Illinois Football: Season In Review

By Andrew Musur on December 29, 2014

The Fighting Illini football season came to an end last Friday as they fell to Louisiana Tech in the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. This was the first time the Illini had participated in a bowl game since 2011. Although the outcome of this game will leave a sour taste in my mouth until next season, there is still a lot to take from this season.

How about that quarterback, Reilly O’Toole? O’Toole is a young man from Wheaton, Illinois. He was a three-star recruit and the second rated quarterback in the state of Illinois, according to Scout.

O’Toole, a two time state champion, had scholarship offers from Minnesota, Toledo, Akron and Illinois State, but decided to suit up for the orange and blue. O’Toole was not supposed to be a starter immediately. Many thought he would replace Nathan Scheelhaase when the time came. He played in 9 games as a freshman including the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl as the Illini got a huge bowl victory over UCLA finishing the year with 7 wins.

O’Toole’s sophomore season began with a new head coach and ended with a losing record, 2-10. The sophomore only played in 6 games, but did record 5 touchdown passes in an early home matchup with Charleston Southern. The young O’Toole recorded his first career start when he traveled to Tempe, Arizona to take on Arizona State. The Illini lost the game, but O’Toole completed 10 of his 14 pass attempts.

O’Toole’s junior year was quiet as he only threw 16 passes, and continued his college journey as a career backup. Then 2014 came, and O’Toole’s senior year arrived. The year he was finally supposed to emerge as the starter on this football team, but there was a speed bump. A star quarterback who was transferring from Oklahoma State had pledged his allegiance to the Illini. His name was Wes Lunt, and he was supposed to be the savior of Illinois Football.

Lunt started the season 3-1, but was held out of the Nebraska game due to an injury. The season progressed and Lunt’s injuries became worse forcing someone else to step up. O’Toole took the starting roll for the Wisconsin and Minnesota games.

Though the Illini lost on the road at Wisconsin, the Minnesota game was a breakout game for the senior. O’Toole threw for 118 yards and a touchdown. He also added 59 yards on the ground as the Illini won their fourth game of the season, giving them a shot to become bowl eligible.

Unfortunately for O’Toole, he was once again relegated to backup, as Wes Lunt was cleared to play in the next two games against Ohio State and Iowa. Both games ended in ugly losses for the Illini, and forced coach Tim Beckman to make a change.

Beckman called on O’Toole and made him the starter for senior day against Penn State. O’Toole connected on 18 of his 25 passes and put together a last minute drive to put the Illini in field goal range to win the game.

The Illini had 5 wins under their belt and had to knock off their rival, Northwestern, if they had any hope of becoming bowl eligible. O’Toole was once again named the starter and he led the Illini to their sixth win as he tossed 3 touchdowns and added 147 yards on the ground.

Reilly O’Toole had done it. He had led the Illini to a bowl game!

The Illini traveled down to Dallas, Texas where they played Louisiana Tech. O’Toole suited up for the Illini one last time and left everything he had on the field. O’Toole did everything he could to win the game as he threw for 295 yards and a touchdown, but it just was not enough. O’Toole fought alongside his Illini brothers, but came up short.

The senior threw for over 1,300 yards on the year. More importantly, he showed the heart of a warrior every time he stepped on the field.

Here is to you Mr. O’Toole; thank you for giving everything you had for the Fighting Illini. Thank you for taking us to a bowl game and thank you for making the Illini nation proud of this football team.

The career backup no more.

Season Review:

Offensive MVP:

Senior, QB Reilly O’Toole 1,344 yards and 10 TDs

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Defensive MVP: 

Junior, DL Jihad Ward 3 sacks and 47 tackles

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Rookie of the Year:

Freshman wide receiver, Mike Dudek, was undoubtedly the best, first year player on this team. Dudek caught 76 passes for a whopping 1,038 yards. The unanimous freshman all American was the first Illini in history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. The 5 foot 11 speedster has a bright future ahead of him.

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Looking Ahead:

The Illini should start the season with 2 easy wins at home against Kent State and Western Illinois. The Illini will then travel to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to take on UNC. The first road test for Illinois will be a close one, but I think the Illini pull it out.

The Illini then play Middle Tennessee before starting conference play, which should be another win. The Illini then host Nebraska and travel to Iowa, 2 loses in my book. Illinois plays Wisconsin after that, before traveling to Penn State, another 2 loses.

The Illini head to West Lafayette to take on Purdue, a must win game. I am picking the Illini to win that one making them 5-4 on the year. Ohio State is next on the schedule, an automatic loss. According to my predictions, Illinois would sit at 5-5 with two games left @Minnesota and against Northwestern. I think the Illini will steal one of those two and head to their second straight bowl game!

Prediction: 6-6, Quick Lane Bowl

Thank you seniors for laying a foundation we can build upon.

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