Offense fails to click in spring game

~ The Orange team, which included the starting defense, beat the Blue team 20-17.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Second-year Illinois football coach Ron Zook is glad he's got four more months to prepare his young team for the 2006 season.

"I just told them we're not ready to play, but then again we don't have to be ready to play," Zook said after the Illini's annual intrasquad spring game Saturday. "We still got some time, so we've got to continue to improve and get better."

Improvement will be the watchword this season for Illinois, which went 2-9 last year -- dropping its last nine games -- and 0-8 in the Big Ten while fielding one of the nation's youngest team. It returns 20 starters this fall, including senior quarterback Tim Brasic.

Brasic showed some early flashes Saturday, hitting Frank Lenti Jr. with a 51-yard first quarter touchdown pass for the Blue squad, comprised mostly of offensive starters. He also hit tight end J.R. Kraemer from 3 yards out after safety Justin Harrison picked off a Billy Garza pass and returned it 32 yards to the 9 yard line.

But the Orange squad -- made up of defensive starters -- clamped down in the second half, holding the starting offense to just two first downs and 67 yards of offense as the Orange team rallied from a 17-0 deficit to a 20-17 win.

Brasic, who completed eight of 18 passes for 95 yards, said the offense lost its rhythm in the second half.

"Our offense is a nice rhythm-type offense, and getting yards on first down really helps," Brasic said. "I don't know if we even got any positive yards on first down, and when you get behind the chains, you struggle."

Illinois might have a weapon this season if the offense stalls in the red zone, though. Kicker Jason Reda, who kicked for both squads, was perfect on the day, converting field goals of 28, 39 and 32 yards and hitting all four point-after attempts.

"There's no question Jason Reda can kick," Zook said. "He's gotten more and more confident and a little more consistent."

Garza helped the Orange squad's comeback with a 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jody Ellis and a 35-yard strike to running back Walter Mendenhall.