CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- During tackle Rob Bains first two seasons at Illinois, the defense he was part of lacked an identity.Statistically, it was the Big Tens worst in a number of categories, and a key reason the Illini won 10 games combined in 2013 and 14.Lovie Smiths best Chicago defenses were creators of chaos -- picking off passes, forcing fumbles and scoring points. Smith hopes some of that brand of NFL defense pays off at Illinois, where he will coach his first game Saturday against Murray State.That philosophy is distilled in one symbol hanging on the teams meeting room wall. Its a football on a spring, mounted on plaque that bears the words STRIP, PUNCH, YANK and, above them all, TAKEAWAYS.We talk a lot about takeaways, Smith said. Defensive players dont come through the doors unless they hit (the ball).For Bain, defensive identity starts with Smiths Tampa 2, essentially the same base defense the Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers ran when he was in charge of those teams and played by defensive legends like Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice and John Lynch -- players the Illini say they now regularly watch clips of. Bain says linemen will need to be disruptors, creating opportunities for the players behind them.When you have a defensive line, just a defense designed to constantly get pressure on the quarterback and put the offense in hectic situations, I think that its definitely a big advantage and benefit to the secondary, where they can kind of just sit back, see whats going on, he said. And theres more opportunities for them to make plays.Illinois defense has frequently been a liability the past few seasons.In 2013 and 2014 it was at or near the back of the conference in points given up, often leaving the Illini offense to try to outgun high-scoring opponents.Similarly, the Illini didnt create many turnovers those years, finishing with a minus-10 turnover ratio in 2013 and minus-3 in 2014.Last season was better, with 21 total turnovers, four more than the offense gave up.But at their best, Smiths Bears were turnover machines. The 2004 and 2005 teams both allowed fewer than 20 points a game. Between them those teams forced 63 turnovers and scored nine touchdowns over 32 regular season games.Through training camp, a lot of the talk among Illini players focused on Bain and the rest of the line: fellow tackle Chunky Clements and defensive ends Carroll Phillips and Dawuane Smoot. Between them they had 36.5 tackles for losses and 12.5 sacks, with eight of those sacks Smoots.They say they believe they can be one of the best lines in the country.After facing them in practice, Illinois quarterback Wes Lunt thinks theyre ready to create the kind of disruption Bain talked about.Were going against a great defensive line every day. When theyre in your face and its more game-like, youve got to react to it and get the ball out of your hands, he said.Late in one of the last days of preseason camp, a ball thrown to a cross-field receiver popped high in the air. A defender somewhere along the way got a touch with a hand or an arm or a helmet. From behind the end zone it wasnt clear what body part or even which defender was responsible in the mass of bodies swarming the ball.The ball came down and a defender pulled it in. It was one of those hectic moments Bain mentioned and the defense has the ball.More or less all defensive philosophies are the same -- everyones got to be accountable for their gaps, Bain explained. But I think this defense hones in especially on everyone running to the ball, the effort, the attitude, and everyone being playmakers.---Follow David Mercer on Twitter: (at)davidmercerAP---Online:AP College football: http://collegefootball.ap.org/ Wholesale Air Max For Sale . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Cheap Wholesale Air Max . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said. http://www.airmaxauthentic.com/ . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. Wholesale Air Max China . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. Cheap Wholesale Air Max Shoes . LOUIS -- St. Do you want big names? Big numbers? Big personalities? Welcome to All-Time #MLBRank, our ranking of the top 100 players in baseball history.To create our list, an ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups of 162 players, based on both peak performance and career value.The top 100 will roll out next week. This week, we bring you the top 10 at each position. Thursday brings the top 10 infielders by position of all time, followed by pitchers and catchers on Friday.Have fun!TOP 10 CATCHERSJoin the discussion by using the #MLBRank hashtag, and follow along?@BBTN?and on Facebook.10. Gary CarterTeams Montreal Expos (1974-84, 92), New York Mets (85-89), San Francisco Giants (90), Los Angeles Dodgers (91)Honors 11-time All-Star (1975, 79-88), three Gold Gloves (80-82), two-time All-Star MVP (81, 84), five Silver Sluggers (81-82, 84-86), Hall of Fame (2003)Championships 1 -- New York (1986)Career stats .262/.335/.439, OPS -- .773, Hits -- 2092, HRs -- 324, RBIs?-- 1,225The playerHes remembered as a leader of the 1986 Mets, but Carters best seasons came with the Expos, when he was the best all-around catcher in the majors in the post-Johnny Bench era. He had a tremendous throwing arm, power and an enthusiasm for the game that earned him the nickname Kid. It took him six years to get elected to Cooperstown, but he should have gone in right away as one of the top 10 catchers ever. -- David Schoenfield, ESPN senior writerThe Kid was always true to his nickname, playing baseball with as much sheer joy as youd expect in a kid. He was a heck of a catcher, too, with the sixth-most homers and fourth-most games caught of any catcher. -- Tristan Cockcroft, ESPN senior writerGary Carter was a great hitter and a great defensive catcher, whose time at the position took a major toll on his knees. Ill remember Carter for his clutch hits -- he had a walk-off home run in his first game with the Mets, a game-winning hit in Game 5 of the 1986 NLCS and Game 1 of the 1988 NLCS, and hit two home runs in Game 4 of the 1986 World Series, and got the hit that started the Mets 10th-inning rally in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. If you needed a hit in a big spot, Gary Carter was a guy to turn to. -- Mark Simon, ESPN Stats & InformationCarters career trailed Benchs in every sense: His started in Benchs wake, he was a great hitter but not quite as great; a superb receiver but not quite as good. What set him apart was his obvious joy for the game, because that smile and his energy as a receiver were signatures you could read from the nose-bleediest of seats. You can make the case that his 1982 season was the single greatest put up by a catcher, in any era. -- Christina Kahrl, ESPN MLB writer9. Mickey CochraneTeams Philadelphia As (1925-33), Detroit Tigers (34-37)Honors Two-time MVP (1928, 34), two-time All-Star (34-35), Hall of Fame (47)Championships 3 -- Philadelphia (1929-30), Detroit (35)Career stats .320/.419/.478, OPS -- .897, Hits -- 1,652, HRs -- 119, RBIs -- 830The playerOne of the most beloved players of Depression-era baseball, Cochrane was the catcher on the 1929-31 Philadelphia As dynasty and then the player-manager for the 1935 Tigers, the first Detroit team to win the World Series. He hit for high averages (.320 career), although he played in a time of high averages, and drew a lot of walks while rarely striking out -- he fanned only eight times in 1929 in over 600 plate appearances. He assumed GM duties as well in 1936 and suffered a mental breakdown, and then a beaning to his head in 1937 ended his playing career. The Tigers fired him in 1938 and he oddly never got another opportunity to manage. His legacy has diminished, but his peak value makes him an all-time top 10 catcher. -- SchoenfieldWhen youre a player-manager who wins the pennant and the MVP award, all in one season (1934), whats left to win? Well, the World Series as a skipper, but Cochrane did that the next year, and already had two titles as the As catcher in 1929 and 1930. Cochrane was already throttling back on his playing career when he was nearly killed by a pitch in 1937, leading to an order to end his playing days at 34. Front of the second rank, and a solid choice to include here. -- Kahrl8. Buster PoseyTeams San Francisco (2009-present)Honors Rookie of the Year (2010), MVP (12), four-time All-Star (12-13, 15-16), three Silver Sluggers (12, 14-15)Championships 3 -- San Francisco (2010, 12, 14)Career stats* .309/.374/.483, OPS -- .857, Hits -- 935, HRs -- 113, RBIs -- 489*Stats through July 10, 2016The playerWere only in mid-career, but Posey has already checked off everything except career longevity: Peak value, three World Series rings, and an MVP Award. Hes 29 and still going strong, although Joe Mauer would have ranked similarly at the same age. The Giants have been careful about his workload, mixing in games at first base and DH, so he should age well into his 30s and settle in as a Hall of Famer. -- SchoenfieldBuster Posey isnt quite the Tim Duncan of MLB, but hes in the discussion. He puts up high-end All-Star numbers with consistency. Hes great at the little things, like pitch-framing. And even though he has the commercials, I feel like your average human being is unaware of Buster and just how good he is. -- SimonIts a good thing Buster Posey doesnt pitch, or hed probably win the Cy Young. Thats the only award I can think of that isnt sitting on the mantel of Poseys home. Hes an All-Star starter every single year who has been a Rookie of the Year, an MVP, a Silver Slugger. Heck, he even has been the comeback player of the year. And the most amazing part is: He hasnt even turned 30 yet. -- Dan Mullen, ESPN.com senior MLB editorThe first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Buster Posey is winning. He has 3 World Series titles, a rookie of the year award and an MVP. Now more than ever, it is difficult for a team to achieve sustained success, and Posey has done just that. --?Kenneth Woolums, ESPN Stats & InformationHe began his career hailed as the next Johnny Bench. How did he respond? In his first five full seasons during 2010-14, Posey won three World Series titles, a Rookie of the Year award, and an MVP award. Bench won rookie honors and 2 MVPs in that span. Only two catchers in the Hall of Fame have as many World Series rings as Posey has. --?Sarah Langs, ESPN Stats & InformationBarring the kind of catastrophes that seem all too common for catchers, the man well be ranking No. 1 when we repeat this exercise in 20 years. -- Kahrl7. Mike PiazzaTeams Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-98), Florida Marlins (98), New York Mets (98-2005), San Diego Padres (06), Oakland As (07)Honors NL Rookie of the Year (1993),?12-time NL All-Star (93-98, 99-2002, 04-05), 10 Silver Sluggers (93-02), All-Star MVP (1996), Hall of Fame (16)Championships NoneCareer stats .308/.377/.545, OPS -- .922, Hits -- 2,127, HRs -- 427, RBIs -- 1,335The playerThe best-hitting catcher of all time, Piazza owns three of the top five individual seasons by a catcher based on OPS+ (including the top two). A 12-time All-Star with a .308 career average, he hit .362/.431/.638 in 1997, when he somehow failed to win MVP honors. Yes, he didnt have a strong arm (although it should be noted he caught a lot of good staffs and played for a lot of winning teams), and there will always be accusations about his steroid use, but his rise from 62nd-round draft pick to Hall of Famer remains a great story. -- SchoenfieldMike Piazza was a home run-on-demand kind of hitter, an honor bestowed to very few players of a given era. But he was the kind of guy who when he came to the plate, you said please hit a home run. And more often than not, he did. -- SimonHe waas a 62nd-round pick, drafted as a favor to his father who was friends with Tommy Lasorda.dddddddddddd He became the best-hitting catcher ever, slugging his way to Cooperstown. He was an All-Star every year during 1993-2002 and received MVP votes in all but one of those seasons. His power was captivating, and every at-bat, it felt as if there was a chance it would be unleashed. -- LangsA case where the career value is piled up almost entirely on the offensive side of the ledger (with a position-leading 65.9 offensive-only WAR and a record 396 home runs as a catcher), but his home parks hurt him -- he has a career road OPS of .960. If not for merely adequate defense, wed talk about him in the same breath as Bench. -- Kahrl6. Ivan RodriguezTeams Texas Rangers (1991-2002, 09), Florida Marlins (03), Detroit Tigers (04-08), New York Yankees (08), Houston Astros (09), Washington Nationals (10-11)?Honors 14-time AL All-Star (1992-2001, 04-07), 13 AL Gold Gloves (92-01, 04, 06-07), seven AL Silver Sluggers (94-99, 04), MVP (99)Championships 1 -- Florida (2003)Career stats .296/.334/.464, OPS -- .798, Hits -- 2,844, HRs -- 311, RBIs -- 1,332The playerBefore there was Yadier Molina, there was Ivan Rodriguez. Perhaps throwing out a runner trying to steal should be called a Pudge. After all, he caught over 50 percent of runners trying to steal against him nine times. --?WoolumsThe man who swiped Pudge from Carlton Fisk and made it his own is the guy who gets into best ever conversations because of his durability and long-term value, with 16 seasons worth two or more wins via WAR plus the most defensive value via dWAR. At the plate, he was good for a lot of hard contact; behind it, his 46 percent career caught-stealing rate is a testament to an arm that never lost its zip. -- Kahrl5. Roy CampanellaTeams Brooklyn Dodgers (1948-57)Honors Eight-time All-Star, (1949-56) three-time MVP (51, 53, 55), Hall of Fame (69)Championships 1 -- Brooklyn (1955)Career stats .276/.360/.500, OPS -- .860, Hits -- 1,161, HRs -- 242, RBIs -- 856The playerLong before the Giants did even years, Campy did odd years better than anyone. This list is about how good players were at their best and few stars can boast something as impressive as Campanellas NL MVP awards won in 1951, 1953 and 1955. To put in perspective just how special that stretch was: the runners-up for NL honors those years? Stan Musial in 51, Eddie Mathews in 53 and teammate Duke Snider followed by Ernie Banks and Willie Mays in 55. -- MullenLike fate -- considering Campys tragic immobilization in a car accident that ended his playing career before the 1958 season -- history has not been kind to Campy. Partially, thats because we were subsequently spoiled, by Bench and the Kid and a couple of Pudges and now Buster, but Campys trio of MVP awards and brief, brilliant run with the Dodgers belong here. -- Kahrl4. Carlton FiskTeams Boston Red Sox (1969, 71-80), Chicago White Sox (81-93)Honors Rookie of the Year (1972), 11-time All-Star (72-74, 76-78, 80-82, 85, 91), Gold Glove (72), three Silver Sluggers (81, 85, 88), Hall of Fame (2000)?Championships NoneCareer stats .269/.341/.457, OPS -- .797, Hits -- 2,356, HRs -- 376, RBIs -- 1,330The playerCarlton Fisk will always be remembered for his winning home run in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. The television image of him waiving the ball fair was a revolutionary one and it captivated the country. Fisk is also known for his remarkable longevity; he spent 24 years behind the plate as a member of both the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. -- Katie Strang, ESPN.com Tigers reporterNothing sums up Fisk better than the time he told the showboating Deion Sanders -- after Sanders drew a dollar sign in the dirt at home plate -- to start playing the game right or hed kick his butt right there. A son of New England -- he grew up in Charlestown, New Hampshire -- who became a star for the Red Sox, Fisk played forever, playing his last game at 45. In career WAR among catchers, he ranks behind only Johnny Bench, Gary Carter and Ivan Rodriguez, although on a per-season basis hes a little lower. Still, hes comfortably in the top 10. -- Schoenfield3. Yogi BerraTeams New York Yankees (1946-63), New York Mets (65)Honors 18-time AL All-Star (1948-62*), three-time AL MVP (51, 54-55), Hall of Fame (72)*Played in two All-Star Games in 59, 60 and 61Championships 10 -- New York Yankees (47, 49-53, 56, 58, 61-62)Career stats .285/.348/.482, OPS -- .830, Hits -- 2,150, HRs -- 358, RBIs -- 1,430The playerCasey Stengel once explained the Yankees success this way: I never played a big game without my guy. He meant Berra. Yogi will live on with his quotes and quips, but above all he won, playing in 14 World Series and winning 10 of them. He finished in the top four of the MVP voting seven consecutive seasons, a testament to his durability, respect and, yes, good numbers at the plate. During those seven seasons he averaged .295/.364/.502 with 27 home runs and 108 RBIs -- and, despite being a notorious bad-ball hitter, just 24 strikeouts per season. -- SchoenfieldSo much could be said about Yogi; hes one of the games most iconic historical characters. But Im a stats guy, and this stat always amazed me: Berra homered 358 times but struck out only 414; he and Joe DiMaggio are the only players in history with at least 300 homers and fewer than 500 Ks. -- CockcroftThe most fascinating thing about Yogi Berra is that there are very few highlights in which he is portrayed as the star. Hes always the other guy-- hes the guy leaping into Don Larsens arms, or the guy arguing with the ump when Jackie Robinson steals home, or the guy watching helplessly at the outfield fence as Bill Mazeroskis homer wins the World Series. But though Yogi was rarely the man of the moment, he was an amazing player. From 1949 to 1958, he hit 257 home runs and struck out 250 times. I thought only Joe Dimaggio was capable of numbers like that. -- Simon2. Josh GibsonTeams Homestead Grays (1930-31, 37-40, 42-46)*, Pittsburgh Crawfords (32-36)*, Veracruz Azules (40-41)*Negro League teamsHonors Hall of Fame (1972)Championships 6 - Homestead (1937-38, 42-45)Career stats* .350/.401/.624, OPS -- 1.026, Hits -- 638, HRs -- 107, RBIs -- 351*Negro LeagueThe playerThe black Babe Ruth, except he could play a position in the Negro leagues, and play it exceptionally well, with some of his peers calling him their best player by the time the possibility of integration arrived. The usual question marks about how much of his power would have translated to the majors apply, but Im glad to see him remembered here. His early death in 1947 was a last bit of historical robbery, because even though he was already 35, it would have been well worth seeing what he could do on an MLB diamond. -- Kahrl1. Johnny BenchTeams Cincinnati Reds (1967-83)Honors Rookie of the Year (1968),?10 Gold Gloves (68-77), 14-time All-Star (68-80, 83), two-time MVP (70, 72),?World Series MVP (76), Hall of Fame (89)Championships 2 -- Cincinnati (1975-76)Career stats .267/.342/.476, OPS -- .817, Hits -- 2,048, HRs -- 389, RBIs -- 1,376The playerAs distinctive a player as they come, because his one-handed catching stance made it look too easy (and encouraged a lot of people to try -- and fail -- to do it too). In essence, Bench was the perfect archetype for his position, catchings answer to Willie Mays, the guy whose game was all power. Power to the fences, a cannon behind the plate, the guy on the Big Red Machine who would beat at the plate after Morgan and Rose got on base. -- Kahrl Cheap Authentic Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys Cheap NFL Autographed Jerseys China Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store China Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Throwback Jerseys Cheap Stitched Jerseys China NFL Hoodies Cheap Authentic Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China Camo China NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China ' ' '