CHAMPAIGN - Four of his first five passes fell incomplete. In between there was a sack, a scramble and some offensive sputtering. Then Juice Williams remembered who he was.

Snapping himself and the first-team to attention, Illinois' starting quarterback got untracked and delivered his second straight productive intrasquad scrimmage, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another as the Illini gave renovated Memorial Stadium a test run Saturday.

When Williams was running the offense, Illinois manufactured four touchdowns and a field goal.

Williams completed 16 of 25 passes for 196 yards and for the second straight scrimmage did not throw an interception. His scoring passes went for 45 yards to Rejus Benn and for 13 yards to Will Judson.

"Juice is showing he's much, much improved with knowing where to go with the football," coach Ron Zook said.

Williams completed just 39.5 percent of his passes as a freshman when he got the start in the final nine games of the season. Last season, that percentage jumped to 57.3. And this year, Zook has talked about Williams' potential to complete 70 percent of his throws.

Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley said that in practice and two scrimmages, Williams is nearly on pace and would be with a bit more help from his receivers.

"We chart our drop percentages and right now we're at about 12 percent, which is too high," Locksley said, indicating the pass-catchers are still letting too many passes slip through their fingers. "We should be in single digits.

"Juice has been more accurate and a higher percentage of balls are being put where they need to be. He has been completing 66 to 68 percent when we chart him and that includes drops. When you throw out the drops, his accuracy is in the low '70s. I've been pleased with how he's throwing it.

"And his management of the offense continues to improve. He is able to make adjustments a lot quicker. Last year he struggled with that early in the year, the chess match that goes on with defenses."

And thus far, Williams is not able to showcase his running ability. Quarterbacks are off-limits to tacklers and referees blow the whistle the minute a defender draws near.

As for Williams, he is reluctant to give himself too high a grade.

"It was OK," he said in critiquing his Saturday performance. "Me being in my third year, I want to be perfect even though that's not going to happen. It went pretty good. As long as we continue to get better we should be fine."

What did please Williams was once again forcing no turnovers.

"If you win the turnover battle you've halfway won the game," he said.

Illinois found itself a little short at the running back position Saturday.

Starter Daniel Dufrene suffered a slight tweak of his ankle and was used sparingly, although he did return after the injury.

Backup Troy Pollard is out with what Zook described as a slight high ankle sprain. "He'll be back there pretty quick," Zook guessed.

That left most of the ground work to freshmen Mikel Leshoure and Jason Ford. Leshoure was impressive, carrying 14 times for 95 yards including a 36-yard touchdown run.

"Mikel may have played a little better today," Locksley said. "I'd still like him to stick his foot in the ground and accelerate a little more. But he played mistake-free football, which is good.

"I'm pleased they both run physically inside."

For the second straight scrimmage, Marques Wilkins was the leading receiver with four catches for 30 yards.

Sophomore linebacker Martez Wilson and Bloomington's Josh Brent, who is a starter at defensive tackle now that Sirod Williams is lost for the year to injury, were the leading tacklers with six each. Brent also had two of the team's 13 quarterback sacks.

Safety Donsay Hardeman and offensive tackle Xavier Fulton did not play Saturday although Zook said both could have had it been a real game. Hardeman has a slight hip injury and Fulton was withheld with an ankle sprain.

Wide receiver Jeff Cumberland is out two to four weeks with a foot injury and has been all but ruled out for the opener against Missouri on Aug. 30.

Freshmen Jack Ramsey and Patrick Nixon are also out of action while they attend to some academic matters, Zook said. He is optimistic both will be back with the team soon.

The place kicking battle continues unresolved and Zook said he hoped stepped-up competition this week might produce a winner. On Saturday, Derek Dimke, Matt Brandabur and Matt Eller each got a look. Dimke kicked two field goals and had another blocked, although Zook blamed poor blocking for that failed attempt.

The team was staying in Champaign on Saturday before returning to Rantoul on Sunday for the final week of training camp there. Then the team returns to campus to begin game week preparation for the Missouri game.

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Scoring summary

Nate Bussey 30 interception return

Juice Williams 3 run (Matt Eller kick)

Mikel Leshoure 36 run (Matt Brandabur kick)

Arrelious Benn 45 pass from Williams (Leshoure run)

Cordale Scott 17 pass from Jacob Charest

FG 36 Brandabur

FG 27 Derek Dimke

Will Judson 13 pass from Williams

FG 34 Dimke

FG 37 Brandabur

Charest 1 run

Individual leaders

RUSHING - Leshoure 14-95, Ford 14-24, Williams 7-12, Dufrene 5-10, Pacha 2-4, Ellington 1-(minus 1), McGee 11 (minus-42), Charest 11 (minus-47)

PASSING - J. Williams 16-25-0-196, McGee 7-19-1-45, Charest 10-18-0-120

RECEIVING - Wilkins 4-30, Benn 3-58, James 3-28, Duvalt 3-25, McClendon 3-22, Judson 3-7, Davis 2-36, Reavy 2-30, Hoomanawanui 2-30, Jenkins 1-26, Graham 1-23, Scott 1-17, Sullivan 1-11, Dufrene 1-9, Sykes 1-7, Leshoure 1-2, Ford 1-0.

TACKLING - M. Wilson 6, Brent 6, Gullen 5, K. Johnson 5, A. James 5, A. Williams 5, Jefferson 5, Thomas 5, Uzodinma 5.