If you're an Illinois fan, then you're accustomed to amazing highs being followed in rapid-fire fashion by killer lows.

Remember when Mike White led the 1983 Illini to the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl? The 1984 team didn't go to a bowl due to NCAA probation, though the team's 7-4 record wouldn't have led to a spectacular postseason destination anyway.

Remember when Ron Turner led the 2001 Illini to the Big Ten title and the Sugar Bowl? The 2002 team went just 5-7 and stayed home.

Add Ron Zook's 2007 and 2008 seasons to this sad pattern. Fresh from a nine-win season and a trip to the Rose Bowl, the Illini managed to finish just 5-7 as they became a high-risk, high-reward crew that racked up tons of yards, turnovers and penalties.

Though the Illini outgained their opponents by 1,062 total yards, they outscored them by just 25 points because they suffered a minus-11 turnover margin and they had 216 more penalty yards.

Here's another example of Illinois' rollercoaster season: junior quarterback Juice Williams set stadium records for total yards at three venues (St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome, Michigan Stadium and Illinois' Memorial Stadium), but the Illini won just one of those games.

What else happened? Wide receiver Jeff Cumberland broke running back Mikel Leshoure's jaw the same day Illinois beat Iowa to move to 5-4. While Leshoure missed the rest of the year, Cumberland didn't miss a snap. Of course, the Illini didn't win any more games, either, and closed out their season with a 27-10 loss at Northwestern.

"The biggest thing I think we have to do is, we've got to try to put on finger on 'Why?'," Zook said after the Northwestern loss. "Everyone wants to know why and no one wants to know why more than myself. It's our job as a coaching staff. It's one of those things where we may never find out."

Because Illinois went from the Rose Bowl to no bowl with seemingly no explanation for the fall, everyone came in for their share of criticism. Zook, who just wrapped up his fourth year in Champaign, got torched for the team's undisciplined nature on and off the field -- and his own inability to manipulate the clock in late-game situations.

Nonetheless, despite losing nine senior starters, Illinois' talent level is only expected to increase. The Illini retain every skill player who did anything with the exception of 21-catch wideout Will Judson.

They also welcome Florida transfer Jarrod Fayson, a one-time five-star recruit who spent this fall as a dominant force on the scout team. When paired with Arrelious Benn (67 catches, 1,055 yards), Juice Williams will have little choice but to salivate at his options.

Illinois' fate, though, could be determined by how well the coaches fill the holes on the lines. The Illini lose three offensive linemen (including 2007 second-team All-Big Ten picks Xavier Fulton and Ryan McDonald) and three defensive linemen (including 2007 second-team pick Will Davis).

Illinois brought its entire staff intact for the 2008 season, but that might not be the case for 2009. Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley interviewed recently for Clemson's top job and he figures to interview for others if the Tigers don't nab him.

SEASON RECAP

Missouri 52, Illinois 42 -- The 20th-ranked Illini took a brief lead in the second quarter on Derek Walker's interception return for a score, but a 99-yard return by Jeremy Maclin on the ensuing kickoff triggered a 21-point explosion that helped the sixth-ranked Tigers prevail in St. Louis. Juice Williams tried to rally the Illini late and finished with a career-high five touchdowns and 451 yards.

Illinois 47, Eastern Illinois 21 -- Juice Williams broke his own record for single-game rushing yards by a quarterback (174), ran for two touchdowns and threw for a third as the Illini broke out to a 47-7 lead against their Football Championship Subdivision neighbors to the south. WR Arrelious Benn added his first two career rushing TDs as the Illini ran for 399 yards and set a Ron Zook-era record for points.

Illinois 20, Louisiana-Lafayette 17 -- Middle linebacker Brit Miller stripped ULL QB Michael Desormeaux and returned it 27 yards to build a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. The rout seemed to be on, but the Illini offense struggled, and the defense allowed two late scores to make things close. Junior RB Dan Dufrene ran for a career-high 127 yards and scored the offense' lone TD to lead the way.

Penn State 38, Illinois 24 - Juice Williams hooked up with Arrelious Benn for touchdowns of 33 and 54 yards, but Illinois squandered an early 14-7 lead as Penn State's Derrick Williams became the first player in the Joe Paterno era to score touchdowns via the rush, pass and kick return in the same game.

Illinois 45, Michigan 20 -- Junior QB Juice Williams set a Michigan Stadium record with 431 total yards as the Illini scored 28 straight points to erase a 14-3 first-quarter deficit. Williams also became the first player in Illinois history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game. He had two touchdowns on the ground and two through the air.

Minnesota 27, Illinois 20 -- Illinois lost two fumbles inside its own 10-yard line that turned into Minnesota touchdowns, as former Illini All-Big Ten tight end Tim Brewster earned the biggest win of his short head-coaching career during his alma mater's homecoming. For the second week in a row, Illini QB Juice Williams set a single-game stadium record for total yards. He threw for 462 and rushed for 41 for a career-high 503 total yards.

Illinois 55, Indiana 13 -- With QB Juice Williams producing four touchdowns and true freshman RB Jason Ford rushing for 172 yards and three scores, the Illini set a school record for points in a Big Ten game at Memorial Stadium. WR Arrelious Benn set a school record with his fourth straight 100-yard receiving game.

Wisconsin 27, Illinois 17 -- The Illini took a 17-10 lead early in the third quarter on Juice Williams' second TD pass of the day, but the Badgers reeled off the game's final 17 points as Williams tossed his second and third interceptions. Illinois' defense couldn't stop quarterback Dustin Sherer's hookups with receiver David Gilreath, particularly on a 49-yard catch and run TD that saw dime back Nate Bussey whiffed on a tackle at the 30.

Western Michigan 23, Illinois 17 -- For the second time in three years, Illinois lost to a Mid-American Conference squad, as the Broncos turned both of Juice Williams' second-quarter interceptions into touchdowns. Williams threw for 328 yards and one score, but WMU QB Tim Hiller scorched the Illini for 301 passing yards and two scores without a pick.

Illinois 27, Iowa 24 -- Matt Eller kicked a 46-yard field goal in the final minute to push Illinois past the Hawkeyes. The Illini had just 60 yards rushing but converted 7-of-15 third downs. Juice Williams had 302 total yards; Illinois had 332 as a team.

Ohio State 30, Illinois 20 -- The Illini outgained the 11th-ranked Buckeyes by 101 total yards, but two Juice Williams' first-half turnovers led to Ohio State touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Bucks rushed for 305 yards and three scores as the Illini failed in their second chance to become bowl-eligible.

Northwestern 27, Illinois 10 -- Needing a win to become bowl-eligible, most of the Illini's warts showed up one final time. Despite big yardage from QB Juice Williams (212 passing, 94 rushing), Illinois committed more turnovers, more penalties and allowed a big play on special teams (a 51-yard punt return) to set up the Wildcats' clinching score.

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