Michigan 45, Illinois 0 POSTGAME

[miggytorres]

The team is nearly impossible to watch. I don't know how else you can spin this.

[dsboyce]

Originally Posted by OlivetNaz

Fair enough. I would have had reservations about going for it given the fact that our OL couldn't block a group of wheelchaired grandmothers, though. Is our primary kicker still injured?

I think so. I just looked up Zalewski's stats. Not as bad as I thought, but he's now missed 3 in a row and is at 40% for the year. Given the weather conditions, I still think it was a bad decision.

[OlivetNaz]

Originally Posted by dsboyce

I think so. I just looked up Zalewski's stats. Not as bad as I thought, but he's now missed 3 in a row and is at 40% for the year. Given the weather conditions, I still think it was a bad decision.

Ouch. 40% for the year. Even Boise State's snake-bitten kicker is above that (66%).

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by ncoillini

I've read 5 pages of posts. I'm numbed by how some can find any good in what TB has brought to the ILLINI. Enough said, let the trashing begin.

That's because you're making up something that isn't there. I'm not sure there's been one person that's said anything like what you've just implied. There's a difference between saying he has a past track record and to give him time as opposed to saying there's positives right now.

Originally Posted by OlivetNaz

Your post is factually incorrect in almost every phase. The only true part is that Beckman is here for at least three seasons.

Talent on defense? That's a laugher. If we HAD talent on defense, then Hull wouldn't be starting or playing significant minutes, Monheim wouldn't be our best LB as a TRUE freshman, and Hawthorne wouldn't have played half the season on a bum ankle.

Zook wasn't exactly blowing away the world in recruiting. The players he DID get the last 2 years he was here were basically leftovers that we got AFTER the Big Ten and top MAC schools (Toledo, NIU, Ohio) got their picks. Last year was a lost year recruiting due to the coaching change, though most stayed through the change after Beckman promised not to pull any scholarships already extended.

Beckman may not get top-shelf talent, but I'm willing to bet he can at least solidify the areas that Zook failed on - OL, WR, and defensive backs. It would be very difficult to recruit worse than Zook did in his final 2-3 years.

Thomas isn't going anywhere for a while. He fired three coaches that should have all been fired 2-3 seasons earlier if Guenther had been doing his job correctly. It looks like he landed keepers in Groce and Bollant. Football is going to take longer to determine if it was a good hire. If he DOES have to fire Beckman, it won't cost him his job if Groce and Bollant are doing well.

BINGO!!!

Originally Posted by I Hate Lemonier

I have to disagree here. Steve Hull started 11 games on a Top 10 defense last year. Monheim has been very impressive but is not our best linebacker.

Somehow in 2010 we shut down a very powerful Mizzou offense in the season opener after replacing 3/4 of our secondary a week before the game. Hull was also part of that. The defense is not devoid of talent. It has underperformed massively this year in comparison to its talent

Steve Hull was also a weak leak on that defense. It's not his fault either. He was brought here to play WR, volunteered to switch to D because the team needed it and has played his heart out griting through injuries every year. Some guys are made to be DB's and some aren't.

Originally Posted by AngryOrange

If you watch many games, you will see that is a pretty standard run play on 4th and short or goal line situations. Stanford, Florida, and Texas Tech all ran a similar play today. Additionally, Beckman didn't call that play.

BECAUSE BECKMAN ISN'T THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR!!!!

Originally Posted by trevdv

No Sign of a Quick Recovery

I think it's fair to sum up most of the above posts including this quoted one by simply saying this: Regardless of what success or failures we have in the coming 3-4 years, attendance and support will fluctuate greatly. This year was simply our last to rejuvenate the fan base, and it didn't happen. End of story. We're truly at the lowest of lows, the lows which started in the early '90s. Now it's time to scrap it all and start anew.

The lowest of lows? I'll gladly point you to a couple of our winless and 1-win seasons of the past.

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by dsboyce

I would have liked to see us go for it. We would have had a better chance at than we did of making the field goal. We basically handed them the ball at the 44. Yeah, I would have rather punted than that. Our backup kicker has shown a propensity for missing wide from much shorter distances. I'm chalking up the 44 yarder he made earlier in the year to an anomaly.

You see any of the other 3rd and 4th and shorts we got stuffed on throughout the game? What makes you think that one would have been any different?

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by miggytorres

The team is nearly impossible to watch. I don't know how else you can spin this.

Who's spinning anything? If you think pointing out facts is "spinning it" then I guess I could see where you're coming from...

[OlivetNaz]

AHS, did you see the one dude who thought I was ThaKid in disguise? :laugh:

That was funny.

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by OlivetNaz

AHS, did you see the one dude who thought I was ThaKid in disguise? :laugh:

That was funny.

Guy, I've been accused of being on Zook's staff, a family member of his, and now a family member of Beckman's!! :laugh: It never gets old. Some people think when you choose to not jump off a cliff and condemn everything Illini football by pointing out actual facts that it means you must be related to someone on staff. Quite hilarious

[blmillini]

Originally Posted by FinalFour88

Bottom line, Beckman inherited a 7-6 team and can't even stay competitive in the Big Ten.

When was the last time we were competitive in the Big Ten? We only won 2 last year.

[Shenanigans]

Originally Posted by Wokker

It's just sad that after two straight seasons of at least competitive football and mild success, that the Illini are on my sports s*** list with the Cubs, meaning:

-I come into the season with high hopes, even though logically there should be little.
-The team plays ok the first four games, briefly keeping hope alive.
-It gets to the point only halfway through the season that I watch the beginning of the game, only to doze off or do something else by the 2nd quarter when the game is out of reach.
-I probably won't catch every game from here on out, and it's no biggie:tsp:
-There is no hope for short term relief

Based one what I'm reading, a lot of other fans here (the diehards) have become equally numb/disinterested as I have.

At least we know the Cubs have a bright future with a proven, great front office. Still in tear down mode, but the Cubs will get there.

As for the Illini, a bad coach with a contract that seems like it runs forever...zero hope.

[dsboyce]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

You see any of the other 3rd and 4th and shorts we got stuffed on throughout the game? What makes you think that one would have been any different?

Then punt and try to pin them deep. At the time, did you honestly believe Zalewski would make that kick?

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by dsboyce

Then punt and try to pin them deep. At the time, did you honestly believe Zalewski would make that kick?

Did you think our D was going to stop Michigan no matter where they were at?

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by Shenanigans

At least we know the Cubs have a bright future with a proven, great front office. Still in tear down mode, but the Cubs will get there.

As for the Illini, a bad coach with a contract that seems like it runs forever...zero hope.

Then go root for another team on another message board

[Shenanigans]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

Then go root for another team on another message board

No

[dsboyce]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

Did you think our D was going to stop Michigan no matter where they were at?

You're right. The coaches are always correct and their decisions are always beyond contestation. I should just sit back and blindly follow the team without questioning anything.

[AngryOrange]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

BECAUSE BECKMAN ISN'T THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR!!!!

Ummm, I know that. If you slow down the knee jerk and read the post I responded to again, I responding to the poster who said Beckman called the play.

[NorthwesternIllini4]

Originally Posted by Shenanigans

At least we know the Cubs have a bright future with a proven, great front office. Still in tear down mode, but the Cubs will get there.

As for the Illini, a bad coach with a contract that seems like it runs forever...zero hope.

Even GHD, one of the most pro-coach posters around, has provided some fair criticism of Coach Beckman and his staff's performance thus far. No one should be calling for his head, but AHS would have you believe that CTB is immune from any negative analysis just because he inherited a dire situation. Pshhh...

And ps, I really hope the Cubs FO can turn things around too. I'm cautiously optimistic so far with the new regime.

[ChicagoDonJulio]

We so bad I don't even bother to check scores. I knew it was going to bad today. I rather have Zook then this coaching staff. I don't think we winning another game this season.

[C6Z06 Todd]

I don't think anybody is saying Beckman or his staff has looked good..... quite the opposite, its been bad.

Its just that they truly have no talent..... team is on a 9 game conference losing streak and to be fair to him, 6 of those are on another coaching staffs resume.

We just need to be patient and see what happens as this current staff starts to bring in the players they think will get the job done. If he hasn't made any progress after a few years, he'll be gone, or who knows, he just might light it up.

[twincityillini]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuimd...feature=relmfu

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by NorthwesternIllini4

Even GHD, one of the most pro-coach posters around, has provided some fair criticism of Coach Beckman and his staff's performance thus far. No one should be calling for his head, but AHS would have you believe that CTB is immune from any negative analysis just because he inherited a dire situation. Pshhh...

Pro coach? Oh my. How about "pro reality." I have no emotional investment in Beckman or his staff. But I do realize that you have to give a new coach time to recruit his players and mold his staff. I honestly don't know if Beckman is the guy to get it done. But I do know that it doesn't help the program to have a fan base that wets the bed when the going gets tough in year 1 of a rebuild.

I really, REALLY wanted a minor bowl this year to keep a little momentum going, but hindsight being 20/20 that just wasn't a fair expectation. Now toss in injuries, loss of confidence, adjustment to a new staff and we have problems. We just hired the guy, he deserves our support for three years at a bare minimum, longer if we see signs of progress. Get a grip folks.

[Chris Yates]

I can't believe that I drove all the way to Ann Arbor and sat in the rain for hours just to see that pathetic game. We're not even competing anymore. The Michigan fans around me were sympathtic because I was decked out in my orange and blue, but their pity reflects just how far we are from even being competitive in a really weak B1G conference this season.

More broadly, I'm concerned about the conference as a whole in the bowl season. Because tOSU is on probation, all of our teams will have to play up this year. So far, it looks like there isn't one consistently strong team in the entire league. It's just a bad year for football, I guess.

[accountingIllini]

To punt or not to punt...that is the question....

I looked at my wife on that first drive when we has a 4th and 6 inches and i said "we have to go for it or this game is over". (by the by- we should not have got the 1st down with melines- he ran back behind the line before he got hit...maybe its our day!...hmmm) When i said that we should go for it on 4th i knew there was a 98% we would lose anyway. BUT the only hope we had was to keep the ball early score and maybe make our players think they could do this.

Beckman sent in the punt team (looked like he was really debating) and the rest is history.

A few possessions later scUM was up 10-0 i believe. We are somewhere around their 33 and we have a 4th and 4. Send in the kicker for a 50 yarder in the wind...wide right, change of possession several plays later 17-0.

All i am saying is that we are not good. We have very little chance- especially against a good team.

I liken it to Penn state. They went for it early against us away barely into our territory. They got it and the rest is history. Penn State goes for it on 4th i think an average 5-6 times a game. And guess what...it is working. It tells the team we are going "*alls to the wall" (dan i edited so you can keep this). That is huge. Our team does not seem to want to buy in right now (not saying we are scheming well) but the only 3 guys that look like it bothers them at night that we are loosing is Nate, Furg, and Young $ (lets see if we can start that as his nick name).

Here is hoping kid- week off then a really decent Indiana team.

Go Illini

[Dan]

#Illini coach Tim Beckman did say Nathan Scheelhaase did suffer a concussion, forgot to mention that earlier.

http://twitter.com/marcusrjackson

#Illini coach Tim Beckman after 45-0 loss at #Michigan: "We're at a crossroads." Illinois now 2-5 this season. 4 straight losses

DC Tim Banks: "We're running out of time. Been a long time since last Big Ten win. That's our goal. We just gotta win another game."

http://twitter.com/AaronB_WCIA

Illinois had more turnovers (2) than 1st downs (1) or total yards (-2) in the second half.

http://twitter.com/Adam_Jacobi

Losing doesn't make you a loser. Accepting it does. We have two weeks to find out who we are.

http://twitter.com/Cvijanovic68

Denard Robinson: "We just beat a great team." Lou Holtz swoons.

http://twitter.com/ramzy

Rock Bottom?

But now we get a week off. Two full weeks to regroup. Three of the next four at home. No outstanding defenses left on the schedule. Are we going to be a team that makes a little surge and figures things out? Or are we going to quit?

I can't explain it, and it sounds crazy after losing forty five to zero, but my gut tells me we’re going to fight.

http://alioneye.com/2012/10/14/rock-bottom/

Michigan 45, Illinois 0: Good bye

"I don't know when a good time is (to have an off week)," Illinois coach Tim Beckman said. "We need to get some guys healthy."

The latest blow was quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase going down in the second quarter of Saturday's 45-0 loss to Michigan in front of 110,922 at the Big House. The fourth-year junior hit his head on the turf at the end of a 23-yard run and didn't return. Beckman said Scheelhaase suffered a concussion.

Marcus Jackson

Illini sink to new low in shutout loss
 to Michigan

Somebody check for a pulse. The Illini are "trying to maintain" their morale, linebacker Jonathan Brown said. Defensive end Michael Buchanan said they "have to play with heart."

When asked if there's enough determination from the Illini roster to get over the hump, Banks said, "I hope so."

Supinie

Coordinator says Rome wasn't built in day

Evidently, defensive coordinator Tim Banks doesn't need a pep talk after his unit allowed 527 yards. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson threw for 159 yards and rushed for 128 yards while accounting for four touchdowns.

"(Beckman) understands Rome wasn't built in a day," Banks said. "There's a reason why we're here. There are things that have to be evaluated and tweaked here and there.

"I'm not giving up. I'm not shaking."

Supinie

Illini grade vs. Michigan: F

Klee

[uinuke81]

Originally Posted by accountingIllini

To punt or not to punt...that is the question....

I looked at my wife on that first drive when we has a 4th and 6 inches and i said "we have to go for it or this game is over". (by the by- we should not have got the 1st down with melines- he ran back behind the line before he got hit...maybe its our day!...hmmm) When i said that we should go for it on 4th i knew there was a 98% we would lose anyway. BUT the only hope we had was to keep the ball early score and maybe make our players think they could do this.

Beckman sent in the punt team (looked like he was really debating) and the rest is history.

A few possessions later scUM was up 10-0 i believe. We are somewhere around their 33 and we have a 4th and 4. Send in the kicker for a 50 yarder in the wind...wide right, change of possession several plays later 17-0.

All i am saying is that we are not good. We have very little chance- especially against a good team.

I liken it to Penn state. They went for it early against us away barely into our territory. They got it and the rest is history. Penn State goes for it on 4th i think an average 5-6 times a game. And guess what...it is working. It tells the team we are going "*alls to the wall" (dan i edited so you can keep this). That is huge. Our team does not seem to want to buy in right now (not saying we are scheming well) but the only 3 guys that look like it bothers them at night that we are loosing is Nate, Furg, and Young $ (lets see if we can start that as his nick name).

Here is hoping kid- week off then a really decent Indiana team.

Go Illini

Agreed, not going for it on 4th down early in the game and on the road as a 20+ point underdog was just bewildering. It was purely an admission of surrender