PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Tanner Morgan continued his solid play after coming off the bench to produce two solid quarters of play against Nebraska. The redshirt freshman is slated to start his first road game against dismal Illinois. Morgan, in his last six quarters of action, has completed 28-of-40 passes for 516 yards and three touchdowns for a 70 percent completion rate. He was 17-of-24 for 302 yards and three touchdowns against Indiana.
–WR Tyler Johnson could be a candidate for a big game against the Illini’s hapless defense. Johnson has nine career 100-yard games and is averaging 100.9 yards per game this season to rank ninth nationally.
–LB Carter Coughlin can pad his stats this week against the Illini. With the Illini struggling all season to move the ball, the Gophers can stack the box and force the issue. Coughlin’s sack against Indiana raised his season total to nine for the season, which is fifth in the country and leads the Big Ten.
–K Emmit Carpenter might have a chance to get a lot of chances against the Illini. Through eight games, he has made 9-of-12 field goals and all 24 of his point-after attempts.
SERIES HISTORY: Minnesota leads Illinois 38-29-3. Minnesota has won the last three meetings, including a 24-17 decision in Minneapolis last season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I don’t know if you’ll see a ton of changes schematically. Lovie’s been one of the best defensive coaches in the National Football League and just football in general in the last 20-some years. … He’ll be doing it his way. There’s going to be some wrinkles, some new things we have not seen.” — Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck on facing Illinois and coach Lovie Smith’s defense after Illini defensive coordinator Hardy Nickerson unexpectedly resigned on Monday.