Column: Illinois' pass defense must be exploited

With the scorching afternoon sun reaching its peak and the humidity in the air becoming as thick as the climate of a South American jungle, IU’s offensive linemen competed in a drill that pushed players to the brink of their mental toughness.

One by one, each lineman revved to full speed before applying a punishing hit on a foam-filled tackling dummy.

The drill is a cruel version of the age-old up-down drill.

Witnessing the drill, I fully expected to see at least one player throw in the towel and walk off the field.

But it didn’t happen.

There was a resolve evident in each player, a surprising attribute in a program known more for losing than anything else.

But where did this fire come from?

There are a multitude of answers, but the most notable might be IU’s failure to win a Big Ten Conference game in eight attempts.

The streak has continued into this season. IU Coach Kevin Wilson’s squad lost its first three conference contests, dropping the Hoosiers to 0-11 against conference foes during Wilson’s tenure.

Where does the failure end and the success begin?

This Saturday’s tilt with Illinois at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill., is, undoubtedly, Wilson’s best shot at notching the first Big Ten win as head coach.

The Fighting Illini, under the direction of first-year Head Coach Tim Beckman, have, like the Hoosiers, begun their season with a 2-5 mark through seven games.

Beckman’s team has also dropped its first three conference games, each in an ugly fashion — Illinois has been outscored 111-21 in Big Ten play.

A defense tearing at the seams has been the root cause of Illinois’ struggles in 2012, and there’s one area of that porous defense IU will exploit for four quarters.

Illinois ranks 110th nationally in passing efficiency defense, allowing 8.3 yards per completion.

Against an IU offense that prides itself on moving the ball through the air, the Fighting Illini defense will find keeping the Hoosiers off the scoreboard a difficult task.

Illinois’ first encounter with a pass-heavy team ended with a devastating result.

Louisiana Tech, which ranks eighth nationally in passing offense, combined 284 passing yards with six Illinois turnovers to walk off the turf at Memorial Stadium with a 52-24 victory.

Bulldogs quarterback Colby Cameron averaged 12.9 yards per completion against the Fighting Illini despite completing just 15 passes during the course of 60 minutes.

Cameron’s ability to maximize the efficiency of each of his completions should have IU sophomore quarterback Cameron Coffman drooling. The matchup provides the opportunity for a career day, as well as IU’s first conference victory in the Kevin Wilson era.

My prediction: IU 35, Illinois 21

­— ckillore@indiana.edu