Illinois offensive lineman Ryan McDonald has done the best he can to erase last year's 63-10 loss to Penn State from his memory.

"I really tried to forget about what happened last year," McDonald said. "It was a debacle."

Unfortunately for McDonald and the rest of the Fighting Illini, tomorrow's game against the Nittany Lions has brought back questions about the game that second-year Illinois coach Ron Zook called "rock bottom" for his team during August's Big Ten Media Day in Chicago.

But at the same time, Zook said the game was a turning point for his team, saying last year's loss was the low his team had to reach in order to admit it had a problem -- like any drug addict or alcoholic.

Though a tipsy Illinois went on to lose its final four games, part of a nine-game losing streak, the Illini entered this year with renewed optimism.

So far the 12-game healing process hasn't gone all too smooth.

Though Illinois scored an upset against Michigan State in East Lansing and marked Illinois' first Big Ten win since 2004, the Illini have dropped consecutive games to Indiana and MAC opponent Ohio to drop their overall record to 2-5.

"A lot of us felt like [Michigan State] might be the game that turns it around and gets it going, but then we lost that heartbreaker to Indiana, and then last weekend," McDonald said. "It's not getting any easier. I thought that might be the turning point, but it hasn't been yet."

And it's not like Illinois players aren't trying to turn the program around. Even though Zook gave his team Monday, he saw wide receiver DaJuan Warren heading into the locker room to lift weights. When Zook told Warren to go home, the junior said, "I gotta do something."

"It's frustrating," McDonald said. "We work as hard as, I imagine, any Big Ten team, any Division I team."

While Illinois didn't quite turn the corner after Michigan State, it's getting closer. The two losses following the win against the Spartans came by a combined difference of four points, and if it hadn't been for a last-second field goal by the Hoosiers' Austin Starr, it could easily be Illinois would have a 2-1 conference record.

For senior cornerback Alan Ball, this season is bittersweet. His mother now calls him after games, excited that the Illini are least putting up a fight this year.

"It's kind of sad 'cause I'm leaving," Ball said. "I want to be around when this thing turns around, like it is right now."

And the Lions are noticing that Illinois isn't quite the same team they saw in Champaign last year.

"Last year's [Illinois] team had a lot more chaos going on, maybe it had something to do with their new coach and a new system they were learning," Penn State wide receiver Deon Butler said. "They're definitely a lot better ball club than what we saw from them last year."

And while Zook has led his team to just four wins in his 18 games at the helm, he said it's going to take some patience until past struggles can be erased from mind.

"There are some growing pains that we're getting through," Zook said, "and you get tired of saying it, but you have to stay the course."