Illinois is still in the middle of learning its new defensive language, and for the linebackers, the job description is a little different than what most players are used to.
Assistant Roger Cooper, who coaches the two off-ball outside linebackers, said the system leans heavily on feel and instinct. Cooper, a first-year Illinois assistant and former All-American linebacker at Montana State in the early 2000s, described the scheme as one that asks linebackers to read the action in front of them and react fast rather than simply locking into fixed assignments.
"I would say it's this compared to any other scheme would just be, it's kind of about feel," Cooper said. "I'd say there's not exact places to be.
It's about seeing cloudy and clear space in front of you. It's about seeing it as a running back.
So for the guys off the ball, they're seeing it just as the running back sees it. They're understanding what's in front of them, and then they're taking their chances when they see clear, they're taking off.
If it's cloudy, they're skipping gaps and staying at depth and then being Band-Aids."
Cooper also made clear that the defense is still very much in the installation phase. Bobby Hauck's staff, much of it imported from Montana, spent the spring teaching the system, and Illinois' defensive staff is continuing to add to it ahead of the Sept. 3 season opener against UAB.
The terminology has been new, but Cooper said the structure of the defense - and the freedom it gives the linebackers - has made the transition a fun one for the position group.
That came after Illinois worked through a long Monday practice on the grass fields east of Memorial Stadium following a day off on Sunday. With the heat turned up, the team went through stretching, special teams work and positional drills during the portion of practice available to local reporters.
Afterward, media members spoke with assistants Corey Parker and Roger Cooper, along with players Pat Farrell, Mac Resetich and Ismael Kante. One of the other notable items from the day was the return of a four-star freshman.
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