New Illinois coach can attest to Carder’s skill

Beckman-coached Toledo 66, Western Michigan 63.

“When I saw that, I was like, ‘Coach, what happened?’” Spence said. “He didn’t really have much to say about it.”

Beckman and the Illini know what they’re jumping into when they take on returning Western Michigan quarterback Alex Carder in the season opener Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Last season as a junior, Carder threw for 548 yards and seven touchdowns against Toledo in a Mid-American Conference game and 306 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a 23-20 Illinois victory. Carder ranked sixth in the country with 27.5 completions per game and eighth with 322.75 yards per game last season.

“They kept us off balance the whole time with the quick game,” Spence said the meeting against the Broncos in September. “It was hard for us up front to get a pass rush because we would engage a guy and then end up having to turn around and run down the field.”

Defensive end Michael Buchanan stressed disrupting Carder’s flow this time, if potential storms don’t do it for the Illini.

“Getting our hands up, getting batted balls and trying to get pressure quickly on him because they’re so up-tempo and so fast it’s going to be hard for our guys in the secondary,” he said.

That up-tempo pace could test the Illini’s depth, an area of concern for Beckman since he arrived. The Illini have had injuries at linebacker and safety.

“We have to keep fresh bodies out there so we can rush the passer and we can also get the routes covered,” Beckman said.

Illinois will be without defensive end Justin Staples, who is serving a suspension after being arrested on a DUI charge in February. Junior Tim Kynard, whom Beckman has known since Kynard was in high school in Toledo, Ohio, has taken first-team reps. Spence said he was more physical and cut down on mistakes in camp.

“Timmy has stepped up too,” Beckman said. “He realized Justin Staples isn’t going to be involved in this football game. He knows there’s more on his plate.”