Illinois Fighting Illini Football

If you asked any "expert" before the 2013 season for a list of their Top Five quarterbacks in the Big Ten, chances are names like Braxton Miller, Taylor Martinez, Devin Gardner and Kain Colter would've been on just about every list.

The one name no one would've had there? Nathan Scheelhaase. 

Yet, through five weeks of the 2013 season he very well could be the best quarterback in the Big Ten. 

The numbers sure bare that out. 

He leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game at 290.5 and also leads the Big Ten in passer efficiency with a rating of 174.8. 

Additionally, Scheelhaase has completed 67.2 percent of his passes (behind only Kenny Guiton in the Big Ten) for a Big Ten best 1,162 yards. He also has 12 touchdown passes to just three interceptions on the season so far. 

If those numbers weren't enough to convince you, the Chicago Sun-Times gave us these eye-popping numbers to help hammer the point home:

1. Scheelhaase has thrown for 709 yards and six touchdowns—on first down alone.
2. He has had three streaks of at least 10 consecutive completions. No other Illini quarterback since 1994 has had even one such streak.
3. Scheelhaase’s five TD passes in the first half against Miami (Ohio) last Saturday bettered his 2012 season total by one.

To put it all into perspective, Scheelhaase's best passing total on a season was in 2011 when he went for 2,110 yards through the air, but had just 13 touchdowns to eight interceptions. His best total for touchdowns was his freshman season, when he threw for 17 TDs, but also had eight interceptions. 

Right now Scheelhaase is on pace for a ridiculous total of 3,486 yards and 36 touchdown passes for the season. 

Of course, those are projected totals and there's a big difference between playing Miami (OH) and taking on Ohio State or Wisconsin, but there's no question the numbers have been better this season. 

It's also not just Scheelhaase's personal totals that point to him possibly being the best quarterback in the Big Ten this season, the team totals are also staggering to date (h/t Chicago Sun Times): 

The offense has improved from 296.7 yards per game (ranked 119th nationally) in 2012 to 478.5 (35th) in 2013, with a school-record 161 points through four games.

Critics of Scheelhaase and the numbers he has put up will point to the one "tough game" they played against Washington, and they do have a point—it was his worst game of the season, passing for just 156 yards and completing just 36 percent of his passes in the loss. 

However, on the flip side you could point to the game the week before against a very tough Cincinnati defense (one that gives up just 15.3 points per game). In that game Scheelhaase passed for 312 yards, completed over 70 percent of his passes and had four touchdowns with no interceptions. 

The game against the Bearcats is more the norm, rather than the exception for Scheelhaase so far this season, and that's the important take away for me to date.

Let's also face facts, not a single Big Ten team played a really difficult schedule all season long, so stating Scheelhaase is the Big Ten's best quarterback isn't a stretch at all. 

Then there is the whole winning football games thing to consider as well. 

It's an amazing feat, considering last season's disaster—both in injuries and results for Scheelhaase and the Illini. 

Things have already changed for the better for his team and for him personally, and a lot of it can be attributed to the hire of offensive coordinator Bill Cubit during the offseason. 

He brought a new attitude along with a new offensive style to the team and Scheelhaase has taken to it all quite well. 

That new attitude has provided actual structure to the offense on the field and to the team's expectations off of it as well. Scheelhaase told the Chicago Sun-Times the following:

It always helps to have a clear identity, to be clear in what you’re expected to do and how you’re expected to do that. There’s probably not many 18- to 22-year-olds who do real well with a ton of freedom on the football field.

So, as conference teams enter Big Ten play in earnest this weekend the biggest names at the quarterback position from this offseason have either failed to impress or been injured off-and-on and it's left the spotlight empty for someone else to claim. 

Nathan Scheelhaase has sure stepped on that stage to claim the spotlight so far and he may not be giving it up anytime soon in 2013. What a final stanza to his career it would be, huh?

*Andy Coppens is the Big Ten Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter: @andycoppens.

After a two-season stretch that saw Illinois football lose 16 out of 18 games, the team has raced off to a 3-1 start. To silence some of its doubters, second year coach Tim Beckman's spread attack has produced over 40 points per game. Senior quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, in particular, has looked very comfortable at the reins of the offense, leading the Big Ten conference in total offense and passing efficiency thus far.

As the team heads to Nebraska this Saturday, Scheelhaase is the key to the team's success as it aims to compete in conference play one year after going winless.

The Illini offense is absolutely humming—just ask Miami (Ohio) or Cincinnati. And the team has already won more games than it did all of last season. But last year, the team started off 2-1 before losing its final nine games of the season, so what's different? Why won't this team lose out the rest of the year?

The difference is Scheelhaase. Through four games, Scheelhaase has played every bit the part of a star quarterback. He's completed 67.2 percent of his passes with 9.53 yards per attempt. His passer rating of 174.8 is best in the Big Ten and is 10th-best nationally. His 12 touchdowns are three times the amount he threw for last year, and he's finding ways to attack defenses in a number of ways: seven different Illini receivers have found the end zone.

But the most telling aspect of Scheelhaase's play has been his confidence. Unlike a year ago, he is firmly entrenched as the starter in Beckman's offense, and he's shown no signs of giving his spot up. The senior is the go-to guy in the offense, and he has made all the right plays. His level of comfort in the spread offense, in its second year, can't be overstated.

The team has the benefit of playing its top opponents (Ohio State, Northwestern and Wisconsin) all at home this year, where Scheelhaase has been lights-out. It even mixes in winnable road games against Penn State, Indiana and Purdue. The schedule looks promising for Illinois' outlook, as they feel like they can put up points anywhere.

This Illinois football team is one looking to make a statement that its losing ways are a thing of the past. Thanks to its quarterback, Nathan Scheelhaase, they might just be able to hold their own in the Big Ten.

 All statistics courtesy of ESPN.com, and videos provided by Illini Productions.

Nathan Scheelhaase has had an up-and-down career at Illinois, but he proved, once again, how good he can be when things go well against Miami (OH).

The senior quarterback was excellent in the team's third win of the season, which is more than the Fighting Illini had all of last year. He threw five touchdown passes in the first half, building up a 36-0 lead at intermission. 

By the end of the game, Illinois came away with a 50-14 win to get halfway to bowl eligibility at 3-1. Scheelhaase finished 19-for-24, 278 passing yards, five touchdowns and only one interception.

Paul Myerberg of USA Today provided a historical look at the performance:

While he did not break the school record, this was still an excellent showing for the four-year starter. The Big Ten Network provided highlights of the game on its Twitter account:

Clearly, Miami is not the best team in the country. The squad is now 0-4 and has allowed 39.3 points per game defensively. This helped on some of the longer runs after catches to get into the end zone.

Still, Scheelhaase was impressive in the win. He not only made strong, accurate passes throughout the game, but he was making great decisions in the pocket. He went through his progressions to find the open man, and he was confident on play-action passes.

These are things that the quarterback did not show very often last season. Despite starting in 10 games, Scheelhaase completed only four touchdown passes to go with eight interceptions. In fact, his production has decreased every year since throwing 17 touchdowns in his freshman season.

The key factor for him to have success is taking what the defense gives him. When he struggles, it is usually because he is trying to do too much, and he ends up completing a low percentage of passes. That was on display in the last game when he only completed nine of his 25 attempts in a loss to Washington.

He came back strong against Miami, though, posting a 79.2 completion percentage by finding the open man every time. This was the second-best mark in any game of his career.

If he can continue to do this, Illinois has a chance to do some big things this year. The squad has three high-scoring victories, and Scheelhaase has been great in all of them. Each game featured a completion percentage of over 70 and a combined 11-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

This type of strong play and confidence will keep the offense running smoothly, which gives the Illini hope to outscore a number of tough opponents on the schedule this season. After a couple of disappointing years, this will likely lead to an appearance in a quality bowl game.

Of course, it all comes down to consistency for Scheelhaase. He might not put up five touchdowns every game, but he can take his team far by continuing the same type of confidence, accuracy and decision-making ability that was on display Saturday.

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Nestled in the middle of the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Illinois lies a historic structure, an iconic architectural masterpiece of masonry and columns. The structure is Memorial Stadium, home of the University of Illinois football team since 1923. 

Only a short two-hour drive north on Interstate 57 lies Soldier Field, its colossal stone counterpart housing the Chicago Bears of the NFL.

Both stadiums were built as a tribute to fallen soldiers in the early 1920s and designed by the renowned architectural firm of Holabird and Roche of Chicago.

However, the stadiums are far from being the only common bond between the two teams. In fact, even the uniforms share the same heritage.

The uniforms of the Chicago Bears were the product of founder George Stanley Halas, an alumni and former player at the University of Illinois. Halas is credited with bringing the NFL into prominence as well as founding the Chicago Bears (who began as the Decatur Staleys). Halas earned a B.S. degree from the University of Illinois and played football, basketball and baseball for the Illini. He later went on to found the Chicago Bears, coaching them to six championships in 40 years as head coach.

Besides George Halas's ties to both organizations, two other legendary icons went on to take their place in Chicago Bears history after outstanding careers at the University of Illinois. Recently, both names were immortalized on the facade of the Memorial Stadium press box.

Dick Butkus is arguably the greatest linebacker in the history of the game. Butkus was a two-time All-American at the University of Illinois and went on to a phenomenal career as a Chicago Bear. He was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Directly next to Butkus's name on the press box painted in blue reads "Grange," a tribute to legendary Illinois running back Harold "Red" Grange. Grange holds multiple records for the Fighting Illini and is enshrined by a bronze statue outside of Memorial Stadium's west side.

The Illini and the Bears have even shared a home at times. While Soldier Field was being renovated, the Bears called Memorial Stadium their home for the 2002 season.

Meanwhile, Soldier Field has only hosted the Fighting Illini once in a 10-9 loss to the University of Washington State in 1994. However, the Illini defeated Northwestern at Wrigley Field in 2010. Wrigley Field was home to the Chicago Bears from 1921-70.

Oddly enough, both teams have experience controversy over some of their more recognizable symbols.  For years, the Chicago Honey Bears cheerleading squad entertained fans on the sidelines of Bears games.  However, the team was discontinued after Super Bowl XX. Team owner Virginia Halas, the daughter of George Halas saw the girls as a "sex symbol" and degrading to women.

Likewise, the Fighting Illini also saw the loss of their symbol due to political correctness.  Although much more controversial than the Honey Bears, the Fighting Illini were forced to discontinue use of Chief Illiniwek, the university's symbol since 1926. It is believed that the symbol was suggested by Robert Zuppke, who was the head football coach at Illinois coach from 1913-41. The chief was discontinued at the university in 2007 after years of controversy over whether or not the chief was offensive.

This Saturday, the Illini and the Chicago Bears will again renew their familiar bond when Soldier Field hosts the Fighting Illini. The Illini will take on No. 19 Washington at 6 p.m. ET. 

It sure is amazing how quickly things can turn around with the right set of coaches.

Don't believe me? Then I submit to you the 2013 Illinois football team and head coach Tim Beckman's hire of offensive coordinator Bill Cubit. 

2012 was an unmitigated disaster for Tim Beckman and the Illini football program. From the outside looking in it appeared Beckman, hired away from Toledo to replace Ron Zook, was in over his head.

The Illini's offensive woes were so bad that once star quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase looked like a lost freshman behind center.

The Fighting Illini finished the season 2-10 and winless in the Big Ten. Not exactly confidence-building stuff from the first year regime in Champaign. 

Scheelhaase and backup Riley O'Toole led the offense to some of the most anemic numbers of the last 20 years in the Big Ten. They managed to average just 16.7 points a game and put up just 296.7 yards of total offense to rank dead last in the Big Ten. 

Things were so bad, some in the fanbase were already calling for Beckman to be fired. Instead, Beckman self-assessed and realized his error in the offensive coaching staff.

In the offseason Beckman fired co-offensive coordinators Chris Beatty and Billy Gonzalez and hired veteran offensive guru Bill Cubit, who had just been let go as the Western Michigan head coach. 

Beckman's hire of Cubit was met with curiosity by those who knew his reputation and skepticism by people who saw Beckman's previous hires and frankly didn't trust him. 

Cubit had a reputation for working with and making stars out of quarterbacks and for producing high octane offenses just about everywhere he went. 

Nathan Scheelhaase and the offense appeared to take to Cubit's new philosophy quickly and in the spring game they looked like a completely different group. However, most wondered out loud if Cubit's new look and newly re-engergized offense was looking good because Illinois defense was just that bad or because the offense was just that much improved. 

Fast forward through two weeks of the season and the answer to the question most asked following the spring is Yes. Yes, Illinois' offense looks vastly different and re-engergized and yes, the defense is just that bad too. 

Through two games the Illini are averaging 43.5 points a game and 493 yards of total offense—numbers that rank sixth and fifth in the Big Ten respectively. A vast improvement over what happened last year to say the least.

Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase leads the conference in passing with 728 yards and is averaging 70 more yards a game than the next closest Big Ten quarterback through two weeks. He is also third in passer efficiency in the conference at 182.1. 

His Week 1 performance was good enough to have him named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.

Scheelhaase is looking much more like the freshman version of himself, only better in the passing game, and that isn't good news for opposing defenses. Besides his passing game, Scheelhaase is leading this team on the field and in the locker room—showing the leadership that appeared lacking across the team in 2012.

Sure, it would've been easy to dismiss the 42 points the Illini put up on Southern Illinois, an FCS opponent, but the signs of progress and change were right there in front of us. 

However, after dismantling a Cincinnati defense that gave up just seven points to Purdue the week before, it was easily the most shocking result for the Big Ten in week two.

Cubit's performances have been so good that he's been noticed on the national stage.

The results and how it happened against the Bearcats proved what we all saw in Week 1 wasn't a fluke. Something is different and credit must go to Tim Beckman for his hire of Cubit. 

It could be the hire that saves Beckman's job, and the hire makes this team a contender for biggest surprise in the Big Ten in 2013. Now, about that defense...

By a show of hands, who expected to see "(2-0)" following "Fighting Illini" after Week 2?

Nobody? 

That's what I thought.

Regardless, Illinois is 2-0 heading into their game at Soldier Field on Saturday after putting a 45-17 throbbing on the Bearcats of Cincinnati.  Illinois even received nine votes in this week's polls.

The Fighting Illini, who finished 2-10 last year without a single Big Ten conference win, have already matched their two wins from 2013 with two more games remaining before commencing Big Ten play.  Next week's game pits the Illini against the University of Washington Huskies.  Washington is ranked No. 19 in the nation.

The Illini have already exceeded expectations so far this season.  The Illini lead the Big Ten in passing yards (yes, you read that right).  Additionally, starting quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase is second in the conference in quarterback rating behind Indiana's Nate Sudfeld.

Illinois is quickly on their way to shutting a lot of critics up.  A win over No. 19 Washington would surely put Illinois in the polls, something nobody besides the players' moms expected.

Even with a loss on Saturday, the Illini can still begin Big Ten play with a winning record pending a win over Miami of Ohio on September 28.  Miami (OH) is 0-2 following a 52-14 loss to Marshall and a 41-7 loss to Kentucky.  They will face Cincinnati on September 21 before heading to Champaign. 

Let's assume Illinois loses one of their next two games.  The Illini would begin Big Ten play 3-1 with eight games remaining.  Worst-case scenario, the Illini go 3-9; sadly enough, that's an improvement from last season.

Illinois also could improve on last year's Big Ten record.  Well, they at least can't regress.

As for stats, Illinois has played quite impressively.  Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase is first in the Big Ten in passing with 728 passing yards in two games.  That puts him only 633 yards behind last year's total of 1,361 passing yards in 10 games.

Because of the Illini's 45-17 win over Cincinnati, they have a tremendous amount of momentum and confidence heading into their Chicago homecoming game at Soldier Field.  Their drubbing of Cincy may be just what the Illini need to have a successful season. 

In a way, the Illini have already exceeded expectations by starting off 2-0 and leading the Big Ten in multiple offensive categories.  At this point last season, Illinois was 1-1 with only 38 total points.

With the confidence Illinois has after Saturday's win, the Illini will only continue to improve with the help of new offensive coordinator Bill Cubit.  The threat of Scheelhaase to senior wide receive Ryan Lankford has been a winning combination.  With some improvement in their rushing game, the Illinois offense will be bounds ahead of what was expected.

Time will soon tell if the Illini will continue their early success.  The quickly approaching conference schedule will indeed be tough, but their momentum and confidence they've built already will help them throughout the season and will propel them past their critics' expectations.

After a year at Oklahoma State, Wes Lunt is headed home after transferring to play for the Illinois football program. It's a move that makes sense for both parties, and it'll serve them well in the years to come. 

Zach Kerker of Channel1450.com first broke the news about Lunt's transfer, and ESPN's Joe Schad confirmed the report:

Per NCAA transfer rules, Lunt will sit out the 2013 season, but the incoming sophomore will still have three years of eligibility left beginning in 2014. 

Lunt proved to be a terrific pocket passer during his time at Rochester High School in Illinois. In his junior and senior seasons, Lunt threw for 5,588 yards with 59 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. 

After enrolling at Oklahoma State, Lunt quickly impressed the program's coaching staff and earned the starting gig as a true freshman.

He performed admirably in that capacity in 2012 for the first handful of games, completing 61.8 percent of his passes for 1,108 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions. Unfortunately, injuries to his leg and head sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Lunt made the decision to transfer after realizing he was in the midst of a quarterback competition at Oklahoma state. According to one of Schad's sources, "Lunt would have liked more communication about where the quarterback competition stood while he was at Oklahoma State."

Oklahoma State's loss is Illinois' gain, however, as the Fighting Illini are in need of a quarterback that can carry the program in the next few years.

The team was completely incapable of producing any consistent offense last year.

Out of 120 total teams ranked, Illinois ranked No. 119 in total offense with just 296.67 total yards per game, per NCAA.com. As a result, Illinois also featured one of the most anemic scoring offenses in the nation, averaging just 16.67 points per game—also the No. 119th ranked unit of 120.

For Lunt, it's a chance to move back closer to home, as he grew up just 90 minutes from Champaign.

Also working in Lunt's favor is the fact that he'll undoubtedly be the No. 1 quarterback for the Fighting Illini in 2014.

Provided he stays healthy and impresses head coach Tim Beckman and his coaching staff in the same way he did as a freshman at Oklahoma State, Lunt will be starting from Day 1 of the 2014 season. 

Both parties win in this arrangement. Illinois finally has an answer to its lack of offensive production, and Lunt will play for a team that desperately needs him. 

Win-win.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78

Wes Lunt will take his quarterback journey to Illinois. According to Zach Kerker of Channel1450.com, Lunt will leave the Cowboys for the Fighting Illini.

Lunt was the starting quarterback for Oklahoma State last season, but he decided to transfer due to poor communication regarding the quarterback situation, according to Joe Schad of ESPN.

He was in a quarterback battle with Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh before he decided to explore other options. He completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 1,108 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Lunt's transfer options were extremely limited. According to Kerker, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy wasn't going to allow him to play for a Big 12, Pac-12 or SEC school. He was also banned from playing for Southern Miss, which is now coached by Todd Monken, the former offensive coordinator for Oklahoma State.

With not many places to turn, Schad reported on May 28 that Lunt was torn between Louisville and Illinois:

Illinois is the big winner in this latest transfer.

The Fighting Illini need all the help they can get. They ranked 122nd last season in offensive production, averaging under 17 points per game. Their 168 passing yards per game was good for 111th in college football.

The team will enter this season with an experienced option in Nathan Scheelhaase, but Lunt will likely be the favorite for the starting job beginning in 2014. Lunt was a highly recruited player coming out of high school. According to 247Sports, he was a 4-star recruit and the 12th best pro-style quarterback of the 2012 recruiting class.