CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) – The gap between a school such as South Dakota State and a Top 25 team like Arizona State is wide.
Nowhere does Illinois coach Ron Zook expect that to be more noticeable Saturday night than in the Sun Devils’ speed.
The Illini (2-0) won easily last Saturday, beating South Dakota State 56-3. Zook’s team led 35-3 at the half, rolled up more than 500 yards of offense, played three quarterbacks and all but emptied the bench at tailback. The defense gave up just 96 yards.
“The thing we did – I was really, really proud of them last week – was taking care of business,” Zook said. “They did the things that we asked them to do.”
But South Dakota State bears little resemblance to the No. 22 Sun Devils, who are coming off a big win over Missouri – a team that’s made a recent habit of beating the Illini. Zook expects his team to struggle early against the Pac-12 foe.
“Speed is something that’s hard to prepare for,” he said Tuesday. “Their guys are big, strong, fast. Any time you play a game like this, it’s usually going to take a series or two to adjust to the game speed.”
Playing a considerably smaller, slower team like the Jackrabbits last week shouldn’t make it any tougher to get in gear against Arizona State (2-0), Zook said, but he acknowledged there might be a rough moment or two early in transition.
He compared the experience he anticipates for his players to that of the New Orleans Saints playing the Greatest Show on Turf-era St. Louis Rams when Zook was a Saints assistant.
“It was scary there for the first two or three minutes,” he said. “In the beginning they’ll notice it, but they’ll adjust.”
Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler, who stands 6-foot-8, was 24 of 32 for 353 yards and three touchdowns against Missouri with one interception. He has Zook’s full attention and so does speedy ASU running back Cameron Marshall, who had 57 yards on 22 carries against the Tigers.
The Sun Devils and Missouri combined for more than 1,000 yards of offense Saturday and a sellout crowd of more than 70,000 – the first full house at ASU since 2008 – watched Arizona State hang on for a 37-30 overtime win.
“My heart’s fluttered,” Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson said after the game.
It was a lot different in Champaign, where Illinois dismantled the Jackrabbits in front of a crowd that was relatively quiet and somewhat smaller than the announced 42,000. Zook hopes for a bigger turnout for the rare night game this Saturday.
Also Tuesday, Zook said fullback Zack Becker will need surgery after breaking his right leg below the knee and damaging ligaments in his ankle. Zook said he would like Becker, who is a senior and already missed most of last season, to be able to return to the team in 2013 if he’s interested and able.
“Hopefully we’ll get him fixed and get him back out there next year,” Zook said. “Everybody in that locker room feels bad for Zack.”
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