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The Daily Illini www.DailyIllini.com
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Vol. 142 Issue 131
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Illini running backs adjusting to new system BY SEAN HAMMOND STAFF WRITER
Donovonn Young is expecting big plays. Last season, the Illinois running back amassed more than 9 percent of his total rushing yards on one play. His 52-yard run in the Big Ten opener against Penn State was by far his longest of the season. He wants to see more of that from himself in his junior campaign next fall. And under new offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, it’s looking like he and his fellow running backs will get more chances to do so. “Last year was more of a spread offense,” running back Dami Ayoola said. “The running backs were more involved in the passing game than the running game. It was more of a pass-first offense and we had to protect more. (Cubit’s offense) is simpler, more involved in the run game with more downhill runs.” Ayoola said there have been fewer zones reads — with the quarterback deciding whether to hand the ball off or keep it — and more straight handoffs, where the running backs will know whether they’re getting the ball. Young feels this offense fits his style of play better because he does not consider himself a sideto-side runner. He likened Cubit’s offense to what Illinois ran during his freshman season under then-
offensive coordinator Paul Petrino. The running back position is one of the more experienced positions for the Illini. Young, sophomore Josh Ferguson and Ayoola all received playing time in 2012. The trio combined for nearly twothirds of the Illini running game, albeit the team compiled a lessthan-impressive 1,534 yards. Running backs coach Tim Salem is positive about the running back’s progression this spring. But unlike Young, he’s not worried about the big play. “Sometimes a 4-yard run is a good thing,” Salem said. “Quit thinking about the big 80-yard run and just get us the 4-yard run. If you do four-yard runs, four-timesthree, last time I checked is how much? By my math, it’s 12, and 12 gets a first down.” The emphasis for Salem and Cubit has been taking it right at the defense. There have been more downhill runs and more two-back runs. The tempo has also been increased under Cubit, and Salem has stressed to his running backs that they need to be the most conditioned players on the team. Young said he feels like he’s gotten upfield better this spring. “I’ve finally got my feet back, and I’ve been making cuts,” he said. “They look pretty sweet, but (the coaches) always harp on running downhill, and I think I did a
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Late practice open Friday The Illinois football team will hold its 12th of 15 spring practices Friday at Memorial Stadium, and it will be open to the public. Practice begins at 5:30 p.m. and will end at approximately 7:30. Illinois football is expecting a large number of high school coaches to be in attendance as part of the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Clinic. Friday’s open practice comes one week after the Illini traveled to Gately Field in Chicago for a practice last Friday. It also comes one week before the Spring Game, which will be held April 12 at Memorial Stadium beginning at 8 p.m. More online: Visit DailyIllini.com for more
information and an onair story on Illinois football’s new defensive system.
Illinois’ Donovonn Young is tackled during a game against Purdue at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 17.
lot better job today.” Salem said Ferguson has “worked his fanny off” in the weight room since the spring semester started, even though he did not practice Wednesday because of a tweaked ankle. He
is expected to be back on the field Friday. Salem was also impressed by Ayoola’s improved pass blocking, an undervalued skill for a running back. The Illini have four spring practices left (including the Spring
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DARYL QUITALIG THE DAILY ILLINI
Game), and Ayoola feels he has the same chip on his shoulder as Young. “We need to show (the coaches) that we can make big-time plays,” he said. Young is confident in his big-
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play ability. But when the 2013 season rolls around, he and his running mates will have to back up their claims with results.
Sean can be reached at sphammo2@ dailyillini.com and @sean_hammond.
Libertarian Gary Johnson shares views with campus BY ELEANOR BLACK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
KENDALL MCCAUGHERTY THE DAILY ILLINI
Winston Feng, a junior and member of the break dancing crew Floor Lovers Illinois. They will compete against other crews from across the nation for a $1000 grand prize at the Illini Union this Saturday.
Citizen Police Academy resumes informational programs BY ARIELL CARTER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Citizen Police Academy will resume its informational programs on law enforcement April 11. The academy is made up of the Champaign County police departments and the Police Training Institute, teaching participants about topics ranging from K-9 demos to a police ride-along. Michael Schlosser, director of the Police Training Institute and academy coordinator, said the institute has been hosting the academy for 20 years, giving Champaign-Urbana residents the chance to take a closer look at how law enforcement works. One of the academy’s goals is to give citizens the chance to have a
better understanding of how the departments work, Schlosser said. “It’s not just about the citizens understanding the police,” he said. “It’s also about the police being able to interact with the citizens and see what’s important to them.” Academy meetings will be held weekly, discussing a different topic each evening. Urbana Chief of Police Pat Connolly has taught one session each year for 15 years and said his drug identification session gives residents a better understanding of street drugs and paraphernalia. In his session, he shows attendees an example of a drug commonly covered in the media to demonstrate what they are and how they’re measured.
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“I show them things like how marijuana is packaged so that parents can see what it looks like and be able to recognize it,” Connolly said. Connolly teaches a similar session at the Police Training Institute, where students attend three sessions to absorb the information he teaches at the academy in one. Kimberlie Kranich, director of community content and engagement for Illinois Public Media, attended last year’s academy sessions to gain a greater understanding of how the police force operates and said she will encourage her staff to attend this year. “What they show (of police) on TV and how it actually is are two completely different things,” Kranich said.
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She said building relationships with the police helps the community better understand what they report at WILL-TV. Kranich said she shared what she learned with WILL staff to improve its news coverage. “At WILL, we try to hold up a mirror to the community,” she said. “We don’t cover crime, but we cover its context, and to cover it we have to build relationships with people in the community.” Classes are held Thursdays at 6 p.m., and the instruction will be provided by offi cers of different agencies.
Ariell can be reached at news@ dailyillini.com.
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Gary Johnson, 2012 Libertarian presidential candidate, addressed about 200 students and community members at Foellinger Auditorium, giving the Libertarian perspective on U.S. policy issues. Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, spoke Wednesday about how government policies, such as gun control, gay marriage, the drug war, immigration and foreign policy, will affect University students. “You’re going to take it on the chin for everything that’s happening today. And it’s grossly unfair. And I think that you recognize it,” he said. He also spoke about his anger toward the two major parties. “I think Republicans, historically, have been pretty fiscally responsible, but I don’t think they’d know a civil liberty if it bit them on the ass,” he said. “Democrats are supposed to be good on civil liberties ... they’re not so good at it. And they couldn’t balance a checkbook to save their lives.” He said he believed that most Americans share this view and that those in office at the national level are detached from the citizens they represent. “There’s a big disconnect too, between those that are in office, running for office, and those that are actually just citizens,” Johnson said. “(Whether you are) registered either Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian. For the most part, we’re just looking for good people with rounded ideas.” Judge Jim Gray, Johnson’s former running mate, also spoke at the event. He focused on the issues of the federal government’s power, the drug war, U.S. intervention in international conflicts, healthcare, education and the two-party system bogging down his party. “I deeply believed that had we been invited to participate in the three presidential debates ... then we would have probably won the election,” Gray said. “They (the
See JOHNSON, Page 3A
“More than anything, we want to get people talking and get people interested in the ideas that we already care about.” DAN HUMBRECHT, Young Americans For Liberty President
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