CHAMPAIGN — Shallow crosses.
That's the type of route Illinois offensive coordinator Rod Smith wanted to try to utilize in the Illini passing game to get Ricky Smalling involved more in the offense. Let the sophomore wide receiver put his athleticism to work in a high percentage situation.
It worked in Saturday's 55-31 victory against Minnesota at Memorial Stadium.
Smalling tied his season high with four receptions against the Gophers and set a new season high with 86 receiving yards. Most of that total came on Smalling's 67-yard second-quarter touchdown.
On a crossing route.
Illinois quarterback AJ Bush Jr.