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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- His Illinois team is a double-digit underdog, but Saturday will bring the kind of game Hardy Nickerson has been waiting for since he decided to transfer from Cal.Michigan. The Big House and 100,000-plus fans. A Wolverines fullback lined up across from him.This is the football that I always thought the Big Ten was about, the Illini linebacker said as his team prepared to face the No. 3 Wolverines (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten). Pro-style offenses for a linebacker are the most fun games. Youre getting downhill, youre making plays and it really comes down to how the linebackers are playing in those games if the defense does well.A lot is riding on Nickerson this week and every week at Illinois (2-4, 1-2).He made the move from Cal as a graduate student, following his dad, former NFL linebacker Hardy Nickerson, when the older Nickerson took the job as Lovie Smiths defensive coordinator at Illinois.At Cal, Nickerson led an eight-win Bears team with 112 tackles, 8.6 a game. That defense, though, gave up just over 30 points a game, living in the shadow of a Cal offense that scored close almost 38.Smith, on the other hand, is a defense-first coach. He needed a player like Nickerson, a linebacker to plug into a slot that had no ready-made starter.Nickerson has done what Illinois has asked and then some. He is leading the Big Ten in tackles with 58, good for 9.7 per game. That puts him at 21st in the country.Nickerson and his father bear a strong resemblance on and off the field.At Cal, the younger Nickerson wore his fathers old number, 47. Both flash easy smiles and both say that, after the past two years of the son playing football on the West Coast while the father coached in Florida as part of Smiths Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff, they are happy they met in the middle.As a dad to just have him around, thats been just an unbelievable experience, the older Nickerson said.As good as it has been to be close, theres a difference now: Coach Nickerson was used to watching linebacker Nickerson in the way a dad does when they were a country apart. For those two years, we talked every night, especially after games, the older Nickerson said.Now, much like when he coached his son at Bishop ODowd High School in Oakland, California, the coach says now hes just too busy thinking about the next play call and analyzing whats happening to his defense as the game progresses.That is one place, the younger Nickerson says, that the two are close in a different way.On the field were able to diagnose things fast, and Im able to tell him if I have a problem with something or if he has a coaching point, Nickerson said.The linebacker is accustomed to that role of on-field analyst, as well as catalyst.Stanford, he says, was the one downhill, Michigan-type team the Bears faced every season, but the other teams they saw tended to be more up-tempo, like Oregon.Highlights from last seasons Oregon game include Nickerson making big plays, but with each play the scoreboard in the corner of the screen showed the Ducks pulling further away. No matter, after each hit Nickerson popped up, clapping hands hard at teammates, trying to keep them in a game they would eventually lose, 44-38.After the game, Nickerson uncharacteristically let just a bit of an edge come through as he talked to reporters : I think guys are pissed off right now. It hurt.This week, Nickerson laughed when asked if he knew where he ranked in the Big Ten in tackles, saying hed just seen the stat on Twitter. He said he would give up that top spot if it meant something better in the one area that hasnt worked as well as he would like Illinois -- wins and losses.If that means me making 19 tackles or that means me making three tackles, Ill take it.---Follow David Mercer on twitter: (at)davidmercerAP---Online: Associated Press college football coverage: http://collegefootball.ap.org/ Jessie Bates III Womens Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Drew Sample Jersey . 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A look at whats happening all around the majors on Monday:---TRADE WINDSLefty ace Chris Sale, All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy and postseason star Carlos Beltran might be on the move before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline for making trades without waivers. Jay Bruce, Brian McCann and Alexei Ramirez also could shift cities.Its already been a busy trade market -- Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Mark Melancon, Wade Miley, Andrew Cashner and Eduardo Nunez have been dealt in recent days.SUBWAY SERIESThe Mets and Yankees open a four-game, two-ballpark matchup with the opener at Citi Field. The Yanks limp in with four straight losses that have dropped them back to .500, and theyre now trading veteran stars for prospects. The Mets are struggling, too, especially after watching steady shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hurt himself running the bases Sunday. He strained his left patellar tendon, the same injury that sidelined him for two weeks in spring training, and the team is waiting to see how long hell be out.STRASOPHERENationals ace Stephen Strasburg tries to become the first pitcher in the majors with 15 wins this season when he starrts at Arizona.dddddddddddd. Strasburg (14-1, 2.68) is tied with Chris Sale, Chris Tillman, J.A. Happ and Rick Porcello for the most victories.MORE STEADY EDDYRed Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (2-4, 6.51) has been much better since returning from a stint in the minors, a trend hell try to keep up when Boston plays at Seattle. The Red Sox thought Rodriguez was tipping his pitches early this season and sent him to Triple-A for a few weeks to make a mechanical fix. In three starts since he returned, Rodriguez is 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA, cutting more than two runs from his season mark. James Paxton (3-5, 4.27) pitches for the Mariners.ICHIRO UPDATEIchiro Suzuki popped out as a pinch hitter in Miamis win Sunday and remains at 2,998 career hits. Suzuki went 2 for 17 on the Marlins homestand while starting just twice. Hes swinging at some balls out of the strike zone, which is a little bit not like him, manager Don Mattingly said. Mattingly declined to say whether Suzuki will start at Wrigley Field. 2 for 17 on the Marlins homestand whilerl] ' ' '