OurMottoisOskeeWowWow
- Illinois
I'll take a win and a win by 21 points. Are there things that need to be improved? Definitely! But we won! Keep in mind we lost to Rutgers at home last year, 35-24! So I'll take a W like this any day!
Illinois 38, Rutgers 17 POSTGAME
Really like the potential of MJ but, Today showed how important the QB mobility in this offense makes it work.
The Lovie game is "Make them beat us." Be solid on the fundamentals, we're not, and make the other team use low-probability plays to beat you. Look at the how statistically accurate Illinir1's post below was. Lovie is straight up trying to be the House.
Yep. Adds another variable the opponent has to account for. Their guy threw a better percentage than he has in the past, but he couldn't move the ball with his feet. For us, think of how many times AJ used his feet to advance the ball on a broken plays. Plus two rushing touchdowns. If he can get in the groove with his arm, look out!
Agreed. For some fans that might be frustrating, but if slow and steady wins the race, I'm all for it.
I got the sense that soon, the dread I've lived with will dissipate, and I'll really be able to enjoy the games again. I don't mean that as a bust on Lovie, quite the opposite in fact. For me, Zook took the fun out of winning. Victory was so unreliable and unpredictable. Its hard to have fun in competitive games when you've braced yourself for a lousy season, not to mention the inventive ways we could steal a loss from a winnable game, or a win from out of nowhere....my heart couldn't take it. I think Lovie is the absolute answer to wild, unexpected variability in performance.
Great call! Your converting the stats absolutely nailed it.
You mocking?
Nice. I'm still viewing the perfect season, (okay, perfect with the option for more), as going into the NW game with five wins. Having a sixth win come at the expense of the kitties would be absolutely fine with me.
Totally agree.
Man, he's been dreading this game, hasn't he? This win has got to mean more to him that anyone else not on the team. This would have been a hard loss for the program, I think. Look at how much negativity is evident on this board even after beating Vegas by...16 or 17 points? The bitter has gone on so long, the taste lingers, I get that. But Lovie took a Rex Grossman football team to the SuperBowl. I mean, that doesn't happen if you're not a great coach, period.Oh, and suck it Robert!
Uh, so in your mind, winning the games Vegas says you should is one step forward, but losing to teams you're supposed to is two steps back?! That's unhealthy thinking right there.
I don't agree that his job was on the line, because Josh is smarter than that. But the media narrative would have become a much heavier lift. And jebus are some fans unwilling to see the evidence of progress. If it were a snake it woulda bit them by now.
He is the best we got and landed him late. We might be looking to land a solid veteran qb in the transfer market next season. Likely 2 years away from developing our QB from the group of Isiah, Rivers, Robinson, etc...
Deleted member 29907
D
Guest
Have to agree - I don't get all the hand wringing after we beat a team by 17 points over the line... Maybe we're doing better than we think eh?
Agreed, but I was happy with how they responded. I also think that was the more important lesson.
---
Nothing impressed me more than Lovie in the postgame presser. The man is so even keel, but he was noticeably looser and more relaxed with his answers. He spoke about the importance of the win, and that it really felt like a winning locker room. But he wasn't hyped up, he's just so in perspective and even keel. I really can't understand why he isn't more widely believed-in across Illini nation.
He also said that this presents a great opportunity next week against Purdue. The upside of a win will not be missed by this team.
How long has it been since we played for an upside as big as we could get from a win over the Boilers? That's real progress, win or lose.
I’m not feeling negative tonight but we had more roughing the passer penalties (1) than sacks (0) against a freshman one-read QB who is not mobile, in the slightest (-3 rushing yards today). We’re not getting away with that again this year. I know it offends this staff’s core philosophy but we need to adjust with some new schematics to generate pocket pressure or we’re going to get lit on fire from now to thanksgiving. You can’t win like that unless we play Rutgers every week which (checks schedule) we don’t.
No inside knowledge, my guess is the attitude adjustment required by Lovie has not kicked in yet
This is easier said than done, I'm afraid, largely due to what I'm perceiving to be a lack of chops in the DL Coach area.
sacraig
- The desert
Lovieball has seemingly always been about generating turnovers more than completely stifling the opposing defense. If course you'd like to make sure you are capable of making key stops, but key stops include turnovers, not just stuffing every play for a yard or so.
For the poster who was concerned about Bush's 89 yds. Yes, he can definitely improve, but had a 40 yd. or so TD dropped and Epsteins 30 or so yard catch called incomplete.
AJ didn’t throw that Epstein pass.
I’d say the worry with ajs passing right now is really just the timing. He’s clearly not in rhythm yet and we need him to be ASAP. We can complain about the drops but he’s been consistently late on throws, and turning guys around because of it. Hopefully his timing arrives soon.
you can blame Green for that, you get 2 hands on the ball it needs to be caught
Whatever it is, I do hope Dorsey gets back, he showed signs last year of being a real offensive weapon
Deleted member 29907
D
Guest
Agree - AJ's been out for almost a month - lets all give him a bit of time to get in rhythm. He had a 55% completion rate for the game and we had at least one easy drop.
Losing Phair back to the NFL hurt.
Deleted member 533939
D
Guest
Rutgers best return was 27 yards to their own 28 yard line.