Illinois 23, Rutgers 20 Postgame

#76      
Not sure. But assuming he was trying to shield the sun from his eyes or something which can be construed as a fair catch symbol. Basically anything resembling a hand wave above the head will make the play dead upon catching the punt.
 
#77      

BillyBob1

Champaign
Not sure. But assuming he was trying to shield the sun from his eyes or something which can be construed as a fair catch symbol. Basically anything resembling a hand wave above the head will make the play dead upon catching the punt.
But a fair catch on the kickoff usually puts the ball at the 25.
 
#79      

BZuppke

Plainfield
A lot of fashionable comments here - pillow fight, we wouldn’t win if, etc. We won. Deal with it instead of trying to support your narrative. Both teams made some plays and both made mistakes. What I did see was an actual offense with IW in. I think this is worth exploring. And I wouldn’t advocate playing IW for next year if he was awful. Pre game I thought we had a potential Aaron Bailey on our hands - hype without delivery. But he made things happen, showed a savvy beyond his years and because of his mobility opened lanes for the running backs. We need to go with this instead of the idea that Brandon has to return as starter. Stick with IW for now. We may have found something. Over 300 yards rushing today. Hasn’t happened for us in a big ten game in a long time.
 
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#81      
A lot of fashionable comments here - pillow fight, we wouldn’t win if, etc. We won. Deal with it instead of trying to support your narrative. Both teams made some plays and both made mistakes. What I did see was an actual offense with IW in. I think this is worth exploring. And I wouldn’t advocate playing IW for next year if he was awful. Pre game I thought we had a potential Aaron Bailey on our hands - hype without delivery. But he made things happen, showed a savvy beyond his years and because of his mobility opened lanes for the running backs. We need to go with this instead of the idea that Brandon has to return as starter. Stick with IW for now. We may have found something. Over 300 yards rushing today. Hasn’t happened for us in a big ten game in a long time.
Adding to this, OL/ blocking scheme has not been good this year. IW is elusive and turned breakdowns into positive plays. Peters tends to hold on to the ball and try to make something happen, but didn’t jive well vs wisc
 
#82      
Can someone help me with this call? First quarter, Rutgers kicks fg to go up by 10. On the ensuing kickoff: Davidovicz, J. kickoff 52 yards to the ILL13, Thompson,Khmari return 0 yards to the ILL13.

Thompson caught the ball and took off running downfield but the play was whistled dead and the ball returned to the 13 yard line. Why was the play stopped?
 
#83      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
Rutgers: "You take the win"
Illinois: "No, you take the win"
Rutgers: "No, really, you take the win"
Illinois: "Ok"

VopMrVG.gif
 
#84      
I don't want to take anything away from IW game, but if he doesn't learn to throw he will be hurt by next week
 
#88      
Isaiah Williams making plays! I think people forget what he can and does do! (Red Team)

 
#90      
I am happy for those kids getting the monkey off their back. Great road win. However,
After watching this game, I just don’t see a very good football team. They just don’t have the athletes, the big bodies, and the playmakers other teams do. I was hoping for much more from Lovie at this point. I don’t see one player on this team remotely close to being drafted.
Not sure what it is going to take. We need a much better recruiting team. My patience as a fan is getting to the not bother to watch faze.
I know COVID has had its impact. But everyone is dealing with the same issues. I would like to see us end up .500 but that is looking really hard to do.
 
#91      
Did not like using final timeout with :07 left, with clock already stopped, with kicker who has just missed 2 FGAs. Taking timeout there tells me either: (1) our sideline doesn’t understand what to do, or (2) our sideline was more worried about a turnover or penalty, than they were confident in getting a few more yards or at least centering the ball on the field. Even though it worked out, even though we won, I didn’t like that decision.
Did not like the timeout necessarily, but as a fan familiar with Illini football, I was in favor of not running another play with a QB in his 1st full game. It was a chance for another, "no really, you take it". I was paranoid the clock would run out, we wasted ~20 seconds a few plays earlier. While we missed 2 FGs earlier, I have confidence in McCourt.

GO ILLINI!
 
#93      
I think that the fact that Covid cost us the spring and summer has hurt us and a number of teams, this season. On defense, a lot of guys being hesitant and not filling holes and gaps and seeming to be a step late (once again, not just us!). Qbs not being sure of the reads in given situations or being a little hesitant on throws. I will repeat, this is not just us. Olines being the same way. I don't like Lovie wanting us to be "a running team" but, that is simply a difference in philosophy and he is the head coach. I do think that a lot of the criticism here is due to factors that are impacting all of college football. Watch most games on tv and one will see the same things that many are complaining about here. Mich, Penn State, us, and on down the line.
 
#94      
I think that the fact that Covid cost us the spring and summer has hurt us and a number of teams, this season. On defense, a lot of guys being hesitant and not filling holes and gaps and seeming to be a step late (once again, not just us!). Qbs not being sure of the reads in given situations or being a little hesitant on throws. I will repeat, this is not just us. Olines being the same way. I don't like Lovie wanting us to be "a running team" but, that is simply a difference in philosophy and he is the head coach. I do think that a lot of the criticism here is due to factors that are impacting all of college football. Watch most games on tv and one will see the same things that many are complaining about here. Mich, Penn State, us, and on down the line.
The problem is the coaches at Mich, Penn State and on down the line haven't been fielding teams making these same mistakes for the last five years.
 
#95      
I do think that a lot of the criticism here is due to factors that are impacting all of college football. Watch most games on tv and one will see the same things that many are complaining about here. Mich, Penn State, us, and on down the line.
It's also affected all the teams that are winning. Isn't it likely that Ohio State and Wisconsin aren't quite as good as they otherwise would be without the impact of Covid?
 
#96      
Here is my take. A couple of weeks ago, CT got his first start against Purdue and put up 305 yards of offense and gave the team a chance to win. 270 of those yard were passing going 17/29. Purdue is better that Rutgers. Yesterday IW got the win putting up less than 300 yards of offense. Both benefitted from the opponent not creating a defensive scheme giving the situation. Next week will be the indicator of how things will go for IW. I get that a win is a win but the score against Rutgers last year was 38-10. What am I missing in terms of something to be overly excited about? I am happy for the win but I really fail to see anything to brag about in this game. To be honest, how many past QB's rushed 31 times? What concerns me right now is missing routine pass plays that you have to make at this level. Next week will tell us a lot more.
 
#97      
I'm guessing we again lead the world in Illegal-receiver-down-field calls. And yesterday they even missed calling one, so we really should lead by plus one. I feel robbed somehow.
 
#98      
I am happy for those kids getting the monkey off their back. Great road win. However,
After watching this game, I just don’t see a very good football team. They just don’t have the athletes, the big bodies, and the playmakers other teams do. I was hoping for much more from Lovie at this point. I don’t see one player on this team remotely close to being drafted.
Not sure what it is going to take. We need a much better recruiting team. My patience as a fan is getting to the not bother to watch faze.
I know COVID has had its impact. But everyone is dealing with the same issues. I would like to see us end up .500 but that is looking really hard to do.
Getting drafted isn't the only way to make it to the pros! It's an avenue! There's other ways to get there! And Illinois has consistently had free agents make it to the league and prosper! Also Penn State and Michigan has athletes I'm sure you'd agree! Look at their teams! So it's not like we're the only team struggling unexpectedly! I really think people have forgotten, to Lovie credit, how far we'd fallen as a football program! I definitely understand the frustration when you know we should be playing way better and more disciplined! I know the coaches want the best talent on the field but I believe the best disciplined talent should play instead! And then maybe the best talent will play more disciplined! Go Illini!
 
#99      
Here is my take. A couple of weeks ago, CT got his first start against Purdue and put up 305 yards of offense and gave the team a chance to win. 270 of those yard were passing going 17/29. Purdue is better that Rutgers. Yesterday IW got the win putting up less than 300 yards of offense. Both benefitted from the opponent not creating a defensive scheme giving the situation. Next week will be the indicator of how things will go for IW. I get that a win is a win but the score against Rutgers last year was 38-10. What am I missing in terms of something to be overly excited about? I am happy for the win but I really fail to see anything to brag about in this game. To be honest, how many past QB's rushed 31 times? What concerns me right now is missing routine pass plays that you have to make at this level. Next week will tell us a lot more.
Many valid and fair points, but with all do respect, last year was last year! Each year is different! Each team is different! CT did awesome considering! He and IW definitely need more game time!
 
#100      
Getting drafted isn't the only way to make it to the pros! It's an avenue! There's other ways to get there! And Illinois has consistently had free agents make it to the league and prosper! Also Penn State and Michigan has athletes I'm sure you'd agree! Look at their teams! So it's not like we're the only team struggling unexpectedly! I really think people have forgotten, to Lovie credit, how far we'd fallen as a football program! I definitely understand the frustration when you know we should be playing way better and more disciplined! I know the coaches want the best talent on the field but I believe the best disciplined talent should play instead! And then maybe the best talent will play more disciplined! Go Illini!
You do know that there are ways to punctuate the end of sentences other than exclamation points, right? Just messing with you.

Recruits want to get drafted, so coaching guys up and getting them into the draft is incredibly important. Getting in through the draft is where the money is and I’d argue that drafted players likely stick in the NFL longer than UDFAs. Successful programs put guys into the NFL through the draft. Unsuccessful programs typically don’t.