Get Me the Juice and Cut Him Loose

McGee to start at QB for Illinois
By Adam Rittenberg/ESPN.com

After a 1-3 start, Illinois has decided to make a change at quarterback.

Senior Juice Williams has been benched in favor of junior Eddie McGee for this week's game against Michigan State, Fighting Illini head coach Ron Zook announced on his radio show Monday morning. McGee, who has filled in for Williams multiple times during the past three seasons, will make his first career start against the Spartans.

Zook said Sunday on a conference call with reporters that he was considering changes at every position, including quarterback. Williams is a four-year starter and the Big Ten's most experienced quarterback, but he has struggled this season, ranking last in the league in pass efficiency (101) and throwing four interceptions and only one touchdown.

McGee is 19-for-30 for 211 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions on the season. He has appeared in 19 games in his career.

"Believe me, this is not all on Juice," Zook said on his show. "The poor guy has at times played extremely well, but the thing you try to do in athletics is you're trying to get a spark.

"This is not a knee-jerk reaction. This is a lot of thought and what-if, what-if, what-if. But the bottom line is we're in a part of our schedule now where we've got to go play."

Williams, who has made 38 consecutive starts, became Illinois' career total offense leader last Saturday against Penn State. He led the team to the 2008 Rose Bowl and set total offense records in three stadiums last fall before a steady decline.

It's rare when you get to see a falling star. We've all seen one in Juice Williams. Let's go back to the 2007 Rose Bowl. Illinois has just finished an unbelievable season with a win against Ohio State.

Well, Illinois got smashed in that Rose Bowl by USC and seemingly the team has never been the same. The Illini lost Rashad Mendenhall after the runner left early (seemingly because of a rift with Zook), but that doesn't really explain the dropoff. I've been a regular Juice Williams/Regis Benn apologist but I'm washing my hands of them now. Thank God Kelsey wouldn't trade me Benn for James Rogers.

And while Ron Zook won't say it, I will - Juice Williams is a bum.