Wes Lunt notices the talk.
Lunt is an Illinois guy. He grew up an Illinois fan. He won two class 4A state championships at Rochester High School. He likes what he’s hearing about the Illini heading into 2015.
"I think the expectation is to be better than we were last year,” Lunt said on the Big Ten spring teleconference. “The mood around campus; people are starting to talk more about football. We haven't seen that in years’ past. It's exciting around campus, and it's exciting in the football building right now."
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It’s the right mindset for Illinois, which increased its win total in two-by-two increments in three seasons under Tim Beckman, which won its last two regular-season games before losing to Louisiana Tech in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl.
Lunt is saying the right things heading into his third season with the Illini since transferring from Oklahoma State. Lunt enjoyed a hot start before suffering a broken leg in a loss to Purdue in 2014. He returned in November — Beckman says at 90 percent — and split time with Reilly O’Toole.
Lunt’s final ledger — 1,763 yards, 14 TDs and three interceptions — came with a 65.3 completion percentage. It’s efficiency the Illini needs, and there’s reason to believe more will follow in 2015. Lunt said last year was about learning the offense. This year is about attacking the defense.
Illinois added quarterbacks coach Ryan Cubit to help with offensive coordinator Bill Cubit. Lunt says Ryan Cubit, who played quarterback under his father at Western Michigan, provides that been-there, done-that energy to the meeting room. Beckman says it's translated to more production heading into Saturday’s spring game.
"This is a very quarterback-oriented offense," Beckman said. "We put a lot on the shoulders of our quarterback. It reminds me of some of the offenses my father was involved in during the NFL days that I got to see. Things, adjustments and checks, were put on the quarterbacks.”
Case in point: Lunt said that ability to run an offense that averaged 25.9 points per game comes with certain responsibilities.
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"I think just the freedom we have we can check any play at any time,” Lunt said. “We're really game managers out there. If it's second-and-8 and we see a run and a pass is called, it's probably smarter just to call that run and pick up three or four to put yourself in that good situation."
Illinois still faces hurdles. Leading receiver Mike Dudek, who had 76 catches, 1,036 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman last season, suffered a torn ACL in spring practice. The Illini haven’t defeated a ranked Big Ten team since knocking off No. 1 Ohio State in 2007.
In order to take another two-by-two step, or perhaps more, Lunt must stay healthy. It’s been a slow climb for Beckman, but Lunt is in position to put Illinois in more good situations.
“He understands exactly where he wants to put the ball,” Beckman said. “He knows where to put our offense in situations to be successful.”
