On the hot seat with Illinois linebacker J Leman

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By Steve Batterson | Friday, October 27, 2006 1:04 AM CDT | () comments

University of illinois sports information J Leman, right, leads the Big Ten in tackles per game with 10.6.

After spending the summer mowing lawns for his family’s lawn care business, Illinois linebacker J Leman is raking up plenty of tackles this season. The junior leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth nationally with his average of 10.6 stops per game as part of a defense that has gone from allowing 470 yards per game a year ago to 298 this season.

On the improvements made by the Illini defense this season …

“We’re happy but not satisfied with what’s taken place. We’re doing a better job of getting off the field as quickly as we can, but at some point, you need to be rewarded with wins, and that hasn’t happened yet. We need to get more turnovers and not give up as many big plays. I do think we are responding better when we’re put in a bad spot, which is giving us a chance.’’

On what has allowed those improvements to happen …

“We’re tackling better, getting our arms around guys and bringing them down. That was an issue a year ago, and we’re doing a better job with the fundamentals of wrapping a guy up and bringing him down. We’ve been improving, but we know that we need to continue to improve.’’

On leading the Big Ten in tackles …

“That’s kind of cool, but it’s not something I went into the season thinking about. My main deal is for us to win games, and that’s really the only thing that’s going to make me and our entire team happy.’’

On graduating in August with a degree in speech communications, completing his course work in three years and where he plans to let that take him …

“I’ve always approached academics the same way I’ve approached football. I try to be aggressive and apply myself to the best of my abilities, and that is something that has worked well for me over time. I realize that I’m not always going to get to play football, so I understand that importance of getting it done in the classroom, too, and I’ve never shortchanged that.’’

On the best part about spending the summer

mowing lawns …

“That’s a great job, helping people make their homes and property look good. I enjoy being outside, and it’s great to be able to enjoy the sun and come back to practice with a good tan. It’s work, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a good kind of work.’’

On the challenge of defending Big Ten rushing leader P.J. Hill of Wisconsin this weekend…

“We’re excited about going up there. This looks like a typical Wisconsin team that wants to come out and run the ball right down your throat, and they’ve been pretty good at that. Hill, for a freshman, he’s a good back. He’s different than (Brian) Calhoun from a year ago, and he’s working behind a fantastic offensive line. That’s what really makes them go.’’