Iowa 63, Illinois 0 POSTGAME

#76      

Deleted member 16340

D
Guest
Deleted member 16340
I think that the way our beloved played today, we could have gotten about 40 50 and 60 year olds from this site and played them even. Putrid. Uninspired. Disappointing. I understand that we have lost our top two RBs and WRs from a marginal offense. That doesn't explain the consistently poor defensive play or the Beckmanesc lack of discipline. Also what happened to the turnover war? It does however feel like the staff has lost a fair number of the players' attention. Tough schedule also. I only see one more year for Lovie to get more wins than embarrassments.
 
#77      

ChiefGritty

ChiefGritty
Chicago, IL
ChiefGritty
For some context, here's the yards per play differential in each of our games this year:

Kent State: 6.4 for us, 5.4 for them, +1.0 overall
Western Illinois: 5.4 for us, 5.7 for them, -0.3 overall
South Florida: 4.8 for us, 7.5 for them, -2.7 overall
Penn State: 5.4 for us, 8.3 for them, -2.9 overall
Rutgers: 6.8 for us, 5.1 for them, +1.7 overall
Purdue: 4.2 for us, 7.5 for them, -3.3 overall
Wisconsin: 5.3 for us, 7.2 for them, -1.9 overall
Maryland: 7.4 for us, 10.3 for them, -2.9 overall
Minnesota: 10.8 for us, 6.3 for them, +4.5 overall
Nebraska: 6.9 for us, 8.9 for them, -2.0 overall
Iowa: 3.0 for us, 6.7 for them, -3.7 overall

So yesterday surpassed Purdue as our worst overall performance by this metric, almost entirely due to our worst offensive performance by far.

When you consider Rutgers and Kent State are two of the very worst teams in all of FBS, it becomes pretty tough to explain that Minnesota game.
 
#78      

JoeJ

J
JoeJ
#WeShallLose

Asked my wife to check the score and whether we came within 10, and she just laughed. DVR delete. We are ahead of Rutgers, can we even maintain that? Hopefully the Bears can give me a reason to get excited about football. Scared about hoops as well.

Go Illini!
 
#79      

MadSeason

MadSeason
MadSeason
IdahoIllini said:
This is the mentality I just don’t understand. Look at the pipeline. It’s empty on the defensive side.

The notion that these guys will miraculously become better over time - under this staff which has unequivocally shown its ineptness at evey turn - is nearly cult level cringe-worthiness. It’s Scientology. Trying to heal a gunshot wound with a gauze pad and hope.

This isn’t rocket surgery. Whitman made a bad hire. The timing was always questionable. As was throwing a huge sum of money at a coach literally nobody else was targeting.

Illinois has long been a b1g punching bag, but even for us this level of ineptitude is scary. Tim Beckman, for all his personality faults, was a much better college football coach than Lovie has been. And that is really saying something.
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I don't think anyone has a cult like belief in Lovie right now, I certainly don't. I have seen this team quit on him multiple times this season which concerns me more than anything. I do not think the future looks bright at all, but if I am Josh Whitman I have to give it more time.

As far as the defense getting better next year under same staff, it won't be same staff. Yes Lovie is here but Nickerson was fired and Abraham is gone. I'm sure Whitman in post season meeting with Lovie will want to hear what Lovie's plan is to address:

-defense

-roster turnover

-staff turnover (hiring decisions)

Let's not forget the time a defensive head coach was essentially told upgrade or you are gone, It produced Vic Koennig and we went from 108 FEI ranked defense to #18 in a year.
 
#80      

IdahoIllini

I
IdahoIllini
MadSeason said:
I don't think anyone has a cult like belief in Lovie right now, I certainly don't. I have seen this team quit on him multiple times this season which concerns me more than anything. I do not think the future looks bright at all, but if I am Josh Whitman I have to give it more time.

As far as the defense getting better next year under same staff, it won't be same staff. Yes Lovie is here but Nickerson was fired and Abraham is gone. I'm sure Whitman in post season meeting with Lovie will want to hear what Lovie's plan is to address:

-defense

-roster turnover

-staff turnover (hiring decisions)

Let's not forget the time a defensive head coach was essentially told upgrade or you are gone, It produced Vic Koennig and we went from 108 FEI ranked defense to #18 in a year.
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Some good points. Vic did do a great job, which emphatically proves that coaching matters. We’ve had some nice highs with Koennig and some incredibly low lows with Banks, Nickerson, Lovie.

I think Whitman is at a crossroads. Often times, the best leaders are the ones that own mistakes and even solicit others for input. He’s in a tough position between swallowing his pride and firing a staff that unequivocally deserves it or hanging tough refusing to admit his folly. I think we know which way it goes sadly.
 
#81      

MadSeason

MadSeason
MadSeason
IdahoIllini said:
Some good points. Vic did do a great job, which emphatically proves that coaching matters. We’ve had some nice highs with Koennig and some incredibly low lows with Banks, Nickerson, Lovie.

I think Whitman is at a crossroads. Often times, the best leaders are the ones that own mistakes and even solicit others for input. He’s in a tough position between swallowing his pride and firing a staff that unequivocally deserves it or hanging tough refusing to admit his folly. I think we know which way it goes sadly.
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Well you kind of touch on a point that it something we all have to admit. If Lovie stays or Lovie is fired there is a high degree of likelihood that the long term prognosis of this program stays the same. It probably doesn't matter what Whitman does and it is going to fail which is completely depressing.

I guess I lean somewhat toward the let Lovie hurl a hail mary for next season simply out of desperation. If he did hire a DC who made a difference and the offense does continue to get better maybe we could pull a shocking season. With Lovie's name exposure, maybe we could really build up recruiting momentum with "the old guy knew what he was doing all along."

I'd be lying if I wasn't extremely concerned about a bus that seems to be losing all its wheels however. I mena freaking block punts in consecutive weeks? How does that not get fixed week to week? Why did this team absolutely pack it in after Bonner's fumble?
 
#82      

SKane

SKane
Tennessee
SKane
It is human nature to not want to admit that I have made a mistake.

It is even more of human nature to not want to admit it when: 1) it is my first major hire, 2) the second major hire is in TBD status, 3) people will make fun of me, not just behind my back but very publicly, and 4) so much money was spent.
 
#85      

John Freim

J
John Freim
Why did they have the starting OL playing until the end or at least very deep into the 4th quarter? They had given up and were getting manhandled and at risk of injury. The subs show up for practice every day and couldn’t have done any worse so let them play a little. Things like this are how you “lose the team” and have players transfer out.
 
#87      

willwewin

W
willwewin
Does anyone know when the fighting illini highlight video against Iowa will be released?

For reference, here is the one against Maryland, so you know what I am talking about -
 
#88      

1LL1N1

1LL1N1
1LL1N1
willwewin said:
Does anyone know when the fighting illini highlight video against Iowa will be released?

For reference, here is the one against Maryland, so you know what I am talking about -
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If they haven't yet, they're probably not going to. Not much (anything?) to highlight.
 
#89      

breadman

B
Herndon, VA
breadman
Haven't read 100% of all posts, so I apologize if this question has been asked and answered already.
Just curious as to the last time a Rod Smith offense has been shut out? Anybody know?
 
#90      

Krush 2010

Krush 2010
Krush 2010
Is this what rock bottom feels like? Will next week prove to be even worse? Be among the 37 Illini fans to tune in and find out next Saturday when our heroes take on Northwestern. All I can say...is OUCH!
 
#91      

lopey986

L
lopey986
MadSeason said:
Groce wasn't hired to rebuild the program for scratch like Lovie was. The supposed debate at the time which I think you are alluding to is whether Groce should be kept on the basis of his perceived strong recruiting class. That is not what is being suggested here. The suggestion is that Whitman hired Lovie to do a rebuild and after year 3 one of the very important considerations has to be what direction is the recruiting going. The class to this point isn't a fantasy and is shaping up to be Lovie's strongest yet. I'm sure that if it continues Whitman will take that into consideration of how the rebuild is going
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"shaping up to be his strongest recruiting class" doesn't mean much when you're comparing it to only lovie's recruiting classes. how is it shaping up compared to the rest of the b10? (hint: not well, unless your goal is to stay ahead of rutgers).
 
#92      

lexwaldez

lexwaldez
lexwaldez
MadSeason said:
Well you kind of touch on a point that it something we all have to admit. If Lovie stays or Lovie is fired there is a high degree of likelihood that the long term prognosis of this program stays the same. It probably doesn't matter what Whitman does and it is going to fail which is completely depressing.

I guess I lean somewhat toward the let Lovie hurl a hail mary for next season simply out of desperation. If he did hire a DC who made a difference and the offense does continue to get better maybe we could pull a shocking season. With Lovie's name exposure, maybe we could really build up recruiting momentum with "the old guy knew what he was doing all along."

I'd be lying if I wasn't extremely concerned about a bus that seems to be losing all its wheels however. I mena freaking block punts in consecutive weeks? How does that not get fixed week to week? Why did this team absolutely pack it in after Bonner's fumble?
Click to expand...

This is 100% the problem. Lovie has appeared to lose the team in multiple appearances (Minnie being a pleasant surprise). For a defense minded coach, we've shown zero initiative, we've been passive and we've given up MASSIVE yardage and tons of points. The improved offense is meaningless in these games and their performance often reflects that.

I agree that if you get rid of Lovie you show a program willing to trash the staff after only two recruiting seasons. So who can you even hire? When you do hire that staff how many recruits do you lose? How many players transfer? Then what are you left with? Another roster with holes everywhere and either a retread coach that failed elsewhere or a no name that can't bring the talent. If I look at the above you are 100% forced to stick with Lovie (probably the best alternative) and fix the freaking defense. The only option I see that doesn't involve ANOTHER four year rebuild is a home run DC hire that takes a hard look at the other coaches on that side of the ball.

Does anyone disagree with that? If so, can you provide your logic? I'm trying to find a bright side (any bright side).
 
#93      

Pride of Hebron

Pride of Hebron
Pride of Hebron
OK, Iowa was the better team, we get that. But I was proud of how hard those boys fought despite the final outcome being clear fairly early on. If it wasnt for some bad miscues by the ST; an unlucky 2nd qtr, this game's outcome could have been alot more in doubt for Iowa.

And IDK where all this hate for Lovie is coming from. He has really turned this program around. Its fairly evident how socially responsible/conscious; progressive this program has become since the days of Beckman.

And I mean, we do have the best bearded coach in the NCAA. So thats a plus.
 
#94      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
Today has been brutal at work, LOL. Considering I quickly drowned all 63 points of sorrow at Joe's, Brothers and Kam's the remainder of Saturday and spent most of Sunday sleeping or driving, this is honestly the first time I have truly faced this loss. OUCH. Iowa is a better team than us, but there is no feasible argument that they're a 63-0 better team when you look at both of our results the past three weeks. At home. On Senior Day.

Completely unacceptable, and - I say this is a usual supporter of our coaches in turnaround efforts and someone who scoffs at our incredibly dumb, short-sighted fans on Facebook who don't seem to ever get that a new coach can't just make us good in one year - I'm not sure how anyone can continue to believe that next year or year 5 will be much better ... and if that's the case, why continue this?
 
#95      

Pride of Hebron

Pride of Hebron
Pride of Hebron
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Completely unacceptable, and - I say this is a usual supporter of our coaches in turnaround efforts and someone who scoffs at our incredibly dumb, short-sighted fans on Facebook who don't seem to ever get that a new coach can't just make us good in one year - I'm not sure how anyone can continue to believe that next year or year 5 will be much better ... and if that's the case, why continue this?
Click to expand...

Of course next year will be better; by year 5 I expect us to be competitive within the Big Ten West- hopefully winning it!

Give it time. We have a good recruiting class; the longer Lovie's beard grows, the better we will get.
 
#98      

Pekinfan

P
Pekinfan
Pride of Hebron said:
OK, Iowa was the better team, we get that. But I was proud of how hard those boys fought despite the final outcome being clear fairly early on. If it wasnt for some bad miscues by the ST; an unlucky 2nd qtr, this game's outcome could have been alot more in doubt for Iowa.

And IDK where all this hate for Lovie is coming from. He has really turned this program around. Its fairly evident how socially responsible/conscious; progressive this program has become since the days of Beckman.

And I mean, we do have the best bearded coach in the NCAA. So thats a plus.
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Were we watching the same game?
I love the ILLINI but I’m also a realist this team was out played and more importantly out coached.
I feel sorry for the players but especially on the defensive side of the ball the coaches did not have them prepared to win this game. Iowa is not that good.
 
#99      

Pekinfan

P
Pekinfan
I look for a lot of transfers from this team at the end of the year. I also expect Corbin, a fifth year senior, to declare for the NFL draft.