Following their Oct. 8 loss at Indiana, head coach Ron Zook eased off of the accelerator because he wanted his team to have something left for the final five games of the season. The Illini jump back into action against Penn State and then face Wisconsin and Ohio State the following two weeks.

Three straight Top 25 opponents for a team that has lost four straight games would appear to be too much to handle. This week's game against Penn State represents perhaps the most difficult assignment of the year. The resurgent Nittany Lions are 6-1 and are the No. 12 team in the country.

Joe Paterno's team is also very angry, coming off a last-second 27-25 loss to Michigan. If the Nittany Lions had been able to prevent Chad Henne's TD pass to Mario Manningham on the final play of the game, the Nittany Lions would still be in contention for a potential BCS berth.

Look for Penn State to come into Memorial Stadium in an angry mood. They have added significant speed on offense and that has allowed them to put together big plays on a regular basis. The backbone of the team remains the defense.

Illinois has gotten improved play from QB Tim Brasic, but the running game as been below expectations. Illinois is ranked 11th in the Big Ten in rushing with 155.5 yards per game.

That is disconcerting to running backs coach Reggie Mitchell and Zook. With a trio of running backs that includes Pierre Thomas, E.B. Halsey and freshman Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois should have the ability to move the ball on the ground and most importantly, keep opposing offenses off the field. That has not happened yet.

If they can't put together a decent ground game against Penn State, another loss is likely.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Even with the change in the coaching staff, the Illini continues to struggle on defense. The problems remain the same. The defense is often in the wrong position and tackling is a major problem because players don't wrap up opposing ball carriers. The one positive has been the play of LB J Leman, who hustles all over the field and plays with passion.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's excellent working with those two guys. E.B., his running style is unbelievable. He reminds me of Barry Sanders with the cuts and making guys miss. Rashard, he's a big guy. When I first saw him come in, I was like, `This boy's going to do something.' He's going to be an amazing back in years to come." -- Illinois RB Pierre Thomas on fellow RBs E.B. Halsey and Rashard Mendenhall

PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB Pierre Thomas -- He has rushed for 369 yards and three touchdowns. The Illini need Thomas to become a big-play threat and he has just been a decent performer. Thomas is averaging 5.1 yards per carry so Ron Zook needs to make a concerted effort to get him the ball.

QB Tim Brasic -- He has completed 132-of-206 passes for 1,271 yards with seven TDs and seven interceptions. Brasic is really not getting much help from the running game or the team's ordinary crew of wide receivers. He is hanging in there and is playing very respectable football.

LB J Leman -- He is a hard hitter who forced a fumble at Indiana. Leman has 30 tackles, 2.5 TFL and two forced fumbles. He is one of the few Illini defenders who plays with emotion every game.

DB Kevin Mitchell -- The leading Illini tackler with 35 stops. He also has two TFL and two passes defensed.

ROSTER REPORT: SS Morris Virgil is recovering from a shoulder injury and should be much stronger than he has been when he lines up against Penn State. ... OT J.J. Simmons is recovering from the knee injury he suffered Oct. 1 at Iowa and is still not 100 percent. ... Quarterbacks Sharriff Abdullah (suspension) and Kisan Flakes (suspension) are sidelined indefinitely.