Illinois QB Nathan Scheelhaase On A Record Pace vs. Southern Illinois

Aug 31, 2013; Champaign, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase (2) runs out of the pocket against the Southern Illinois Salukis at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

A quarterback duel with Reilly O’Toole seems like a distant memory after one half for the Illinois Fighting Illini. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase is on a record-setting pace in the Illini’s season opener against Southern Illinois, going 22-for-28 for 340 yards with two touchdowns.

Dave Wilson set Illinois’ single season mark of 621 yards in 1980.

Scheelhaase connected with nine different receivers in the first half, with Ryan Lankford’s six receptions leading the way. Lankford has 115 of those 340 yards. Jon Davis and Josh Ferguson were on the receiving end of Scheelhaase’s two touchdowns.

The most astounding angle of Scheelhaase’s torrid first half is that with 340 yards, he is 25 percent of the way to matching his yardage from the entire 2012 season. Not a bad way to start a pivotal season for Illinois, which is coming off an abysmal 2-10 finish in head coach Tim Beckman’s debut campaign.

With Scheelhaase and O’Toole splitting snaps a season ago, the Illini had the No. 107 ranked passing offense in the Bowl Subdivision. It’s safe to estimate that at this pace, Illinois will be somewhere near the top of those rankings after Week 1.

Illinois leads SIU 25-7 at halftime.