Tomorrow is the day Illinois football fans have been waiting for since Ron Zook was hired nine months ago.

To say the coach is as excited as the fans may just be an understatement.

“I’m excited to get started,” Zook said at a press conference Tuesday. “Our football team is excited; they are looking forward to it. Our coaching staff is looking forward to it.”

But it may be that no one is looking forward to it as much as Zook. Zook said he’s been aching to compete, and while he will always take more practice time, he would like to test this team on the field.

There’s a lot to look at. Starting quarterback Tim Brasic hasn’t seen real game time since high school. Illinois brings only four starting seniors to the field. And with a new offensive coordinator and a mostly new coaching staff, there will be a fresh look on the field.

But Zook says the players have put in the preseason work that should translate to good things.

“I told my players when I first saw them that our concern is the first ball game and the first kickoff,” Zook said. “We continue to believe and understand that any football game or any season there is going to be adversity with teams.”

Coming off two seasons with one Big Ten win between them, the Illini have a number of strengths. The quickened tempo is certain to be one of the main improvements fans will see on the field. A stronger offense is another.

“We have a lot of playmakers on offense, from the quarterbacks to the running backs,” said center Matt Maddox. “With the playmakers we have, if we get them the ball, and don’t hurt ourselves with turnovers, sacks, or penalties, we’ll be fine.”

More than anything, though, the players are motivated by the pressure fans and critics have put on them.

“Opening up at home we want to go out and show our fans that we are a different team and a team that is going to be competitive and win games,” said defensive tackle Ryan Matha.

But Illinois knows Rutgers will be tough to beat. The Scarlet Knights are rebuilding, but they’re farther along than the Illini. Rutgers returns 16 starters, giving them experience Illinois knows it does not have.

But Zook looks at the youth as an advantage, and a chance to build.

“There are a lot of young faces out there, a lot of young guys playing,” Zook said. “Like I said in the beginning, it was going to be important for us as a coaching staff to try and lead them even though we aren’t on the field with them. It’s important that we try and lead them as a coaching staff. We are going to be all revved up and excited, also.”

While the Illini want the win, Zook says its improvement he’s most hoping for from his team.

The players, though, are just ready to get back in action.

“It’s fun to finally strap up for some games,” Maddox said. “We’ve had a lot of practices and a lot of time this spring and summer to get adjusted to the new offense. We’ve still got some things to work on before the game and adjust to Rutgers a little bit better, but we’re all really excited to get ready to play.”