Lunney, staff put their clever caps on ahead of Nashville game

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Dec. 19—CHAMPAIGN — Last time Barry Lunney Jr. called plays in a game was Nov. 29. Next time will be Dec. 30.

That's a month and a day between gigs, Plenty of time for the four-year Illinois offensive coordinator to get his creative juices flowing.

"You always try to not be too predictable, but not get outside of who you are," Lunney said Thursday at the Smith Center. "I think that's a fine line and a fine balance I'm always trying to juggle for us.

"We are kind of who we are at this point. Our strengths are strengths, our weaknesses are weaknesses. It's my job to mask that, dress that up and let's go play the game the best way we possibly can."

Illinois will need the coach and his guys at their best when they face 8-4 Tennessee in the Music City Bowl at Nashville's Nissan Stadium.

The orange-clad Volunteers (sounds familiar), fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks after the season and are working with interim coordinator William Inge. Josh Heupel made a flashy hire for Banks' full-time replacement, luring former Ohio State and Penn State defensive boss Jim Knowles. He is not working the bowl, but he will doubtless have suggestions for his new team.

Lunney and the Illinois staff have been studying oodles of Tennessee film, trying to learn what they can.

"You get a lot of film on opponents this time of year, they have a lot of film on us," Lunney said. "Watch and develop a lot of information and then make your best guess what you're going to see in the bowl game. That's no different than it usually is. Seventy-five percent of the game is probably things that you expect and there's always a wrinkle on both sides of the ball. You've just got to be able to adapt and hope your system has answers for wrinkles that you can see."

When he looks at the Vols, Lunney notes a defense that is "really athletic. They cover a lot of space. They fly around. You watch the film, and it's really an impressive group."

Lunney's offense will play the Music City Bowl without its best lineman, All-Big Ten tackle J.C. Davis, who opted out as he gets ready for the NFL draft.

There might be more than one player filling in for Davis against the Vols.

"There's a lof of combinations that's available for us," Luney said. "The next man up mentality. I think it's a good opportunity."

Luke Altmyer is going to start at quarterback. Bowl practices have offered a chance for backups Carson Boyd and Ethan Hampton to get practice reps.

Whoever is on the field for Illinois will likely be facing a hostile crowd. Tennessee's campus is less than a three-hour drive from Nissan Stadium. If you've wandered by Memorial Stadium during the season, you realize Illinois practices with speakers blaring, simulating the conditions away from home.

"You've got to treat it kind of like a road game," Lunney said. "I know we'll have a nice contingent there. I think it will probably be a little bit more skewed than it was last year toward the other team. Obviously being in their back yard. We've just got to be prepared for that."

Clip 'n save

A year ago, I correctly picked Ohio State, which opened the College Football Playoff as the No. 8 seed, would win the whole enchilada. Yes, I'm continuing to pat myself on the back while pointing out I missed only one of 11 games (spoiler alert: picking Buckeyes to win it all again after a Big Ten title game rematch with Indiana in the CFP final).

I think it is fair to say the expanded College Football Playoff is a smash success.

Sure, there were some lopsided games the first year. And some format choices that needed some tweaking. But it was an aesthetic and financial hit.

With more to come.

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