Fighting Illini quarterback comparable to Kellen Lewis

When IU’s defense takes the field against Illinois on Saturday, they’ll get an idea of what it’s like trying to stop Hoosiers’ quarterback Kellen Lewis.\nThat’s because the Illini have a dual-threat play caller of their own, sophomore Isiah “Juice” Williams. \n“Juice is an awfully good football player,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “I think the biggest thing compared to Kellen is he’s a bigger, more physical guy. He can really run through tackles and get that extra yard, and he’s also not afraid to scramble around the line of scrimmage before he throws it.”\nLike Lewis, Williams is a threat to run the ball on any given play. He’s averaging more than four yards per carry and has two rushing touchdowns, numbers similar to Lewis’s 7.5 yards per carry and three rushing touchdowns. Lynch said because the quarterbacks have a similar style of play, both defenses have an idea of what to expect come game time.\n“We’re still not too far removed from all those spring practices and all those preseason camps when you’re going against each other,” Lynch said. “And our defense has had to contend with Kellen all that time, very much like their defense has had to contend with Juice.”\nLike their style of play, Lewis and Williams have had similar starts to their careers. Both are sophomores, both won the starting quarterback job midway through last season and both have seemed to significantly improve as quarterbacks. \nSenior captain and cornerback Tracy Porter, who faced Williams last year in Champaign, Ill., said on film, Williams looks to be better than before.\n“He developed more mobility; he can escape the pocket better than he did last year,” Porter said. “He’s always had a strong arm, but for the most part he’s improved the little things.”\nLynch complimented Williams as being a leader for the Illini and credited Illinois’s offensive scheme for utilizing his talents well. However, Lynch also said thinks Lewis is markedly better than a year ago.\n“I think the biggest thing (Lewis) has done is he’s really played within himself,” Lynch said. “He’s got a great awareness of when to throw it, when to get rid of it, when to run, but he hasn’t just taken off and not played within the framework of the offense. He’s there to throw the ball first – and he does a pretty good job of it.”\nBecause of their similar styles of play and their joint improvement, Lewis and Williams have gained a mutual respect for one another.\n“I feel like Juice may be a little bit more patient in the pocket than me,” Lewis said. “Sometimes, I get a little quick-footed and want to get out of the pocket. As far as similarities go, we both kind of take what the defense gives us, when Juice has to use his legs, he uses his legs, and when I have to use my legs, I use mine.”\nWilliams said in a teleconference that he enjoys watching Lewis play and thinks his Illini defense will have trouble stopping him.\n“With a guy like that, it’s hard to stop,” Williams said. “The best you can do is contain him and slow him down as much as possible. He has so many weapons and so many things he can do.”