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Thursday, September 12, 2002

By Ray Fittpaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Illinois is finding that old adage about getting to the top and staying at the top all too true.

Two games into the season and the Illini have as many losses as they had last season, when they won 10 games and the conference championship for the first time since 1983.

Coach Ron Tuner's team is 0-2 and did not score an offensive touchdown last week against Southern Mississippi. The biggest problem for Turner has been finding a replacement for quarterback Kurt Kittner, a three-year starter.

Dustin Ward and John Beutjer have not been effective. Ward started the first two games, but Beutjer has played in both. They are a combined 31 for 75 with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Turner said he might not make a decision on a starter until Saturday before a home game against Arkansas State. and he expressed some frustration about the development of his quarterbacks.

"I don't think it has to be one of those years when he just goes out there and plays and can't be an impact player," Turner said of his quarterbacks.

"You see it all over the country. Guys are impact players. That's the interesting thing about starting someone for the first time. You just don't know what's going to happen until game day. They can prepare and look great or vice versa. Game day is the true test. But you never know how they're going to respond."

Spread thin

It was only two years ago that Randy Walker and his spread offense were torturing opponents across the nation. Northwestern averaged 36.8 points per game and scored 52 points or more three times in 2000. Last season, when they only won four games, they managed to score 29.1 points per game.

Walker's offense no longer resembles a juggernaut. The Wildcats have scored 27 points in two games and are coming off a comedy-of-errors performance in a 48-24 loss to Texas Christian. They had seven turnovers, including six lost fumbles.

The Wildcats managed just three points in the season-opening loss against Air Force.

For the first time in two years Walker has quarterback problems. Zak Kustok graduated after passing and rushing for more than 6,000 yards the past two seasons.

Walker has played three quarterbacks the first two games and has yet to find a spark.

True freshman Alexander Webb, who ascended from No. 3 on the depth chart to play some last week, is out for the season since his liver was lacerated against TCU.

"Confidence level is always a determining factor with offensive football teams," Walker said. "And right now we're trying to find it. Confidence is something you can't talk about. Confidence is a function of performance and excellence."

Part of Walker's problem is a small senior class. When he took over in January 1999, he lost some of the recruits former coach Gary Barnett had lined up.

"We lost some verbal commitments," Walker said. "We inherited a class that had a lot of players go elsewhere and, I might add, are having great careers elsewhere. But I understand that type of thing happens when you come in somewhere in January during a coaching change. We anticipated having a young team this year. And while we haven't come out of the gates the way we would have liked, I'm still optimistic and believe we can continue to improve and be a good football team."

Barometer time

It's early in the season, but there might be a better indication of which teams are for real as the conference schedule approaches. Three marquee games highlight the schedule this week: No. 10 Washington State at No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan at No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 8 Nebraska at Penn State.

Three victories in those games could do an awful lot for the image of the conference.

Quick hits

Michigan State wide receiver Charles Rogers was the conference offensive player of the week. He had nine receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He has caught a touchdown pass in 11 consecutive games and has had six 100-yard receiving games in a row. ... Michigan has yet to give up a point in the first quarter this season and has given up just six points in the fourth quarter. ... Indiana's 40-13 loss against Utah was its worst non-conference loss since a 40-point setback against Kentucky in 1997.