Illinois Fighting Illini
2001 record: 10-2 (7-1)
Coach: Ron Turner (sixth season, 26-31)
Starters returning: 7 offense, 7 defense, 1 kicker

Outlook: Replacing a quarterback is always a risky business in college football, even for a conference champion that returns a roster full of starters. The vagaries become even more of an unknown when it comes to a school like Illinois, which over-achieved last season to win its first outright Big Ten title since 1983.

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Replacing quarterback Kurt Kittner, one of the most productive players in school history, is a tall order. But there's good reason for optimism in Champaign. Not only does Ron Turner, who has gone 23-12 at Illinois the last three years since putting in a foundation, have athletic receivers and defensive backs, two areas where Illinois used to be woeful. The Illini are solid just about everywhere else.

They even have a promising pair of contenders to succeed Kurt Kittner. The favorite is Iowa transfer Jon Beutjer, but veteran backup Dustin Ward has shown he's capable of giving Turner an alternative, if not a starter, in case a hitch develops with Beutjer.

Making the quarterback's life easier will be an imposing corps of receivers, led by future NFLers Brandon Lloyd and Walter Young. With tackle Tony Pashos and running back Antoineo Harris back, Illinois also figures to have another competent running game.

On defense, coordinator Mike Cassity, who would have been the Big Ten assistant of the year last season if such an award were given, must replace bruising safeties Bobby Jackson and Muhammad Abdullah, but returns corners Eugene Wilson and Christian Morton, another pair of promising future pros.

Key game: As usual, Michigan, and never mind that it's the Big Ten opener. The Michigan game has set the tone for Illinois the last three years. Even last year, when the Illini shook off an early rout in Ann Arbor, they made a statement about their maturity and determination.

Keep an eye on: Middle linebacker Jerry Schumacher. He's poised for a big year in Cassity's tricky, aggressive scheme, which is a descendant of the 46 that propelled the Bears to a Super Bowl in 1985 under Buddy Ryan. With an offseason of film study, though, Big Ten teams might not be as befuddled as they were last year.

It's a good year if. . . Illinois remains competitive against the Big Ten's traditional powers and plays in a quality bowl. Winning the league again, with so many talented teams coming off disappointing campaigns, would move this program up to another level. Even 8-4 in this year's 12-game schedule would be heady stuff at a school that was in the doldrums until the Turner revival.

Herb Gould covers the Big Ten for the Chicago Sun-Times.