New philosophy: Illini coaches preach three-step cure for defense

CHAMPAIGN – Tim Kish rattles off the three objectives like they're written on the inside of his eyelids.

"Stop the run, create turnovers and stop the explosion plays," Kish says.

It's a mantra the Illinois defense has heard from Day 1 of the Ron Turner-Tim Kish era. It's their quick and easy answer to, "How will you improve the Illini defense?"

And it's a defense that desperately needs improvement. A drop in talent and experience last season left the once-proud Illini in shambles.

The unit finished 10th or last in all of the Big Ten defensive stats. The Illini had 15 sacks, or about a season's worth for former star Simeon Rice.

Thirteen times, opponents went for it on fourth down. Eleven times, they made it.

Opposing running backs gained 4.9 yards a carry. Look over in Memorial Stadium, and you might see Ron Dayne running for another touchdown. He had four and 289 yards in a November game.

Opponents scored more than 40 points five times. In the 10 previous seasons, five teams had reached that number.

"We anticipate it being better than that," Kish said. "If we give up three points, we're going to feel bad. We want to be realistic. If we establish our three objectives this spring and maintain those through the course of the fall, that's going to put us in a position where we can be successful defensively for sure."

Before he diagrammed a play, blew his whistle or ran a drill, Kish had some psychological work to do on his new team.

Kish wants his defense to be aggressive and attacking, especially on the line. He wants his players to be the ones dictating the action, not the other way around.

"I think from a psychological standpoint, we didn't want to be thought of as a team that's going to sit back and read on defense," Kish said. "We're going to try to challenge everybody, all 11 guys. That's not saying we're going to be blitzing on every snap."

Attack defenses worked wonders for the last four national champions – Florida, Nebraska and Florida State.

Kish thinks so much of the Gators and Seminoles, he and his staff are visiting the schools this week. Kish will talk defense with his buddy Bobby Stoops, Florida's highly regarded coordinator. Illini defensive tackles coach Peter McCarty is watching the Seminoles. And defensive backs coach Leslie Frazier is spending part of the week at Tennessee.

"The thing that you've got to keep in perspective is they got some war daddies (Kish-speak for great players) that they're playing with right now," Kish said. "They've got some of the best talent in the country. I think we can do some things they're doing, but we've got to package it into our own system."

War daddy totals aside, Kish said there's talent on the Illinois defense.

"Certainly not a cupboard-bare story," Kish said.

Kish has been there, done that. In 1992, he joined Gary Barnett as outside linebackers coach at Northwestern, not known then as a football school. Four years later, Kish and the Wildcats were playing in the Rose Bowl.

When Maryland hired Northwestern defensive coordinator Ron Vanderlinden as head coach, Kish seemed a logical replacement. But Barnett wanted to wait until after the Citrus Bowl to pick a coordinator.

"In the interim, the job opened up here," Kish said. "I just chose not to sit back and wait to see what would happen."

Illinois' defense won't be Northwestern South. The new coach has his own ideas – and some helpers. McCarty, Frazier and defensive ends coach Osia Lewis all have had input on the Illini scheme.

"This isn't my package," Kish said. "It isn't Tim Kish's defense. It's a combination of the four of us putting our heads together and coming up with something we feel is very solid."

Although blitzing and attacking sounds fun to the players and fans, Kish knows they can't do it all the time. Kish wants to keep opposing offenses guessing when he's going to put on heavy pressure.

"The base is never going to change," Kish said. "We're always going to try to find an edge against certain offenses. That's the most important thing defensively, that your players feel comfortable."

And Kish wants his players to feel confident. With a bunch of guys coming off a 2-9 team, it won't be easy.

When the new staff came in, Kish said, the '96 season was forgotten: "The slate's clean."

"What matters most to us is what we do from this point on."

Technically, eight starters return from the '96 team. But nobody has a spot guaranteed. That's the downside of a clean slate.

Some holdovers have jumped to the front. Seniors-to-be David James and James Williams and junior Garrett Johnson have shown Kish talent and leadership.

And several younger players caught Kish's attention in the first three days of spring practice. Defensive backs Asim Pleas and Ivan Benson have both staked their claim for starting spots.

All the players, Kish said, are buying into the new system.

"They're feeling their way through it right now, but they're definitely very excited about it," Kish said. "Their attitude is tremendous."

Turner is spending the bulk of his practice time working with the offense, leaving the defense to Kish, Frazier, Lewis and McCarty.

It's a departure for the Illini, who are used to a defense-oriented head coach.

Turner keeps an eye on the defense, checking with Kish to see where the players are.

"He's been very helpful to us," Kish said. "He has a keen awareness of what we're doing defensively."

There are other changes for the Illini. Some of the terms used for past teams no longer apply.

Still have a rush linebacker?

"No, we don't," Kish said.

Still have an eagle linebacker?

"No, we don't," Kish said.

Three terms they need to know: Stop the run. Cause turnovers. Don't give up big plays.

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