When the Illinois football team splits into Orange and White teams and takes the field for the annual Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, one team will start the game with a double-digit lead.

The White team will hold a 17-0 lead when Saturday’s game kicks off. The deficit was created to determine whether the players on each team can overcome obstacles or defend a lead when games actually matter.

“There’s really a sense of urgency,” said offensive coordinator Bill Cubit. “You can’t just go up there and kind of just walk through it, because if the other team scores, now you need four scores, so that’s a difficult spot to put those guys in, which is exactly what you want.”

The teams were decided on Monday and divided based on position on the depth chart. The starters (ones) will play on the Orange team while the twos and threes will play on the White team. Offensive line coach Tom Brattan will coach the Orange and linebackers, coach Al Seamonson will coach the White, while the rest of the coaching staff is split between the two teams.

Illinois will have 14 players out with injury, which was the same amount in last year’s game. Because of the lack in depth, some players will play for both teams. Freshman quarterback Chayce Crouch, junior transfer running back Henry Enyenihi and offensive linemen Patrick Flavin and Zach Heath will switch uniforms at halftime and play for the other team to get a different look.

Due to lack of depth, the defensive linemen will wear blue jerseys and play for both teams. The thin depth chart hasn’t slowed down the progress of the line and the entire defense. The unit was hitting on all cylinders at the end of last season and were key to late-season wins that ultimately landed Illinois in the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. Even though the defense hasn’t been perfect, the coaching staff agrees that the improvements made over the spring will be visible this season.

“I think this defense has progressed tremendously from where it ended up last year,” said head coach Tim Beckman. “Our defensive front, the way they’re pursuing the football, the way they’re attacking the quarterback on the pass rush has been outstanding,”

There will be a normal clock for the first three quarters and a running clock in the fourth except for the last two minutes. The teams will start on the 27-yard line instead of kicking off and all punts will be fair caught. Field goals and extra points will be kicked with no rush and the quarterbacks are not to be hit.

John Holecek, Rick Mitchem, Corey Liuget and Darrick Brownlow will be honorary coaches during the game. The Illini will also welcome Hayden Schaumburg as the guest head coach. The Watseka, Illinois, native suffered a broken neck and a compressed spinal cord during a high school football game in the fall.

As always, bragging rights will not be the only thing on the line. The winner of the game will receive steaks on Monday — something the defensive line is already looking forward to — while the losers will have “beans and weenies.” While the players will be focused on winning the steaks and impressing the Memorial Stadium crowd, Beckman is eager for the opportunity his players have with the annual game.

“This is a fun time for our student-athletes and I’m excited about how far we’ve progressed in 12 practices,” Beckman said. “I’m excited to enable these players to have a say in the members that are on their team, to try to get an idea of who they want to be with and what they want to be involved with and who they feel has made strides this spring.”

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