OC Rod Smith has sparked the Illini offense
The addition of Rod Smith as offensive coordinator has greatly helped the Illinois running game.
That shouldn’t be surprising. Smith is a disciple of Rich Rodriguez, credited with inventing and popularizing the no-huddle, zone-read spread offense back in the early 1990s and bringing it to college football’s top division in the late 1990s.
Smith was a quarterback for Rodriguez at Glenville State and coached under him at West Virginia, Michigan and, for the past six seasons, at Arizona. When Rodriguez was fired, Smith — who was quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator for the Wildcats — landed with the Illini.
The difference?
Last season, Illinois was 122nd national in rushing, averaging 105.6 yards per game.
This season, Illinois is eighth in the country with 262.8 rushing yards per game.
The Illini (4-6, 2-5) can still get bowl eligible, although it’s not likely. They have their home finale Saturday against Iowa and then play Big Ten West champ Northwestern to end the regular season.
Smith, at Arizona, worked with the school’s career rushing leader, Ka’Deem Carey, as well as dynamic quarterback Khalil Tate. As for the Illinois running game, Reggie Corbin has rushed for 1,011 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 8.9 yards per carry. Quarterback AJ Bush is coming off a game when he ran 25 times for 187 yards and three scores against Nebraska.
“AJ is tough duty,” said head coach Lovie Smith.
“He’s big, he’s athletic, good speed, and whenever you have an athletic quarterback like that, you can move the chains with his legs. To be able to throw it, too. His passing stats won’t say how he played with too many drops in the game. But we have production from that position which gives us a chance.”
Bush completed 11-of-25 passes for 126 yards, with two interceptions, in the 54-35 loss.
Illinois has nearly doubled its scoring output this season, from 15.4 to 29.6 points per game.
The challenge on the ground will be immense this week, as the Hawkeyes (6-4, 3-4) have an excellent defensive front and rank sixth nationally against the run, allowing only 96.0 yards per game.
“They play hard, they’re sound, they’ve been playing the same system for a lot of years,” Smith said of preparing for Iowa. “They don’t make many mistakes. Tough football team. Discipline. That’s what they have and that’s what they’ve been for many years.”
