Nebraska 42, Illinois 38 POSTGAME

#76      
Lovies defense needs a makeover, no doubt. But... and I can’t emphasize this enough, how the hell do you expect them to preform when the average offensive drive lasts 3 plays and takes less than 1:30 off the clock?

Defense did what it could. It wasn’t until the third quarter where they really started cracking. The offensive meltdown was underway by that point though.

I mean, what the f&$& is the answer to fixing the football program. It can’t be this hard....

It just can’t...
His defense is beaten the same way every game vs different levels of competition. The coaching staff should be absolutely embarrassed. Lack of recruiting and development still sucks.
 
#78      
I don’t like the helmet to helmet call whether on Illinois or against opponent. It’s a big boy game. It’s a COLLISION sport. If you can’t handle it, play tiddlywinks. The rules are too strict. Many times the helmet to helmet hits are unavoidable. If the player can’t deal with it, sit in the stands. It’s football. It’s not safe. So deal with it or get off the field.
I know you're frustrated, but this is a bit off key. I've played at the HS level, I'm sure many of you have too. My kid plays HS ball and I'm sure many of yours do as well. Trying to keep guys from getting their bells rung is common sense. Not sure who here has ever had a concussion, but it's no fun. It's not a rub some dirt on it and get back out there type injury. It's vomiting, it's headaches, it's disorientation....it's scary. So, I don't care if our guys get flagged for it and get kicked out. Don't do it. Yes, accidents and obscurities occur. Never going to get around that. For the most part however, it's due to 1)Terrible technique, 2)Being out of control or 3)A guy looking to deliver a knockout. Those things can be handled via good coaching and discipline.

Sorry to rant, but for those of us who have played, have had or have seen a concussion....it's scary and for the most part avoidable.
 
#79      

sacraig

The desert
And we lead this game from a minute in to the 4th quarter. We lead this game by 2 touchdowns in the 3rd. Played what, 140 plays in between that time? So yeah, chance to win.

The bottom line is that the other team also gets a say in the outcome and games ebb and flow. It's not unreasonable to expect that those are the only two parties who have a say in the outcome.

At the end of the game, as poorly as we played in the second half, we still had a chance to win and didn't really get it because the refs botched a call. Yes, there are other plays that could influence the game, too, but most of those that went the wrong way were because we blew it or Nebraska forces us to blow it. Near the end, neither of those things were true.
 
#80      

SycIllini

Sycamore, Illinois
Really don’t understand the play calling after the third to we got. Trick play pass that didn’t appear to fool anyone, then two incomplete passes, and punt. Run the ball! We had success with it and needed to keep the offense on the field.
 
#81      
I don't know how much the defensive problems lie with the players, scheme or coaches. But i know thus i've never seen a defense give up so many yards and points as this defense the last 2 years, until tonite.
 
#82      

Ryllini

Lombard
Hardy was probably a poor choice as a DC last year, but in his defense, this defensive scheme with no wrinkles is completely dated, especially on the college level. I can’t understand how Lovie can be paid so much, this is his full time job, studies film, presumably watches college football over the country fails to understand this.

Offensively, we have some serious weapons. I cant understand how we cant get these weapons into space and do damage. Every team we play, granted it is against our defense, has no problem doing this. Schools that come from lesser conferences and seemingly undermanned do this to us. These are high paying jobs, our coaches do this full time for work, and they can’t uncover one weakness on an opposing defense.

In my opinion, we have about 5 guys who will probably being playing significantly on Sundays, not including our kickers, and we cant make anything happen.
 
#83      

Deleted member 746167

D
Guest
Yes, the defense allowed way too many yards, but the offense is why we lost. Why doesn’t Peters ever run the ball!? He kept it once and scored a td. You can’t run the read option and have no threat of the QB keeping it!!!
 
#84      

Ryllini

Lombard
And if you want an example of how this defensive system looks on the pro level, watch the Cardinals/Panthers game tomorrow. It will be a good game, because they are professional, but the lowly Cardinals will absolutely torch the Panthers and their constant zone defense. The Cards run a college style offense and they will find weakness all day and just sit in the open spots in that bull !!!! cover 2 zone and while Luke Keuuhly is awesome, he will bite on every RPO to try and make an explosive play. We play against this style offense almost every week and we have no shot.
 
#85      
Hardy went with what Lovie wanted. The hire was obvious to begin with. Lovie D and hire buddies. JW went along with it. Really frustrating.
 
#86      
I followed the game very closely online, but didn’t watch a single play, so maybe I have a bit less frustration in my perspective.

It seems that the QB is the absolute reason they lost, with the coaching decision not to sit him or run more the secondary reason. QB had 37 yards passing in first 7 minutes, and 41 yards passing the remaining 53 minutes. Totally unreal.

Offense averaged 6 yards per play rushing, and 3 yards per play passing.

TOP in 2nd half was 7.5 minutes Illinois, and 22.5 minutes Nebraska. The Illinois defense was on the field for 98 plays.

Defense gave the offense the lead and was able to hold it for about 80-90 plays. The fact that they couldn’t pass the ball at all after the first 3 drives, or convert a 3rd down is the reason for the loss.
 
#87      

Deleted member 649710

D
Guest
The offense wasn’t very good, but still scored 38. The defense gave up 700 yards, which is just godawful.
 
#89      

Deleted member 569417

D
Guest
I mean, what's the answer to fixing the football program. It can’t be this hard....

It just can’t...
It's not that hard. As for coaches, they kept on an interim guy that is the ultimate definition of Peter Principle, followed that up with pro style guy that hated recruiting , then a recruiting guy with the game day acumen of a bag of phelgm, a complete and utter moron, and then finally an outdated dinosaur NFL guy that hadn't been in the college game for 20+ years. Is it easy? No. But it's no where near as hard to make a bowl game on a semi regular basis as Illinois makes it be.

Make better hires. Hire coaches that are familiar with and involved in the college game today and evolve with the times.
 
#91      
Looking at other BigTen box scores it seems like teams usually run 50 - 70 plays. The first 9 drives Nebraska had:
53 plays
199 yards
3.7 yards per play
14 points
2 TOs

That’s a complete game for a some big ten teams. Expanding it to the first 13 drives:
66 plays
373 yards
5.6 yards per play
21 points
4 TOs

The next 4 drives were 275 yards, 3 TDs, and a missed FG from the goal line which could’ve easily been another TD.

The numbers don’t lie, they ran out of gas. The defense played well given a normal workload. This team isn’t deep enough to defend 100 plays. The offense lost this game, the QB in particular.
 
#92      
Looking at other BigTen box scores it seems like teams usually run 50 - 70 plays. The first 9 drives Nebraska had:
53 plays
199 yards
3.7 yards per play
14 points
2 TOs

That’s a complete game for a some big ten teams. Expanding it to the first 13 drives:
66 plays
373 yards
5.6 yards per play
21 points
4 TOs

The next 4 drives were 275 yards, 3 TDs, and a missed FG from the goal line which could’ve easily been another TD.

The numbers don’t lie, they ran out of gas. The defense played well given a normal workload. This team isn’t deep enough to defend 100 plays. The offense lost this game, the QB in particular.
Well done. That's exactly what happened and the numbers absolutely back it up. That defense was absolutely done by the 4th quarter.
 
#93      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
And as for coaches, they kept on an interim guy that is the ultimate definition of Peter Principle, followed that up with pro style guy that hated recruiting , then a recruiting guy with the game day acumen of a bag of phelgm, a complete and utter moron, and then finally an outdated dinosaur NFL guy that hadn't been in the college game for 20+ years.

It's funny, the guy with the most conventional resume for the job since the 80's was clearly Tim Beckman.

That being said, we can't go back and pretend that Lovie wasn't a big hire who was worth the gamble. He was. There have just been a lot of mistakes made along the way.
 
#94      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
Well done. That's exactly what happened and the numbers absolutely back it up. That defense was absolutely done by the 4th quarter.

Rod Smith's offense is at its best when it is pushing the tempo and keeping the defense stuck in favorable personnel groupings and gasping for air. The system counts on that.

Lovie Smith's defense is at its worst when a tempo offense makes the game a track meet and makes our guys make plays in space.

It's a bad fit. What makes one side of the ball good makes the other one bad.
 
#95      
Rod Smith's offense is at its best when it is pushing the tempo and keeping the defense stuck in favorable personnel groupings and gasping for air. The system counts on that.

Lovie Smith's defense is at its worst when a tempo offense makes the game a track meet and makes our guys make plays in space.

It's a bad fit. What makes one side of the ball good makes the other one bad.

I get your point, and generally agree, but I’d agree more if the offense successfully ran an uptempo style. They only converted one 3rd down the entire game. They had 41 yards passing after the first 7 minutes. To me, they just couldn’t put a drive together which kept the defense on the field.
 
#96      
I get your point, and generally agree, but I’d agree more if the offense successfully ran an uptempo style. They only converted one 3rd down the entire game. They had 41 yards passing after the first 7 minutes. To me, they just couldn’t put a drive together which kept the defense on the field.

I think our Defensive linemen have gotten a tad better, but in general the team defense is as awful as it always was, guys out of position, receivers wide open, indecisiveness at the point of attack, etc.
 
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#97      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Went to bed at the half (yes early) after Lovie decided to cede any chance of a score at the end of the first half when Nebby was going to get the kickoff after the half - playing not to lose does not inspire your kids. Glad I did as I wouldn't have gotten to sleep for at least 2 hours after that game.

Not sure how our defensive coach has no idea Martinez is going to run the ball in key situations and our LBs were just missing in action against the run. Way too many missed opportunities and the refs really did not help at all. TOs were a positive as they were all caused by aggressive play - but if we can't stop them after we take out there first two runners, my god. Clear path here - Lovie needs to go and he can take the LB coach with him. Rod Smith needs to get more mature in his play calling - screw the BIG play when your backs were making good yards.
 
#100      
And if you want an example of how this defensive system looks on the pro level, watch the Cardinals/Panthers game tomorrow. It will be a good game, because they are professional, but the lowly Cardinals will absolutely torch the Panthers and their constant zone defense. The Cards run a college style offense and they will find weakness all day and just sit in the open spots in that bull !!!! cover 2 zone and while Luke Keuuhly is awesome, he will bite on every RPO to try and make an explosive play. We play against this style offense almost every week and we have no shot.

Panthers don’t play Tampa 2 anymore. Rivera switched to a base 3-4 this past offseason