On the third drive of the season opener at Illinois, head coach Sean Lewis called a play that would define the season and welcome in the new coaching staff. The ball was on the Illinois 44-yard line. It was fourth and nine, a down and distance in which most teams would punt.
But Lewis called a draw for sophomore quarterback Woody Barrett, and Barrett ran 20 yards up the middle to pick up the first down. Coach Lewis and junior center Nate Warnock both pointed to this same fourth down play in week one against Illinois.