Tomorrow begins the second half of the season for Rutgers football in what is a pivotal game against Big Ten West opponent Illinois. They are undergoing a similar process in rebuilding their program with a first year coach. Lovie Smith wasn’t hired until early March, which isn’t ideal for any coach taking over a program, especially since this is his first head job in college football. Illinois has struggled this season with a 1-4 record and are looking to rebound after an overtime loss to Purdue last week.
I was able to speak with Trevor Vallese (@TVallese) from SB Nation’s Illinois blog, The Champaign Room to find out more about Rutgers opponent this week.