H&R Executive Sports Editor

CHAMPAIGN - Many teams would dread thinking about ways to stop Ohio State running back Beanie Wells and ever-improving freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

They're the primary weapons for the nation's 10th-ranked college football team. Illinois, which hosts the Buckeyes at 11 a.m., Saturday (ESPN), wishes it had the luxury of focusing on Ohio State's terrific tandem.

Instead, Illini coach Ron Zook said Sunday his sputtering football team has to take a step back and worry about itself rather than this weeks' talented opponent.

Fixing from within is the unfortunate result after the Illini lost a 23-17 decision to Western Michigan in Detroit, a game that continues an eight-week trend of win one, lose one, win one, lose one.

At 5-5, Illinois is still looking for a sixth victory that would make it eligible for bowl consideration. And if there's a ray of hope this week, it's the knowledge that Illinois won 28-21 last year in Columbus, Ohio, at a time when Ohio State was the top-ranked team in the country.

Zook still views the Buckeyes as one of college football's elite.

"I don't think there is any question they are one of the better teams in the country," Zook said Sunday. "But we have to work on ourselves again. We're back to that stage.

"They are a great football team and they will have a chip on their shoulder from last year. It's going to be important that our guys are ready to go."

One area of concern for the Illini is to shore up play on the offensive line. Injuries at both tackle spots have contributed to a dropoff in production.

After averaging 210.8 yards rushing in the first five games, the Illini have averaged 128.6 in the last five games. And those most recent numbers are skewed upward thanks to a 292-yard rushing performance against Indiana, the Big Ten's last-place team.

An injury to right tackle Ryan Palmer brought true freshman Jeff Allen into the lineup. And when left tackle Xavier Fulton developed shoulder problems, freshman Corey Lewis stepped in against Western Michigan.

"That's been part of the problem," Zook said of the injuries on the offensive line. "I think everyone wants to know why we're not running the football.

"I think Xavier is better now. He feels better. I want to talk to (center) Ryan McDonald. I think he's still having a few (injury) issues there. We have to nurse him, although this morning he felt a little better.

"Those guys might be getting healthy at the right time."

Zook said the freshmen played "pretty good," even though Western Michigan mounted a fierce pass rush against quarterback Juice Williams.

"They're doing some things that freshmen do and that's something we have to live with. We have to do some things to help them, which has changed some of the things people expect us to do. But we're making some decisions based on trying to help those guys."

Saturday will mark the final home game for the Illini seniors, a group that pledged to help continue the momentum established when the team went 9-4 last season.

"I told them yesterday, I feel awful. I feel bad for those guys. They have gone through some tough times. They were fortunate enough to go to the Rose Bowl (last season). They said they were not going to be the class that let this slide back and they have done everything in their power to try to prevent that."

Zook said the players he encountered around the football offices Sunday morning were still smarting from the loss to Western Michigan.

"They feel a lot like us as coaches," he said. "It hurts. It's painful anytime you invest this much and put as much into it physically and emotionally. Everyone is searching for answers. "I don't think this group will point fingers. We win as a team and we lose as a team."

Family affairs

Zook said he will speak to doctors by today regarding the status of freshman running back Mikel LeShoure, who missed the Western Michigan game with a broken jaw. The injury happened as a result of a confrontation with teammate Jeff Cumberland.

Zook also said he'll also be speaking with fullback Rahkeem Smith and linebacker Ian Thomas, who were both left off the travel roster for the Western Michigan game. "They were suspended for violating team rules," Zook said. . . . The final game of the regular season is Nov. 22 at Northwestern. The league said Sunday the game will be played at 2:30 p.m. and televised on the Big Ten Network.

mtupper@herald-review.com|421-7983