CHAMPAIGN – There’s something there, hidden behind the blowout losses and the demoralizing defeats that left the Illini as the only team in the Big Ten Conference without a victory in league play.
Buried in the gloom of another long season and folks asking where all this is headed, there are two playmakers who have emerged as big-game players. Now it’s just a battle to get them into a big game, instead of just playing out the season from the early October to the finish.
Wide receiver Ricky Smalling and tight end Louis Dorsey are two future stars already impacting this season, when Illini fans were reminded the rebuilding process would take time and more of their money.
“I-L-L,’’ said Smalling, when asked what he’d say to those diehards. “We will win. Give us some time.’’
Smalling knows the Illini-lingo, but he’s only been here a few months. It’s been a long time, roughly 10 years, and it might be a few more, but the anguish that comes with Illini football Saturdays has been relieved a bit by the playmaking of Smalling and Dorsey. Mike Epstein showed promise at running back before injury, and there are signs along a young offensive line, and there’s talent in the youth on defense. When looking for entertainment value out of this team, it’s about watching the freshmen grow.
Smalling and Dorsey might not be worth the price of admission alone, but it’s something to soothe the ache as the Illini (2-8, 0-7) head to No. 8 Ohio State (8-2, 6-1) head to the Shoe as 41-pount underdogs (the highest spread in a Big Ten game on record, according to one bookmaker).
Smalling set the Illini freshman record with a 76-yard pass play from quarterback Jeff George Jr. in the soggy loss at South Florida. Last weekend, Dorsey broke the record with a 77-yard touchdown pass from George that put the Illini right back in the game.
“It’s just tough duty when a team makes you one-dimensional,’’ coach Lovie Smith said. “That being said, we got ourselves back in the game after the half. Louis Dorsey, Ricky Smalling – we had a couple young players that really stepped up, but it’s just not enough.’’
Smalling was a key early commitment for Lovie. The 6-foot-1 wide receiver from Chicago Brother Rice ranked as a top 50 recruit as his position by Rivals.com. After his late arrival to training camp, Smalling became a steady, big-play kid.
“Ricky Smalling is a big-time player,’’ said offensive coordinator Garrick McGee. “We knew it. He’s as good as advertised. He’s only going to get better. He didn’t have an offseason last year. He got here late. He’d like to tell you he had training up there. He didn’t do anything. It will be fun to see Ricky after a full offseason of training and learning. Fans will be really to see Ricky over the next three years.’’
Smalling has already come up big as a rookie. His 17.4 yards per catch rank him second in the Big Ten and second among all true freshmen in major-college football. He’s made at least one catch for 20 yards or more in six consecutive games. After continuing his success following a breakout game with 111 yards receiving against Rutgers, Smalling leads the Illini 488 yards receiving on 28 catches with two touchdowns.
“I’m just going out and doing what I always do,’’ Smalling said. “That’s making plays. Going up and catching the ball at its highest point. Just being an aggressive player. You’re dealing with a lot older guys, smarter, faster and more physical. You have to stay on your game. You have to know the plays, the coverages, and the game will slow down.’’
Smalling impressed in training camp, when he finally arrived.
“You just starting off making those plays,’’ he said. “Once you make a few, I became known for going up and getting the ball.’’
Smalling still has plenty to learn. It started with baby steps. Actually, it was his first step off the snap.
“I’ve always thought I was a good router runner,’’ he said. “What Stoker helped with was off the line, I would step back. That drove him crazy in training camp. He has me focused on that, not taking a step back. It’s helping me get off the ball faster.’’
Dorsey has also been making big plays since that trip to South Florida, when it became apparent he was a tough matchup for defenses. A prospect who reminded everyone that recruiting isn’t a science. The 6foot-6, 230-pounder from Jacksonville, Fla., is a three-star recruit with a five-star future.
Dorsey’s 107 yards receiving against Indiana were the most by a true freshman tight end in Illini history. Dorsey averages 18.4 yards receiving. He would be the national leader for all major-college true freshmen, but his 18 catches don’t reach the minimum required in the NCAA rankings. He has 332 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
“He’s a talented kid, a really passionate kid,’’ McGee said. “What I like best (against Indiana), the energy level was up and his passion and commitment to challenge and push everybody came out. The future is bright for Louis.
“He’s a matchup problem. You’re always talking about using the tight end as a matchup problem. He’s a long body who can get through the seams. One on third-down conversion, he just beat his guy 1-on-1. He can create separation. What’s really starting to show up is he’s really passionate.’’
Smalling and Dorsey learned the hard way the difficulty of winning in the Big Ten. The two emerging stars just need a little more help. That would come in recruiting after the Illini already started 16 true freshmen this season.
“It’s a process wherever you go,’’ Smalling said. “You have to work wherever you go. That’s what we’re doing. We’re trying to get better. We’re figuring out what we need to do to win. We have great coaches helping us get there. It’s just a process. You have to believe.’’
Two kids who already have us believing are Smalling and Dorsey.
