Illinois 31, UConn 23 POSTGAME

#201      
According to the box score I checked, the UConn QB had 2 INTs, -21 yes rushing, no TDs and a QB rating of 36. Picked us apart is a big exaggeration.

Well, I suppose you have a point if you want to cite only the information that helps your argument. Did you know that the UConn third-string quarterback completed 21 of 31 attempts and threw for 275 yards against our pass defense? I don't know what was observable on television but I was at the game and from my perspective we didn't exactly blanket their receivers. Quibble with the semantics if you wish, but we are in big trouble if something doesn't change before we play against the much more talented quarterbacks who lie ahead on the schedule.
 
#202      
We just a couple weeks ago got a commit from a 4* WR, we have a 5* TE sitting out with 3 years of eligibility left and our uber-fast 4* CB should be back in full health next year. So there is significant help on the way.

3 phenomenal players, no doubt about it but there’s a flaw to this argument and it’s one I believe you are aware of PTown. There are only 3 names there.

On or before the end of the 2020 season, we are guaranteed to lose 18 starting players (Specialists not included). That’s not a typo. It also only counts listed starters, it doesn’t factor in key contributing players like Ra’Von Bonner, Dre Brown, Dominic Stampley or Justice Williams (Mike Epstein omitted intentionally, as he unfortunately has rarely contributed). We all knew we would be thin come this time, this isn’t news to any of us and I for one accept it but the issue as it relates to this conversation is about high end talent and when it comes to high talent, we’ll be gutted. There will still be talent here mind you, both proven and unproven but it’s spotty, inconsistent in terms of position and in short supply. Very, very short supply.

The obvious response is coming, I’m quite certain of it. 2 dozen people are going rush in and say “Twangers you moron, we’re going too sign 7 elite level transfers each year again. How do you not see that”? The answer to that I simple, I see it but I can’t count on it. No one can. We can be hopeful, we can be optimistic, we can even be quietly confident but at the end of the day no person with any shred of credibility can say truthfully and honestly that the type of additions we made from this year’s transfer market is a sustainable level of talent acquisition. Frankly, it’s almost inconceivable. Someone in the recruiting thread posted that the average HS ranking of the transfers was .95 or something crazy like that. That’s Clemson level talent. We add that type of talent in those quantities each season we’ll be in fine shape but if we don’t we will be in serious trouble. So, million dollar question, how do we avoid that trouble? You guessed it. We need to start signing higher end HS seniors in higher quantities. Signing 1-2 James Frenchie’s (Not a knock in any way, purely a name for example puposes) doesn’t cut it. Regardless of how good we may feel about this program’s progress, we aren’t doing that with 5 wins. That’s just the way it is. We need to win 6 games to try and get this program out of long term mediocrity. Yesterday’s team was not a 6 win team.
 
#203      
I must be in the minority. But I don't care. Let those dudes have fun. High fiving one fan and a three second dance is nothing to get worked up about. We have done worse! and not been flagged this year alone. Also, our kicker has a powerful foot. So instead of kicking the ball out of the endzone, the returner takes a knee in the endzone. So what. Same result.
As long as they don't disrespect the game and the other team, let them show their personalities. Don't try and make them someone/thing they are not.

When Kofi dunks all over EJ's head this year, I don't want him to act like he as dunked a basketball 1,000 times. I want him to look at EJ like he is going to eat him like a cheeseburger and roar like some Japanize karate cartoon!
raw

I agree, and it’s not just the Illini - I feel like they are calling unsportsmanlike after a huge % of TDs and turnovers across college football this year and it’s ridiculous. These kids work hours a day for months to put themselves in a position to make big plays. As long as they aren’t taunting an opponent, let them be excited for 10 seconds.
 
#204      
I agree, and it’s not just the Illini - I feel like they are calling unsportsmanlike after a huge % of TDs and turnovers across college football this year and it’s ridiculous. These kids work hours a day for months to put themselves in a position to make big plays. As long as they aren’t taunting an opponent, let them be excited for 10 seconds.

I mean if Reggie breaks off a 60 yard touchdown run with 25 seconds left to take the lead against Nebraska, he is supposed to turn around and walk back to the sideline like he has no interest in football or what he just did, and we’re supposed to sit there and politely golf clap? Give me a break! I hate the way they’re calling it this year
 
#205      
I mean if Reggie breaks off a 60 yard touchdown run with 25 seconds left to take the lead against Nebraska, he is supposed to turn around and walk back to the sideline like he has no interest in football or what he just did, and we’re supposed to sit there and politely golf clap? Give me a break! I hate the way they’re calling it this year

Yes, like the Diesel did back in the day. Act like you have been there before!
 
#206      
3 phenomenal players, no doubt about it but there’s a flaw to this argument and it’s one I believe you are aware of PTown. There are only 3 names there.

On or before the end of the 2020 season, we are guaranteed to lose 18 starting players (Specialists not included). That’s not a typo. It also only counts listed starters, it doesn’t factor in key contributing players like Ra’Von Bonner, Dre Brown, Dominic Stampley or Justice Williams (Mike Epstein omitted intentionally, as he unfortunately has rarely contributed). We all knew we would be thin come this time, this isn’t news to any of us and I for one accept it but the issue as it relates to this conversation is about high end talent and when it comes to high talent, we’ll be gutted. There will still be talent here mind you, both proven and unproven but it’s spotty, inconsistent in terms of position and in short supply. Very, very short supply.

The obvious response is coming, I’m quite certain of it. 2 dozen people are going rush in and say “Twangers you moron, we’re going too sign 7 elite level transfers each year again. How do you not see that”? The answer to that I simple, I see it but I can’t count on it. No one can. We can be hopeful, we can be optimistic, we can even be quietly confident but at the end of the day no person with any shred of credibility can say truthfully and honestly that the type of additions we made from this year’s transfer market is a sustainable level of talent acquisition. Frankly, it’s almost inconceivable. Someone in the recruiting thread posted that the average HS ranking of the transfers was .95 or something crazy like that. That’s Clemson level talent. We add that type of talent in those quantities each season we’ll be in fine shape but if we don’t we will be in serious trouble. So, million dollar question, how do we avoid that trouble? You guessed it. We need to start signing higher end HS seniors in higher quantities. Signing 1-2 James Frenchie’s (Not a knock in any way, purely a name for example puposes) doesn’t cut it. Regardless of how good we may feel about this program’s progress, we aren’t doing that with 5 wins. That’s just the way it is. We need to win 6 games to try and get this program out of long term mediocrity. Yesterday’s team was not a 6 win team.
Agree with most of the 1st and 2nd paragraphs, other than Epstein contributing, please. Why can't we get better, is it because you have knowledge of the future? We haven't even played the majority of the season yet.
 
#207      
3 phenomenal players, no doubt about it but there’s a flaw to this argument and it’s one I believe you are aware of PTown. There are only 3 names there.

On or before the end of the 2020 season, we are guaranteed to lose 18 starting players (Specialists not included). That’s not a typo. It also only counts listed starters, it doesn’t factor in key contributing players like Ra’Von Bonner, Dre Brown, Dominic Stampley or Justice Williams (Mike Epstein omitted intentionally, as he unfortunately has rarely contributed). We all knew we would be thin come this time, this isn’t news to any of us and I for one accept it but the issue as it relates to this conversation is about high end talent and when it comes to high talent, we’ll be gutted. There will still be talent here mind you, both proven and unproven but it’s spotty, inconsistent in terms of position and in short supply. Very, very short supply.

The obvious response is coming, I’m quite certain of it. 2 dozen people are going rush in and say “Twangers you moron, we’re going too sign 7 elite level transfers each year again. How do you not see that”? The answer to that I simple, I see it but I can’t count on it. No one can. We can be hopeful, we can be optimistic, we can even be quietly confident but at the end of the day no person with any shred of credibility can say truthfully and honestly that the type of additions we made from this year’s transfer market is a sustainable level of talent acquisition. Frankly, it’s almost inconceivable. Someone in the recruiting thread posted that the average HS ranking of the transfers was .95 or something crazy like that. That’s Clemson level talent. We add that type of talent in those quantities each season we’ll be in fine shape but if we don’t we will be in serious trouble. So, million dollar question, how do we avoid that trouble? You guessed it. We need to start signing higher end HS seniors in higher quantities. Signing 1-2 James Frenchie’s (Not a knock in any way, purely a name for example puposes) doesn’t cut it. Regardless of how good we may feel about this program’s progress, we aren’t doing that with 5 wins. That’s just the way it is. We need to win 6 games to try and get this program out of long term mediocrity. Yesterday’s team was not a 6 win team.

In two years our two deep lineup will look something like this

Qb: IW, Dixoon
Rb: chase brown, sims, Norwood,fedanzo i, love
Wr: Washington, Cumby, Campbell, carter, Jadon Thompson, james frenchie
Te: Ford, Barker,
Ol:green, Myers, brown, Pearll slaughter
Dt: woods, Avery, Okpala, Pate, oladipo
De: Randolph, Coleman, Holmes, moore?
Lb: Tolson, Ware, Smith, batnes, Cooper
Db: Martin, Wyatt, beason, Witherspoon
S: Brown, joseph, thompson

Not sure what you are saying, but this team is solid. Do we have to win. Yes. But depth is not a problem next year, the year after, and at least one more year. If Lovie has a job, I don’t envision depth or recruiting being an issue when these kids graduate. I believe the team on the field was a 5 to 6-win team. I believe next year is a 10 win team. I believe the following year is an 8 win team, and the year you are suggesting, is at least an 8 win team
 
#208      
I don't disagree with you that if by the end of this year we end up with 3-4 wins then we have to start over. What I disagree with is saying Sat's performance is the sole indication on how the season is going to end up. If this team only wins 5 games, I am confident that another addition of a recruiting class on par with Lovie's last one added to the growth that is currently here, will be a solid 6+ team. And I don't see us dipping back down afterwards. Now Lovie and company are recruiting with not only the facilities but with a winning football team behind them.
So logically, Lovie has brought in X talented recruiting classes while winning 3,2 and 4 games.
I suspect he can bring in around the same level with wining at least 5 games. If we win at least 5 this year, I am very confident we are winning at least 6 next. And the recruiting level increases and such. That makes all the sense in the world. What doesn't make sense is how schools that have shown to be nothing more than a wet blanket on the field, will bring in better talented players than us. Two kids we wanted from East St. Louis committed to Ten...TENNESSEE. Have they seen what they looked like on the field the last few years. Johnson may have decommitted but it wasn't because of their play. The Olineman is still committed I do believe. To me that does not make any sense and has driven me to not worry about what a few certain recruits want. It will drive you mad

I'm sorry..What I should have said was i dont disagree with the logical progression of the wins and recruiting talent. But 5 wins this year doesn't deter that logical improvement

Not sure Tennessee is the best example but in general, keying in on specific recruits is not the best route. Recruiting is too fluid and there are too many options to try and cater to every individual HS senior. The reason I say generally is that this doesn’t apply to where we are right now. Right now, we’re only 13 odd weeks away from the early signing date. We’re not in the 1st quarter with lots of time to make up ground, it’s the 4th quarter and if we want to score we need to score now. The number of high end, 4* type talents that are still available to us or are legitimate Illinois flip candidates is in the single digits. This means we have little choice but to focus on the needs of the individuals. Otherwise, they sign somewhere else and we have no backup option of equivalent talent.
 
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#209      
In two years our two deep lineup will look something like this

Qb: IW, Dixoon
Rb: chase brown, sims, Norwood,fedanzo i, love
Wr: Washington, Cumby, Campbell, carter, Jadon Thompson, james frenchie
Te: Ford, Barker,
Ol:green, Myers, brown, Pearll slaughter
Dt: woods, Avery, Okpala, Pate, oladipo
De: Randolph, Coleman, Holmes, moore?
Lb: Tolson, Ware, Smith, batnes, Cooper
Db: Martin, Wyatt, beason, Witherspoon
S: Brown, joseph, thompson

Not sure what you are saying, but this team is solid. Do we have to win. Yes. But depth is not a problem next year, the year after, and at least one more year. If Lovie has a job, I don’t envision depth or recruiting being an issue when these kids graduate. I believe the team on the field was a 5 to 6-win team. I believe next year is a 10 win team. I believe the following year is an 8 win team, and the year you are suggesting, is at least an 8 win team

I could question why you’re talking about CJ Dixon and I could certainly question your mentioning of Calvin Avery but all that really does it take away from the obvious. That team....isn’t all that solid. It’s good if not great at a couple spots and extremely shakey in others. The roster you just rattled off, on paper, doesn’t look all that great. 8 wins, as that roster stands? Good luck with that.

You’re also assuming Kendrick Green is around in 2021. With this play, he may not be.
 
#210      
I could question why you’re talking about CJ Dixon and I could certainly question your mentioning of Calvin Avery but all that really does it take away from the obvious. That team....isn’t all that solid. It’s good if not great at a couple spots and extremely shakey in others. The roster you just rattled off, on paper, doesn’t look all that great. 8 wins, as that roster stands? Good luck with that.

You’re also assuming Kendrick Green is around in 2021. With this play, he may not be.
I appreciate your information on recruiting. Why so pessimistic on the Illini, do you have a timeline we're not hitting? Enjoy the positives, we're getting better. Hoping injury free the rest of the year.
 
#211      
I could question why you’re talking about CJ Dixon and I could certainly question your mentioning of Calvin Avery but all that really does it take away from the obvious. That team....isn’t all that solid. It’s good if not great at a couple spots and extremely shakey in others. The roster you just rattled off, on paper, doesn’t look all that great. 8 wins, as that roster stands? Good luck with that.

You’re also assuming Kendrick Green is around in 2021. With this play, he may not be.

I’m curious, which position do you think is weak?
 
#212      
I appreciate your information on recruiting. Why so pessimistic on the Illini, do you have a timeline we're not hitting? Enjoy the positives, we're getting better. Hoping injury free the rest of the year.

Easy answer for me, I see the light. I see a path to legitimacy. I see a path to a program that matters on a real level. Knowing that this path is not only possible, it’s probable has made me a little uptight and irritable. We aren’t getting to that attainable level of talent and play by winning 5 games. The team I saw Saturday isn’t getting past 5 wins.
 
#213      
Easy answer for me, I see the light. I see a path to legitimacy. I see a path to a program that matters on a real level. Knowing that this path is not only possible, it’s probable has made me a little uptight and irritable. We aren’t getting to that attainable level of talent and play by winning 5 games. The team I saw Saturday isn’t getting past 5 wins.
I'm interested in what the path is......?
 
#214      
Easy answer for me, I see the light. I see a path to legitimacy. I see a path to a program that matters on a real level. Knowing that this path is not only possible, it’s probable has made me a little uptight and irritable. We aren’t getting to that attainable level of talent and play by winning 5 games. The team I saw Saturday isn’t getting past 5 wins.

The secondary looks incredibly weak, downright bad to be perfectly honest. We’d need Beason to come all the way back, a question mark at this point, to even be respectable back there but the point isn’t that we’re weak. The point is that we’re not particularly strong. We’re just kind of ok. There’s high end talent in a few spots, certainly at the tight end position (And if Isiah becomes the player we all believe he can be, we have to be pleased with our QB situation) and I’m hopeful about the young linebackers (Keep hearing good things about Tariq Barnes) but it’s isolated. It’s not a roster that rivals what we have today, where you have true high end talent at multiple spots on both side of the ball. It’s 2021 and we’ve got a lot of mountain to climb but adding kids like Moore and Mookie Cooper would turn that mountain into a small hill. To land those kids, we need to win.
 
#217      
Honestly based on how we've done in the grad transfer market I'm not too concerned about the secondary for next year. If hobbs stays you have him, quan, beason and (a kid I like) witherspoon will be a soph. Safety you still have adams and green so if you add grad transfer cb and safety the group becomes very very good.
 
#218      
Honestly based on how we've done in the grad transfer market I'm not too concerned about the secondary for next year. If hobbs stays you have him, quan, beason and (a kid I like) witherspoon will be a soph. Safety you still have adams and green so if you add grad transfer cb and safety the group becomes very very good.
Agreed, just worried about this year, important for the results to be decent for Lovie, so he can get to these years.
 
#219      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Can we get a petition going to stop BheBhe from doing back flips with the Cheer squad? With our luck, we shouldn't even being doing chest bumps.
 
#220      

Deleted member 654622

D
Guest
3 phenomenal players, no doubt about it but there’s a flaw to this argument and it’s one I believe you are aware of PTown. There are only 3 names there.

On or before the end of the 2020 season, we are guaranteed to lose 18 starting players (Specialists not included). That’s not a typo. It also only counts listed starters, it doesn’t factor in key contributing players like Ra’Von Bonner, Dre Brown, Dominic Stampley or Justice Williams (Mike Epstein omitted intentionally, as he unfortunately has rarely contributed). We all knew we would be thin come this time, this isn’t news to any of us and I for one accept it but the issue as it relates to this conversation is about high end talent and when it comes to high talent, we’ll be gutted. There will still be talent here mind you, both proven and unproven but it’s spotty, inconsistent in terms of position and in short supply. Very, very short supply.

The obvious response is coming, I’m quite certain of it. 2 dozen people are going rush in and say “Twangers you moron, we’re going too sign 7 elite level transfers each year again. How do you not see that”? The answer to that I simple, I see it but I can’t count on it. No one can. We can be hopeful, we can be optimistic, we can even be quietly confident but at the end of the day no person with any shred of credibility can say truthfully and honestly that the type of additions we made from this year’s transfer market is a sustainable level of talent acquisition. Frankly, it’s almost inconceivable. Someone in the recruiting thread posted that the average HS ranking of the transfers was .95 or something crazy like that. That’s Clemson level talent. We add that type of talent in those quantities each season we’ll be in fine shape but if we don’t we will be in serious trouble. So, million dollar question, how do we avoid that trouble? You guessed it. We need to start signing higher end HS seniors in higher quantities. Signing 1-2 James Frenchie’s (Not a knock in any way, purely a name for example puposes) doesn’t cut it. Regardless of how good we may feel about this program’s progress, we aren’t doing that with 5 wins. That’s just the way it is. We need to win 6 games to try and get this program out of long term mediocrity. Yesterday’s team was not a 6 win team.
I see your concern. The transfers have made our classes top heavy. I don't see any way around needed some more transfers in a few years. But were also talking about two years from now. So were saying guys with at least two years in our strength program, two years of practice, two years of being on a college sideline are going to step in and start. That is what we want isn't it? Were talking about
Isaiah Williams, Epstein, E Carter, Cumby, Campbell, Washington, Barker, Moore, Verdis, Slaughter, Myers, Khalan, Shammond, Tarique, J Thompon, Beason
Now I'm not trying to just name off one recruiting class and I didn't name every one of them. Not all are going to be successful. But I feel good about a lot of those guys. And I would rather not have to play Sophomores/Red shirt Freshman but talented players like Reggie Love fall into that category. As long as the top 10 programs in the country get the majority of the higher end talent year over year in recruiting, there will not be a shortage of guys wanting to transfer. The issue is going to be beating out other programs for that talent once everyone sees how successful it can be
 
#221      

mhuml32

Cincinnati, OH
Optimist: Won first non-conference road game in 12 years. (big gulp of kool-aid mixed with grain alcohol) Every time Illinois wins a non-conference road game, they play in one of the top bowl games (Rose, Sugar). Corbin and Brown didn't play, Adams was hurt mid-game, Green was ejected for targeting, still found a way to win. Corbin, Brown, and Green should be back for EMU. Completely dominated the UCONN running game.

Pessimist: This was a great opportunity to plant a flag and say things were going to change with a comfortable win, it didn't happen. Only had one quarter of quality play. True freshman QB lit up the secondary with 275 passing yards and no interceptions. EMU threw for a ton of yards against Kentucky and is much better than UCONN. Peters seems destined to have a back-breaking interception (or two) at some point this year. Penalty monster reared up. Put up 31 points against a team that is likely the worst defense we see for the rest of the season. Illinois allowed almost the same amount of points as Wagner.
 
#222      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Optimist: Won first non-conference road game in 12 years. (big gulp of kool-aid mixed with grain alcohol) Every time Illinois wins a non-conference road game, they play in one of the top bowl games (Rose, Sugar). Corbin and Brown didn't play, Adams was hurt mid-game, Green was ejected for targeting, still found a way to win. Corbin, Brown, and Green should be back for EMU. Completely dominated the UCONN running game.

Pessimist: This was a great opportunity to plant a flag and say things were going to change with a comfortable win, it didn't happen. Only had one quarter of quality play. True freshman QB lit up the secondary with 275 passing yards and no interceptions. EMU threw for a ton of yards against Kentucky and is much better than UCONN. Peters seems destined to have a back-breaking interception (or two) at some point this year. Penalty monster reared up. Put up 31 points against a team that is likely the worst defense we see for the rest of the season. Illinois allowed almost the same amount of points as Wagner.
...trying to decide if this is your pro/con? or summary of what you seeing as posts in this post (now post, post) game thread.
 
#223      

Deleted member 654622

D
Guest
Optimist: Won first non-conference road game in 12 years. (big gulp of kool-aid mixed with grain alcohol) Every time Illinois wins a non-conference road game, they play in one of the top bowl games (Rose, Sugar). Corbin and Brown didn't play, Adams was hurt mid-game, Green was ejected for targeting, still found a way to win. Corbin, Brown, and Green should be back for EMU. Completely dominated the UCONN running game.

Pessimist: This was a great opportunity to plant a flag and say things were going to change with a comfortable win, it didn't happen. Only had one quarter of quality play. True freshman QB lit up the secondary with 275 passing yards and no interceptions. EMU threw for a ton of yards against Kentucky and is much better than UCONN. Peters seems destined to have a back-breaking interception (or two) at some point this year. Penalty monster reared up. Put up 31 points against a team that is likely the worst defense we see for the rest of the season. Illinois allowed almost the same amount of points as Wagner.
2 picks and a lost fumble
 
#225      
2 picks and a lost fumble

We also, while still acknowledging our own issues in the back half, need to give some credit where it's due. Their WRs made a couple of tough, big time catches. The kid from Seton Hall, Brown, made a one-handed catch that would be on par with anything any high end Big 10 WR could do. Sometimes kids make plays and you have to simply tip your hat to them.