insurance company that has corporate offices in Westlake Village and Bloomington, Ill. The Guenthers didn’t move from Illinois to California until Eric started high school.

He visited North Carolina State after his senior season at Westlake in 1994 before realizing his mind had been made up much earlier. He canceled visits to California, Colorado State and Oregon State, and headed for Champaign, Ill.

Guenther (6 feet 2, 235 pounds) got considerable playing time as a freshman and was a top reserve as a sophomore and junior, making 159 tackles in three years.

Last season, he earned a starting spot and made 22 tackles in the first two games before his season ended because of a knee injury. Because he hadn’t used a redshirt season, Guenther knew he could come back.

“It was a no-brainer for him,” said Tim Kish, the Illinois defensive coordinator. “He spent the whole [‘98] season hobbling around encouraging younger players. He was a real positive influence. But I knew he wanted to get back into the mix.”

Guenther missed spring practice while rehabilitating the knee. But when training camp began in the summer, he was at full speed.

“Eric is an instinctual player,” Kish said. “He is not blessed with all the athletic prowess of other guys at this level. But he has a nose for the football.

“Knowing that was the way he performed his entire career, I wasn’t worried about his ability to come back.”

Guenther is enjoying a solid senior season. He ranks second on the team with 67 tackles and has four tackles for losses, including two Saturday in a 40-24 victory over Iowa.

Illinois (5-4, 2-4 in the Big 10 Conference) notched a huge upset at Michigan three weeks ago, and Guenther played a major role, making six tackles.

“He’s as consistent a player as we have on defense,” Kish said.

*

The several Pac-10 teams with quarterback problems must cast a covetous eye toward Nevada, where David Neill is on pace to obliterate most Big West career passing records.

The 6-5, 200-pound sophomore from Hart High has ranked among the national leaders nearly every week in his two years as a starter.

Not that Nevada wins as a result. The Wolf Pack is 3-6 because stopping opponents is as difficult as stopping Neill.

Last week against Idaho, Neill completed 22 of 38 passes for 317 yards in a 42-33 loss.

That’s a typical performance. With two games remaining, he is close to last season’s numbers, which resulted in All-Big West honors.

Neill has completed 197 of 337 passes for 2,732 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has had only five passes intercepted and has thrown 188 passes in a row without an interception.

Neill set NCAA freshman records last season for his 29 touchdown passes, and for 611 yards passing against Fresno State. He threw for 3,249 yards, completing 199 of 344 passes.